L'Italo-Americano

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 15, 2026 www.italoamericano.org L'Italo-Americano 2 W h a t d o c r i n g e , g h o s t a r e , and flexare m e a n ? I f w e l o o k t h r o u g h a n I t a l i a n d i c t i o n a r y , w e m a y n o t y e t f i n d t h e s e e x p r e s s i o n s , although they have become p a r t o f e v e r y d a y l a n g u a g e among younger generations. In recent years, the Internet, social media, international music, and new technologies have accelerated the introduction of foreign words, particu- larly English ones, into Italian, along with new forms of slang. It is increasingly common to hear meeting instead of riunione, feedback instead of riscontro, smart working to describe remote work, or challenge instead of sfida. Mean- while, informal expressions, abbreviations, and new ways of saying things continue to spread through social media and everyday conversations, changing rapidly according to the fashions and social trends of the moment. These changes remind us how closely language is con- nected to communication and to the cultural developments of our time. Language allows us to express our thoughts, emotions, and identity, but it is also a living cultural her- itage that continues to evolve because it reflects and C o n t e m p o r a r y I t a l i a n , a l a n g u a g e i n constant evolution From the Editor absorbs the changes taking place in the world around us. The same applies to slang, which helps create a sense of belonging, particularly among young people. It can, howev- er, become a limitation when used indiscriminately, even in schools, workplaces, or formal situations where preci- sion, clarity, and an appropriate command of language are essential. This is why learning to distinguish between dif- ferent linguistic registers, and adapting the way we speak to the people and circumstances we encounter, is so impor- tant. Knowing Italian well does not mean sacrificing spon- taneity. It means having the vocabulary and linguistic con- fidence to express ourselves effectively in any situation. As Treccani explains in its Enciclopedia dell'Italiano, Anglicisms are words and expressions borrowed from Eng- lish that have entered Italian at different stages of its histo- ry. Their presence is certainly nothing new, since commer- cial, cultural, and political relations between countries have always encouraged the exchange of words and expres- sions. Today, however, the influence of English is particu- larly evident because of globalization and digital communi- cation. There is no reason to consider the use of foreign words a problem in itself. Some English terms allow us to express new concepts more simply and precisely, particularly in technology, science, and economics. After all, before we started searching for information on Google, nobody had any reason to use verbs such as googlare or googlizzare. And before the Internet became part of our daily lives, we certainly weren't using memes to make fun of people. The problem arises when we use foreign words even though perfectly good Italian equivalents already exist, or when an excessive reliance on them makes what we say harder to understand. Think about all the detective novels whose endings were revealed to us long before anyone started using the word spoilerare. Influencers have always existed, even when they weren't appearing on our phone screens, and so have haters, although they once had to express their hostility toward others without the help of a keyboard. A language does not become richer by rejecting every foreign influence. It grows when it can welcome new expressions without losing the vocabulary and expressive possibilities it already possesses. Discovering new words and meanings is fascinating, and social media can be par- ticularly useful in helping us follow these developments. Used with awareness, they allow us to understand how the ways we communicate are changing. Of course, it would be wrong to think of Italian as some- thing that should remain exactly as it was in the past. Lan- guage is constantly changing through contact between cul- tures and the transformations taking place in society. Yet we should also be careful that our preference for speed, and our habit of using fashionable expressions, do not gradually impoverish our vocabulary or make it more diffi- cult for us to express complex thoughts. Preserving Italian means knowing it, studying it, using it thoughtfully, and passing it on to younger generations. The work of Treccani and the Accademia della Crusca reminds us that protecting our language does not mean trying to stop it from changing. It means understanding those changes while continuing to appreciate the richness of the words we have, because the more words we know, the bet- ter we can describe what surrounds us. And preserving Italian should always mean preserving our history and our identity, while allowing both to continue evolving. Simone Schiavinato, Editor Simone Schiavinato NEWS & FEATURES TOP STORIES PEOPLE EVENTS Member of FUSIE (Federazione Unitaria Stampa Italianaall'Estero), COGITO L'Italo-Americano Please send correspondence to P.O. Box 40156 Pasadena CA 91114 www.italoamericano.org L'Italo-Americano Newspaper (a 501(c)(3) non- profit organization), www.italoamericano.org, is the largest and longest-running Italian news- paper in America, not to mention the cultural and news resource for all things Italian in the US. A bilingual newspaper which represents an historical landmark for the Italian American Communities in the West Coast and throughout the US. L'Italo-Americano benefits from subsidies by the Italian Government, Memberships and Donations intended to support and not interrupt a mission that began in 1908 to preserve and promote the Italian language and culture in the USA Periodicals postage paid at Monrovia, California 91016, and additional mailing offices. PUBLISHER Robert Barbera Grande Ufficiale EDITOR IN CHIEF Simone Schiavinato ADMINISTRATIVE MANAGER Patrick Abbate EDITORIAL COORDINATOR Barbara Minafra COPY EDITOR Francesca Bezzone LOS ANGELES CONTRIBUTOR Silvia Nittoli SAN FRANCISCO CONTRIBUTOR Serena Perfetto SEATTLE CONTRIBUTOR Rita Cipalla CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Mariella Radaelli, Matt Walker, Francesca Bezzone, Luca Ferrari, Stefano Carnevali, Paula Reynolds, Teresa Di Fresco Nicoletta Curradi, Generoso D'Agnese, Jessica S. Levy, Fabrizio Del Bimbo, Maria Gloria, Chuck Pecoraro, Anthony Di Renzo Serena Perfetto, Kenneth Scambray, Chiara D'Alessio, Luca Signorini, Giulia Franceschini © 2025 L'Italo-Americano Membership: One year $59 - Single copy $2.25 POSTMASTER: Send address changes to L'Italo Americano P.O. Box 40156 Pasadena CA 91114 Selling Homes Throughout The Bay Area Adele Della Santina "The Right Realtor makes all the di昀erence." 650.400.4747 Adele.DellaSantina@compass.com www.AdeleDS.com DRE# 00911740 Expert in preparation, promotion, and negotiation!

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