English in the Linguistic Landscape of Dhaka City: A Case Study

Abstract

This study examines the linguistic landscape of selective parts of Bangladesh’s capital, Dhaka, especially the use of English in various visible places. The study explores English is being exercised by a Bangladeshi society especially in its visibly written form. Linguistic landscape is an important phenomenon as it gives a visual representation of a city’s language. Data for this research are collected through capturing still pictures of some of the important places of Dhaka city. This perceived notion is further being analyzed by keeping the locality of both the city and the city dwellers in mind. The findings also demonstrate the visual representation of English in various domains. Selective photos which represent linguistic landscape of the city are analyzed with the backdrop of socio-linguistic and socio-cultural aspects. Those photos were mostly clicked in person within a time-lag (2019-2020). It features the words, textual language, images, both signs and symbols exposed in public. This research with its focus on the diversified usage of the international language, English by this community people offers completely new fresh insights to the world-study of this language. It calls for the readers to take pause for a while from their busy schedules and think what this enigmatic city, Dhaka has to offer within its local language ecology.