Translanguaging spaces and multilingual public writing in Zambia: tracing change in the linguistic landscape of Ndola on the Copperbelt

Costley, Tracey; Kula, Nancy C.; Marten, Lutz

Abstract

Zambia is home to a complex set of language practices, which involve languages being used in different ways across social contexts. Historically written communication has typically been associated with English with African languages mainly associated with used spoken contexts. Recently, however, there has been a shift in this pattern with African languages being used more frequently in and across the linguistic landscape of Zambia in public writing to explore the ways in which language is used in billboards and advertising spaces and propose that important shifts in language uses are observable. We discuss the changing status and uses of local African languages and why this is important in understanding language use in post-colonial contexts such as Zambia.

Citation

Costley, T., Kula, N. C., & Marten, L. (2022). Translanguaging spaces and multilingual public writing in Zambia: tracing change in the linguistic landscape of Ndola on the Copperbelt. Journal of Multilingual and Multicultural Development, 44(9), 773-793. https://doi.org/10.1080/01434632.2022.2086985

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Jun 2, 2022
• Online Publication Date: Jun 21, 2022
• Publication Date: Jun 21, 2022
• Deposit Date: Jun 27, 2022
• Publicly Available Date: Jun 27, 2022
• Journal: Journal of Multilingual and Multicultural Development
• Print ISSN: 0143-4632
• Electronic ISSN: 1747-7557
• Publisher: Taylor and Francis Group
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 44
• Issue: 9
• Pages: 773-793
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/01434632.2022.2086985
• Keywords: Translanguaging, linguistics landscapes, multilingual practices
• Publisher URL: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/01434632.2022.2086985