Italy mulls ban on English in formal communication; new bill may impose hefty fine

Italians who use English and other foreign languages for formal communication could soon have to pay hefty fines of up to €100,000 ($108,705) as Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni’s Brothers of Italy party puts forth a new legislation. According to CNN, Fabio Rampelli, a member of the lower chamber of deputies, recently introduced a legislation that bars the use of foreign languages, especially English, as “Anglomania” continues to pose a threat to the Italian culture and economy.

“It is not just a matter of fashion, as fashions pass, but Anglomania has repercussions for society as a whole,” the draft bill states. It mentions that using English to formally communicate “demeans and mortifies” the Italian language. The controversial bill is yet to undergo a parliamentary debate. 

If passed, it will mandate anyone who holds public office to possess “written and oral knowledge and mastery of the Italian language.” Furthermore, the bill forbids using English for official documentation, including the use of “acronyms and names” of job positions.

What does the bill encompass? 

It also requires foreign entities to have Italian-language editions of all documents and employment contracts, and firms that deal with non-Italian speakers to use Italian as the primary language. Article 2 of the bill would make Italian “mandatory for the promotion and use of public goods and services in the national territory.” Not abiding by the proposed law would result in fines that range from €5,000 ($5,435) to €100,000 ($108,705).

To make sure that the Italian language remains a top focus at all levels, the Culture Ministry would also establish a committee that would ensure the “correct use of the Italian language and its pronunciation” in educational institutions, advertising, and media. The move comes merely a day after Italy became the first Western country to temporarily ban AI chatbox ChatGPT over privacy concerns. “There appears to be no legal basis underpinning the massive collection and processing of personal data in order to ‘train’ the algorithms on which the platform relies,” said Italy's data protection agency.