The linguistic landscape, memorialisation, & Victoria University of Wellington's origin story

Memories are embedded in the physical world we inhabit. A place can evoke a private memory but places can also be constructed to create & shape public memory. Indeed, such ‘memory places’ emplace ideology in public spaces. These sites are one of the foci of linguistic landscape research, i.e. research that focuses on the language (and other semiotic resources) used in public spaces. This talk will begin with a, possibly brief, orientation to this field of study. The main focus of the talk, however, will be memorialisation at Victoria University of Wellington and how the university shapes its own origin story. Architecture, images, and language come together to lay claim to particular values and traditions. It is also, however, a layered story that reflects the dynamic and fluid nature of the university’s identity construction.