Minorityhood in Szatmárnémeti/Satu Mare. Status Report on the Linguistic Landscape in a Border Town

Abstract

The analysis of the Linguistic Landscape (LL) that has become a separate field of research focuses more and more on the living language and the relative real image created by the visual elements thereof in addition to the theoretical rationale and findings. With the examples found in Szatmárnémeti (Satu Mare) in the Partium region, this study is aimed at finding an answer to the manner in which the local and national public services approach the minority language users in a real, every day environment and to what extent they can be addressed in their native language. The multilingual inscriptions in public places are the indicators of the political, economic and social relations in a community as they are characterised by constant changes since they do not exist on their own but rather through their environment, politics and community. This makes the LL energetic, dynamic and plastic, being connected to the current political, social and economic networks by several connection points.