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AUTHOR Bartrum, Anna, Ed.; Wilkin, Andrew, Ed. TITLE Tuttitalia: The Italian Journal of the Association for Language Learning, 1994-1997. INSTITUTION Association for Language Learning, Rugby (England). ISSN ISSN-0957-1744 PUB DATE 1997-00-00 NOTE 428p.; Published twice a year. PUB TYPE Collected Works Serials (022) LANGUAGE English, Italian JOURNAL CIT Tuttitalia: The Italian Journal of the Association for Language Learning; n10-16 Dec 1994-Dec 1997 EDRS PRICE MF01/PC18 Plus Postage. DESCRIPTORS Adult Education; Classroom Techniques; College Students; Communicative Competence (Languages); Cultural Education; Deafness; Distance Education; Elementary Secondary Education; English (Second Language); Evaluation Methods; Females; Grammar; High School Students; Higher Education; Immigrants; Instructional Materials; Interlanguage; Internet; *Italian; *Italian Literature; Language Proficiency; Language Usage; Multimedia Materials; Native Speakers; Oral Language; Pronunciation; Reading Skills; Second Language Instruction; Second Language Learning; Special Education; World Wide Web IDENTIFIERS Brazil; Dante (Alighieri); Garibaldi (Giuseppe); Italy; Montale (Eugenio); Scotland

ABSTRACT This journal focuses on the learning and teaching of Italian as a foreign language. Selected articles include the following: "Immigrant Women in Bologna: Themes and Problems"; "But Those Cursed Accents: Where Did They Go?"; "Modern Languages in the Primary School: The Scottish Experience"; "Suggested Strategies for the Use of Authentic Video Materials"; From Teaching to Research: Role-Play and Communicative Competence";"Women. Literature, and Society"; "Space Relations in Contemporary Italian";"How to Test and Evaluate Oral Proficiency in Italian"; "Interactive Italian"; "Travels with a Mouse--Italy on the Internet." Regular features include the following: News and Views; Reviews; Notes for Contributors; and HomeworkPack Sample. All articles are extensively referenced.(KFT)

Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best thatcan be made from the original document. Tuttitalia: The ItalianJournal of the Association for LanguageLearning, 1994-1997.

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2 BEST COPYAVAILABLE The Italian Journal /. .1of the sociationifor Language Learning

pOveloping reading skilltin:Italicin:

Donne immigrated BOliigna The poetry of GiorgioCaproni

DECEMBER 1994 No 10 3 BESTCOPYAVAILABLE ASSOCIATION for LANGUAGE LEARNING

President: Madeleine Bedford, Further EducationTeaching Council Secretary General: Christine WildingChevalier des Pa lmes Academiques Italian Committee Derek Aust (Chair), South Devon College Anna Bartrum, St Paul's School, Milton Keynes Julie Beverly, Plymouth Business School Mariolina Freeth, Islington VI Form Centre Jenny Jackson, Bedfordshire Upper Schools Teresa Lorusso-Gibson, Trinity School, LeamingtonSpa Ernesto Macaro, University of Reading Giovanna Muszynska, London Hilary Reeves, Stanground College, Peterborough Angela Vegliante, Italian Institute Andrew Wilkin (Editor), University of Strathclyde Tuttitalia is published twice ayear, in June and December. It is supplied to ALL members who choose it as one of their two specialist languagejournals in addition to Language Learning Journal and Language World, and is availableon subscription to libraries and individuals. Other journals published by the Association forLanguage Learning Language Learning Journal, German Teaching, Vida Hispdnica,Francophonie, Rusistika, Dutch Crossing (published by the Centre for Low Countries Studies),Language World Quarterly Newsletter Advertising: All enquiries should be addressedto the Advertising Manager at the address below Contributors: See page 64 Official address: Association for Language Learning,16 Regent Place, Rugby CV21 2PN. Telephone: 0788 546443. Fax: 0788 544149 TUTTITALIA

