Introduction to Linguistic Landscape
South Richmond Hill, a neighborhood in Queens, New York, is known for its vibrant diversity, with a variety of languages and cultures shaping the community. Originally populated by Irish and Italian immigrants, the area has experienced a significant influx of South Asian populations, particularly from Guyana, India, Trinidad and Bangladesh. This demographic change has shifted the neighborhood’s linguistic landscape, as seen in the languages apparent on storefront signs, posters, community centers, etc where English often coexists with Hindi, Bengali, Urdu, Punjabi and Caribbean- Creole languages. South Richmond Hill’s linguistic landscape is characterized by a particular visual style in which maximalism, vibrant colors, multilingual text, local marketing, and heavy use of capitalization work together to catch attention and reflect the community’s character.
Map of South Richmond Hill (Google Maps, Google)