Linguistic Landscapes

Peter Backhaus is research fellow at the German Institute for Japanese Studies, Tokyo. His research interests include sociolinguistics, semiotics, writing, and Japanese linguistics. He has published various papers about linguistic landscape research, including 'Signs of multilingualism in Tokyo: A diachronic look at the linguistic landscape' (International Journal of the Sociology of Language 175/176, 2005) and 'Multilingualism in Tokyo: A look into the linguistic landscape' (International Journal of Multilingualism 3.1, 2006). At present he is preparing a publication about Japan's linguistic landscape (with Florian Coulmas and Hiroshi Shōji).

• 1. Introduction2. Semiotic Background and Terminology3. Previous Approaches to the Linguistic Landscape: An Overview4. Summary5. Case Study: Signs of Multilingualism in Tokyo6. ConclusionsReferencesAppendix: The 28 Survey Areas

This book offers an authoritative, engaging, and well-illustrated introduction to LL research and has the merit of providing a rich, diversified, and comprehensive review of previous studies within this rather new area of investigation.   The study of the LL of Tokyo contributes to advancing our understanding of LL as an interdisciplinary field of investigation, and helps to stimulate and map future research ventures in this area of inquiry within language policy and planning.  Backhaus’s innovative approach to the examination and analysis of LL data could provide further insights to academics, researchers and graduate students interested in LL research.  It is suitable for general audiences as well, owing to the face that it is relatively easy to read and does not presuppose expertise in any particular linguistic area.