As the world is getting globalized day by day, the forces of nationalisation have risen every now and then. This time around it has found its roots in the ‘beautiful country’ as the Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s party has proposed a draft bill in the parliament that seeks to prohibit public and private entities from using foreign terms, especially English, in official communications.
Fine of upto €100,000 on Violating the Language Order
Drafted by the Brothers of Italy, the bills aim to promote the Italian language and impose fines of up to €100,000 (Rs 89.3 lakh) on entities found violating the order.
Introducing the legislation is Fabio Rampelli, who is a member of the lower chamber of deputies, and supported by the prime minister.
Bill Proposed due to Raised Concerns over Italy’s Culture & Economy
The people of Italy had raised concerns over the proliferation of foreign languages in Italy, saying that the increased use of the same tends to both undermine the country’s cultural identity as well as damage its economy.
The country recently also temporarily blocking ChatGPT over data privacy concerns. This bill comes after that and also makes Italy the first western country to do so.
As per the bill, the spread of English “demeans and mortifies” Italian and has repercussions for the society and it also called on all public and private bodies to use the “language of Dante” to promote their goods and services.
The draft bill also said while calling for the Italian language to be protected and nurtured that “It is not just a matter of fashion, as fashions pass, but Anglomania (has) repercussions for society as a whole”.
Post Britain’s exit from the European Union, the widespread use of English in Europe was “even more negative and paradoxical”.
As per CNN, the Culture Ministry would establish a committee whose job would include “correct use of the Italian language and its pronunciation” in schools, media, commerce and advertising.
So what does imply, on a very rudimentary level, it could mean that saying “bru-shetta” instead of “bru-sketta” could be a punishable offence.
The bill has to be approved by both houses of parliament in order to be passed as law. But there was no indication of when this might happen.
It comes amid the push from the incumbent far-right government to what it calls preserving the local culture.
Recently, Italy also banned the use of laboratory-produced food to safeguard the country’s agri-food heritage.
