Retail store signage: English or local language?

Abstract

This article presents a brief empirical study of the use of retail signage in both English and local languages in India. The fieldwork undertaken attempted to understand the impact of English language versus local language in relation to consumer attitudes. The hypothesis that statusseeking attitudes lead to English as a preferred language for signage in stores is clearly shown to be falsified, indicating that consumer choices seem to depend largely on other factors than the language chosen for store signs.