(27 June 2016) The Italian language is in crisis now more than ever. Contaminated by English, threatened by WhatsApp icons, “offended” by abbreviations that are used in text messages and chats. The Italian is a language that is increasingly popular in the world and there are more and more people who study it and speak it even in Canada. A new study sheds light on this phenomenon. “The Italian global space: the case of Ontario” is the title of the research project initiated by the Foreigners University of Siena, Foreigners University of Perugia and the University of Naples Federico II, in collaboration with the Consulate General of Italy, the Italian Cultural Institute, the Italian School and Culture Centre and the University of Toronto. As stated on the website dedicated to “Emiliano-Romagnoli in the world” the project aims not only to reconstruct the stories of Italians who live in Toronto, but also to understand how the Italian language is diffusing across among those who do not have Italian origins but are interested for various reasons in our language and our culture. The researchers are looking for people who live in Ontario and who speak Italian. “Whoever meets these criteria can participate in the survey by answering the questionnaire quickly and anonymously available at link https://italianoglobale.wordpress.com”. The research managers ensure that “the data will only be used for scientific purposes”. (Red)
