Dif’ G’one’and Semiotic Calquing A Signography of the Linguistic Landscape of the Navajo Nation

Abstract

In this article, I discuss the linguistic landscape of officially sanctioned street name signage on the Navajo Nation. Given the Navajo Nation’s Enhanced 9-1-1 and Rural Addressing Initiative, this is a moment of transition for such signage. First I describe, in broad strokes, the linguistic landscape of the Navajo Nation. I then look at street name signs that are ostensibly written in Navajo in Ft. Defiance, AZ. These signs show “spectacular typos” that suggest a lack of familiarity with written or spoken Navajo. In the conclusion, following work in linguistic landscaping, I take up the issues of what kinds of audience these signs select and what kinds of imagined community these signs create.