ISSN 0957-1752 December 1994 No. 10

Editor Andrew Wilkin Page Department of Modern Contents Languages Editorial 2 Univ. of Strathclyde Glasgow G1 1XH Derek Aust Developing post-GCSE reading skills 3 Editorial Board Derek Aust J Keith Killby The Monte San Martino Trust 10 Anna Bartrum Julie Beverly Tra Garibaldi e Pavarotti: note sulla Mariolina Freeth Michele Maisto Jenny Jackson presenza italiana nel Sud del Brasile 13 Ernesto Macaro Giovanna Muszynska Francesca Gattullo,Donne immigrate a Bologna: temi e Hilary Reeves Catherine Hoskynsproblemi 17 Carole Shepherd & Marina Orsini- Reviews Editor Jones Judith Kelly Department of Italian Catharine The infernal pilgrimage: a study of University of Leicester Giorgio Caproni's Stanze della Leicester LE1 7RH Mackenzie funicolare (2): Part I 37 News Editor Julie Beverly Andrew Wilkin Ma quei maledetti accenti: da the 29 Cedarcroft Road parte vanno? 44 Beacon Park Plymouth PL2 3JX Reviews 47 Published by Association for News and views 55 Language Learning Notes for Contributors 64 Printed by Stephen Austin and Sons Ltd Caxton Hill Ware Road Hertford SG13 7LU

Tuttitalia, No. 10, December 1994 1 Editorial

As has been the aim of the Editorialthe next issue of Tuttitalia), demonstrating Board in recent issues of Tuttitalia, theat the same time the critical and analytical present issue once again attempts to bringlevels which an undergraduate finalist can to its readership a varied menu of offeringsattain. To conclude the set of six articles in designed to match the wide and variedthis number, your Editor proposes a poss- interests of subscribers. Members of theible solution to the thorny question of writ- Editorial Board, and especially your Editor,ten accents in Italianconscious that any are extremely gratifiedatthe positivesuch 'solution' is bound to invite alternative response from readers to this policy of pro-views! viding materials which range across the Our Reviews Editor, Judith Kelly, has yet spectrum of Italian Studies. again brought together a full set of profes- For Tuttitalia 10 we have gathered itemssionally informed reviewsthere are nine which range from classroom pedagogy,to be in this issue. We must also sadly, but through history, sociology and literature,with much gratitude, bid farewell to Judith and (briefly)into a knotty problem ofat this point as she passes the stewardship Italian language. of the Reviews section to Carole Shepherd Derek Aust, recently confirmed in post aswho will take up her duties with effect from Chairman of ALL's Italian Committee, Tuttitalia 11. invites us to develop the reading skills of As ever, the News and views section our students, and provides plenty of ideasbrings to the attention of Italianists operat- for achieving that objective. Keith Killbying in all sectors reports, information and provides our historical dimension with aassessment of issues of interest to the world short history of the events which led to theof Italian Studies. foundation and continuing activities of the I make no apology for pleading yet again Monte San Martino Trust, whilst Michelefor intending contributors to submit their Maisto takes us on a journey to Brazil toofferings exactly in line with the Notes for have a look at the migrant Italian com-Contributors (to be found on page 64), munitytobe foundthere.Francescawhilst confirming that I am perfectly happy Gattullo, Catherine Hoskyns and Marinato receive materials (always in duplicate, Orsini-Jones provide the feature article ofplease) in the appropriate typewritten form this issue (and the second full-length contri-if word-processing facilities are not readily bution in Italian) with an in-depth analysisavailable. I also take pleasure in confirming of a migration theme with two differences:the open invitation,recently made in their study concerns immigration to Italy ofTuttitalia, for more contributions from col- women from other countries, thus delvingleagues in the secondary (and indeed pri- into the fields of both sociological analysismary) sectors of education. and women's studies. We also publish the I wish you all buone vacanze and Buon firsthalf of Catharine Mackenzie's ex- Natale! tended essay on the poetry of GiorgioANDREW WILKIN Caproni (the concluding part will appear in

