A linguistic landscape study of shop signs on Barkhor Street in Lhasa

This study adopts a mixed-method approach to analyze the characteristics of the linguistic landscape in Barkhor Street, the attitudes of tourists, shop owners, and residents towards it, and the strengths and weaknesses of linguistic landscape design there. Findings showed that: 1) In terms of the presentation of linguistic landscape, the combination of 'Tibetan + Chinese' appears most frequently, with Tibetan being a priority code present in them. Moreover, different types of shops employ different marking methods for shop signs. 2) Overall, the audience expressed satisfaction with the linguistic landscape, with a preference for using the 'Tibetan + Chinese + Pinyin' combination. Most respondents suggested using Tibetan as a priority code and graphemic marking as a marking method. 3) The linguistic landscape design has the advantages of preserving and promoting Tibetan culture and boosting economic development. However, it also has the disadvantage of weak information function and a monolithic presentation of the linguistic landscape due to related language policies. 4) Furthermore, the study found that economic factors significantly influence the choice of language combinations and marking methods in the linguistic landscape. Language policies are a double-edged sword, and language, economy, and culture form an interconnected cycle.