Author
Lean C. Quimada, LPT
Mindanao State University-Iligan Institute of Technology
Iligan City, Lanao del Norte, Philippines
Email: lean.quimada@msumain.edu.ph
Abstract
This study focuses on the linguistic landscape of Northern Mindanao, which is considered not only a center and conduit of trade and industrialization in the southern part of the country, but also a space of rich culture and diverse ethnolinguistic groups. The study aims to identify the types of signs present, determine the languages used, analyze their linguistic functions, and describe the language situation in Northern Mindanao. This research addresses the gap in previous studies on linguistic landscapes, which have often focused only on major cities and on the northern part of the Philippines. The study employed a combination of qualitative analysis and descriptive quantitative methods to describe and examine the linguistic landscape through the collection of photographs of signs using an Android phone. The findings revealed that seven languages are present in the region: English, Filipino, Cebuano, Binukid, Chinese, Spanish, and Arabic. The results further show that the linguistic landscape is relatively similar or homogeneous, with English dominating and the representation of other languages being unequal. The predominance of the referential function of language and the widespread presence of top-down signs was also evident. The study also observed several linguistic errors in public signage and the use of multimodal elements such as large fonts, colors, and images as strategies for conveying messages. The research recommends a broader use of indigenous languages and the national language in top-down signs, stricter implementation of language policies, and the expansion of linguistic landscape studies into digital spaces.
Keywords: Linguistic landscape, region, Northern Mindanao, signs, language functions
DOI: http://doi.org/10.69651/PIJHSS0501787
Recommended citation:
Quimada, L. C. (2026). The linguistic landscape of Northern Mindanao: The language situation in public spaces in Region X. Pantao (The International Journal of the Humanities and Social Sciences) 5 (1), 8755-8764. http://doi.org/10.69651/PIJHSS0501787
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