2 6 Tuttitalia, No. 10, December 1994 Developing post-GCSE reading skills

Derek Aust South Devon College, Torquay

Introduction Bandite le moto, le auto, e tutto cio che si muove con un motore, i partecipanti alla This article is the direct product of a pre-gara potranno utilizzare, per i loro sposta- sentation which I gave at the ALL Italianmenti, soltanto delle semplici biciclette. Day, held at the Italian Institute in London La manifestazione,organizzatada on 18 June 1994. On that occasion I pre-Vivalassio, e in programma per questo sented two units of a post-GCSE Reading pomeriggio. La gara consiste nella Skills book which I am co-authoring withsoluzione di domande quiz e giochi che Leonardo Oriolo. For the present context, Idovranno essere consegnati nel minore have selected for illustrative purposes onetempo possibile nei posti di controllo. II of the units, entitled Caccia al tesoro. As theraduno dei concorrenti e previsto alle 14 reader will observe, all the proposed activi-nella piazza del Comune. ties are integrated and evolve from the «Vogliamo far divertire i turisti corn- selected newspaper article. The activitiesmenta Lino Vena, presidente di Vivalassio are designed to be varied and to providelanciando pero anche un invito: quello di opportunities for Reading, Speaking andridurre all'indispensabilel'utilizzodelle Writing. Although the focus is on develop-auto: anche perche la nostra citta e piccola e ing reading skills, it is seldom that we per-puO essere girata tranquillamente a piedi. form one skill in isolation and this inte-Ed e proprio a piedi che si riesce a godere grated approach is one which I regularlymeglio le bellezze naturali di Alassio». Per i adopt with my students on a post-GCSEprimi gruppi classificati ci sono in palio course. The unit chosen is one which I havebiciclette «Mountain bike» Olmo, macchine used a couple of months into the course, butfotografiche «Haking Vision», zaini e altri it is up to the individual teacher to decidepremi ancora. La premiazione sara fatta when is the opportune moment to attemptquesta sera, a partire dalle 21.30, sempre this particular unit. It is worth bearing innella piazza del Comune, e sara animata mind that it is not essential to do all the dallo speaker Roberto Dego la. activities and certain activities can be modi- La caccia al tesoro «Per una estathe tutta fied if necessary to suit the level and needs Ferrero» giunge quest'anno alla sua ottava of your students. edizione. Si tratta di un appuntamento particolarmente atteso soprattutto dai giovani The article in vacanza ad Alassio. Caccia al tesoro ma solo in bici An.Ta. Caccia al tesoro ecologica organizzata da (II Seco 1°,1818193) Vivalassio. Oggi pomeriggio i concorrenti potranno spostarsi solo in bicicletta o aThe activities piedi. L'obiettivo e quello di far divertireSee Figures 1, 2, 3 and 4. ma anche riflettere sull'uso delle auto nei centri urbani. ALASSIOUna caccia al tesoro con unExplanation of the activities pizzico di ecologia. Una maniera per diver- 1. Prelettura tirsi e per lanciare un messaggio. The aim here is to get students into the

Tuttitalia, No. 10,December 1994 3 r

CACCIA AL TESORO

PRELETTURA.

A Qua li sono i principali problemi della tua citta? Indicane almeno tre, aiutandoti con it seguente elenco.

[] inquinamento [mancanza di verde [rumori [ ] criminality [traffico [ ] disoccupazione [ ] altro

B Se to fossi ii sindaco della tua citta, che cosa faresti per eliminare i problemi che hai indicato? Scrivi alcuni appunti da utilizzare, in seguito, per la discussione con i tuoi compagni.

TU E GLI ALTRI In coppia o a gruppi

Confronta i tuoi appunti con quelli dei tuoi compagni e discutete le diverse soluzioni trovate.

LETTURA

2) Leggi le seguenti domande. Hai 5 minuti di tempo per sottolineare nel testo "Caccia at tesoro ma solo in bici" le risposte e scrivere accanto ad ognuna it numero della domanda corrispondente.

A 1. In quale localita si svolgera la gara? 2. In che cosa consiste questa gara? 3. Perche a stata organizzata la caccia at tesoro? 4. A che ora e dove si riuniranno i concorrenti? 5. A che ora e dove si terra la prerniazione? 6. Quali sono i premi?

B In coppia Confronta le tue risposte con quelle di un compagno e discutete le eventuali differenze.

Figure 1

4 Tuttitalia, No. 10, December 1994 LESSICO

Che cosa vuol dire ...?

