Language Policy Adherence and the Linguistic Landscape of Tourist Spaces in Perak, Malaysia: Introduction for a Tourist Signage Multilingual Guideline (TSMG)

This study examines the linguistic landscape (LL) of tourist sites, focusing on the consistency between the stipulated language policy and actual practice in the selected survey sites. As outlined in the national language policy, BM is advocated as the national language and must be featured prominently in all public outdoor signage. However, the actual practices in Malaysian tourist spaces reveal varied levels of adherence. The study investigates the extent to which actual signage practices align with stipulated language policies in three prominent tourist sites in Perak Malaysia- Pulau Pangkor, Lost World of Tambun, and Teluk Batik through the triangulation of policy document analysis, visual analysis of 1,039 signs, and semi-structured interviews with thirteen sign creators and three local authority enforcement officers. Findings reveal that the usage of BM was implemented in most government signs; however, it was largely disregarded in private signs, especially in the Lost World of Tambun. This implies that the stipulated language policy is not consistently adhered to by the private sectors, mostly due to commercial priorities, international tourism branding, and practicality concerns. Based on the empirical findings, this study introduces the Tourist Signage Multilingual Guideline (TSMG) to bridge the gap between policy adherence and actual practices. The TSMG represents the first evidence-based, context-specific multilingual signage guideline derived from empirical Malaysian tourism LL data and constitutes a practical instrument for policy makers, local councils, and sign creators seeking to align signage practice with stipulated language policy while serving the communicative needs of diverse visitors.

Linguistic Landscape, Language Policy, Tourist Space, Multilingual Signs, Policy-Practice Gap, Tourist Signage Multilingual Guideline (TSMG)

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