Translanguaging Practices in the Rural Tourism Linguistic Landscape in Showcasing Cultural Identity: An Activity Theory Analysis
Keywords:
activity theory, cultural identity, linguistic landscape, rural tourism, translanguaging
Abstract
This study examines the roles of translanguaging practices in the linguistic landscape in a rural tourism area and their contribution to showcasing cultural identity from the perspective of activity theory. Translanguaging emerges as a significant tool in rural tourism, serving as a cultural hub where diverse linguistic and cultural expressions intersect to attract visitors with their unique nature, heritage, and traditions. Through an analysis of activity theory, this study explores the translanguaging practices of signage containing verbal and other multimodal semiotic resources at Alamendah in constructing and promoting tourism activities and its local cultural identity. The data were gathered from photographs of signage, observation, and interviews with the tourism manager, staff, and the local elder to see how translanguaging practices enable the community to showcase the local heritage and engage with local and global audiences. The findings revealed that translanguaging practices as the mediating tool seen from the 182 signage where 51 (29%) were written in monolingual, which is Indonesian that represents the official language, 71 % were written in bilingual or multilingual, combining Indonesian, English, Sundanese, and Sundanese old scripts. The use of Indonesian and Sundanese dominated the signage, indicating the strong local cultural representation and identity. The prevalent use of Sundanese exemplifies the heightened community awareness of the Sundanese heritage identity with the expectation that visitors would learn more about the language and culture through tourism activities. The community and other stakeholders’ contribution to the public signage signifies distributive and creative power relations and division of labor.
References
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Pacheco, M. B., & Smith, B. E. (2015). Across languages, modes, and identities: Bilingual adolescents’ multimodal codemeshing in the literacy classroom. Bilingual Research Journal, 38(3), 292-312.
Pennycook, A., & Otsuji, E. (2014). Metrolingual multitasking and spatial repertoires:‘Pizza mo two minutes coming’. Journal of sociolinguistics, 18(2), 161-184.
Pietikäinen, S., & Kelly?Holmes, H. (2011). The local political economy of languages in a Sámi tourism destination: Authenticity and mobility in the labelling of souvenirs 1. Journal of Sociolinguistics, 15(3), 323-346.
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Shohamy, E. (2006). Language policy: Hidden agendas and new approaches. Routledge.
Shohamy, E., & Gorter, D. (2009). Linguistic landscape. Expanding the scenery. Routledge.
Sneddon, J. (2003). The Indonesian language. University of New South Wales Press Ltd.
Spolsky, B. (2009). Language management. Cambridge University Press.
Solima, L., & Izzo, F. (2018). QR codes in cultural heritage tourism: New communications technologies and future prospects in Naples and Warsaw. Journal of Heritage Tourism, 13(2), 115-127
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Scollon, R. (2003). Discourses in place: Language in the material world. Routledge.
Stake, R. (1995). Case study research. Sage.
Sun, K., Tian, X., Xia, J., Li, Q., & Hou, B. (2024). Promoting leisure functions through setting creative linguistic landscapes in recreational zones. Plos one, 19(3), e0299775.
Yin, R. K. (2018). Case study research and applications. Sage.
Wei, L., & García, O. (2017). From researching translanguaging to translanguaging research. Research methods in language and education, 5, 227-240.
Ardhian, D., Purnanto, D., & Yustanto, H. (2021). Religious performance in Malang, Indonesia: Linguistic landscape on worship sign. Journal of Language and Linguistic Studies, 17(2), 983-1000.
Ashworth, G. J. (2003). Heritage, identity and places: for visitors and host communities. In Tourism in destination communities (pp. 79-97). CABI Publishing.
Backhaus, P. (2007). Alphabet ante portas: How English text invades Japanese public space. Visible Language, 41(1).
Blackledge, A., & Creese, A. (2017). Translanguaging in mobility. In The Routledge handbook of migration and language (pp. 31-46). Routledge
Blommaert, J. (2010). The sociolinguistics of globalization. Cambridge University Press.
Blommaert, J. (2013). Ethnography, superdiversity and linguistic landscapes: Chronicles of complexity (Vol. 18). Multilingual Matters.
Brown, K. D. (2012). The linguistic landscape of educational spaces: Language revitalization and schools in southeastern Estonia. In Minority languages in the linguistic landscape (pp. 281-298). London: Palgrave Macmillan UK.
