This thesis examines how language ideologies and policies impact the representation of the Tatar language in the official public signage of Kazan’s city centre. By analysing the linguistic...Show moreThis thesis examines how language ideologies and policies impact the representation of the Tatar language in the official public signage of Kazan’s city centre. By analysing the linguistic landscape of Kremlin, Bauman, and Nasiri streets, this research seeks to understand the impact of legislative frameworks and language ideologies on public signage. The study employs a dual methodology: a legislative analysis of current and historical laws from the Republic of Tatarstan and the Russian Federation, and a visual analysis of street signs using Google Maps and Yandex Maps. The findings highlight the complex relationship between federal, republican, and municipal legislation, which often results in discrepancies and non-compliance at lower administrative levels. Language ideologies also significantly shape the final appearance of signs, influencing factors such as script choice, language inclusion, and the prioritisation of Tatar or Russian. Despite legal mandates, human factors in sign production frequently affect compliance, with official signage sometimes deviating from established norms. This suggests that non-official signage may exhibit even greater variations. The study identifies a trend where Tatar, while legally supported, is treated more symbolically than functionally, with detailed information typically provided in Russian. To enhance the representation of the Tatar language, the thesis recommends several actions for policymakers: (1) mandating the use of republics' state languages at the federal level, (2) strengthening penalties for non-compliance, (3) and introducing a strict design code for bilingual signage. Additionally, promoting the Tatar language within society is crucial to ensuring its natural integration into the linguistic landscape.Show less
This paper seeks to answer the following question: “To what extent does language policies implemented by the People’s Republic of China government in the education system of Tibet affect the...Show moreThis paper seeks to answer the following question: “To what extent does language policies implemented by the People’s Republic of China government in the education system of Tibet affect the identities of ethnic Tibetans and their economic opportunities?”Show less
In this thesis the author examines the attitudes of the Singaporean government and societal groupings towards Singlish. By assessing the change in the predominant themes explicated in the...Show moreIn this thesis the author examines the attitudes of the Singaporean government and societal groupings towards Singlish. By assessing the change in the predominant themes explicated in the government’s stance towards Singlish, as well as the main themes present in the societal representation of Singlish amongst both the establishment leaning and non-establishment leaning sectors of society, the author attempts to ascertain whether Singaporean government policy regarding Singlish is at odds with the societal attitudes towards Singlish. Additionally, this thesis seeks to determine whether there is a divide within Singaporean society regarding Singlish. In order to do this the author uses thematic analysis of three main forms of sources, namely governmental speeches, letters to editor in the Straits Times online newspaper and user-generated content posted on YouTube. This thesis concludes that Singaporean government policy has changed regarding Singlish, becoming much less aggressive in its demotion of the dialect. The thesis also finds that there is a divide between the attitudes expressed in the traditional media and YouTube, with views on YouTube being decidedly more pro-Singlish in outlook. Indeed, this thesis also finds that young Singaporeans view Singlish as integral to identity construction and government attempts to demote the use of Singlish as misguided. These findings have implications more generally for the traditionally invasive style of governance adopted by the Singaporean government.Show less
