Encountering a Japanese vending machine, I noticed that it had both Japanese and English on it. Noticing that it had both scripts, it made me realize how ingrained multilingualism is to our state and island. Not only does this serve the local community, but for tourists who can enjoy a bit of their culture here. Seeing just how often and frequently it is to have both Japanese and English script, and basically how normalized it is to have multiple languages in this state, made me aware of how this our public language and how valuable it is to create an inclusive, multilingual environment for everyone.
Multilingual Hawaiʻi
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Waipahu
Seeing place names like Waikele, really emphasizes how important the Hawaiian language is to our culture. As you grow up, the norm becomes something that can be hidden in plain sight, or something that most people overlook, despite it being in our everyday language. However, as we think about multilingualism and think about the connection of the Hawaiian language and how it can shift our culture and communication, we can then use our town names as markers for history, culture, and diversity. We can view this public language as a way to honor the past and encourage language revitalization everyday.
Multilingual Hawaiʻi
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Aiea
Walking past this town that had a sign in both Korean and English, made me aware of how multilingualism is a daily part of life when living in Hawai’i. As I continue to reflect about the different languages in Hawai’i, it made me realize how much of a melting pot our community is. It had the Korean language big and broad, showing that even in such an environment, these languages are the norm and are here to stay. Recognizing multilingualism in public spaces like this, is another way that language can connect others in a meaningful way, and expand across cultures.
Lingscape
