By Hannah Higgins:
The area I have chosen for this study is Auburndale, Flushing. Auburndale is a small yet broad neighborhood in the Northeastern region of Queens. I decided to conduct my research in the inner area of the neighborhood near the train station, and to my new acquired knowledge I learned that Auburndale was actually established because of the Long Island Railroad which began passing through the area in 1901. It then received its name from Auburndale, Massachusetts where the founder of this community L.H Green lived (Forgotten New York). Auburndale is a very family-oriented district, with most housing being apartments and a few single-family homes (CityNeighborhoods.NYC). While living in Auburndale for a few months, I have noticed a variety of themes and patterns that can be found within the neighborhood. The collection of small stores, signs, and graffiti can reveal how language and writing articulate different cultures and diversities within the community of Auburndale. Some of my findings also show how signage and businesses can reveal social aspects of a place, whether it’s busy or more of a close-knit community which also connects to the idea of business signs indicating if stores are large, or small and locally run. And lastly, the theme of color scheme plays a role in shaping the community’s identity. All of these findings give a clear focus on how to analyze this linguistic landscape, and below there is a map of Auburndale which can be used to give the reader an estimate of the size of Auburndale and how it connects to the content of this linguistic landscape.
Figure 1. Map of Auburndale, Flushing. Apartments.com. “Fairfield Tudor at Auburndale”. Apartments.com.https://www.apartments.com/fairfield-tudor-at-auburndale-flushing-ny/2nlh048/
Understanding Language and Diversity in Public Signage
It is very easy to snapshot a photo and point out a few obvious aspects about it, yet understanding the meaning of phrases, and the language in which it was written is a whole different task. An example of this theme on languages and diversity would be Figure one below, which is a small poster. In this image, writing is abundant as well as photos. The writing is in what appears to be Chinese and explains a highway and bike lane. They include a map of a connecting highway and a photo of parking and a bike lane on the sign to give viewers a better idea of what is being discussed, and since most people do not take the time to read signs with too much writing, I would suggest reading the heading of the poster and the main subject matter which is highlighted in green. In the novel A Panorama of Linguistic Landscape Studies, authors Durk Gorter and Jasone Cenoz shed light on how languages contribute to the contrasting levels in society, they discuss how displaying minority languages is sometimes done to revitalize or promote the languages. This relates to this image especially since the demographics of Auburndale are split between 44.8% (8,954) White and 40.9% (8,169) Asian (Wikipedia the Free Encyclopedia).
Another poster that represents this demographic would be the spa sign (figure two) below, which has the services that the spa provides in Chinese writing. This sign also contains an image that helps those who do not understand the language be able to see what their business is marketing. This coincides with what was said above when discussing the usage of languages. Although the demographics are factual, it is still evident that Auburndale is more of an English-speaking community due to its signage such as the one below “Bunny Tales” (Figure three). However, the images below impact the community by fostering inclusivity for those of other language backgrounds, allowing them to understand what is going on in the sign and cultivate belonging for diverse groups. It can also be presumed that these signs were placed in the community as an attempt to promote the language and what it is marketing within the posters and signs.
Social Elements and Dynamics in Local Businesses
Most neighborhoods have a few key stores that depict the kind of area and community it is. Large and small stores often represent the economic and social class of an area. Small stores are typically opened for their community, to provide what is lacking in the neighborhood. For example, figure one below displays a sign with the name of a car repair shop and the services it provides. It has the name “Target Automotive”, and the services and phone number all in one, which is considered “old school vernacular” (Trinch and Snajdr, 66). Old school vernacular is a concept that is used to depict when and why a sign was created. Most signs and stores with an abundance of writing and information, tend to be considered old school vernacular because they are “older” businesses explaining exactly what they have in store on their signs. One can gather that Target Automotive is not a large chain repair shop and was opened up in Auburndale for the sole reason of needing an auto repair garage which is why they have all their information in one sign.
