SIGNAGE IN PUBLIC SPACES: IMPACT OF TOURISM ON THE LINGUISTIC LANDSCAPE OF LABUAN BAJO

Abstract

Labuan Bajo, the capital of West Manggarai Regency, East Nusa Tenggara, is currently experiencing rapid development. A good number of hotels, restaurants, and cafes have sprung up. The rapid development of tourist accommodation has had an impact on national and local identity as seen in the language in public spaces through the language used in the tourist accommodation sign boards.The purpose of this study is to map the linguistic landscape in Labuan Bajo, particularly the use of language on tourist accommodation signage; to explain the factors that lead to the dominance of massive foreign influences on the language of tourist accommodation signage; and explain the response of local communities to the domination of these foreign influences. This study used a qualitative method by first visually documenting data, consisting of names of tourist accommodations in Labuan Bajo; second, doing a linguistic analysis of data in particular the meaning and construction of names that may come from one or multiple languages.The results of the field research show that foreign identities in language use on tourist accommodation signboards in Labuan Bajo are so widespread. It is hoped that the government can encourage the use of the national language and regional languages in tourist accommodation signage through the socialization of the use of language in public spaces as stated in Law No. 24 of 2009 so that national and local identities in Labuan Bajo are not seen as inferior to foreign identities.KEYWORDS: linguistic landscape, public space, identity, national and local language