The Linguistic Landscape and Beyond: Exploring Linguistic Diversity through Collaborative Fieldwork in Chiang Mai, Thailand

This note reports preliminary findings from the early stages of collaborative fieldwork research conducted by an international, multidisciplinary research team that aimed to document linguistic diversity in Chiang Mai, Thailand. Drawing upon initial data analysis from a pilot study as part of a PHC Franco-Thai project, we begin by exploring the linguistic landscape of key fieldwork sites, highlighting the significant presence of three main languages: Thai, English and Chinese. Following this, we report on findings from exploratory fieldwork interviews and observations, showing how these methods help to shed light on the use and status of a variety of minority languages. By way of conclusion, we link these preliminary findings to the future objectives of the ongoing PHC Franco-Thai project, before identifying some avenues for potential future research.