Litera
Vol 23, No 1: LITERA (MARCH 2024)

Linguistic landscape and power representation at gas stations

Sri Wahyuni (Badan Riset dan Inovasi Nasional)
Ai Kurniati (Badan Riset dan Inovasi Nasional)
Dyah Susilawati (Badan Riset dan Inovasi Nasional)



Article Info

Publish Date
14 Mar 2024

Abstract

Gas stations are hazardous, highly flammable public places. Thus, signs containing prohibitions, warnings, information, and road directions are needed to prevent catastrophes. This study aims to identify the linguistic system of the signs and describe the representation of power through the signs. The research site is gas stations in Semarang. This study uses observation methods in data collection by documenting, sorting, and classifying data using a national language, region, foreign, or both based on the linguistic system. Spolsky and Cooper's (1991) taxonomy of signs is used to classify the data. The categories are then examined further to reveal the embedded power relations. The results show that the linguistic landscape at the gas stations uses a monolingual system, Indonesian. This system demonstrates the gas station authorities' concern about prioritizing the state language in public spaces. Suggestions embedded in the signs do not explicitly represent power relations. However, they represent power by removing the subjects and objects on these signs. Texts of prohibitions and warnings should be created by involving more people so that the texts on the gas station LL can be more user-friendly.

Copyrights © 2024






Journal Info

Abbrev

litera

Publisher

Subject

Languange, Linguistic, Communication & Media

Description

LITERA is a high quality open access peer reviewed research journal that is published by Faculty of Languages and Arts, Universitas Negeri Yogyakarta. LITERA is providing a platform for the researchers, academicians, professionals, practitioners, and students to impart and share knowledge in the ...