In the past 10-15 years I’ve been hearing an increasing number of people worrying that the Italian language is being invaded by English terms. I can partially agree that some words have been forcefully introduced to replace some perfectly good Italian ones that we used for decades just because of the foreign appeal that English has for many. There is a certain fascination towards everything American that leads some to exaggerate in their use of Anglicisms, but this should not spark a crusade against English terms. We cannot forget that we currently rank 26th (out of 35) among the countries of the EU as far as level of knowledge of English is concerned.
Additionally, there are many words of foreign etymology that have been absorbed by the Italian language during the centuries and are now considered Italian terms. What would have happened if we had stopped this process of acquisition centuries ago? A language is a live system, bound to evolve, to count its additions and its losses, and to reflect trends.
Furthermore, is this something that is only happening to Italian? Imagine this: You are in the garden of your home, in the cul-de-sac, on your patio, fending off mosquitos, while you eat a piece of pizza. On the table, an anime comic that you were reading this morning at the salon, while you were given a foot massage after your usual manicure and pedicure. You are looking forward to going out with friends for a burrito and karaoke night! You were the first one to RSVP!! Unfortunately, your little one, who goes to kindergarten, is a bit of a klutz, and spilled his juice on the floor. You give your partner a little spiel about things to do and how to clean before you leave. Kudos to you, you made it to your night out!
All the words in italics are foreign words.. and we’re not talking only about the obvious foods!! In a global world where people and goods and ideas travel constantly, it is virtually impossible to keep a language from evolving and acquiring foreign terms.
To add to the debate, the Italian government recently (March 2023) proposed a law to fine all those who use foreign words: besides giving me weird Mussolini vibes, and going against any natural language process, this seems an extreme reaction. The Accademia della Crusca protested against this idea: they deem that the proposal will attract ridicule and prevent a balanced mix in a constantly expanding vocabulary. Additionally, they pointed out that they have been working towards the protection of the language against the excessive use of foreign words for years and were not consulted at all in the process; they call for some good old common sense in order to reach a fair compromise that promotes Italian but acknowledges the presence of foreign words.
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