Italian Lawmakers’ Push to Punish ‘Anglomania’ May Drive Translation Demand

Italian lawmakers have proposed a bill that would levy fines for the use of foreign languages in official communications and require companies operating in the country to maintain Italian language versions of internal documents, according to reports. 

The bill, presented by Fabio Rampelli, a member of Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s Brothers of Italy party, would levy fines of up to EUR 100,000 for using foreign words in official communications and would require anyone working in public administration to show “mastery” of the Italian language, according to a CNN report.

CNN cited a draft of the legislation saying that foreign entities would be required to have Italian language versions of all internal regulations and employment contracts, and would not be allowed to use English in names and acronyms for job roles.

The bill covers all foreign languages, but specifically calls out English, with a reference to “Anglomania”. The proposed law would require all public and private entities to use Italian to promote their goods and services in the country, said a Reuters report.

Unsure

The bill is still a long way from becoming law – it has not yet come up for discussion in parliament – and at least one prominent group has already come out against it. The Naples-based Accademia della Crusca, a literary academy that studies the development of the Italian language, has called the proposal “ridiculous” and criticized the reliance on fines. 

For language service providers and multinationals operating in Italy, though, it may be worth keeping an eye on, as the requirement for Italian language documentation could lead to new business for the former and increased overhead for the latter.

The trends of how English is used in Italian public life may also impact those in the translation and interpretation industry. A survey of Italian translators and interpreters in 2020 found that the increased prevalence of English was negatively impacting demand.