The linguistic landscape of Paris’s 2024 Marche des fiertés LGBTQ+

Resource type
Author/contributor
Title
The linguistic landscape of Paris’s 2024 Marche des fiertés LGBTQ+
Abstract
This article examines the linguistic landscape of Paris’s 2024 Marche des fiertés LGBTQ+ through an analysis of 122 participant-produced signs. Drawing on linguistic landscape theory, it explores how language choice shapes political, social, and cultural expression in this highly visible public event. The findings show that language use is structured rather than random. French predominates in signs expressing political critique, satire, and wordplay, positioning it as the primary medium for engaging domestic audiences, particularly in the context of the 2024 legislative elections. English, by contrast, is frequently used for messages of solidarity, identity affirmation, and pop-cultural reference, aligning with transnational activist discourse. Multilingual signs often bridge these functions. The article argues that this distribution reflects the strategic deployment of language to address distinct yet overlapping publics, demonstrating how Pride participants use written language to negotiate identity, politics, and belonging in contemporary France.This article was published open access under a CC BY-NC-ND licence: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/.
Publication
Contemporary French Civilization
Publisher
Liverpool University Press
Date
2026-04
Volume
51
Issue
1-2
Pages
21-32
Citation Key
eildertsLinguisticLandscapePariss2026
Accessed
8/11/26, 3:13 PM
Library Catalog
liverpooluniversitypress.co.uk (Atypon)
Citation
Eilderts, L. L. (2026). The linguistic landscape of Paris’s 2024 Marche des fiertés LGBTQ+. Contemporary French Civilization, 51(1–2), 21–32. https://doi.org/10.3828/cfc.2026.3