Implicit language policy in ethnic minority migrant community in urban China: a study of the linguistic landscape of “Little Lhasa”

A key focus of linguistic landscape research is the interaction among local language policies, the visibility of minority languages on public signage, and the perceptions of residents regarding language use. In China, ongoing urbanization and eased household registration requirements have precipitated an influx of ethnic minority migrants from autonomous regions to urban locales. This migration raises crucial questions about the integration and acceptance of ethnic minority migrants within the sociolinguistic fabric of urban China. Combining a linguistic landscape analysis and interviews with public sign owners, this study examines attitudes towards Tibetan language and Tibetan migrants in “Little Lhasa” in Chengdu, a major city in western China. Our findings reveal that various social actors, including Han residents, the Neighbourhood Committee, and the municipal authorities, prudently leverage the semiotic potentials of the Tibetan script in crafting public signs. The visibility of Tibetan in the local linguistic landscape reflects ideologies of acceptance, hesitation, or concern regarding Tibetan migrants. Although Tibetan migrants have conceded aspects of their language use in exchange for integration into urban life, they have not yet gained wider community acceptance. This study offers an innovative linguistic landscape lens on the implicit language policy in an ethnic minority migrant community in urban China. It illuminates a reflective case where language planning is much needed for mitigating bias and misunderstanding in multi-ethnic communities.