Italians who use English or other foreign words in official correspondence might face fines of up to EUR 100,000 (USD 108,705) under new law proposed by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's Brothers of Italy party.
The legislation was introduced by Fabio Rampelli, a member of the lower chamber of deputies, and is backed by the Italian PM, reports CNN.
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While the legislation applies to all foreign languages, it is aimed especifically against "Anglomania", or the usage of English phrases, which the draft argues "demeans" the Italian language, and is made worse because the UK is no longer a member of the EU, the report said.
The bill, which was yet to be debated in the Italian parliament, requires anybody holding a public administration position to have “written and oral knowledge and mastery of the Italian language.” It also forbids the use of English in official paperwork, including "acronyms and names" of employment functions in domestic firms.
According to a draft of the legislation, foreign firms would be required to have Italian language versions of all internal regulations and employment contracts.
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The proposed law would create a body whose mandate would include “correct use of the Italian language and its pronunciation” in schools, media, commerce, and advertising, said the CNN report.