Abstract:
Linguistic landscape (LL) is the study of language situation using written messages on public signs as data. Research on LL in Thailands border areas has not been done. The researcher believes that such research is important to LL theories and is likely to reflect very well facts about the social condition of border communities. This study, thus, aims to study the LL between Thailand and her neighboring countries focusing on eight locations: Mukdahan and Savannakhet on Thai-Lao/Lao-Thai borders, Aranyaprathet and Poipet on Thai-Cambodia/Cambodia-Thai borders, Padang Besar Sadao and Padang Besar on Thai-Malay/Malay-Thai borders, and Maesai and Tachileik on Thai-Myanmar/Myanmar-Thai borders. The researcher analyzed language choice, multilingual writing patterns and factors that determine the characteristics of the LL in the areas under study. The results reveal that multilingual signs were used more than monolingual ones, that in each area the national language (NL) of each country was mostly used, that English was the second most dominant and that neighbors languages were also found on signs in Maesai and Aranyaprathet on Thailands borders but none in Savannakhet on Lao border and Padang Besar Sadao on Thailand border. Concerning multilingual writing patterns, it is found that among the three patterns (direct translation, partial translation and free writing), signs with direct translation signs are the most frequently used. All areas in Thailand and in Padang Besar Malaysia where direct translation is higher than others. The second mostly used is partial translation which appears most in Laos, Myanmar and Cambodia. Free writing is the least found pattern, but Poipet uses this pattern more than other areas. With reference to factors that determine the characteristics of the LL. It can be concluded in three points. First, the dominance of the NL on every border area is due to identity maintenance. Second, English is the second dominant language because of the globalization and internationalization of border areas. Third, the use of neighbors languages is due to convergence in communication. The research findings support the theories on the conditions of writing signs, the structures of LL and communication accommodation theory. Furthermore, they imply that the language situation in Thailand is open; i.e., any language can appear on public signs and that Thai communities have high degree of linguistic convergence with the readers of signs.