Article In Press | Published on: March 21, 2026
Volume: 3, Issue: 1
1. Department of Literature and Languages, Kwame Nkrumah University, Kabwe, Zambia.
Corresponding Author: Pethias Siame, Department of Literature and Languages, Kwame Nkrumah University, Kabwe, Zambia.
Citation: Pethias. S, (2026). Linguistic Landscapes and Public Engagement with the Circular Economy in Selected Zambian Urban Centers, Proceedings of the International Academy of Sciences, RPC Publishes, 3(1).
Copyright: © 2026 Pethias Siame, this is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.
This study investigates the role of linguistic landscapes (LL) in shaping public understanding and engagement with the circular economy (CE) in Zambian cities. As urban centers grapple with waste management challenges and seek sustainable models, public signage serves as a primary interface for disseminating information. This research employs a multimodal discourse analysis of over 350 signs collected from commercial and residential areas in Lusaka and Kabwe. It examines how the principles of "reduce, reuse, and recycle" are linguistically and semiotically constructed for the public. The findings reveal a stark dichotomy: a top-down LL dominated by English and technical jargon that often alienates the broader populace, and a bottom-up LL, articulated in local languages and through culturally resonant practices, that embodies circularity pragmatically. The study identifies this disconnect as a critical barrier to inclusive participation. It concludes by arguing for a strategic, co-designed approach to environmental communication that bridges this semiotic gap. By leveraging local linguistic resources and culturally familiar symbols, policymakers can foster a more profound, widespread, and effective public engagement with the CE, thereby accelerating Zambia's socio-economic transformation towards sustainability.
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