Language, Identity, and Resistance: A Humanities Study on the Use of Regional Languages in Public Spaces in Bandung City

Language is not only a means of communication, but also a symbol of identity and a medium of cultural resistance. In the context of a multicultural society, regional languages ​​represent cultural heritage that strives to survive amidst the dominance of national and global languages. This study aims to analyze the use of Sundanese in public spaces in Bandung City as a humanities study that highlights issues of language, identity, and resistance. The study uses a qualitative approach with a humanities perspective. Data were obtained through field observations of the linguistic landscape (street signs, billboards, advertisements, murals, public transportation), interviews with key informants (cross-generational community members, cultural figures, academics, and local officials), and language policy documentation studies. Data analysis was conducted using Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) and the linguistic landscape theoretical framework (Landry & Bourhis, 1997). The results show that Sundanese functions in three main dimensions. First, as an affirmation of local identity, seen in street names, government slogans, and cultural symbols. Second, as a symbolic resistance to the dominance of Indonesian and English, especially through commercial advertisements and street art. Third, as a creative expression of the younger generation who practice linguistic hybridity by combining Sundanese, Indonesian, and English. However, the use of Sundanese remains limited to symbolic contexts and has not yet fully emerged as the primary language of communication in formal spaces. Furthermore, the implementation of Sundanese language preservation policies remains inconsistent, being more ceremonial than practical. In conclusion, Sundanese continues to play a vital role in strengthening local identity and as a form of cultural resistance amidst the tides of modernization and globalization. However, for this role to be sustainable, consistent policies, supportive creative spaces, and cross-generational participation are needed to revitalize the Sundanese language's function in Bandung's public spaces.