Linguistic safety and safety of language in urban discourse: procreation of notions

Abstract

The notion of linguistic safety is investigated from two perspectives: on the one hand, as the safety of language itself, and on the other – language as an instrument providing social safety. The paper seeks to explore the notions “linguistic safety” and “safety of language” and show the dialectic connection between them; to define the key terms associated with linguistic safety and discuss the main approaches to the concepts under study; to analyse the ways to preserve language and its role as an instrument of ensuring social safety in an urban landscape. The research focuses on such issues as the preservation of the purity and cultural uniqueness of the Russian language; the ability of language to ensure people’s individual psychological and physical safety; its mission in providing information and national security, workplace, technical and aviation safety; as well as the role of linguists, translators and interpreters in all the spheres outlined above. On the basis of the findings, we formulate a number of steps which have to be taken in order to ensure linguistic safety, in particular the regulation of language use in street advertisements, posters and other urban media with the help of professional linguists; careful elaboration of workplace safety instructions; wider use of street signs aimed at the prevention of injuries and providing for people’s physical safety, with special attention to non-native speakers, such as migrants and foreign tourists; measures to improve the English language competence of pilots, controllers and flight attendants in order to take care of aviation safety; more active involvement of linguists, translators and interpreters in the development of a safe urban linguistic environment.