Con riferimento al testo "Caccia al tesoro ma solo in bid", abbina le parole della colonna A con le definizioni della colonna B, come nell'esempio.

A B 1 [d]. pizzico (r.1) a. attivita svolte per divertirsi 2[]. bandite(r. 3) b. dovrebbe awenire 3[]. gara (r.4) c. come premio 4[]. giochi (r.8) d. piccola quantity 5 []. 6 previsto (r.10) e. aspettato 6[]. all'indispensabile (r. 13) f. incontro di ,piu persone 7[]. godere (r. 15) g. provare piacere 8[]. in palio (r. 17) h. competizione 9[]. raduno (r.19) i. allo stretto necessario 10 []. atteso (r. 23) I. vietate

STRUTTURE

A Trova l'infinito e it passato prossimo dei verbi in neretto; come nell'esempio.

Esempio: Alia "Caccia al tesoro" partecipano molti giovani. (partecipare hanno partecipato) 1. La gara consiste nella soluzione di domande quiz. 2. E` bandito tutto ci6 che si muove con un motore. 3. La manifestazione iniziera alle 14. 4.1 partecipanti potranno utilizzare solo la bicicletta. 5.I concorrenti dovranno riunirsi in piazza. 6. La premiazione sara fatta alle 21. 7. E' una bella manifestazione. 8. La caccia al tesoro giunge alla sua ottava edizione. 9. Molti giovani vogliono partecipare alla gara. 10.I turisti si divertono molto.

B Volgi al passato prossimo le seguenti frasi. NOTA: I verbi "potere, dovere e volere" nei tempi composti richiedono l'ausiliare dell'intinito che segue. Esempi: Non sono andato ad Atassio. Non sono potuto andare ad Alassio. Non ho partecipato at gioco. Non ho potuto partecipare at gioco

1. Chiunque put, partecipare al gioco. 2. I concorrenti devono rispettare le regole. 3. Devono partire in ritardo a causa del cattivo tempo. 4. Non possiamo usare ne macchine ne moto. 5. Dobbiamo arrivare entro le 14. 6. Le nostre amiche vogliono tornare a piedi. 7. Quanto dovete pagare per partecipare? 8. Mia sorella non puo rimanere fino alla fine. 9. Gli organizzatori vogliono offrire ai turisti una serata divertente.

Figure '2'

Tuttitalia, No. 10, December 1994 5 10. Non voglio andare alla manifestazione.

II DUBBIO

Cancel la Ia forma errata, come nell'esempio. Esempio: Place soprattutto/sopratutto ai giovani.

1. Nelli/Nei centri urbani ii traffico a caotico. 2. Ho fatto it turista/il turisto. 3. La giornata a stata particolaremente/particolarmente afosa. 4. Sono andata in vacanza/in vacanze ad Alassio. 5. Sono in patio ricchi premi/premii. 6. La manifestazzione/manifestazione ha avuto successo. 7. Alassio a una bella citta/citta. 8. La "caccia Ia tesoro" a un appuntamento/un'appuntamento motto atteso. 9.I giovani/giovanni hanno partecipato numerosi. 10. Voliamo/vogliamo partecipare alla gara.

POSTLETTURA

Par la di una manifestazione (estiva/invernale/sportiva/culturale/gastronomica/musicale...) alla quale hai assistito o partecipato. Puoi utilizzare Ia seguente traccia.

1 Dove si svolge/si a svolta Ia manifestazione? 2 Quando si svolge/si 6 svolta? 3 Come si svolge/si a svolta? 4Perche si svolge/si a svolta? 5Chi c'era/ha partecipato/6 stato premiato? 6 Qua li erano i premi? 7 Che cosa bisognava fare? Parole ed espressioni utili

L'altra sera sono andato/a a... La manifestazione si svolge ogni anno Hanno consegnato un premio a... C'era molta gente E' una manifestazione the si svolge da circa... Si chiama Consiste nel... In questa/quella occasione E contemporaneamente Vengono premiati anche... E' divertente/interessante/noiosa/famosa

Figure 3

6 10 Tuttitalia, No. 10, December 1994 SCRITTURA

Immagina di aver partecipato alla manifestazione svoltasi ad Alassio (vedi l'articolo "Caccia al tesoro ma solo in bid:). Scrivi una lettera ad un amico/un'amica, raccontando la tua esperienza.

