VISIBILITY, ROLES AND FUNCTIONS OF ITALIAN IN THE LINGUISTIC LANDSCAPE OF ZADAR, CROATIA
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.54103/2037-3597/30468Abstract
For centuries, Italian has been one of the common languages used in the linguistic landscape of Zadar, Croatia. Once an official language, it became a significant language of tourism in the second half of the 20th century. As tourism in Zadar underwent major changes in the first two decades of the 21st century, the functions and roles of Italian in the linguistic landscape of Zadar also changed. This study presents an analysis of the visibility, roles and functions of the Italian language in the linguistic landscape of Zadar, based on data collected in 2011, 2018, and in the first half of 2025. The study employs a mixed-method approach, combining a quantitative LL study of all signs present in the public space of the Zadar Peninsula with a qualitative LL study that includes semi-structured interviews with passers-by, business owners and/or managers, and employees of municipal institutions responsible for public signage. Additionally, the qualitative part of the study incorporates informal conversations, participant observation, media communications, and photographic documentation. The research findings indicate considerable changes in the use of foreign languages in the linguistic landscape of Zadar due to a globalized type of tourism that significantly influences the linguistic landscape. This type of tourism promotes the use of English and demotes the use of traditional languages of Croatian tourism, such as Italian. Consequently, Italian has lost its informative function in the LL of Zadar but has become an important language used in naming various entities in the food and beverage sector of the hospitality industry.
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