Peculiar multilingualism on the banknotes of the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.58423/2786-6726/2024-1-27-45Keywords:
linguistic landscape, language policy, Austro-Hungarian Monarchy, banknotes, multilingualismAbstract
The topic of research devoted to the linguistic landscape is gradually expanding, so the concept itself is constantly acquiring new interpretations. The article considers banknotes as elements of the linguistic landscape, and the linguistic landscape as a reflection of language policy, its peculiar public expression. The issuance of banknotes is strictly regulated by the state, while controlling not only the shape, color, decorative elements, denominations and security elements of the banknotes, but also the symbols and languages that appear on them. Along with portraits of historical figures, images related to the culture and historical past of a certain nation, the presence (or absence) of languages on banknotes is also an element of symbolic politics and a part of revealing the language policy of a certain state. The publication examines the languages that were represented in the inscriptions of various series of banknotes issued in the dualistic Austro-Hungarian Monarchy between 1900 and 1919. The article analyzes the reasons for the appearance of different languages on banknotes of the specified period. Based on the languages depicted on the banknotes, it is shown that the two main parts of the federal state of Austria- Hungary pursued different language policies. The article highlights that, according to the concept of dualism, the German language dominated on one side of the Austro-Hungarian banknotes, and the Hungarian language on the other. On the front side, along with the most important information, which was provided only in German, the denomination of the banknote was indicated in the languages of several nations of the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy. The reverse side was purely monolingual – Hungarian. Therefore, the denomination was indicated on the banknote in a total of ten languages: German, Czech, Croatian, Polish, Italian, Romanian, Serbian, Slovenian, and also Ruthenian or Ukrainian. The article tries to find an answer to why the Czech, Croatian, Serbian, Polish, Italian, Romanian, Slovenian and Ukrainian (Ruthenian) languages were used on banknotes next to German, and why the reverse side of the banknotes remained monolingual (Hungarian). The authors concluded that even states that issue multilingual banknotes guarantee that the state language should be in a dominant position.
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