Authors

Klaudia Kosicinska¹;  ¹ Institute of Slavic Studies PAS, Poland

Discussion

This research explores the linguistic landscape of Shulaveri, a region in south-east Georgia, with a focus on the Azerbaijani community, an ethnic minority comprising 6.3% of the population. Through a mixed-methods approach, combining field observations, conversations with residents, and analysis of 60 inscriptions in various languages, this study reveals the complex dynamics of language use and identity construction in the region. The findings show that Azerbaijani, Georgian, and Russian languages coexist in the public space, with Azerbaijani serving as an informal lingua franca, while Turkish, Arabic and English are gaining popularity. Notably, the use of Azerbaijani is instrumentalized by local politicians for electoral support, and on the official level its visibility is limited to specific events and holidays. My study, based on deep ethnographic fielwork in 2018-2023, contributes to our understanding of the linguistic landscapes in multi-ethnic areas, highlighting the importance of language and its visual representation (as well as specific alphabetes) in shaping identities and negotiating space among minority communities.