Bilingual Street Signage at Three Religious Hajj Sites in Makkah: A Linguistic Landscape Translation Perspective

Resumen

This study investigates the translation strategies adopted in bilingual street signs at the religious sites of Arafat, Muzdalifah, and Mina in Makkah, Saudi Arabia. This linguistic landscape research incorporates an in-depth perspective on religion, culture, and communication, a significant gap in the literature. The study provides a descriptive analysis of signage, employing Edelman’s translation-oriented framework (2010) alongside three of Newmark’s translation strategies (1988). Forty-six digital sign images were collected from the three sites and analysed qualitatively. Results indicate that most strategies tend to perform a single primary function. However, single (couplets) and combined (triplets) strategies function as layered solutions that serve several communicative purposes at once. These combinations highlight this strategic blending as a systematic practice in Hajj site signage. Such translation practices help preserve religious meaning and linguistic familiarity and may contribute to reinforcing Islamic identity. This study also finds that signs use translanguaging by mixing languages and semiotic elements, which can support meaning-making and navigation. Practically, the study recommends standardizing bilingual wording and visual cues, and strengthening proofreading and consistency checks to reduce linguistic errors and improve navigation for diverse pilgrims. By highlighting the intersection of translation, culture, and communication in the linguistic landscape of Hajj sites, the study advances research in this underexplored area and deepens understanding of how bilingual signage supports pilgrims’ experience.