Braun, V., & Clarke, V. (2006). Using thematic analysis in psychology. Qualitative research in psychology, 3(2), 77-101.
Cenoz, J., & Gorter, D. (2006). Linguistic landscape and minority languages. International journal of multilingualism, 3(1), 67-80.
Cenoz, J., & Gorter, D. (2008). Language economy and linguistic landscape. In Linguistic landscape (pp. 63-77). Routledge.
Cenoz, J., & Gorter, D. (2017). Minority languages and sustainable translanguaging: Threat or opportunity?. Journal of Multilingual and Multicultural development, 38(10), 901-912.
Coluzzi, P. (2009). Endangered minority and regional languages (‘dialects’) in Italy. Modern Italy, 14(1), 39-54.
Creswell, J. W., & Poth, C. N. (2016). Qualitative inquiry and research design: Choosing among five approaches. Sage publications.
Doering, A., & Kishi, K. (2022). " What Your Head!": Signs of Hospitality in the Tourism Linguistic Landscapes of Rural Japan. Tourism Culture & Communication, 22(2), 127-142.
Engeström, Y. (1987) Learning by expanding: An activity theoretical approach to developmental research. Orienta-Konsultit.
Engeström, Y. (2001). Expansive learning at work: Toward an activity theoretical reconceptualization. Journal of education and work, 14(1), 133-156.
Flick, U. (Ed). (2018). Triangulation in data collection. In The SAGE handbook of qualitative data collection (pp. 527-544). Sage Publications Ltd.
García, O., & Wei, L. (2015). Translanguaging, bilingualism, and bilingual education. In W. Wright & O. Garcia (Eds.), The handbook of bilingual and multilingual education, 223-240. Wiley-Blackwell.
Gorter, D. (2013). Linguistic landscapes in a multilingual world. Annual review of applied linguistics, 33, 190-212.
Gorter, D., & Cenoz, J. (2015). Translanguaging and linguistic landscapes. Linguistic landscape, 1(1-2), 54-74.
Hornberger, N. H., & De Korne, H. (2018). Is revitalization through education possible?. In L. Hinton, L. Huss, & G. Roche (Eds.), The Routledge handbook of language revitalization (pp. 94-103). Routledge.
Hasni, N. A., Shak, M. S. Y., Malik, N. A., & Anuarudin, A. A. S. (2022). Linguistic landscape of tourist spaces from 2014 to 2022: A Review. International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences, 12(10), 1695-1708.
Hult, F. M. (2017). More than a lingua franca: Functions of English in a globalized educational language policy. Language, Culture and Curriculum, 30(3), 265-282.
Thurlow, C., & Jaworski, A. (2011). Tourism discourse: Languages and banal globalization. Applied linguistics review.
Lado, B. (2011). Linguistic landscape as a reflection of the linguistic and ideological conflict in the Valencian community. International Journal of Multilingualism, 8(2), 135-150.
Laihonen, P., & Szabó, T. P. (2018). Studying the visual and material dimensions of education and learning. Linguistics and Education, 44.
Landry, R., & Bourhis, R. Y. (1997). Linguistic landscape and ethnolinguistic vitality: An empirical study. Journal of language and social psychology, 16(1), 23-49.
Lee, K., & Lee, N. (2025). Applying cultural-historical activity theory to understand Korean tourists’ experiences with language translation applications. Current Issues in Tourism, 1–18. https://doi.org/10.1080/13683500.2025.2464773
Li, S. (2024). Walking on Huaihai Street: liminality, linguistic landscape, and language policy. Journal of Multilingual and Multicultural Development, 1-18.
Lu, H., de Jong, M., Song, Y., & Zhao, M. (2020). The multi-level governance of formulating regional brand identities: Evidence from three mega city regions in China. Cities, 100, 102668.
Lu, S., Li, G., & Xu, M. (2020). The linguistic landscape in rural destinations: A case study of Hongcun Village in China. Tourism Management, 77, 104005.
Kallen, J. L. (2023). Linguistic landscapes: A sociolinguistic approach. Cambridge University Press.
Kallen, J. L. (2010). Changing landscapes: Language, space and policy in the Dublin linguistic landscape. Semiotic landscapes: Language, image, space, 2010, 41-58.
