The Language of the English Street Sign

By (author) Prof. Vivian Cook

Publication date:

21 March 2022

Publisher

Multilingual Matters

Dimensions:

225x170mm
7x9"

ISBN-13: 9781800414563

This book opens readers’ eyes to something they see all the time but take for granted: street signs. It is a portrait of the signs on modern English streets: what they look like, who and what they are for, how they link to English history and how they form part of life in multilingual England today. It describes how their shapes, materials, letters, vocabulary, and grammar differ from other forms of written English, using a framework based on linguistics, typography and writing systems research. It provides readable and entertaining insights into an important use of written English, illustrated with over 400 examples of street signs. The book represents a starting point for the study of street signs as an academic area in its own right.

Preface

Chapter 1. Describing Street Signs

Chapter 2. The Writing System of the Street

Chapter 3. The Language System of the Street

Chapter 4. The Material of the Street Sign

Chapter 5. Naming the Street

Chapter 6. Controlling Signs

Chapter 7. Connotations of Letter Forms in Street Signs

Chapter 8. Street Signs in Other Languages

Chapter 9. The Nature of Street Signs

References

Index

‘Fifth Avenue’ – what could be more tedious! Other than Manhattan and Kyoto where streets are just numbered, notable cities use street names. And they know why, as did Vivian Cook. Street signs are a treasure trove of linguistic, societal, historical, political and commercial knowledge. In this book he takes us on a multidisciplinary adventure trip to decode the wonders of written signs in public places. Trust the guide!