اللغة في اللافتات التجارية بولاية السيب- سلطنة عُماندراسة سوسيولغوية على عينةٍ مختارة

Abstract

This research explores commercial signage in Seeb, Sultanate of Oman, from a socio-pragmatic perspective. It investigates the communicative and persuasive functions of public signage and the ways linguistic choices reflect the district’s sociolinguistic composition and cultural identity.

The central problem concerns the selection of languages in commercial signs within a multilingual, multicultural context. The research analyzes the pragmatic and social motivations underlying these choices and assesses their implications for local identity construction and consumer engagement.

Adopting a pragmatic analytical framework, the study integrates field observation with qualitative analysis of authentic signage collected from multiple commercial areas in Seeb. The analysis draws on speech act theory, pragmatic intention, and sociolinguistic principles to interpret patterns of language use.

Findings reveal the predominance of Arabic, often accompanied by English and, in specific contexts, Urdu and Persian. This distribution mirrors the district’s demographic diversity and the economic significance of expatriate communities. Language selection emerges as a strategic practice shaped by commercial objectives, audience targeting, and cultural alignment. Signage thus functions not merely as information display but as a persuasive mechanism that constructs visual-commercial identity and directs consumer attention, highlighting the pivotal role of language in urban communicative dynamics.