Authors
Kapitolina Fedorova1; Natalia Tshuikina1; 1 Tallinn University, Estonia Discussion
Multilingualism in Post-Soviet countries where as a result of the Soviet time migration and Russification, Russian speakers still constitute a significant part of population, presents an interesting case for analysis. Estonia, being officially monolingual country with quite strict language policy, is extremely linguistically diverse in terms of actual everyday communication, with both Russian and English playing a significant role. Moreover, as Estonia attracts many foreign visitors, expats and refugees, other languages, including Ukrainian, also become more and more noticeable in both visual and acoustic form in public spaces. However, spatial distribution of different languages in urban landscapes vary significantly, and by analysing it one can reveal not only the patterns of language use but also power relations between different linguistic, ethnic, and social groups. The paper reports on preliminary results of a study conducted in Tallinn in 2021-2022 and focused on collecting and comparing data on both linguistic landscapes and soundscapes in several locations in the city (two shopping centers in different districts, concert halls, theatres and cinemas, and at and around Tallinn University’s premises). The study shows a mismatch between visual linguistic representation and actual linguistic diversity and suggests methodological procedures that can be employed in further researches on multilingualism and language policy. 