GUIDA PER L'INSEGNANTE Attivita supplementari A. 1 seguenti verbi sono tutti riferiti al testo "Caccia al tesoro ma solo in bid". Trova sostantivi con Ia stessa radice, come nell'esempio.

Esempio: radunare raduno

1. partecipare 2. organizzare 3. divertire 4. spostare 5. manifestare 6. invitare 7. classificare 8. premiare 9. attendere 10. cacciare

I Note: 1. Davanti al suffisso -ione Ia z non raddoppia mai. Esempi: organizzazione, eccezione, eccezionale, nazione, nazionale, azione, partecipazione

2. I sostantivi con it suffisso -ante e -ente hanno la forma del participio presente del verbo da ) cui derivano e indicano colui the compie I'azione espressa dal verbo. Esempi: manifestante, partecipante, concorrente, studente

PER LA DISCUSSIONE

La classe si divide in coppie. Ogni coppia prepara alcuni appunti sull'argomento "traffico", finalizzati alla discussione in classe. Si pu6 seguire Ia seguente traccia: 1. Indicate alcuni problemi causati dal traffico. 2. Indicate le possibili cause. 3. Suggerite possibili soluzioni. 4. Confrontate i vostri appunti con quelli di un'altra coppia. 5. Discutete l'argomento con tutta Ia classe. Figure 4

Tuttitalia, No. 10, December 1994 7 frame of mind where they begin to antici-done this kind of activity with my students, pate to some extent the theme of the article they have always enjoyed it and the out- they will be reading. In this sense it is a kindcome has been very positive. It does help to of warm-up exercise. This can be carrieddraw their attention to some of the errors out individually. that they make, lots of fruitful discussion 2. Tu e gli altri can ensue, and it can produce positive This phase provides opportunities for theresults. students to discuss and exchange their 7. Postlettura ideas. This activity gives the students a chance 3. Lettura to personalise the content and theme of the The idea of setting a time limit is impor-article. Notice that the questions lead on tant as the students have to scan quickly thefrom the questions of the Lettura phase and text to find the answers to a limited numberthey are there to give students pegs on of questions. It is important to train our stu-which to hang their ideas. The activities, dents to read quickly, whether it be to skimtherefore, have come full circle in that the for gist or scan for particular information. Itarticle has been exploited in a variety of goes some way towards making themways, in the hope that the readers can now realise that they can understand parts of the recycle the ideas and the language for their text and that it is not necessary to under-own purposes. Notice also that a wide stand every word. To focus the attention onrange of expressions have been provided to every unknown lexicalitem takesthehelp students string their ideas together in a pleasure out ofreading.Readingfor more coherent and fluent fashion. It is pleasure is precisely one of the aspects weessential continually to help students in this are endeavouring to develop. Students mustway. The more they are reminded of lead-in be encouraged to infer and guess the mean- expressions and link words of this type, the ings of words/expressions from the context.quicker they will become part of their lin- 4. Lessico guistic repertoire. This activity enables the students to con- 8.Scrittura centrate on some of the more difficult lexis. The suggested writing activity is another Although the ten words / expressions haveopportunity to consolidate the work that to be matched up with a similar number ofhas been done. The Guida per l'insegnante definitions, it is not a bad idea to includeprovides some supplementary activities for more definitions than words: rather more those who wish to go a stage further. demanding, but not necessarily a bad thing Having used this and numerous other now and again. similar units with my students,Ican 5. Strutture honestly say that the feedback and the It goes without saying that the revision ofresults of exploiting texts in this way have grammar is an ongoing and vital part of thebeen most encouraging indeed. language process. Although the emphasis is on reading skills, every article throws up points of language to be revised or devel-Further ideas oped and it is a pity not to exploit the article To conclude my session at the ALL so that the grammar work can fit intoItalian Day, I presented a list of twenty or so the context of the other activities. Doingideas for the development of reading skills. language work in this way is much moreI fully realise that in everyday life the meaningful than doing it in isolation, withreader would not perform some of these no point of reference. suggested activities. As teachers, however, 6. II dubbio we are trying to encourage our students' This exercise focuses on some of the 'typi- reading skills and to do this in a stimu- cal' errors that students of Italian make. Ilating way. Many of the activities suggested appreciate that there are all kinds of learnedbelow willI hopehelp you to achieve theories why one should not present ourthis aim. Some of these activities are self- students with errors but, whenever I haveexplanatory by their verytitle,others

