ABSTRACT
In this chapter, I explore LPP processes related to street naming in a postcolonial context. Specifically, I consider the naming patterns in West, or Peninsular, Malaysia in light of the various agencies of name (thus of language) planning, and in the process invite further consideration for naming within specific linguistic landscapes in LPP research. Postcolonial contexts have received considerable attention in relation to how postcolonial governments promote vernaculars or mother tongues, strategies often framed as acts of nationalism, to the detriment of ethnic minorities or the former colonial language. In West Malaysia, I argue that resistance to the use of Malay in street naming constitutes an important manifestation of agency in LPP that merits serious consideration. Data reveals that resistance has come in the form of the persistent use of colonial names instead of sanctioned new names. I will draw upon interview data gathered by Koh (2011) on street names in Ipoh and the attitudes of residents in their preference for pre-independence names. It was also found that resistance comes in the form of local governments resisting pressure from the central (federal) government. Finally, I consider how the notion of nationalism has been challenged by an emerging postmodern outlook—specifically how language practices and urban space interact in a dynamic fashion.
