Abstract

Prof. Riyad F. Hussein, Mohammed Y. Nofal* and Ahmad J. Mansour

This study aimed to investigate the languages used in shop signs in Amman, Jordan from a sociolinguistic perspective. In order to achieve the objective of the study, the researchers posed two questions concerning language choice and the factors that influenced it. The study was conducted on shop signs in three different areas in Amman, Jordan, namely, Al-Wehdat Camp, Sweifieh and Jabal Al-Hussein, and the number of shop signs totaled 680. The sample was selected on grounds of convenience and it included 90 participants who were asked to fill out a three-section sociolinguistic questionnaire. The researchers made use of two instruments; a survey of shops and a sociolinguistic questionnaire. Results revealed that there were two main categories of shop signs regarding the languages used in them; namely, monolingual or bilingual signs. Results also disclosed that using foreign names in shop signs was profoundly enhanced by prestige, positive attitudes towards foreign names, commercial interests, type of goods/services provided and the educational and economic levels of customers.