A member of Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s party introduced new legislation that would penalize Italians who use English and other foreign words in official communications, in an attempt to stop the invasion of foreign languages in Italy.
Italians holding an office in public administration who use foreign words in official communications could face fines of up to €100,000 ($108,705) under the new proposed law, according to a draft of the legislation obtained by CNN.
Fabio Rampelli, a member of the lower chamber of deputies and Prime Minister Meloni’s Brothers of Italy party, introduced the legislation, which reportedly states that “Anglomania” (the use of English words) “demeans and mortifies” the Italian language.
“In the Italian Chamber of Deputies we speak Italian. The battle continues on the use of our language instead of English. It is not clear why the hand sanitizer dispenser should be called a ‘dispenser,’” Rampelli wrote in a November tweet.
Alla Camera dei deputati italiana si parla #italiano.
Prosegue la battaglia sull’utilizzo della nostra #lingua al posto dell’#inglese. Non si capisce perché il dispensatore di liquido igienizzante per le mani debba essere chiamato ‘dispenser’. pic.twitter.com/c4dmUHg32b— Fabio Rampelli (@fabiorampelli) November 8, 2022
The bill, which has yet to go up for debate, would require Italians holding public office to have “written and oral knowledge and mastery of the Italian language.” It also forbids the use of English — including acronyms and names — in official documents.
While the proposed legislation includes all foreign languages, it notes that the use of English is an even worse offense, given that the UK is not even a part of the EU anymore.
“It is not just a matter of fashion, as fashions pass, but Anglomania has repercussions for society as a whole,” the draft of the legislation states.
The bill would also mandate foreign entities to have Italian language editions of all internal regulations and employment contracts. It also guarantees that Italian will be the primary language used, even in offices dealing with foreigners that do not speak Italian.
The proposed legislation further states that Italian will be “mandatory for the promotion and use of public goods and services in the national territory.” Violating this rule could result in being fined anywhere between €5,000 ($5,435) and €100,000 ($108,705).
Additionally, the bill allows the Culture Ministry to establish a committee tasked with making sure the “correct use of the Italian language and its pronunciation” is being used in schools, media, business, and advertising.
For example, certain entities mispronouncing the Italian antipasto Bruschetta — by calling it “bru-shetta” instead of “bru-sketta” — could be punished.
The move to protect the Italian language in Italy comes as the government also seeks to safeguard the country’s cuisine, CNN noted.
Italian lawmakers have also reportedly introduced legislation that would ban synthetic or cell-based cuisine over concerns regarding the lack of scientific studies on the effects of synthetic food.
Moreover, Meloni’s Health Minister Orazio Schillaci said during a press conference that the proposed legislation regarding Italy’s cuisine is also meant to protect “our nation’s heritage and our agriculture based on the Mediterranean diet.”
You can follow Alana Mastrangelo on Facebook and Twitter at @ARmastrangelo, and on Instagram.
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Gaylene Haslett