Language Choice on Shop Signs in the Bangsaen Toshin Commercial District: A Linguistic Landscape Study

Abstract

This study aims to examine language choice and analyze the factors influencing language use on shop signs in the Bangsaen Toshin commercial district, Chonburi Province. Data were collected from 33 business signs. The findings reveal that the signs were monolingual, bilingual, or trilingual, with bilingual signs being the most common     (23 signs, 69.70% of the total). When considering the languages appearing on all signs, Japanese was used as the primary language on 17 signs (51.51%), followed by English on 16 signs (48.48%). Japanese tended to be the dominant language on bilingual and trilingual signs, whereas English often appeared as a secondary or accompanying language. The preference for Japanese stems from its role in enhancing product value and commercial appeal, while also reflecting the cultural identity of Japanese shōtengai (traditional shopping streets) within a Thai context, thereby attracting tourists. Meanwhile, the use of English is driven by its status as a global language, facilitating communication with international tourists and enabling effective decision-making for purchases.