Italy is set to introduce a new bill that will punish individuals and business entities that use foreign languages in official communications. The bill was introduced by Fabio Rampelli, a member of the lower chamber of deputies, and Italy's prime minister, Giorgia Meloni, is supporting the bill. With the new bill, even companies in Italy will be fined huge sums of money for using foreign languages in their documentation and other forms of official communication.
Italy's prime minister, Giorgia Meloni, a member of the Brothers of Italy party, is behind the new bill, which could see the Italy English-speaking percentage receive fines of up to €100,000 ($108,705). However, the new legislation only applies to official communications. Italian English speakers can communicate in their preferred languages in informal settings. Although the new bill targets all other foreign languages, it appears that English is the legislation's primary focus. The reason behind the disdain for the English language is based on two factors.
The bill states that the English language "demeans and mortifies" the Italian language. In other words, the legislation says that English is the primary foreign language which makes the Italian language look cheap. It also states that the UK is no longer part of the European Union (EU), which makes the situation even worse.
Currently, the bill is yet to go through a parliamentary debate, which makes it an ordinary proposal at the time of writing. However, once the legislature approves it, it means that every company in Italy must ensure that its executives have a good knowledge of the Italian language. The bill states that those holding public administration positions must have "written and oral knowledge and mastery of the Italian language.'' The new legislation also states that all "acronyms and names" in a company and other public positions must be in Italian.
According to reports from CNN, internal regulations and employment contracts will have a copy in the Italian language. Failure to do so will put up a company for fines from the government. Together with the Italian language, the company may decide to add copies of the internal regulations and employment contracts in other languages.
Anglomania Poses Repercussion to the Italian Society
According to the proposed bill, Anglomania (English language) has several repercussions for Italian society. "It is not just a matter of fashion, as fashions pass, but Anglomania has repercussions for society as a whole," the hill draft stated. What the newly proposed bill is trying to do is to make the Italian language the formal language even for non-Italian speakers.
The first article of the bill already stated that Italian should be the former language, even for offices that deal with non-Italian-speaking foreigners. The second article of the bill also states that Italian should be used by companies or individuals whenever they are running advertisements or promotions. The bill said Italian is "mandatory for the promotion and use of public goods and services in the national territory." Those who fail to keep up with the rules and regulations of the proposed bill will face several monetary charges. When the bill is passed into law, those who disregard it can get fines between €5,000 ($5,435) and €100,000 ($108,705).