Like the first sign I discussed, this sign is both a symbol and an index. It is a symbol for the same reason the first sign is a symbol; likewise, it is an index for the same reason as the first sign is an index.
It is necessary for me to translate the text in the bottom half of the sign as it is written in Spanish. That it is written in Spanish will become important in the discussion of the meaning of the sign. The bottom portion reads as follows:
VAGABONDS
ARE NOT ALLOWED
POLICE WILL BE
ALERTED
Upon translation, it should be noticed immediately that what is said in the English portion of the sign is not what is said in the Spanish portion. It could be that there are reasons in translation for this fact, but that is simply not the case. There are words in Spanish that can be used in the stead of loitering, such as holgazanear and merodear. So, either the translators are incompetent, or there is something else at work here. I will assume the latter. What meaning the sign then takes on, for those bilingual in English and Spanish, is not a consequence of the physical space in which the sign is placed, rather, it is a consequence of the choice of language used, indeed, I mean this in a two-fold sense: not only the different languages but also the choice of words that are used in each language.
So, what behavior is the meaning of the sign meant to control, on the one hand, in English, and on the other hand, in Spanish? We can understand loitering to mean exactly what is meant in the first sign that I discussed, namely, “Don’t hang round this area if you are doing nothing productive!” But, the meaning of the Spanish portion of the sign seems to be much more concisely directed to a certain member of society, i.e., the homeless or vagabond. It is inevitable to ask, why is there a difference in the meaning of the Spanish portion compared to the English portion, assuming that it is not a translation issue? I will leave this question open for the reader.
