Lingua Materna, Lingua Receptiva, Lingua Franca, Multilingua Franca? The Linguascape of the Polish-Czech Borderland from the Perspective of Sustainable Multilingualism

Summary As statistical surveys show, both Poland and the neighbouring Czech Republic are single-ethnic and highly monolingual countries. The observation of the linguistic landscape of the Polish-Czech borderland suggests, however, that the display of common natural heritage is conducive to weakening monolingualism and the development of multilingual practices instead. The hypothesis is being checked in a comparative analysis of the linguistic landscape of two picturesque locations - Czech Adršpach and Polish Karłów where a lot of natural sights in the form of rocks can be found. The case study proves that different languages and communication modes are used to describe these attractions: lingua materna, lingua receptiva, and global or regional lingua franca. The research material includes 211 signs photographed in the Rock City in Adršpach and 283 signs photographed at local tourist attractions near Karłów, namely, on the Szczeliniec Wielki mountain peak and in the Błędne Skały area. The analysis covers both the language hierarchy as well as the specific multilingual character of information signs which refer mainly to the rock objects. The selected photographs are presented in the paper in the attempt to illustrate the particular linguistic practices in examples. The research is based on the assumption of applied ecolinguistics that the diversity of languages should be maintained through appropriate language policy and other activities supporting the preservation of the linguistic and natural heritage. This perspective might shed a new light on the moment of transition from the monolingual paradigm to more open and sustainable multilingual practices in the linguistic landscape of Polish-Czech borderland.