A Reflection on Inclusive Language in Italian

Inclusive or “broad” language is a new reality for a Romance language, such as Italian, still tied to its grammatical gender binary constructions.

Students all over the world, for centuries, have been taught: Italiano or Italiana, according to the person’s gender.

The debate in the last few years has explored ways in which Italian can become inclusive, not only adopting a neutral form and avoiding the overextended masculine, but also being more respectful of everyone’s identity and background.

This presentation will consider recent studies by Vera Gheno, researcher, Academic-influencer and sociolinguist specialised in digital communication, and Gigliola Sulis, professor of Italian and sociolinguist as well, to show the Italian journey towards a non-binary identity.

Join the talk to reflect on the power of words and grammar.

Selene Genovesi is a language teacher and a freelance translator. She is an independent researcher, with an interest in Resistance Literature, plurilingual writing, dialects, and regional varieties, from a comparative and from a linguistic perspective. Her latest publication is an article in Annali d’Italianistica, on Elsa Morante’s English translation.

This event is open to EHU staff, students and the community.