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Scripted Urbanity in the Canadian North
Author(s) -
Daveluy Michelle,
Ferguson Jenanne
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
journal of linguistic anthropology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.463
H-Index - 49
eISSN - 1548-1395
pISSN - 1055-1360
DOI - 10.1111/j.1548-1395.2009.01020.x
Subject(s) - urbanity , circumpolar star , scripting language , politics , multilingualism , identity (music) , human settlement , ethnology , writing system , geography , settlement (finance) , sociology , linguistics , anthropology , political science , archaeology , aesthetics , computer science , art , economy , pedagogy , philosophy , physics , astronomy , world wide web , law , payment , operating system , economics
In Canadian northern settlements terms pertaining to traffic are created in local languages. We assess the positioning of languages in public space in northern landscapes through evidence from Nunavik in Northeastern Canada. We argue that the co‐existence of scripts is as relevant as language choice when creating road signs in the Canadian North and show how multigraphic signs, in particular the use of multiple scripts for a single language, make an international (circumpolar) debate about language tangible at the community level. Stop signs and streetname signs complement each other, illustrating language use, language politics and cultural identity among Canadian Inuit. [multilingualism, writing systems, language politics, circumpolar world, Canadian Inuit]