I’m Nervous Too! – Communication Among Drivers in the Linguistic Lanscape of the City Based on Messages on Car Stickers

Abstract

This article explores the functioning of language in urban spaces, with a particular focus on the linguistic landscape of cities and the communication among drivers. The primary medium of such communication is car stickers, which often contain verbal messages of various types. A key feature of this form of communication is its dialogic orientation. The research analyzed over 500 linguistic units from car stickers, encompassing a wide range of speech acts, including political declarations, war slogans, threats, warnings, and messages addressing traffic regulation. These messages often relate to safety, road conditions, or parking issues.

The study employed descriptive and qualitative methods to investigate how drivers navigate and communicate in the modern urban environment. A significant aspect of the research involved identifying the social, cultural, economic, and political factors shaping this specific form of communication. This analysis allowed for the construction of a profile of the modern Russian driver, highlighting their attitudes toward the surrounding reality and other drivers.

The findings revealed that driver-to-driver communication does not adhere to a fixed linguistic form. Car inscriptions are characterized by their brevity and tendency to condense thoughts into concise statements. These messages frequently employ emotional and expressive language, often incorporating colloquial or vulgar expressions to emphasize communicative simplicity and decisiveness. This linguistic phenomenon reflects the dynamic and multifaceted nature of urban communication among drivers in Russia.