'No trash - do not touch': Handwritten textual objects at a construction site

Nathalie Schumchen; Niina Lilja

doi:10.1177/17504813241240394

'No trash - do not touch': Handwritten textual objects at a construction site

Nathalie Schumchen, Niina Lilja

Language Studies

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Abstract

Drawing on social semiotics and geosemiotics, this paper analyses multimodal texts written on different surfaces at a construction site. The analysis is based on longitudinal ethnographic work and a large collection of photos of handwritten texts that involve verbal language and other semiotic elements such as drawings or symbols. The analysis focuses on the multimodal design of the texts, their spatio-temporal contexts, and their temporal trajectories connected to the progression of the construction work. The analysis contributes to the existing research on language practices in manual work by providing new understanding of multimodal texts that are integral parts of construction workers’ day-to-day language use. The analysis also speaks to the importance of longitudinal and visually-based research designs in analyzing the language practices of manual and physical work contexts.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	789-816
Number of pages	28
Journal	DISCOURSE AND COMMUNICATION
Volume	18
Issue number	5
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1177/17504813241240394
Publication status	Published - Oct 2024
Publication type	A1 Journal article-refereed

Keywords

Blue-collar work
geosemiotics
multimodality
social semiotics
textual object

Publication forum classification

Publication forum level 2

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10.1177/17504813241240394Licence: CC BY

schumchen-lilja-2024-no-trash-do-not-touch-handwritten-textual-objects-at-a-construction-siteFinal published version, 2.28 MBLicence: CC BY

https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:tuni-202405296409Licence: CC BY

Cite this

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title = "'No trash - do not touch': Handwritten textual objects at a construction site",

abstract = "Drawing on social semiotics and geosemiotics, this paper analyses multimodal texts written on different surfaces at a construction site. The analysis is based on longitudinal ethnographic work and a large collection of photos of handwritten texts that involve verbal language and other semiotic elements such as drawings or symbols. The analysis focuses on the multimodal design of the texts, their spatio-temporal contexts, and their temporal trajectories connected to the progression of the construction work. The analysis contributes to the existing research on language practices in manual work by providing new understanding of multimodal texts that are integral parts of construction workers{\textquoteright} day-to-day language use. The analysis also speaks to the importance of longitudinal and visually-based research designs in analyzing the language practices of manual and physical work contexts.",

keywords = "Blue-collar work, geosemiotics, multimodality, social semiotics, textual object",

author = "Nathalie Schumchen and Niina Lilja",

note = "Nathalie Sch{\"u}mchen is a postdoctoral researcher in the research project “Globalizing construction work and local language practices” (GLO-LO) at Tampere University. Talking heads used to be her favorite but nowadays she is also interested in social interaction beyond the spoken word, including written texts as well as participants{\textquoteright} entire bodies and material and textual objects in people{\textquoteright}s material environment. She strives to communicate her findings as precisely and comprehensively as possible which is why she tries to design meaningful visualizations to aid readers{\textquoteright} understanding. Niina Lilja is a professor of professional communication at Tampere University, Finland. Her research focuses on the multimodality of interaction, multilingualism, and second language learning. Her recent publications address e.g. the role of hand gestures in giving instructions, checking understanding, and securing intersubjectivity in different multilingual interactions.",

year = "2024",

month = oct,

doi = "10.1177/17504813241240394",

language = "English",

volume = "18",

pages = "789--816",

journal = "DISCOURSE AND COMMUNICATION",

issn = "1750-4813",

publisher = "SAGE Publications",

number = "5",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - 'No trash - do not touch': Handwritten textual objects at a construction site

AU - Schumchen, Nathalie

AU - Lilja, Niina

N1 - Nathalie Schümchen is a postdoctoral researcher in the research project “Globalizing construction work and local language practices” (GLO-LO) at Tampere University. Talking heads used to be her favorite but nowadays she is also interested in social interaction beyond the spoken word, including written texts as well as participants’ entire bodies and material and textual objects in people’s material environment. She strives to communicate her findings as precisely and comprehensively as possible which is why she tries to design meaningful visualizations to aid readers’ understanding. Niina Lilja is a professor of professional communication at Tampere University, Finland. Her research focuses on the multimodality of interaction, multilingualism, and second language learning. Her recent publications address e.g. the role of hand gestures in giving instructions, checking understanding, and securing intersubjectivity in different multilingual interactions.

PY - 2024/10

Y1 - 2024/10

N2 - Drawing on social semiotics and geosemiotics, this paper analyses multimodal texts written on different surfaces at a construction site. The analysis is based on longitudinal ethnographic work and a large collection of photos of handwritten texts that involve verbal language and other semiotic elements such as drawings or symbols. The analysis focuses on the multimodal design of the texts, their spatio-temporal contexts, and their temporal trajectories connected to the progression of the construction work. The analysis contributes to the existing research on language practices in manual work by providing new understanding of multimodal texts that are integral parts of construction workers’ day-to-day language use. The analysis also speaks to the importance of longitudinal and visually-based research designs in analyzing the language practices of manual and physical work contexts.

AB - Drawing on social semiotics and geosemiotics, this paper analyses multimodal texts written on different surfaces at a construction site. The analysis is based on longitudinal ethnographic work and a large collection of photos of handwritten texts that involve verbal language and other semiotic elements such as drawings or symbols. The analysis focuses on the multimodal design of the texts, their spatio-temporal contexts, and their temporal trajectories connected to the progression of the construction work. The analysis contributes to the existing research on language practices in manual work by providing new understanding of multimodal texts that are integral parts of construction workers’ day-to-day language use. The analysis also speaks to the importance of longitudinal and visually-based research designs in analyzing the language practices of manual and physical work contexts.

KW - Blue-collar work

KW - geosemiotics

KW - multimodality

KW - social semiotics

KW - textual object

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DO - 10.1177/17504813241240394

M3 - Article

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JO - DISCOURSE AND COMMUNICATION

JF - DISCOURSE AND COMMUNICATION

IS - 5

ER -

'No trash - do not touch': Handwritten textual objects at a construction site

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