Signage and cultural identity: a linguistic landscape study of Lethbridge

Abstract

The study examines how multilingual signage and product displays in immigrant-owned and mainstream grocery stores in Lethbridge, Alberta, reflect cultural identity and acculturation. Using linguistic landscape analysis, the study compares six stores: Real Canadian Superstore, Save On Foods, Asian Supermarket, Umami Shop, Genesis Exotic Market, and Vestelyn Varieties. Data were collected through photographs, field notes, and a Ghanaian menu-based shopping exercise designed to test the availability and presentation of culturally specific ingredients across the stores. The analysis shows that the stores differ significantly in how they represent immigrant foods and audiences. Mainstream supermarkets offer only partial support for Ghanaian cooking, while immigrant-owned stores, especially Vestelyn Varieties, provide stronger access to authentic ingredients and culturally familiar retail environments. Asian Supermarket occupies a high position next to Vestelyn as compared to Genesis, which is the intermediate, while Umami Shop presents global foods through a curated, cosmopolitan frame. The study argues that linguistic landscapes in retail spaces do more than display language; rather, they index belonging, cultural maintenance, and different forms of acculturation in a mid-sized Canadian city.