Bilingual sign

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Bilingual sign (or, by extension Multilingual) is the representation on a panel (sign, usually traffic sign, safety sign and informational sign) of texts in more than one language. The use of bilingual signs is usually reserved for situations where there is a legal administrative bilingualism (bilingual regions) or situated at national borders, or where it is a relevant touristic or commercial movement (airports, rail stations, ports, border checkpoints, touristic towns, international itineraries, international institutions headquarters). Bilingual signs are widely used in regions whose native languages do not use the Latin alphabet; such signs generally include transliteration of toponyms and optional translation of complementary texts (often in English). The general tendency involves the substitution of textual information (presenting problems or readability) with internationally- standardized symbols and pictograms.

The use of bilingual signage is perhaps the main symbolic instrument of perception and institutionalisation of the linguistic status of a territory.

[edit] See also

• Traffic sign
• Gaelic road signs in Scotland
• Bilingualism in Canada

[edit] External links

• A Guide to bilingual design in Wales (Welsh)

• Signalétique routière en Bretagne (French)
• Engagement politique pour la signalétique normalisée occitan- français (French)
• Bilingual signs in the province of Udine, Italy (Italian)
• Provincial Act no. 323/2004 about Bilingual Signs in the province of Udine, Italy (Italian)
• Bilingual signs in Sardinia and rest of Europe (Italian)
• Topònimos in sardu in sa Provìntzia de Nùgoro
• Relation about problems of bilingual sign (Italian)
• Reglamento General de Circulación in Spagna (Spanish)
• Standard 8.1 IC about vertical signs in Spain (Spanish)

[edit] Bibliography

• Francescato, G. Le aree bilingui e le regioni di confine. Angeli
• Baldacci, O. Geografia e toponomastica. S.G.I.
• Baines, Phil. Dixon, Catherin. Signs. UK: Laurence King Co., 2004 (trad.ital. Segnali: grafica urbana e territoriale. Modena: Logos, 2004)
• Boudreau, A. Dubois, L. Bulot, T. Ledegen, G. Signalétiques et signalisations linguistiques et langagières des espaces de ville (configurations et enjeux sociolinguistiques). Revue de l'Université de Moncton Vol. 36 n.1. Moncton (Nouveau-Brunswick, Canada): Université de Moncton, 2005.
• Bhatia, Tej K. Ritchie, William C. Handbook of Bilingualism. Oxford: Blackwell Publishing, 2006.