Eco-Linguistic Landscape of Surabaya City Square:

Abstract

This study investigates language use in the public spaces of Surabaya City Square from the perspectives of Ecolinguistics and Linguistic Landscape (LL). Specifically, it examines the forms, functions, and patterns of language displayed throughout the Surabaya City Square complex. The study employs the theoretical frameworks of Ecolinguistics and Linguistic Landscape to explain how language reflects ecological, historical, and sociocultural relationships within public spaces. Data were collected through observation and note-taking techniques, while data analysis employed the referential and distributional methods. The findings reveal that linguistic signs in Surabaya City Square are predominantly top-down signs issued by governmental authorities and are presented mainly in bilingual forms, particularly Indonesian and English. The linguistic landscape consists of lexical items functioning as place names, directional signs, public information, warnings, prohibitions, and historical descriptions. From an ecolinguistic perspective, the study identifies two categories of ecolexicons. Historical building names and heritage site descriptions represent retentive ecolexicons, reflecting the preservation of cultural and historical identity. In contrast, directional signs, public notices, warnings, and visitor instructions constitute innovative ecolexicons, representing linguistic adaptation to contemporary communicative needs in public spaces. These findings demonstrate that the linguistic landscape of Surabaya City Square serves not only informational purposes but also functions as a medium for preserving cultural heritage, strengthening the status of the Indonesian language, and accommodating multilingual communication within an urban tourism environment.