The Linguistic Landscape of Places of Worship in Accra: Religion and Multilingualism in Ghana

Abstract

Despite the profusion of research on linguistic landscapes (LLs) in urban settings, studies on the LLs of religious places remain largely unexplored. Against this background, this article explored the LLs of religious spaces in Accra. Using data collected from signage, interviews, and observation within various religious institutions, the researchers aimed to determine the languages used on religious signage, the language preferences of different religious denominations, the motivation behind these linguistic choices, and the relationship between signage languages and linguistic practices in Accra. The results of the study corroborate previous research findings, revealing that English is the predominant language on religious signs. In contrast, indigenous languages are rarely featured. The study found no correlation between Accra’s linguistic practices and the languages featured on religious signs. These results have implications for language policy, cultural identity, and community cohesion within religious spaces.