Namn i skärgårdens språkliga landskap

This article discusses proper names as part of the linguistic landscape of the Stockholm archipelago. With focus on examples from two islands, Nämdö and Svartsö, the aim is firstly to analyse what kind of names can be found in these
linguistic landscapes, and secondly, to discuss if the place that the names on signs reflect relates more to a lived space (or “authentic” archipelago) or to a conceived space (for visitors). Thus, the study draws theoretically from the concept of a sense of place as well as Lefebvre’s dimensions of social spaces. The results show that different kinds of place names and commercial names, but also personal names as well as names of cows can be seen in the archipelago’s linguistic landscape. Use of more familiar forms of names or local variations of place names reflect the islands more as lived spaces, whereas commodified use of the islands name by businesses highlights the more conceived, and potentially contested dimension of these places.