The contribution discusses some aspects of the complex relationship between the use of languages in public spaces on the one hand and the constitution of collective identities on the other. It looks in particular at street (and place) names and their importance for the collective memory. Therefore, the text discusses some examples of public debates in Germany about the renaming of streets or places. It focuses then the intense debate about the ›African Quarter‹ in Berlin, where even the relationship with the colonial history of Germany is at stake. The different positions in this debate are summarized and discussed against the background of terms and methods used in scientific approaches to ›Linguistic Landscapes‹.
Sprachlandschaften als Erinnerungsräume. Die Debatte um das Berliner Afrikanische Viertel
Ehrhardt, Claus
2022
Abstract
The contribution discusses some aspects of the complex relationship between the use of languages in public spaces on the one hand and the constitution of collective identities on the other. It looks in particular at street (and place) names and their importance for the collective memory. Therefore, the text discusses some examples of public debates in Germany about the renaming of streets or places. It focuses then the intense debate about the ›African Quarter‹ in Berlin, where even the relationship with the colonial history of Germany is at stake. The different positions in this debate are summarized and discussed against the background of terms and methods used in scientific approaches to ›Linguistic Landscapes‹.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
