The Italian government wants to make using English words illegal.

 

A new law put out by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s Brothers of Italy party might result in fines of up to €100,000 ($108,705) for Italians who use English and other foreign language in official communications.

The measure was proposed by lower chamber deputies member Fabio Rampelli, and it has the approval of the prime minister.

 

Although all foreign languages are included by the legislation, it is specifically targeted at “Anglomania,” or the usage of English words, which the draft claims “demeans and mortifies” the Italian language. It adds that this is made worse by the UK’s exit from the EU.

 

Full story: https://bangkokone.news/italian-government-to-fine-use-of-english-words/

 

-- © Copyright BANGKOK ONE NEWS 2023-04-03

 

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I learned a lot of Italian cuss words from my grandfather getting annoyed with me as a kid.  It wasn't until decades later, watching Italian movies with English subtitles, that I learned what those words specifically meant.

Just about every Italian expletive/insult has to do with the, err, rear orifice, something either going in or coming out.  They don't need to import cuss words from other languages.

 

 

Is there any reason for this law or is it just nationalism at it's worst?

 

11 minutes ago, Credo said:

Is there any reason for this law or is it just nationalism at it's worst?

That, and likely to claim the same reason as the French - to preserve the language. According to a French report re the same issue, "This is a battle in which the real stakes are measured in terms of both political influence and economic growth." ????‍♂️

 

Although I think the French are just still pissed off English became the world language and not French ????

Edited April 2, 20233 yr by Salerno

That will make a mess out of air traffic control as well as the rest of the transportation sector 

Languages have been adopting foreign words since the dawn of time.

 

No language needs "preserving", they need evolution.

4 hours ago, webfact said:

The Italian government wants to make using English words illegal.

Nice to see the country progressing so well.

Italian government seeks to penalize the use of English words
By Barbie Latza Nadeau, CNN 

 

Giorgia Meloni. File photo

 

CNN Rome  — Italians who use English and other foreign words in official communications could face fines of up to €100,000 ($108,705) under new legislation introduced by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s Brothers of Italy party.

 

Fabio Rampelli, a member of the lower chamber of deputies, introduced the legislation, which is supported by the prime minister.

 

While the legislation encompasses all foreign languages, it is particularly geared at “Anglomania” or use of English words, which the draft states “demeans and mortifies” the Italian language, adding that it is even worse because the UK is no longer part of the EU.

 

Full story: https://edition.cnn.com/2023/04/01/europe/italian-government-penalize-english-words-intl/index.html

 

-- © Copyright CNN 2023-04-03

Maybe if the words get mispronounced it doesn't count ?

 

 

1 hour ago, webfact said:

Giorgia Meloni. File photo

 

Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s Brothers of Italy party

Brothers of Italy, ah the PM must be transgender

I'm all for banning Americanisms from the English language !

What about new words like "internet" that the Italians didn't bother creating their own version of so just use the English one?  

6 minutes ago, RichardColeman said:

I'm all for banning Americanisms from the English language !

And Australiaisms 

Huh?????????????

I thought that Italian was a sign language.
You need to use your hands, and sometimes your arms to speak Italian.

"Whatta da f@#£ !"

https://youtube.com/shorts/xyyMgSbr11U?feature=share3

Basta........................

13 hours ago, webfact said:

It adds that this is made worse by the UK’s exit from the EU.

Oh ? How do they coma to thisa conclusiona ? 

5 hours ago, Confuscious said:

Huh?????????????

I thought that Italian was a sign language.
You need to use your hands, and sometimes your arms to speak Italian.

I think Scotty Kilmer might take issue with that .

What's Italian for fiasco?

I thought much of their legal system was written in English because of a lack of Italian words?  Someone tell me if there is any truth to this?

On 4/3/2023 at 8:50 AM, James105 said:

What about new words like "internet" that the Italians didn't bother creating their own version of so just use the English one?  

Internetto

On 4/3/2023 at 8:48 AM, RichardColeman said:

I'm all for banning Americanisms from the English language !

Agreed. I could care less about these Americanisms, it's so annoying.

 

The latest trend appears to be using the present tense when describing events that happened years ago. I noticed it first during the Amber Heard trial. It becomes very confusing. "I'm standing up, he's hitting me" etc. What on earth are you talking about, nobody is hitting you and you are sat down giving evidence. Stop annihilating the language. 

 

Anyway, banning English words from being used by Italians is just silly nationalism mixed with a dollop of Anglophobia. Cheap point scoring.

Banning words seems very Draconian, but while foreign words can enrich a language (Draconian, for example), the invasive creep of a foreign language, like Japanese knotweed, can have a stifling effect on a culture. 

 

For official communications, where there is no Italian word for a circumstance then use the English word, but if an Italian word exists then it should be used.

 

That people might prefer to use the English equivalent suggests, to me, that not enough is being done to promote the indigenous language. Maybe this will help promote it.

 

In the same week that the Welsh government announced that Bannau Brycheiniog would, once again, assume it's correct name, its a good week for language.

On 4/3/2023 at 7:49 AM, bendejo said:

Maybe if the words get mispronounced it doesn't count ?

 

 

If I got pinched I would plead I was confused by the government saying in respect to English it was as going "to fine use".  I would claim instead that thought what they had said that English was "fine to use" 

22 hours ago, RuamRudy said:

Banning words seems very Draconian, but while foreign words can enrich a language (Draconian, for example), the invasive creep of a foreign language, like Japanese knotweed, can have a stifling effect on a culture. 

I would argue that excessive, uncontrolled (and often illegal) immigration has a much more detrimental impact on a culture than using a few foreign words.

 

Most cultures use foreign words as part of daily language. I remember growing up in the UK words like Deja Vu, Pro Rata, Faux Pas, Prima Donna were all frequently used. I don't remember it negatively impacting the culture, if anything it enriched it. Same in Thailand, plenty of English words used as part of Thai language when I'm in meetings with Thai managers speaking Thai. Nobody seems upset about it.

 

Being unable to walk through certain parts of the city on my way home from a good night out due to drug dealing immigrants (mainly but not exclusively Somalians) flooding the 'culturally diverse' areas after midnight was much more "stifling". But we must celebrate that apparently (unless they describe short changing a client as a Faux Pas, or seeing the same cop car go by twice as Deja Vu of course, that's terrible for the culture ????).

 

 

5 minutes ago, JonnyF said:

I would argue that excessive, uncontrolled (and often illegal) immigration has a much more detrimental impact on a culture than using a few foreign words.

 

Most cultures use foreign words as part of daily language. I remember growing up in the UK words like Deja Vu, Pro Rata, Faux Pas, Prima Donna were all frequently used. I don't remember it negatively impacting the culture, if anything it enriched it. Same in Thailand, plenty of English words used as part of Thai language when I'm in meetings with Thai managers speaking Thai. Nobody seems upset about it.

 

Being unable to walk through certain parts of the city on my way home from a good night out due to drug dealing immigrants (mainly but not exclusively Somalians) flooding the 'culturally diverse' areas after midnight was much more "stifling". But we must celebrate that apparently (unless they describe short changing a client as a Faux Pas, or seeing the same cop car go by twice as Deja Vu of course, that's terrible for the culture ????).

 

 

The perfect post to illustrate the saying, 'if all you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail'.

17 minutes ago, RuamRudy said:

The perfect post to illustrate the saying, 'if all you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail'.

Just pointing out the irony of people who support uncontrolled immigration arguing that the use of foreign words stifles a culture.

 

It was clearly lost on you. Or maybe you prefer not to see it.