ABSTRACT
The signs of globalization in the linguistic landscape, mainly using English, are however increasingly prominent and blend with traditional literacies forming a diverse ensemble of semiotic signs reflecting at the same time marginality and globalization in Asmara. English was introduced into Eritrea by the British military administration. English in commercial signs is mainly found in relation to technical equipment like computers, printers, cartridges and PC programs. Eritrea's recent diplomatic and political history may bear the responsibility for at least some of the visibility of English signs in Asmara. The explicitness of this advertisement, basically explaining the obvious, is a clear reflection of an early phase of digitalization in which customers still need a lot of explanation. It is also a well-known fact that globalization, especially in marginal areas, in many cases goes together with unequal participation in offline as well as online contexts.
