Peripheral Linguistic Landscape

Linguistic Landscape(hereafter LL)has become a burgeoning and dynamic field of research in sociolinguistics and applied linguistics and there has been a huge amount of studies in the last two decades.The enquiry scope of LL has significantly expanded from documentation of languages on public signs,language policy and multimodality,to the complex relationships in the LL between language,place and people.In recent years,it has begun to engage critically with historical memory and memorialization.Despite this,there is a paucity of research on slogans still maintained in a specific heritage site.To fill this gap,this study aimed to study the slogans of the Cultural Revolution in Bajiaogou,an industrial town with rich heritage tourism resource in Sichuan province,and to analyze their types,inscription characteristics,and geographical location.Meanwhile,this study also aimed to explore local middle aged and elderly residents’ attitudes and the local governmental measures to protect the slogans.To achieve these objectives,the research adopted a combination of quantitative and qualitative research methods.In total,114 valid photographs were taken with a smartphone to collect quantitative data,and then 4 local residents were interviewed to understand their perceptions and attitudes towards the slogans in their spaces,as well as the local governmental measures to protect the slogans.Quantitative studies were analyzed by referring to Wang‘s(2008)classifications of slogans and Scollon and Scollon‘s(2003)framework of geosemiotics.Qualitative studies were analyzed by referring to Trumper-Hecht‘s(2010)three dimensions of lived space and conceived space.Analysis of quantitative and qualitative data showed that:(1)five specific types of the slogans were maintained in Bajiaogou including,(A)adulations and good wishes,(B)Quotations from Mao Zedong,(C)directives,instructions and slogans,(D)lyrics from revolutionary songs and(E)unrecognizable slogans.Besides,LLs with characteristics of the Cultural Revolution had different functions,one being to beautify the environment,and the other being to attract tourists.(2)The slogans of the Cultural Revolution were mostly painted on the exterior walls of buildings with red or yellow pigments,which were very conspicuous.(3)Local middle aged and elderly residents were inclined to be negligent of the slogans,which revealed the dynamic relationships in the LL between language and people.At different times,the local government took different measures to manage the slogans of the Cultural Revolution.This study contributes to the LL research by expanding its enquiry to the slogans having witnessed its rise and decline in a certain sociohistorical context.It opens up a new avenue to conduct more research into historical heritages from the perspective of LL.The thesis ends with the limitations of the study and suggestions for future research.