MESSAGGI POSITIVI NELLO SPAZIO LINGUISTICO URBANO: UN CASO DI STUDIO NELLE PROVINCE DI VARESE E COMO

Paolo Nitti; Laura Carriero

doi:10.54103/2037-3597/31993

Autori/Autrici

Paolo Nitti Università degli Studi dell'Insubria https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1263-7482
Laura Carriero Università degli Studi dell'Insubria

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.54103/2037-3597/31993

Abstract

Il contributo analizza il fenomeno dei messaggi positivi nello spazio linguistico urbano, collocandosi all’interno degli studi sul linguistic landscape e adottando una prospettiva descrittivo‑interpretativa. La ricerca prende in esame un corpus di 1.166 messaggi raccolti nelle province di Varese e Como tramite documentazione fotografica, con l’obiettivo di individuare le principali caratteristiche semantiche, morfosintattiche, pragmatiche e grafico‑visive di tali produzioni linguistiche. I risultati mostrano una netta prevalenza di contenuti di natura affettiva, seguiti da messaggi legati ai diritti umani e alla pace, mentre risultano marginali quelli di tipo religioso o sportivo. Dal punto di vista formale emerge una forte tendenza alla brevità e alla condensazione del significato, con largo impiego di strutture minime, simboli, elementi iconografici ed emoji, nonché di strategie di intensificazione affettiva quali diminutivi e vezzeggiativi. L’analisi evidenzia inoltre un’elevata creatività linguistica, soprattutto nella manipolazione di polirematiche, collocazioni e idiomatismi. Nel complesso, i messaggi positivi si configurano come pratiche discorsive complesse che, pur presentandosi come espressioni spontanee, partecipano alla costruzione simbolica dello spazio urbano e alla negoziazione di valori, emozioni e relazioni sociali all’interno del paesaggio linguistico.

Positive messages in the urban language space: a case study in the provinces of Varese and Como

This paper examines the phenomenon of positive messages in the urban linguistic landscape, positioning itself within linguistic landscape studies and adopting a descriptive-interpretative approach. The study analyses a corpus of 1,166 messages collected in the provinces of Varese and Como through photographic documentation, with the aim of identifying the main semantic, morphosyntactic, pragmatic, and graphic–visual features of these linguistic productions. The findings reveal a clear predominance of affective content, followed by messages related to human rights and peace, while religious and sports-related messages appear marginal. From a formal perspective, positive messages display a strong tendency toward brevity and semantic condensation, with extensive use of minimal structures, symbols, iconographic elements, and emojis, as well as affective intensification strategies such as diminutives and hypocoristics. The analysis further highlights a high degree of linguistic creativity, particularly in the manipulation of multiword expressions, collocations, and idioms. Overall, positive messages emerge as complex discursive practices that, despite their appearance of spontaneity, actively participate in the symbolic construction of urban space and in the negotiation of values, emotions, and social relationships within the linguistic landscape.

Downloads

I dati di download non sono ancora disponibili.

Riferimenti bibliografici

Backhaus P. (2007), Linguistic landscapes: A comparative study of urban multilingualism in Tokyo, Multilingual Matters, Clevedon (UK).

Baldi B. (2022), “Parole violente, discriminazione di genere e inclusività nel linguaggio”, in Quaderni di Linguistica e Studi Orientali. Working Papers in Linguistics and Oriental Studies, 8, pp. 71-96.

Barni M., Bagna C. (2010), “Linguistic landscape and language vitality”, in Shohamy E., Ben-Rafael E., Barni M. (eds.), Linguistic landscape in the city, Multilingual Matters, Bristol, pp. 3-18.

Bellinzona M. (2021), Linguistic landscape. Panorami urbani e scolastici nel XXI secolo, FrancoAngeli, Milano.

Bellinzona M. (2018), “Linguistic landscape e contesti educativi. Uno studio all’interno di alcune scuole italiane”, in Lingue Linguaggi, 25, pp. 297-321.

Berlin B., Kay P. (1969), Basic color terms: Their universality and evolution, University of California Press, Oakland.

Ben-Rafael E. (2008), “A sociological approach to the study of linguistic landscapes”, in Shohamy E., Gorter D. (eds.), Linguistic landscape: Expanding the scenery, Routledge, London-New York, pp. 40-54.

Ben-Rafael E., Shohamy E., Amara M. H., Trumper-Hecht N. (2006), “Linguistic landscape as symbolic construction of the public space: The case of Israel”, in Gorter D. (ed.), Linguistic landscape: A new approach to multilingualism, Multilingual Matters, Clevedon, pp. 7-30.

Berruto G. (2003), Fondamenti di sociolinguistica, Laterza, Roma-Bari.

Bilkič M. (2018), “Emplacing hate: Turbulent graffscapes and linguistic violence in postwar Bosnia-Herzegovina”, in Linguistic Landscape, 4, 1, pp. 1-28.

Cardona G. R. (2006), Introduzione all’etnolinguistica, UTET, Torino.

Cenoz J., Gorter D. (2008), “The linguistic landscape as an additional source of input in second language acquisition”, in International Review of Applied Linguistics in Language Teaching, 46, pp. 257-276.

Cenoz J., Gorter D. (2007), “Knowledge about language and linguistic landscape”, in Cenoz J., Hornberger N. (eds.), Encyclopedia of language and education, Springer, New York, pp. 343-355.

Cenoz J., Gorter D. (2006), “Linguistic landscape and minority languages”, in International Journal of Multilingualism, 3, 1, pp. 67-80.

De Mauro T. (2018), L’educazione linguistica democratica, Laterza, Roma-Bari.

Dentico M. (2021), “Tra decoro e degrado. Appunti per una semiotica dei segni urbani”, in Filosofi(e)Semiotiche, 8, 1, pp. 33-52.

