Identity Construction on Shop Signs in 'Singapore''s Chinatown: A Study of Linguistic Choices by 'Chinese' Singaporeans and New 'Chinese' Immigrants

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Title: Identity Construction on Shop Signs in 'Singapore''s Chinatown: A Study of Linguistic Choices by 'Chinese' Singaporeans and New 'Chinese' Immigrants
Language: English
Authors: Zhang, Hui (ORCID 0000-0003-3845-3198), Seilhamer, Mark Fifer (ORCID 0000-0003-0336-3045), Cheung, Yin Ling (ORCID 0000-0001-6382-438X)
Source: International Multilingual Research Journal. 2023 17(1):15-32.
Availability: Routledge. Available from: Taylor & Francis, Ltd. 530 Walnut Street Suite 850, Philadelphia, PA 19106. Tel: 800-354-1420; Tel: 215-625-8900; Fax: 215-207-0050; Web site: http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 18
Publication Date: 2023
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Research
Descriptors: Immigrants, Language Planning, Language Usage, Neighborhoods, Second Language Learning, Multilingualism, Foreign Countries, Ethnic Groups, Chinese, Signs, Decision Making, Self Concept, Asians, Land Settlement, History, English (Second Language), Bilingualism, Monolingualism, Indonesian Languages, Japanese, Korean, Language Attitudes, Written Language, Preferences, Romanization, Orthographic Symbols, Small Businesses
Geographic Terms: Singapore, China
DOI: 10.1080/19313152.2022.2080445
ISSN: 1931-3152
1931-3160
Abstract: Chinatowns, as neighborhoods for overseas ethnic Chinese, have garnered considerable scholarly attention from linguistic landscape (LL) researchers in recent years. These investigations tend to treat old immigrants who have been tied to the neighborhoods for generations as the key text producers of LL, with far too little attention paid to the LL practices of new Chinese immigrants in Chinatowns, who are often associated with transnationalism and the rise of China. Focusing on Singapore's Chinatown, the present study attempts to explore Chinese Singaporean and new Chinese immigrants' linguistic choices concerning the Chinese-language signs displayed in the LL. Drawing on 326 instances of signs collected during site visits, the study found that Chinese Singaporeans and new Chinese immigrants make different linguistic choices when projecting their respective authenticities and identities. These findings suggest that there is indeed a linguistic basis for previously expressed arguments that Chinese Singaporean authenticity is threatened by new Chinese immigrants, shedding light on the need to examine the heterogeneity of Chinatown from the perspective of LL. This study enriches the scholarly understanding of LL practices within Chinese diasporic settlements in the East.
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2023
Accession Number: EJ1377554
Database: ERIC
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  Data: Identity Construction on Shop Signs in 'Singapore''s Chinatown: A Study of Linguistic Choices by 'Chinese' Singaporeans and New 'Chinese' Immigrants
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Zhang%2C+Hui%22">Zhang, Hui</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="http://orcid.org/0000-0003-3845-3198">0000-0003-3845-3198</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Seilhamer%2C+Mark+Fifer%22">Seilhamer, Mark Fifer</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="http://orcid.org/0000-0003-0336-3045">0000-0003-0336-3045</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Cheung%2C+Yin+Ling%22">Cheung, Yin Ling</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="http://orcid.org/0000-0001-6382-438X">0000-0001-6382-438X</externalLink>)
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SO" term="%22International+Multilingual+Research+Journal%22"><i>International Multilingual Research Journal</i></searchLink>. 2023 17(1):15-32.
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  Data: Routledge. Available from: Taylor & Francis, Ltd. 530 Walnut Street Suite 850, Philadelphia, PA 19106. Tel: 800-354-1420; Tel: 215-625-8900; Fax: 215-207-0050; Web site: http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals
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  Data: Y
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  Data: 18
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  Data: 2023
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  Data: Journal Articles<br />Reports - Research
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Immigrants%22">Immigrants</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Language+Planning%22">Language Planning</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Language+Usage%22">Language Usage</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Neighborhoods%22">Neighborhoods</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Second+Language+Learning%22">Second Language Learning</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Multilingualism%22">Multilingualism</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Foreign+Countries%22">Foreign Countries</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Ethnic+Groups%22">Ethnic Groups</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Chinese%22">Chinese</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Signs%22">Signs</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Decision+Making%22">Decision Making</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Self+Concept%22">Self Concept</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Asians%22">Asians</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Land+Settlement%22">Land Settlement</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22History%22">History</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22English+%28Second+Language%29%22">English (Second Language)</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Bilingualism%22">Bilingualism</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Monolingualism%22">Monolingualism</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Indonesian+Languages%22">Indonesian Languages</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Japanese%22">Japanese</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Korean%22">Korean</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Language+Attitudes%22">Language Attitudes</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Written+Language%22">Written Language</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Preferences%22">Preferences</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Romanization%22">Romanization</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Orthographic+Symbols%22">Orthographic Symbols</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Small+Businesses%22">Small Businesses</searchLink>
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Singapore%22">Singapore</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22China%22">China</searchLink>
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  Data: 10.1080/19313152.2022.2080445
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  Data: 1931-3152<br />1931-3160
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
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  Data: Chinatowns, as neighborhoods for overseas ethnic Chinese, have garnered considerable scholarly attention from linguistic landscape (LL) researchers in recent years. These investigations tend to treat old immigrants who have been tied to the neighborhoods for generations as the key text producers of LL, with far too little attention paid to the LL practices of new Chinese immigrants in Chinatowns, who are often associated with transnationalism and the rise of China. Focusing on Singapore's Chinatown, the present study attempts to explore Chinese Singaporean and new Chinese immigrants' linguistic choices concerning the Chinese-language signs displayed in the LL. Drawing on 326 instances of signs collected during site visits, the study found that Chinese Singaporeans and new Chinese immigrants make different linguistic choices when projecting their respective authenticities and identities. These findings suggest that there is indeed a linguistic basis for previously expressed arguments that Chinese Singaporean authenticity is threatened by new Chinese immigrants, shedding light on the need to examine the heterogeneity of Chinatown from the perspective of LL. This study enriches the scholarly understanding of LL practices within Chinese diasporic settlements in the East.
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  Data: EJ1377554
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      – SubjectFull: Immigrants
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Language Planning
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