Visibility in the Linguistic Landscape
摘要
This chapter analyses the very visible presence of the new mainland Chinese (MC) migrant community in some neighbourhoods, which is reflected through the linguistic landscape (LL). While acknowledging the rapidly growing population of MC migrants, including the expansion of students, the new prominence of expatriates, and the increasing number of MM2H participants and spouses, this chapter shifts attention to two groups of MC migrants, that is, non-Han Muslim migrants and Chinese entrepreneurs from mainland China. This chapter suggests that the high visibility of the MC migrants in the LL serves to reflect—either consciously or unconsciously—a kind of social distinction of the MC community from the local Chinese Malaysian society, whereas non-Han MC migrants seem to be more integrated due to their religious and cultural background being similar to that of mainstream Malay society. More importantly, the language-, ethnicity-, and nationality-related differences reflected through the LLs highlight the increasing visibility or emergence of new Chinatowns or China’s town(s) and the possibilities of segregating, replacing, rebranding, and rewriting the old Chinese history and urban heritages of KL and Selangor. The uncovering of LLs presented and reflected in given spaces indicates potential tensions and considerable degrees and nuances of ethnic/cultural complexity resulting from transnational migration and what becomes of language(s), heritage, and visibility therein.