本研究聚焦泰国曼谷市中心的辉煌区、唐人街、世贸中心与暹罗广场四大商业
区域,系统分析其官方与非官方语言景观中标点符号的使用特征、差异及影响因
素。研究采用田野调查法,于2021年4月至2022年5月间共采集2,776个有效语
言景观样本,包括182个官方标牌与2,594个非官方标牌,结合定量统计与定性分析
方法进行对比研究。
研究发现:(1)标点使用存在显著差异。官方语言景观中,标点使用频率低,
仅60块标牌使用,出现70次,类型较少,仅涉及句号、连接号、括号等9类,体
现出规范性与简洁性,而非官方语言景观中,标点使用频率高,769块标牌共使用
1,353次,涵盖感叹号、问号、间隔号等16类,表现出更大的灵活性与表达丰富
性。(2)标点功能定位不同。官方标点主要用于结构分隔和辅助说明,强调信息
的准确与权威:非官方标点则多用于吸引注意力、突出重点、增强表现力与营造商
业氛围。(3)标点使用受多重因素影响,包括语言类型(如泰语标点使用较少,
英语和汉语标点依赖性强)、语言景观性质(官方强调规范,非官方偏好灵活)、
传播功能(信息传递vs.商业吸引)、语码混用现象、经济文化背景、旅游国际化
趋势以及标牌设置成本与收费政策等。
本研究揭示了标点符号作为语言景观重要组成部分,在信息传达与文化表达中的
差异性作用,并为语言景观研究拓展了分析维度。研究建议:官方语言景观应提升
标点使用的规范性与一致性,以增强公共信息的清晰度与可信度;非官方语言景观
则可在保证信息传达有效的前提下,合理运用多样化标点,提升语言的表现力与沟
通效率。研究成果对提升曼谷国际都市的语言服务水平、优化公共标识系统及促进
跨文化交流具有积极意义。
This study focuses on four major commercial areas in downtown Bangkok.
Thailand --Pratunam, Chinatown, the World Trade Center, and Siam Square----
systematically analyzing the usage characteristics, differences, and influencing factors of
punctuation marks in both official and non-official linguistic landscapes. Field research was
conducted from April 2021 to May 2022, collccting 2,776 valid linguistic landscape
samples, including 182 official signs and 2,594 non-official signs. A combination of
quantitative and qualitative analysis methods was employed for comparative study.
The findings reveal: (I) Significant differences in punctuation usage. In official
linguistic landscapes, punctuation marks are used infrequently, appearing only 70 times
across 60 signs, with fewer types (linited to periods, hyphens, parentheses, etc., totaling 9
categories), reflecting standardization and conciseness. In contrast, non-official linguistic
landscapes exhibit higher punctuation frequency, with 769 signs using punctuation 1,353
times, covering 16 categories (including exclamation marks, question marks, interpuncts,
etc.), demonstrating greater flexibility and expressive richness. (2) Divergent fimctional
roles of punctuation. Official punctuation primarily serves structural separation and
supplementary explanation, emphasizing accuracy and authority, while non-official
punctuation is more often used to attract attention, highlight key points, enhance
expressiveness, and creale a commercial atmosphere. (3) Punctuation usage is infuenced by multiple factors, including language type (e.g., fewer punctuation marks in Thai, stronger reliance on punctuation in English and Chinese), the nature of the linguistic landscape (official emphasis on standardization vs. non-official preference for flexibility).
communicative function (information transmission vs. commercial appeal), code-mixing
phenormena, economic and cultural contexts, tourism internationalization trends, as well as sign installation costs and pricing policies. This study highlights the differential role of punctuation marks as a crucial component of linguistic landscapes in in formation conveyance and cultural expression, while expanding the analytical dimensions of linguistic landscape research. Recommendations include: Official linguistic landscapes should enhance the standardization and consistency of punctuation usage to improve the clarity and credibility of public information ; non-official linguistic landscapes, while ensuring effective communication, can reasonably employ diverse punctuation to boost expressiveness and communicative efficiency. The research outcomes hold positive implications for elevating Bangkok's international urban language services, optimizing public signage systems, and promoting cross-cultural communication.
