TATCHAKRIT MATYAKHAN (CHIANG MAI UNIVERSITY)
SUPARAK TECHACHAROENRUNGRUEANG (Chiang Mai University )
SUWINAI INMOON (Chiang Mai University)
WEERACHAI PHANSEUB (Chiang Mai University)

EXPLORING CULTURAL DIVERSITY AND UNIVERSITY IDENTITY THROUGH LINGUISTIC LANDSCAPE OF SIGNAGE AT CHIANG MAI UNIVERSITY : LINGUISTICS, DISCOURSE ANALYSIS, AND RELATED AREAS

Previous literature regarding the linguistic landscape in higher education institutions typically sheds light on theoretical and practical perspectives including multilingualism through language choices, attitudes towards language choices, linguistic devices, language pedagogy, and language planning and policy. However, the in-depth study on a specific university, especially the local one in Thailand, has been practically unnoticed. Therefore, the present study aims to analyze how the linguistic landscape reflects cultural diversity and university identity on language choices and linguistic devices in the signage around Chiang Mai University. Sign data, both official and non-official ones, are collected from the three major areas around Huay Kaew Road, Suthep Road, and Maharaj Nakhon Chiang Mai Hospital, with the purposive sampling method. As a mixed-methods study, the quantitative analysis concerns the classification of the selected signs based on purposes along with the languages found; the qualitative analysis focuses on linguistic devices in creating signs along with how the university promotes cultural diversity while maintaining its university identity. Language choices and linguistic devices are found to be associated with the purposes of the signs, indicating a potential for reflecting cultural diversity from certain tourist spots as well as academic divisions or departments, and for maintaining the university identity through employing Lanna alphabets and visual elements on signs. The study also accounts for language errors found in the signage. It will, therefore, have contributions in terms of language pedagogy, cultural studies, and strategies for promoting the university.

Mr. Tatchakrit Matyakhan is a full-time lecturer at the Department of English, Faculty of Humanities, Chiang Mai University, Thailand. His research interests include ELT, CALL, teacher education, language assessment, and applied linguistics.

Dr. Suparak Techacharoenrungrueang is a full-time lecturer at the Department of English, Faculty of Humanities, Chiang Mai University. His areas of research interest include semantics and pragmatics, cognitive linguistics, and applied linguistics.

Suwinai Inwoon is currently an English lecturer at Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand. His research interests include teaching writing and English pedagogy.

Mr. Weerachai Phanseub is a Ph.D. candidate in Language Education, and he is currently working as an English instructor in the Department of English, Faculty of Humanities, Chiang Mai University, Thailand. His research interests include cross-linguistic transfers, cross-language approaches for teacher education, ELT, and applied linguistics.