Expanding the Linguistic Landscape

Abstract

Linguistic, ethnic and cultural tensions in the sociolinguistic landscape of Vilnius: a diachronic analysis Using a multimodal diachronic Linguistic Landscape analysis, which advocates a historicised and spatialised approach to the study of the city's socio-political landscape, the article attempts to analyse the dynamics of sociolinguistic changes in Vilnius, the capital of Lithuania, before the establishment of Soviet rule and after its collapse in 1991. Drawing from its socio-cultural geography and urban studies, we analyse how written languages interact with the physical features of the cityscape to construct new memory landscapes and express ethnic tensions and nationalising policies resulting from ideological power change. Such a qualitative approach emphasizes the importance of sociohistorical context and leads to a greater understanding of identity and socio-cultural transformations. Looking at the history of this multicultural city through the lens of Linguistic Landscape analysis, allows us to reach a deeper understanding of its different ethnic narratives and tensions.