Kress, G., & Van Leeuwen, T. (2020). Reading images: The grammar of visual design. Routledge.
Kress, G. (2009). Multimodality: A social semiotic approach to contemporary communication. Routledge.
Mir, M. A. M., Shelley, B., & Ooi, C. S. (2024). Uses of tourism resources for educational and community development: A systematic literature review and lessons. Tourism Management Perspectives, 53, 101278.
Nursanty, E., Cauba Jr, A. G., & Waskito, A. P. (2024). Vernacular branding: sustaining city identity through vernacular architecture of indigenous villages. Place Branding and Public Diplomacy, 1-22.
Nursanty, E., & Susilowati, I. (2024). Cultural Sustainability, Uniqueness and the Power of Productive Living Heritage in Cirebon, Indonesia. Journal of Urban Culture Research, 28.
Otheguy, R., García, O., & Reid, W. (2015). Clarifying translanguaging and deconstructing named languages: A perspective from linguistics. Applied linguistics review, 6(3), 281-307.
Pacheco, M. B., & Smith, B. E. (2015). Across languages, modes, and identities: Bilingual adolescents’ multimodal codemeshing in the literacy classroom. Bilingual Research Journal, 38(3), 292-312.
Pennycook, A., & Otsuji, E. (2014). Metrolingual multitasking and spatial repertoires:‘Pizza mo two minutes coming’. Journal of sociolinguistics, 18(2), 161-184.
Pietikäinen, S., & Kelly?Holmes, H. (2011). The local political economy of languages in a Sámi tourism destination: Authenticity and mobility in the labelling of souvenirs 1. Journal of Sociolinguistics, 15(3), 323-346.
Restrepo-Ramos, F. (2024). Contrastive language policies: a comparison of two multilingual linguistic landscapes where Spanish coexists with regional minority languages. International Journal of Multilingualism, 21(2), 906-931.
Ruzait?, J. (2017). The linguistic landscape of tourism: Multilingual signs in Lithuanian and Polish resorts. Eesti ja soome-ugri keeleteaduse ajakiri. Journal of Estonian and Finno-Ugric Linguistics, 8(1), 197-220.
Sheng, R., & Buchanan, J. (2022). Traditional visual language: A geographical semiotic analysis of indigenous linguistic landscape of ancient waterfront towns in China. Sage Open, 12(1), 21582440211068503.
Shohamy, E. (2006). Language policy: Hidden agendas and new approaches. Routledge.
Shohamy, E., & Gorter, D. (2009). Linguistic landscape. Expanding the scenery. Routledge.
Sneddon, J. (2003). The Indonesian language. University of New South Wales Press Ltd.
Spolsky, B. (2009). Language management. Cambridge University Press.
Solima, L., & Izzo, F. (2018). QR codes in cultural heritage tourism: New communications technologies and future prospects in Naples and Warsaw. Journal of Heritage Tourism, 13(2), 115-127
United Nations World Tourism Organization [UNWTO]. (2019). Tourism highlights, 2019 edition. Madrid: UNWTO
Shuhufi, M., & Purkon, A. (2023). Harmonization of Islamic Law and Local Culture: A Study of Indonesian Sundanese Ethnic Culture. Jurnal Ilmiah Al-Syir'ah, 21(1), 138-153.
Scollon, R. (2003). Discourses in place: Language in the material world. Routledge.
Stake, R. (1995). Case study research. Sage.
Sun, K., Tian, X., Xia, J., Li, Q., & Hou, B. (2024). Promoting leisure functions through setting creative linguistic landscapes in recreational zones. Plos one, 19(3), e0299775.
Yin, R. K. (2018). Case study research and applications. Sage.
Wei, L., & García, O. (2017). From researching translanguaging to translanguaging research. Research methods in language and education, 5, 227-240.
Published
2025-05-01
How to Cite
Wirza, Y., Gunawan, W., Muniroh, R. D., Hermawan, B., & Galihkusumah, A. (2025). Translanguaging Practices in the Rural Tourism Linguistic Landscape in Showcasing Cultural Identity: An Activity Theory Analysis. Indonesian Journal of EFL and Linguistics, 10(1), 125-144. https://doi.org/10.21462/ijefl.v10i1.903
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Articles
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