Please wear a face mask: The role of British business in regulating mask-wearing through signage

Abstract

This research analyses the linguistic strategies for identity construction in 246 mask-wearing signs collected from the businesses on four prosperous roads of Brighton and Hove during the pandemic. In regulating mask-wearing through signage, businesses could adopt one of four roles: (1) spokesperson for the guidance, (2) independent order giver, (3) emotional persuader, (4) strict caveator; or choose to integrate two or three of these roles. In the surveyed area most businesses preferred to act as independent order givers and instruct customers directly to wear face coverings for public health through imperative directives.This case study describes what directives were employed in terms of agency and politeness to display businesses’ stance or engagement in regulatory signs when public health was under challenge. It is intended to categorise directives in mask signage in relation to agency, politeness and identity, and explore the basic features of English regulatory signage on public health in business setting.