Concerns have been raised about how the growing usage of other languages in Italy is harming the country’s economy and cultural identity.
The Brothers of Italy, the political party of Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, has put forth a draught bill that would fine public and private organisations up to €100,000 (Rs 89.3 lakh) for using foreign languages, particularly English, in official communications. The goal of the bill is to protect and promote the Italian language. The proposal is being made in the wake of worries that Italy’s economy is being hurt by the country’s growing use of other languages and that it is eroding its cultural identity.
The law, which has not yet been passed by parliament, makes the case that the proliferation of English denigrates and humiliates the Italian language and has detrimental effects on society as a whole. It urges the preservation and promotion of the Italian language, arguing that Anglomania—the excessive use of English—has long-lasting impacts on society and is more than just a passing fad. The draught suggests that all governmental and private organisations advertise their products and services in Italian.
The bill also mandates that employment titles in Italian-operating enterprises must be written in Italian, with foreign words only permitted if they cannot be translated. The proposal contends that the extensive use of English across Europe is particularly
Yet, the plan has drawn criticism, with some claiming it will hurt Italy’s standing and competitiveness abroad. A total prohibition on foreign terms, according to critics, might result in linguistic seclusion and limit a nation’s ability to interact with the rest of the world.
It’s interesting that the new legislation appears only one day after Italy declared that it will temporarily restrict the artificial intelligence chatbot ChatGPT due to data privacy concerns. Italy has now taken action against the well-known AI chatbot, becoming the first Western nation to do so.
