A Panorama of Linguistic Landscape Studies

This much-needed book explores past and present trends in the field of Linguistic Landscape Studies. The reader enters the archaeology of the field and then ventures back into the future. On the way, there is room to get to know the controversies, the dilemmas, the emerging themes, and the secret life of which the emergence and evolution of a research field is made. A book that reads like a novel.

* Sílvia Melo-Pfeifer, University of Hamburg, Germany *
The book successfully achieves its goal of offering readers a panoramic experience of this rich and evolving field. Whether you are a seasoned researcher or simply curious about the linguistic landscapes that surround us, this book will leave you with a newfound appreciation for the intricate tapestry of languages in our everyday environment. * Selim Ben-Said, National Sun Yat-sen University, Taiwan *
Durk Gorter and Jasone Cenoz have created a masterful text that captures the wealth of their knowledge of linguistic landscapes. They have presented a carefully considered and critical overview of the field, including its origins, theoretical approaches, methods and diverse applications. A must-read for all researchers and students of linguistic landscapes. * Corinne A. Seals, Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand *

...this book is the most comprehensive review of the field, an out-and-out ‘bible’ of linguistic-landscape studies. At the same time, it is a complete introduction to the topic, reflecting on the most significant studies to date, and providing 50 pages of references [...] Gorter and Cenoz have produced an excellent, comprehensive volume, easy to read and recommended to all interested in linguistic-landscape studies.

* Paolo Coluzzi Universiti Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Journal of Multilingual and Multicultural Development, 2024 *

Mit ihrer Monografie haben Durk Gorter und Jasone Cenoz ein bahnbrechendes und kongeniales Werk geschaffen, das durch eine umfassende Darstellung, einen kritischen Ansatz und die komplexen Verbindungen von empirischen Studien und theoretischen Konzepten besticht. Unbestritten stellt es ein Grundlagenwerk für LL-Forschende sowie für LL interessierte Sprachlehrer*innen dar.

* Edina Krompák, PH Luzern, Switzerland, Zeitschrift für Angewandte Linguistik 2025 *

Readers looking for a detailed, critical appraisal of LL research will be very well-served by this book. Great credit
must be given in particular for its gargantuan list of references, some 50 pages long, which alone offers a wide panorama of a huge amount of the LL literature published to date [...] For anyone even remotely interested in the mechanics of language, identity, and power in public spaces, this book is undoubtedly a must-have.

* Will Amos, University of Warwick, UK, English Today, 2024 *

The authors are no mere passive observers, and they enrich their panoramic view with insights from their own research and with their experience in the formative years of the present LL research endeavour. It is no easy task to present the character of such a diversity of studies, approaches, and research goals, but Gorter and Cenoz have succeeded in creating an essential work for LL research.

* Jeffrey L. Kallen, Trinity College Dublin, Ireland, Current Issues in Language Planning, 2024 *

Despite the interdisciplinary nature of the field and the extensive scope covered in their overview, the authors navigated the intricacies of linguistic landscape studies without oversimplification, showcasing expertise that can only be provided by such seasoned scholars. Additionally, carefully selected colored figures and breakout boxes are integrated throughout the text to support arguments and enhance readability. I can only highly recommend this work for both academic experts and graduate or advanced undergraduate students interested in linguistic landscape studies.

* Rui Guo, Shandong University, China, Social Semiotics, 2024 *

For those still in doubt, Panorama paints a resolute picture of Linguistic Landscape as a vivid, established field of sociolinguistic research. Its careful review of themes, theoretical frameworks, methodological approaches and future directions situates the book as one of the most comprehensive of its genre. Above all, Cenoz and Gorter underline Linguistic Landscape’s viability, illustrating how it has evolved and theorising how it will continue to evolve in response to the growing superdiversity that characterises late modernity. Their panorama leaves the reader with a memorable snapshot, capturing the ever-present complexities found in the signs and languages that populate our daily lives while recalling the ongoing need to investigate that which is still left unsaid.

* Erin McInerney, Université de Strasbourg, France, Language Problems and Language Planning, 2025 *

A Panorama of Linguistic Landscape Studies by Gorter and Cenoz is not only a seminal work that solidifies our understanding of this still-emerging field of LL studies, but it is also an invaluable resource for scholars, teachers, and policy makers who want to comprehend the intricate relationship between language, space, and society. This volume’s contributions deepen our knowledge of the LL and pave the path for further in-depth study of the languages that make up public spaces.

* Andrea Brandani, Università di Bologna, Italy, Revista Española de Lingüística Aplicada, 2025 *

...this weighty tome provides an incredible overview into the field and succeeds in being both macro and micro at the same time, zooming in and out at opportune moments. Most impressive is its inclusion and consideration of a great number of LL studies, no doubt in part aided by a lovingly maintained bibliography of LL research [...] It is certainly an invaluable resource to both current and new researchers in the field, providing inspiration for future research as well as methodological development

* Andre Joseph Theng, The University of Edinburgh, UK, Language in Socie