In addition, Lü (2005) illustrated four propositional functions of public signs: informing, reminding, restricting, and warning. Informing signs only provide information, thus they usually show the content of the sign briefly, but do not ask for the information receiver to take action. Reminding signs are used widely for the purpose of offering information or rules that might be ignored or forgotten by receivers. Restricting signs exert restrictions or constraints on the related public, and are expressed usually in a straightforward way, but they do not make the readers feel as if the signs are impolite, offensive or unreasonable.
Warning signs, also called compelling signs, usually adopt a tough tone and require the reader to perform or not to perform some actions. These signs, which usually adopt imperatives, leave no room for compromise. Here are some
examples:
Informing sign: Information; Travel Service; Baby Change; Car Rental.
Reminding sign: Reserved; Wet Paint; Sold Out; Minimum Charge.
Restricting sign: Handicapped Only; Free For Children Under 12.
Warning sign: No Minors Allowed; No Overnight Parking.
(Lü, 2005, pp. 22-‐23)
His analysis centers on the nature and characteristics of signs in the public sphere without putting them in a multilingual environment or discussing status issues like the role of dominant language and subordinate language in practice.
Huebner (2009) indicates that the two classifications at different levels are necessary in understanding the function of a given linguistic landscape. Lü’s classification echoes the “referential” or “propositional” function of speech put forward by Hymes (1974, p. 146). This section will first present the functions of campus signs based on a revision of Lü’s classification. After a close observation of the campus linguistic landscape, I found that the using of arrow or other signs (in the semiotic sense) is common. Besides, it is difficult to draw a line between
restricting signs and warning signs on campus, because many restricting signs appear with warning information. Therefore, I will modify Lü’s classification into a new format to analyze the basic functions of campus signs, which are presented in the following tables (Table 4-‐4 and Table 4-‐5) together with a further division on the genres of campus signs. 5 Based on those basic functions, I will analyze some extended functions of several unique genres. In addition, I will discuss how languages perform the symbolizing function in the multilingual campus.
5 Based on Lü’s (2005) classification, I divide signs on campus as informing signs, directing signs, reminding signs, and warning signs. On campus, informing signs simply provide information without asking the readers to take action; directing signs usually include an arrow on the signboard for related information;
reminding signs make the target readers aware of the important message to avoid potential risks, but do not ask the reader to take immediate action.
Warning signs (by incorporating Lü’s definition of restricting and warning signs) require the readers to take or not to take certain actions once they see the
Table 4-‐ 4: Functional Genres in Each Setting (Ito Campus: n=223)
Area Setting Functional genre Number
Inside Cafeteria 29 Informing notice 21
Directing notice 5
Nameplate 2
Map 1
Library 29 Informing notice 19
Warning notice 4
Map 2
Directing notice 1
Advertisement 1
Reminding notice 1
Nameplate 1
Gymnasium 34 Warning notice 14
Informing notice 10
Map 3
Nameplate 6
Timetable 1
Outside Parking lot 28 Directing notice 14
Informing notice 7
Warning notice 7
Bus station 23 Traffic notice 6
Informing notice 4
Bus timetable 4
Reminding notice 3
Warning notice 2
Station name 3
Area map 1
Shop 9 Nameplate 5
Informing notice 4
Open Plaza 5 Informing notice 3
Warning notice 1
Stone inscription 1
Classroom building 29 Nameplate 23
Informing notice 3
Warning notice 1
Map 2
Restaurant 6 Nameplate 3
Informing notice 3
Table 4-‐4: Functional Genres in Each Setting (Continued)
(Ito Campus: n=223)
Area Setting Functional genre Number
Outside Others 31 Informing notice 4
Advertisement 5
Warning notice 7
Reminding notice 4
Statue Inscription 6
Nameplate 1
Traffic notice 2
Directing notice 1
Map 1
Table 4-‐ 5: Functional Genres in Each Setting (BLCU Campus: n=198)
Area Setting Functional genre Number
Inside
Cafeteria 20
Nameplate 2
Informing notice 8
Reminding notice 5
Advertisement 2
Poetics board 2
Menu 1
Library 13
Nameplate 1
Informing notice 9
Motto 2
Advertisement 1
Gymnasium/Playground 33 Informing notice 8
Directing notice 2
Reminding notice 7
Warning notice 7
Nameplate 6
Advertisement 2
Banner 1
Table 4-‐5: Functional Genres in Each Setting (Continued)
(BLCU Campus: n=198)
Area Setting Functional Genre Number
Outside Parking lot 7 Informing notice 2
Reminding notice 3
Warning notice 2
Shop 31 Nameplate 15
Informing notice 10
Directing notice 3
Warning notice 1
Advertisement 2
Classroom building 14 Nameplate 12
Banner 1
Warning notice 1
Other buildings 15 Nameplate 13
Informing notice 1
Warning notice 1
Restaurant 14 Nameplate 2
Informing notice 4
Warning notice 3
Advertisement 5
Others 42 Informing notice 4
Directing notice 1
Reminding notice 4
Warning notice 9
Motto inscription 8
Advertisement 6
Bulletin board 4
Name inscription 2
Campus map 2
Banner 2
Among the functional districts of Ito Campus, it is found that the basic function of campus signs is informing, telling the participants where they are living and studying, when the library or shop will open, what dishes are served in the cafeteria or restaurant today and how they can get to the bus station. The second major function is keeping order by regulating behavior, actions, and
movements in the public realm by displaying reminding or warning signs. As the genres indicate, the notices themselves can serve four different basic functions:
informing, directing, reminding, and warning. Moreover, other types of campus signs can go beyond those functions and achieve unique purposes. For example, maps are used as important visual assistance to offer concise information added to the layout of campuses. The advertisements on campus, likes in cites, promote a product, service, or event. The nameplates attached to the classroom buildings, shops, and cafeterias identify them by linking their names with the physical objects. The memorial monuments and commemorative stones/plates standing in the open square record history and significant moments on campus and report it to the passers-‐by. Coulmas (2009. P. 23) examined several famous landmarks worldwide and noted, “LL is a cultural scene, formed by interested agents whose motivations and intentions pertaining to information contents, language choice and symbolic significant, to the extent they can be inferred, must be reckoned with in the analysis.” He further indicated, “Landmarks of a city are to be read, which was and is defining the feature of city life.” On both campuses,
monumental inscriptions are found. The mottos “Learning without thought means labor lost; thought without learning is perilous” (学而不思则罔，思而不 学则殆) from Confucius, and “Constant dripping wears away the stone” (锲而不 舍，金石可镂) from Xunzi, another great thinker of China, direct the readers to the spirit and attitude of study and doing research, which creates a special atmosphere for university campus.
Putting linguistic landscape in a “given” context, Landry and Bourhis recognized the “informational” and “symbolic” functions of signs. However, as