In the article Small Retailers are at the Forefront of Economic and Community Revival, author Sonia Gossai makes a compelling argument on why local businesses create a relationship with their community and offer more quality experiences. This is exactly what Target Automotive attempts to do with their shop. Their shop affects the neighborhood because they are simply a small business in the heart of a community, trying to be a place residents can trust to receive the right auto repair services. This idea follows the theme of social features and dynamics within local businesses, it proves that small businesses such as the ones below leave a profound impact and are a big addition to making a neighborhood have that tight-knit community feel which connects to the second image (Figure two) that leaves the same effect. It is a small wooden sign outside of a cafe with the words “Come Inside” and has images of cookies on it. This sign has a feel-good vibe and was placed outside the cafe not only to appeal to more customers but to bring joy to their community members and give them an idea of what their business has to offer. These kinds of stores focus more on quality experience and customer relationships, rather than just being another place to grab a coffee.
Patterns in Colors and Graffiti
How do colors and graffiti shape and affect a community? It can be difficult to answer this question without analyzing examples and seeing a definitive pattern between colors and graffiti. Below there are a few varying images all with different writing, meanings, and purposes. However, the one thing that they have in common is the fact that they are consistent patterns in Auburndale. In the first three images, there is a burgundy-red color going on, with brown undertones. Throughout Auburndale, these colors are abundantly recognizable and shape the overall aesthetic of the community as well as the atmosphere. The theme of color aids in building a sense of identity and also makes the neighborhood look more cohesive. This concept can affect the feelings of the community members because colors always have a way of leaving humans with some sort of emotion. Bright and lively colors can evoke energy and warmth, whereas cool tones and dull colors can evoke the feeling of peacefulness, which is exactly what the burgundy and brown colors do in the photographs. This consistent color scheme establishes a viewable identity that differentiates Auburndale from other neighborhoods and gives its residents a sense of belonging and unity.
This concept of color scheme ties to the theme of graffiti which can be seen in all different parts of Auburndale. In the three figures of graffiti below they each contain similar colors, lettering, and overall pattern. We see black, purple, blue, and the same kind of bubble lettering, which can mean anything. Graffiti is used to symbolize a multitude of things, and is considered a form of art. Although most communities don’t like to see graffiti, it is very common to notice while walking around Auburndale. Graffiti is sometimes used for marking territory or simply just young adults using it to express themselves. Either way, it is a well-known cycle that is repeated in neighborhoods, even such small ones like Auburndale, and it adds to the overall aesthetic of the community. Which affects the residents making them feel as though their neighborhood is lacking cleanliness or being neglected. Despite all of this there are positives to graffiti as it can be insightful and can add a sense of brightness to a dull community.
Summarizing the Insights and Elements of my Linguistic Landscape
Throughout this analysis of Auburndale, I was able to delve into the varying social and dynamic elements, the diversity and multilingualism in public signage, as well as the consistency of color schemes and graffiti. These themes were all found in the images provided and revealed how each aspect plays a part in forming a cohesive and multifaceted community. This highlights the community’s cultural diversity and social environment. Each image represents the neighborhood in a different light, and showcases the distinct impact that is left on Auburndale through the stores, signs, etc. Overall, the key findings within this linguistic landscape shape the neighborhoods’ identity and provide an inference of the residents living there.
Works Cited
A Panorama of Linguistic Landscape Studies, 2024, pp. 174-223 (50 pages) https://doi.org/10.2307/jj.6947033.11 Accessed 27 Oct. 2024.
Auburndale, Queens.” Wikipedia the Free Encyclopedia , 22 Aug. 2024, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Auburndale,_Queens#References. Accessed 10 Oct. 2024.
Gossai, Sonia. “Small Retailers Are at the Forefront of Economic and Community Revival.” MarketScale, 24 Apr. 2024, marketscale.com/industries/retail/small-retailers-the-linchpin-of-local-economies-and-vibrant-communities/. Accessed 27 Oct. 2024.
“Auburndale, Queens.” CityNeighborhoods.NYC, www.cityneighborhoods.nyc/auburndale. Accessed 16 Nov. 2024.
“A Walk in Auburndale.” Forgotten New York, 3 Dec. 2010, forgotten-ny.com/2010/12/a-walk-in-auburndale/. Accessed 17 Nov. 2024
Trinch, Shonna, and Edward Snajdr. “What the Signs Say: Gentrification and the Disappearance of Capitalism without Distinction in Brooklyn.” Journal of Sociolinguistics, 2017, pp. 64–89. Accessed 16 Nov. 2024.