Valeria Della Valle, a renowned linguist, in an interview with AdnKronos on International Mother Language Day (21st February), shared her thoughts on the current state of the Italian language. She stated that the language itself is thriving and constantly evolving with the addition of new words. However, she expressed her concern about the fact that despite the language’s richness, many Italians are not fully acquainted with it. They often use it without having a proper understanding of its rules, suggesting a lack of connection with their mother tongue.
Della Valle underlined that the Italian language, despite being in a good condition and continuously adapting and growing, isn’t as well understood among Italians as it should be. She attributes this to the declining focus on Italian language studies in the educational system. In her view, it’s necessary to enhance the knowledge of Italian language through school education, not only for Italians but also for immigrants arriving from other countries. She also pointed out that the threat to the language doesn’t come from the use of individual foreign words, but from the implementation of entire university courses taught exclusively in English in some institutions.
“Artificial intelligence will help us”
Della Valle sees a potential advantage for the Italian language in artificial intelligence. In the realm of translation, AI can translate from one language to another with reasonable accuracy, making it a useful tool. However, she also emphasized that this doesn’t imply perfection. Human intervention will always be required to review and fine-tune the translations made by AI. She clarified that AI translation should be used for quick translations where the need is immediate, not for complex translations, such as high-level literature or non-fiction.
The memory of Luca Serianni
Valeria Della Valle also shared some thoughts about her long-time collaborator and friend, the linguist Luca Serianni, who passed away in July 2022. She described him as a person who brilliantly combined a high level of culture with human qualities of generosity and dedication to teaching. She fondly remembers his commitment to scientific research, non-fiction writing, and university teaching. But above all, she appreciates his dedication to schools, which she believes is one of the most important legacies he left behind.
