Italy Introduces New Bill That Could Ban English Words
In a twist of irony, Italy’s most right-wing government since the early twentieth century has proposed a bill targeting the use of English words in the nation, just days before the 100th anniversary of Mussolini’s fascist coup.
Fabio Rampelli, a member of Meloni’s Brothers of Italy party and the Chamber of Deputies vice president, presented the bill, which aims to preserve the Italian language by imposing fines for the use of English words.
With nearly 9,000 English-derived words currently in use, Rampelli argues that the Italian language must be safeguarded and promoted.
The controversial bill also mandates Italian as the official language for public services, communications, events, and celebrations, effectively banning foreign words and acronyms in the corporate world and limiting non-Italian language courses in educational institutions.
The proposed fines for non-compliance are significant, ranging from €5,000 to €100,000.
Unsurprisingly, the bill’s absurdity has garnered widespread criticism beyond just opposition parties.
Critics have argued that, in the modern era of the Internet and global connectivity, language evolves, and the bill may necessitate the regulation of Internet access.
While there is a likelihood that the government is using this bill as a distraction from more pressing issues, the historical parallels to Mussolini’s 1923 attempt to Italianize and control language usage cannot be ignored.
Do you think this law will be passed?