Linguistic landscape: Interpreting languages in public spaces in Surigao del Norte

This study focused on the linguistic landscape of public spaces in District II of Surigao del Norte, which includes eleven municipalities and Surigao City. Although the region is known for its multilingualism, Filipino and English continue to dominate public signage, while Surigaonon, the native language, is rarely seen. The study aimed to identify the languages used in signage, examine their categories and purposes, and assess the level of multilingualism in each area. Using a descriptive qualitative-quantitative approach, a total of 1,979 signs from various public spaces—such as schools, roads, markets, and other establishments—were analyzed. Content analysis was guided by Spolsky and Cooper’s (1991) taxonomy, Ben-Rafael et al.’s (2006) top-down/bottom-up framework, and Reh’s (2004) multilingualism model. Each municipality was also assessed in terms of linguistic use in relation to its cultural and economic context. Findings revealed that English is frequently used in official (top-down) signage, while Surigaonon appears more often in community-generated (bottom-up) signs, especially in rural municipalities like Alegria, Tubod, and Bacuag. The most common type of multilingual signage is duplicating signs, with few examples of complementary or overlapping signs, indicating a lack of comprehensive language planning. The results also suggest that the type of signage, language choice, and communicative purpose are interconnected, and that the degree of urbanization influences the organization of the linguistic landscape. Overall, the study highlights the limited systematic use of the local language in public spaces and calls for a language policy to preserve and promote Surigaonon. It recommends the creation of local language ordinances and the use of the study’s findings as a basis for developing inclusive and culturally sensitive communication strategies across Surigao del Norte.