I took this photo on the main level of Ala Moana, right across from the Lanaʻi Food Court. The sign says “Mauka Wing,” which means “toward the mountains” in Hawaiian. I found it interesting how the mall uses Hawaiian words very frequently in its directional signs. Even the food court itself is named “Lānaʻi,” which is another island here. Seeing Hawaiian used in everyday signage and throughout such a large institution shows an effort to incorporate the language, even if it can sometimes feel a bit inauthentic. Still, noticing Hawaiian in these directional signs made me realize again how multicultural and multilingual Hawaiʻi is.
Multilingual Hawaiʻi
147940
catherine
United States
Honolulu
While I was driving through the Ala Moana parking lot on the main level next to Target, it was the first time I noticed this “Mall Access” sign, even though I’ve driven past it many times. It caught my attention because the sign is in English, Japanese, Korean, and Chinese. Since this sign is in an older wing of the mall, it’s probably been here for many years without me noticing, which shows how long Hawai‘i has been a multicultural environment. Although Ala Moana is a touristy place, it was still interesting to see such a general sign in four languages. The Japanese, Korean, and Chinese all translate to “Mall Access.” Seeing multiple languages layered into a simple directional sign made me realize how deeply multilingualism is built into Hawai‘i’s public spaces, even in areas we overlook.
Multilingual Hawaiʻi
147939
catherine
United States
Honolulu
While I was driving on Kapiolani Blvd, getting ready to turn onto Atkinson, I noticed this Korean restaurant, Chogajip, with its name written in English and “초가집” written next to it. After searching up what this means, I found that it says “thatched house,” which refers to a traditional Korean home. I found this interesting because it’s not only multicultural, but it’s also something only someone proficient in Korean would understand. The only English on the sign is “Korean Restaurant and Bar,” while the Korean wording conveys a homelike taste and environment. Seeing this bilingual signage sending different messages to different audiences shows how openly multicultural Hawaiʻi is.
Lingscape