Dodds P. S. et al. (2015), “Human language reveals a universal positivity bias”, in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 112, 8, pp. 2389-2394.

Gorter D. (2006), Linguistic landscape: A new approach to multilingualism, Multilingual Matters, Clevedon-Buffalo.

Gorter D., Cenoz. J. (2015), “Translanguaging and Linguistic Landscapes”, in Linguistic Landscape: An International Journal, 1, 1-2, pp. 54-74.

Hornsby M. (2008), “The incongruence of the Breton linguistic landscape for young speakers of Breton” in Journal of Multilingual and Multicultural Development, 29, 2, pp. 127-138.

Hoxhaj E. (2012), “The influence of instant messaging communication on standard written language and social communication”, in Mediterranean Center of Social and Educational Research, 2, pp. 113-120.

Jørgensen J. N., Karrebæk M. S., Madsen L. M., Møller J. S. (2011), “Polylanguaging in superdiversity”, in Diversities, 13, 2, pp. 23-37.

Kasanga L. A. (2010), “Streetwise English and French advertising in multilingual DR Congo: Symbolism, modernity, and cosmopolitan identity”, in International Journal of the Sociology of Language, 206, pp. 181-205.

Lakoff G., Johnson M. (1980), Metaphors we live by, University of Chicago Press, Chicago.

Landry R., Bourhis R. Y. (1997), “Linguistic landscape and ethnolinguistic vitality: An empirical study”, in Journal of language and social psychology, 16, 1, pp. 23-49.

Leeman J., Modan G. (2009), “Commodified language in Chinatown: A contextualized approach to linguistic landscape”, in Journal of Sociolinguistics, 13, pp. 332-362.

Li S., Liu Y. (2023), “Emotional expressions in urban linguistic landscapes”, in SAGE Open, 13, 4, pp. 1-12.

Lippmann W. (2004 [1922]), L’opinione pubblica, Donzelli, Roma.

Maddison R., Doebeli M. (2013), “The cultural evolution of Internet memes and graffiti”, in Journal of Cognition and Culture, 13, 3-4, pp. 287-309.

Monnier D. (1989), Langue d’accueil et langue de service dans les commerces à…, Conseil supérieur de la langue française, Montréal, Québec.

Moskovljevic A. (2023), “Graffiti and the linguistic landscape of protest in Hong Kong”, in Street Art & Urban Creativity, 9, 1, pp. 22-35.

Mouzakiotou S. (2020), “Graffiti Art. Vandalism overturning the image of the urban landscape or scope of communication between fellow citizens”, in International Journal of Arts, 10, 2, pp. 33-38.

Nitti P. (2025), “Gli insulti sessisti nello spazio linguistico urbano”, in Italiano LinguaDue, 17, 2, pp. 1095-1108:

https://riviste.unimi.it/index.php/promoitals/article/view/30480.

Nitti P. (2024), “Gli insulti nello spazio linguistico urbano”, in Quaderni di Semantica, 10, pp. 255-280.

Otsuji E., Pennycook A. (2010), “Metrolingualism: Fixity, fluidity and language in flux”, in International Journal of Multilingualism, 7, 3, pp. 240-254.

Padilla-Cruz M. (2019), “On the pragmatic and conversational features of venting: A reply to Thorson and Baker”, in Social Epistemology Review and Reply Collective, 8, 2, pp. 21-30.

Pošeiko S. (2014), “Linguistic landscape as a reflection of social change”, in Language for International Communication, pp. 51-62.

Radavičiūtė L. (2017), “Linguistic landscape of Tbilisi: Graffiti as a form of social expression”, in Respectus Philologicus, 32, 37, pp. 94-104.

Ritchie S., Goodchild S., Dohle E. (2016), “Language landscape: supporting communityled language documentation”, in Ferreira V., Bouda P.(eds.), Language documentation and conservation, SPO9: Language documentation and conservation in Europe, University of

Hawai’i Press, Honolulu, pp. 121-132.

Rozin P., Berman L., Royzman E. (2010), “Biases in use of positive and negative words across twenty natural languages”, in Cognition & Emotion, 24, 3, pp. 536-548.

Salo H. (2012), “Using linguistic landscape to examine the visibility of Sámi languages in the North Calotte”, in Gorter D., Marten H. F., Van Mensel L. (eds.), Minority languages in the linguistic landscape, Palgrave-Macmillan, Basingstoke (UK), pp. 243-259.

Scollon R., Scollon S. (2003), Discourses in place: Language in the material world, Routledge, London-New York.

Shohamy E., Gorter D. (eds.) (2009), Linguistic landscape: Expanding the scenery, Routledge, London-New York.

Stroud C., Mpendukana S. (2009), “Towards a material ethnography of linguistic landscape: Multilingualism, mobility and space in a South African township”, in Journal of Sociolinguistics, 13, pp. 363-386.

Tenedero E. et al. (2025), “Graffiti in the linguistic landscape: Social and emotional expressions”, in BRU ELT Journal, 3, 1, pp. 45-60.

Tulp S. M. (1978), “Reklame en tweetaligheid: Een onderzoek naar de geografische verspreiding van franstalige en nederlandstalige affiches in Brussel”, in Taal En Sociale Inegratie, 1, pp. 261-288.

Wilkinson C. A., Grill L. H. (1996), “Expressing affection: A vocabulary of loving messages”, in Galvin K. M., Cooper P. J. (eds.) Making connections: Readings in relational communication, Roxbury Publishing, Los Angeles.

Zhang T. (2025), “Caring, outcry, and transgression in urban gaps: a linguistic landscape study of handwritten slogans in Hong Kong”, in Journal of Multilingual and Multicultural Development, pp. 1-19.