The document discusses the use of English and Arabic in signage in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. It notes the rise of English through globalization and its use alongside Arabic in corporate logos and advertising. Two examples of bilingual signage are described - one with a company logo in Latin characters mirrored in Arabic, and an advertisement with the product name in English and company/slogan in both languages. The document examines typographic elements like layout, size, color between the languages, which usually imitate each other. It concludes language mixing between English and Arabic dominates the linguistic landscape of Jeddah due to globalization and marketing practices.

1. Shayna T. Blum
Dar Al Hekma University
Xavier University of Louisiana
VISCOM 28 2014
Whispering Pines, West Greenwich, RI

2.  Observation and Questions
• Why is English being used so
frequently?
• How is English appearing
within the landscape?
• What are the typographic
aesthetic elements presented
in bilingual signage?

3.  Known as the “Queen of the Red Sea”
 Located within the MENA region – on west
coast of the Arabian Peninsula
 Second largest city in Saudi Arabia after
Riyadh (the capital).
 Important commercial hub and destination for
those traveling to Mecca and/or Medina,
Islam’s holy cities.
 Since WWII and the discovery of oil within
Saudi Arabia, Jeddah has experienced major
growth and expansion, and has sought
modernization in the city’s infrastructure and
culture.
 Ranked as one of the world’s fastest growing
cities. (Soliman, 2010)
 Traditionally Arab. Native language is Arabic.

4. Linguistic landscape is “the language within an environment, words and
images displayed and exposed in public spaces.”
Shohamy and Gorter, 2009

5.  In Signs of Belonging: Culture, Identity, and
the English Language, John E. Joseph
(2013) states that language is the “ultimate
semiotic system… The very sense of who we
are, where we belong, and why and how we
relate to those around us, all have language
at the center” (p. 55).
 Linguistic landscape refers to all visual
images and letterforms which are displayed
within public spaces such as – but not limited
to –
• street signs, construction signs,
billboards and advertisement posters,
store fronts and logo signage, flyers,
menus, and informational signage.
 Studying the linguistic landscape of a
community exhibits the relation between
language and texts to social identity. This
includes national, ethnic, and religious
identity.

6. Globalization has developed a “phenomenal rise of English language as the
foremost and most-widely used international language… and has led to the
increasing use of bilingual signs in different countries.”
Alireza Hojati

7. Through Globalization….
 Our world has become increasingly
familiar in different locations, more
connected, more consumerist,
increasingly corporatized
 An amplified use of English in public
spaces is being used worldwide.
 It’s common to view bilingual
signage where English is presented
alongside another dominant local or
national language
 In areas such as the Middle East
and North Africa use of the English
language have become signifiers for
“modernity,” “technology,” and
“education”

10.  Elements which have contributed to the rise in the use of English within the
MENA /Gulf region:
• Development of the oil industry from the early 19th century and onward. And the
participation and influence of western corporations and governments within the MENA
region.
• Investment in western education within the Middle East and gulf region including
sending students abroad to European, English, and American academic institutions.
• Employment patterns where Middle East nationals are working jobs doing business
with western companies.
• The use of mass media broadcasted in both Arabic and English
• Rise of the internet and “globalized” societies.

11. Merging two opposing character systems
One Eastern & One Western

12.  Signage that integrates the two writing
systems may be deconstructed by the
presentation of the work.
• How is the overall piece presented?
 How is the text laid out? Is it symmetrical or
asymmetrical?
 What is the spacing size between text?
• What is the dominant language being
presented?
 Which language type is presented above?
Below?
 Which language type is larger? Smaller? Or
are the letterforms of equal size?
• Is there color or weight change between the
language letterforms?

13.  The Danube logo/corporate identity is written in blue
Blackletter.
 Directly across to the right is the Danube name,
spelled in Arabic. These letterforms are shaped to
imitate the Latin Blackletter letterforms.
 The banner above the main entrance reads the
Danube slogan, “Your family partner” with Latin
characters appearing as a generic bold, san serif
typeface.
 The letters are un-styled. The first letter, “Y,” is
capitalized, followed by the rest of the letters within
the slogan, in lowercase.
 Opposite is the phrase, “Your family partner” written
in Arabic.
 The Arabic letterforms imitate the Latin san serif.
 Both English and Arabic are written in white and
equal in size, and present themselves as readable to
a viewer driving by.

14.  Red and black letterforms are spread throughout the
surface of the advertisement.
 Red “Jarir Bookstore” logo is placed directly diagonal
from the red "Possible" logo.
 “Media Pad” is written out, in which "Media" is
written in black and "Pad" is written in red.
 Corporate identity is written in Latin letterforms.
 Advertisement message is written below in Arabic.
 Hierarchy of text resides in the product being
advertised.
 "Media Pad”, in English, stands out in type design,
size, spacing, location and color. "Jarir Bookstore"
and "Possible" are secondary, via size, location, and
color.
 Advertisement message written in small, black
Arabic characters appears least important.

23.  Language mixing between English and Arabic dominates the linguistic landscape of Jeddah, Saudi
Arabia. This element is apparent from the rise of globalization and the use of English as an
“international” language. Often as in the case of marketing and advertising, English text is
presented via corporate identity and logo trademark, while the Arabic is presented either in
translation to the corporate identity, and/or the advertising message. Both cases exhibit an
imitation of typographic style, in which the Arabic and Latin letterforms will coincide with one
another via similarities in size, shape, color, width, and edge.

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