Valieva M.D. Linguistic landscape of Tskhinval: sociolinguistic analysis of public language space

The article deals with the analysis of the linguistic landscape of the city of Tskhinval as a visual reflection of the current language situation in the Republic of South Ossetia. The empirical basis of the study comprises 105 photographs of public space objects collected by the author in 2026. All the registered objects were classified into five functional-semiotic categories: official-administrative signs, commercial signage, memorial objects, graffiti, and announcements. The methods of sociolinguistic analysis, geosemiotics, and the concept of semiotic landscape, as well as elements of quantitative analysis have been applied in the study. As a result, the functional distribution of Ossetian, Russian, and English languages across various spheres of urban communication has been identified. The quantitative analysis has revealed a discrepancy between the high symbolic representation of the Ossetian language in the official and memorial space and its limited use in commercial and everyday communication, while the Russian language maintains a dominant position in most communicative domains. The results obtained make it possible to consider the linguistic landscape to be an important indicator of the language situation and language policy in the Republic of South Ossetia, as well as an additional tool for assessing the functional status and vitality of the Ossetian language.