8 9 12 Tuttitalia, No. 10, December 1994 require a little explanation. firm whether their chosen words are pre- 1. Give the article a headline. sent or not. Students could also work in 2. Match headlines to articles. groups to'brainstorm' the words they 3. First few lines /last few lines of an article. expect to find in the text. An extension of The students obviously have to guess whatthis activity is to mention the theme and ask the remainder of the article is about. Thisthe students to produce the related ideas kind of activity can elicit all sorts of ideasthat they expect to find in the article. and the students, in pairs or small groups, 11. Reorder a series of statements about a text should be given the chance to compare their to match the order of events in the text. ideas. 12. Write the ending to an article. 4. Articles on a similar theme: compare and 13. Write a summary of a text with gaps. contrast. It is always useful if you can findStudents have to fill in blanks with mean- articles on the same subject from differentingful words/expressions. newspapers, and it is a nice activity to spot 14. Summary of a text that contains factual the differences both on a factual and stylis-error(s). Students have to read an article and tic level. Another possibility here is to lookcorrect errors in the summary. This is an out for follow-up articles on the same sub-activity that requires very careful reading. ject from the same newspaper or magazine, 15. Provide a text with missing parts. The with the object being to discover what addi-aim of this activity is to show students that tional information there is each time orthey can understand the gist of an article whether there are any changes to the factualwithout having to dwell on every word. informationprovided bytheopening 16. Matching text and visuals. Examples: article. match written recipe instructions to pic- 5. Matching questionslsummaries to relevant tures, or descriptions of people to photo- paragraphs. graphs. 6. Rewriting 'retelling a story from a personal 17. Making separate lists of pros and cons in a standpoint. This involves the student assum- text. This work can be done in pairs: student ing the role of the person, or one of the per-A to find arguments for, and student B to sons, in the article. It allows the students tofindarguments against.Theythen elaborate on some of the detail and givesexchange the information. plenty of scope for creativity and imagina- 18. Jigsaw reading. Each student has only tive input. one part of an article and has to move 7. Read an article up to a point of interest.around the class to find out all the missing This is a very realistic activity as this isbits of information. This activity does not something we frequently do in everydayhave to be performed with the whole class life. The students have to tell each other theas a unit. It can be done in smaller groups, point at which they stopped and explaindepending on how the article is cut up. why. All the students could have the same 19. Identify the main topic /point in each para- article or it could be done with studentsgraph. who have different articles. 20. Work out the questions to the answers in a 8. Reordering a jumbled article. survey 'interview. What sorts of questions 9. Before reading an article, tick statementswould have been askedtoelicitthe about it that you think will be true. You obvi- responses given? ously have to read the article to confirm how many of the statements you ticked are true. You are trying to predict/anticipateAcknowledgment what you expect to read in the text. I have come across a number of the activ- 10. Write down five words you expect to findities suggested above in various texts for in a text. You need to provide the theme of English as a Foreign Language (EFL) which the text. Students can compare the wordsI have read over the years. One text which I they have chosen and give reasons for theirfound enormously helpful was Developing choice. They can then read the text to con-Reading Skills by Francoise Grellet.

