English in Commercial Signage: Evidence from Jordanian Clothing Companies on Facebook

Ghazi Al-Naimat

doi:10.47012/jjmll.17.3.4

Authors

Ghazi Al-Naimat Department of English language and Literature, Al-Hussein Bin Talal University, Jordan https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4353-2838

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.47012/jjmll.17.3.4

Keywords:

English; online-linguistic landscape; Facebook pages; clothing company; Jordan

Abstract

This study investigates the use of English in online linguistic landscapes by analyzing the names and introductory descriptions of 180 Facebook pages belonging to Jordanian clothing companies. Data were collected from these pages and examined using the main principles of LL studies. The findings show that most clothing company pages are in English, reflecting global symbolic associations. Additionally, the presence of Turkish and French names evokes a European imagery linked to the products offered. A local dimension appears through the use of Romanized scripts, where cultural values are expressed via a blend of global and local language features. The study finds that, with English as the primary language, the linguistic practices on these online pages closely parallel those found in local physical public spaces across Jordan. This illustrates the socio-symbolic role of English and has contributed to a digitally mediated transformation in how language is presented on commercial signage. The results imply that the negotiation of linguistic identity and cultural significance occurs primarily in online commercial settings in Jordan.

Keywords: English; online-linguistic landscape; Facebook pages; clothing company; Jordan

Highlights:

1- It extends LL theory to online commercial spaces, particularly Facebook clothing pages in Jordan. The adaptability of the field to newly digital environments is worth mentioning here, where linguistic and visual choices construct symbolic meaning.

2- It provides empirical evidence from the Middle Eastern context. Global LL scholarship can benefit from such regional data, focusing on how global language hierarchies manifest in Arab digital contexts.

3- The study reaffirms a consistent and key finding: English dominates as a symbolic code on Jordanian Facebook clothing pages, aligning with its prominent role in real commercial spaces in Jordan. Taking this into consideration, the study shows that both LL settings convey meanings of modernity, prestige, and global identity.

4- It reveals the hybridization of European and local linguistic elements, with Romanized Arabic reflecting local identity in globalized online discourse. This concept, termed hybrid digital identities in LL studies, illustrates how users creatively merge global prestige with local authenticity.

5- The study highlights the continuity between physical and digital landscapes, presenting digital spaces as extensions of tangible commercial language practices shaped by globalization.

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