Communication across time and space: chronotope in the linguistic landscape of a concession area

The language items present in the linguistic landscape are deeply embedded in history, often bearing varied time references and indexical loads. This study explores the preserved linguistic landscape of a former concession area in Wuhan, China to elucidate the intricate interplay of multi-layered historical meanings that intersect and converge in the public space. By employing the theoretical constructs of chronotope and polyphony, this study examines how the area is transformed into a liminal space in linguistic and symbolic terms. The findings indicate that the preserved linguistic landscape can be categorised into three types based on time-space configurations: preliminal chronotope, liminal chronotope, and postliminal chronotope, corresponding to signs in original forms, signs refurbished while retaining the original texts, and signs incorporating original texts and new additions. These signs symbolically reference the past, present and future, embodying historical and cultural preservation, reflecting societal and economic development, and enhancing the city's appeal as a tourist destination. This research contributes to understanding the complex discourses and communicative dynamics within linguistic landscape, offering insights into the interplay between history, culture, and language in public spaces.