Tuttitalia, No. 10, December 1994 9 The Monte San Martino Trust

J Keith Killby London NW3

[The Monte San Martino Trust is a regis-most of the larger camps weredue to an tered charity, no. 328352. This article, writ-error of the War Office in ordering the ten by its Honorary Secretary, is publisheddetainees to stay puttaken wholesale by to commemorate the 50th anniversary ofthe Germans and sent to Germany, tens of the events which led to the Trust's founda-thousands from the working camps, or oth- tion. The Trust may be contacted at Flat 7,ers who escaped from trains or German 18 Lambolle Road, London NW3 4HP. Ed.]guarded camps, made their way into the countryside and over the mountains into SwitzerlandorsouthtoAlliedlines. Capture Everywhere we were welcomed and fed On a submarine, between bouts of ma-and helped on our way, or were adopted as laria, and with only an Italian grammar, is part of the family and worked with the con- not the best way to learn Italian! What littletadini, often acquiring rather than learn- wasthusgathered,however, becameingtheir rich local dialect. In order to extremely useful when on Sardinia a weekavoidthe main roads, and thusthe later we, half a dozen of the SAS, were sur-Germans, the hills and mountains of the rounded by searching Italian soldiers, obvi-Apennines were the most traversed ways ously aware of our presence. But my firstfor us. The contadini in isolated villages, the words in Italian<

Escape Re-capture and escape again Further study in a prison camp in the North of La Spezia, one international Marche proved to be of great value when, at group of partisans was led by an English the Italian Armistice on 8 September 1943,officer who had escaped from the camp at some three thousand of us Allied POWsFontanellato, near Parma. Mamma Deluchi escaped into the night among the surround-led her family and fellow villagers of ing hills which led up to the Apennines.Rossano in supporting the partisans, and Within twenty-four hours, with or withoutafter a rastrellamento welcomed them back any words of Italian, each small party orwith joy, though her house was smoulder- individual had been adopted and givening behind her. Near Sulmona one prisoner, food and shelter by the contadini. Thoughcaught by the Germans listening to the

10 14 Tuttitalia, No. 10,December 1994 radio in the house of his host, wastakenBooks and Teaching back to the camp at Sulmona, buthe The Trust holds some forty books written escaped again through the same holeandby those who were on the run, inaddition was welcomed back bythe same Italianto many manuscripts and tapes.Each car- who later led him and others throughtheries some unique experience and all express lines on three different trips. After re-cap-their gratitude to the Italians. Oneof the ture and escape again, I foundmyself in thebest, for its description of the life of the confront line with darkness but nowhere totadini, was written by Stuart Hood, withthe sleep.I heard a child crying and went title Pebbles in my Skull, recentlyrepublished towards the sound. I found the poorestfam- by the Carcanet Press as Carlino. I havealso ily I had met, but they offered me oftheirseen an Italian translationof The Way Out, supperboiled potatoes followed by boiledby the South African journalist UysKrige pears. I slept in the hayin the loft with the(who was captured in Africa) which, among children, but slipped out early. Within aother adventures, describes excellentlyhis couple of hours, however, I was re-capturedtime living with the shepherdsof the on the front line and wastaken, via Rome'sAbruzzi. notorious Regina Coe li prison, toGermany In the Liceo Scientifico at Sulmonathere - there tostudy German and Russian! is a high standard of teaching ofEnglish, judging not only by the standard of the stu- The Trust and its Bursaries dents who have come from there, butalso To commemorate and makesmallby the fact that I have been able to speak reward for all that was done for us,therecertainly slowly and clearly - in English, has been founded the Monte SanMartinoand be understood by some hundred stu- Trust, which offers bursaries inEngland todents drawn from three different classes. young Italians wishing toextend theirThe Preside and the teachers of English have knowledge of English. In particular, weorganised excellently a Concorso, open to all seek out descendants of those whohelpedthroughout the Abruzzi, for a prize, given help us and, after a specialappeal amongst for-by the Trust, for the best account of the mer POWs; we are able tooffer 50 such bur-given by the people of the Abruzzi to us saries to commemorate the fifty yearssincewhen we were prisoners of war. Already that help was given to us. From capitalsetthe students have recorded some ten hours aside, and from future bequests, theTrustof interviews for this Concorso. intends to continue long after we have gone Shortly to appear is the Italian versionof a thesis for whichLucia Antonel was the way of all flesh. of DuringthepastyearIhave beenawarded 110 con lode at the University honoured to be present and to speak, in myVenice. Written in English, the thesis was functions atentitled Friends in War. It provides an excel- version of their language, at gives Fontanella to,Parma,Pietralunga(nearlent background to our capture and Gubbio), Servigliano (in the Marche), and atmany accounts of POWs,especially those Capracotta, on the southern borderof thewho found help in her region of Italy,and Abruzzi and the highest village inthethe help given by her family to someNew Apennines. At the last named, I was par-Zealanders and othersone of whom was ticularly pleased to unveil a plaquefrom to live with the family while heorganised POWs, on a memorial to two brotherswhofour boat-loads of POWs for an escape to first had been shot for helping someof us. I hadthe south. Lucia Antonel was one of the escaped from a near-to receive a bursary fromthe Monte San not met them, but had she by village two weeks before fromthe sameMartino Trust, and while in London We arestayed with a Trustee, Stephen Sims (whose Germans who condemned them. who very pleased that theTrust has been able tofather had been hidden by her family), grant bursaries to sixgrandchildren ofwas able to help herwith her research in those two brothers Fiadino. London.

