Linguistic Linguistic LandscapeLandscape

Main Corridor of Penn StationMain Corridor of Penn Station

New York CityNew York City

Penn Station services 600,000 riders Penn Station services 600,000 riders per day at a rate of about 1,000 every per day at a rate of about 1,000 every 90 seconds.90 seconds.

The original Penn Station was The original Penn Station was completed in 1910 and demolished in completed in 1910 and demolished in 1963.1963.

Research Questions:Research Questions:

1- Because Penn Station is used by 1- Because Penn Station is used by people of many ethnicities in a people of many ethnicities in a diverse city, will most signs be diverse city, will most signs be multilingual or is English used as the multilingual or is English used as the “Lingua Franca”?“Lingua Franca”?

2- What are the most common 2- What are the most common languages used in signs around Penn languages used in signs around Penn Station?Station?

Functional SpacesFunctional Spaces Ticket, Track and Ticket, Track and

Railroad Railroad Information StandsInformation Stands

Food and Shopping Food and Shopping

CorridorsCorridors

Waiting AreaWaiting Area

Genre’s Within Functional Genre’s Within Functional SpaceSpace

Storefront SignsStorefront Signs

Posters or AdvertisementsPosters or Advertisements

Directions or Informational SignsDirections or Informational Signs

Languages HeardLanguages Heard

Storefront SignsStorefront Signs ThirtyThirty storefront signs total were storefront signs total were

found.found. NineteenNineteen of these were Monolingual. of these were Monolingual.

ThreeThree were totally not English and were totally not English and SixteenSixteen were English only. were English only.

EightEight of these signs were names. of these signs were names. ThreeThree were abbreviations. were abbreviations. NONENONE were multilingual! were multilingual!

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16

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Language (s)

Store Front Signs

Mono- English

Mono- Other

Multilingual

Name

Abbriviation

•Monolinguistic signs with English Only- 16

•Monolinguistic with a language other then English- 3

•Multilingual signs- 0

•Names- 8

•Abbreviations- 3

Posters and AdvertisementsPosters and Advertisements

There were There were SixSix advertisements advertisements found.found.

ALLALL were monolinguistic featuring were monolinguistic featuring English Only.English Only.

Directions and InformationDirections and Information

Top-down signsTop-down signs This genre includes: Restrooms, exits, ticket This genre includes: Restrooms, exits, ticket

information, safety information, and directions.information, safety information, and directions. Many of the signs were icons that can be Many of the signs were icons that can be

recognized cross-culturally.recognized cross-culturally.

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Directions and Information

English Only

Icon Only

Multilingual

Icon and English

•There were a total of nineteen top-down signs found.

•Ten of these were monolingual with English only

•Six were icons only, no words at all

•Two were multilingual

•One had icons and English

English Only English Only SignsSigns

This sign may apply This sign may apply to all passengers, to all passengers, but only the but only the English speaking English speaking ones will know that ones will know that the train schedule the train schedule has changed.has changed.

This sign has directions for help This sign has directions for help in English only (and the in English only (and the elevator numbers are worn off)elevator numbers are worn off)

If a person cannot If a person cannot read English, read English, this sign has a this sign has a map that shows map that shows them how to get them how to get to the new to the new location of the location of the customer customer service desk.service desk.

English and IconsEnglish and Icons

MultilingualMultilingual

These “passenger welfare” These “passenger welfare” posters are written in posters are written in more then one language. more then one language. Is it because the MTA Is it because the MTA cares, or because they cares, or because they want to “cover their want to “cover their bases”?bases”?

English Dominant

Languages HeardLanguages HeardAmerican English

Latin American Spanish

Hindu (?)

Korean

FindingsFindings

English is the dominant language in Penn English is the dominant language in Penn Station, by far.Station, by far.

A possible reason why might be because A possible reason why might be because English is the standard language in English is the standard language in America, even if it is not the official America, even if it is not the official language.language.

Could linguistic prejudice come into play?Could linguistic prejudice come into play? Surprisingly, I found no graffiti or flyers Surprisingly, I found no graffiti or flyers

posted around Penn Station.posted around Penn Station.