How did Arabic get on that sign?

In this episode of the Language on the Move Podcast, I speak with Dr. Rizwan Ahmad, Professor of Sociolinguistics in the Department of English Literature and Linguistics in the College of Arts and Sciences at Qatar University in Doha. We discuss aspects of the Linguistic Landscape, focusing on Rizwan’s research into how Arabic is used on public signs and street names in Qatar, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and India.

The conversation delves into the use of Arabic in both Arabic-speaking and non-Arabic-speaking contexts for different purposes. Rizwan explains how variations in grammar, font, and script combined with the distinct social contexts of different countries produces distinctive meanings in relation to culture and identity.

If you enjoy the show, support us by subscribing to the Language on the Move Podcast on your podcast app of choice, leaving a 5-star review, and recommending the Language on the Move Podcast and our partner the New Books Network to your students, colleagues, and friends.

Related content

Ahmad, R. (2011). Urdu in Devanagari: Shifting orthographic practices and Muslim identity in Delhi. Language in Society, 40(3), 259-284. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0047404511000182
Ahmad, R. (2015). Polyphony of Urdu in Post-colonial North India. Modern Asian Studies, 49(3), 678-710. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0026749X13000425
Ahmad, R. (2018). Renaming India: Saffronisation of public spaces. Al Jazeera. https://www.aljazeera.com/opinions/2018/10/12/renaming-india-saffronisation-of-public-spaces
Ahmad, R. (2019). Everyone has got it wrong in the Ramadan-Ramzan debate. And no, it’s not about Wahhabism. The Print. https://theprint.in/opinion/everyone-has-got-it-wrong-in-the-ramadan-ramzan-debate-and-no-its-not-about-wahhabism/232558/
Ahmad, R. (2020). “I regret having named him Sahil”: Urdu names in India. Language on the Move. https://www.languageonthemove.com/i-regret-having-named-him-sahil-urdu-names-in-india/
Ahmad, R. (2020). Multilingual resources key to fighting COVID-19. Language on the Move. https://www.languageonthemove.com/multilingual-resources-key-to-fighting-covid-19/
Ahmad, R. (2022). Mal Lawwal: Linguistic landscapes of Qatar. Language on the Move. https://www.languageonthemove.com/mal-lawwal-linguistic-landscapes-of-qatar/
Ahmad, R., & Hillman, S. (2021). Laboring to communicate: Use of migrant languages in COVID-19 awareness campaign in Qatar. Multilingua, 40(3), 303-338. https://doi.org/doi:10.1515/multi-2020-0119
Akhmedova, M., & Ahmad, R. (2024). Why Are Uzbek Youth Learning Arabic? Language on the Move. https://www.languageonthemove.com/why-are-uzbek-youth-learning-arabic/
Khan, Y. S., & Ahmad, R. (2024). Sacred font, profane purpose. Language on the Move. https://www.languageonthemove.com/sacred-font-profane-purpose/

Transcript (coming soon)

The 99 names of Allah, in a Doha Mall, 2018 (Image Credit: Ingrid Piller)