11 Tuttitolia, No. 10, December 1994 15 Conclusion equal to that of their fellow countrymen the cittadiniand the people of Europe at For centuries the contadini had been large. oppressed by poverty, and we saw how With the help of schools, the Trust is usu- they scratched a living from the harsh soilally able to find suitable accommodation for with oxen and primitive tools, and relied on what they produced for all their needs. Forits bursary recipients. Of course, the Trust twenty years their oppression had beenwould always be pleased to hear of fami- enforced by the Fascists. In being able to lies,living near language schools, who help us cristiani, without food or shelter,might offer hospitality (against payment if from their meagre resources, they found anecessary). As its founding supporters are new value tolife and defiance of thegetting rather elderly, the Trust is also Fascists and Germans who occupied theirurgently seeking those who might be will- country. They were ready, then, by the '60s ing to meet students at airports and some- to benefit from the miracolo economico, and one to undertake the clerical work of the to find a new dignity and standard of livingTrust.

BA in Modern Languages The new degree in modern languages offers:

Italian as a main language with one or Information Technology two of the following languages: Teaching English as a Foreign Language French, German, Spanish and Russian Area studies Flexibility and choice in a Cultural studies modular framework Linguistics For further information please contact Marina Orsini-Jones, School of International Studies and Law, Coventry University, Priory Street, Coventry CV1 5FB. Telephone 0203 8384 1 9/838489. Fax 0203 838107.

UNIVERSITYC O V E N T R Y

16 12 Tuttitalia, No. 10, December 1994 Tra Garibaldi e Pavarotti: notesulla presenzaitaliana nel Sud del Brasile

Michele Maisto University of Wales College of Cardiff

[Michele Maisto is an Italian national,to questo spostamento di tantiItaliani studying for a BA degree in Italian anderano le domande alle qualidovevo dar Portuguese in the University of Wales. He risposta per poter meglio capire it presente. spent his academic year abroad inBrazil, where he deepened his knowledge of theDati storici well established Italian community. The article below is the product of what the Generalmente sifa coincidere l'inizio 'thisextraordinarydell'immigrazione italiana nel Brasile con author describes as l'abolizione della schiavitu decretata per experience'. Ed.] mezzo della Legge Aurea nel 1888.Ma la politica d'incentivazione all'immigrazione Introduzione straniera risale al primo decennio del XIX Fin dai primi giorni del mio arrivo asecolo, motivata da altre due ragioni: la Florian (Vohs, nello stato di Santa Catarina, necessity di popolare aree vastissime di ter- nel Sud del Brasile, ho cominciato a notareritorio ancora vergine (problema che carat- che la presenza italiana in questo Paeseterizzo lo sviluppo del Brasile fin dalla sua andava al di la delle varie pizzerie sparsescoperta) e l'urgenza di rendere piu Bianca sul lungomare e nel centro della citta. larazza, dal momento cheitsangue Andando in giro per le strade, ho incontra-africano scorreva non solo nelle vene del to panetterie che offrivano van tipi di panepopolo ma anche in quelle dei proprietari italiano che mi ricordavano quello che laterrieri. mia nonna faceva al paese dove io sono Durante it quarto decennio di questo nato; guardando la televisione, ho potatosecolo l'economia brasiliana subi un cam- che molti giornalisti, attori, intervistati ebiamento importante:itcaffe sostituiva intervistatori avevano cognomi italiani; definitivamente lo zucchero come prodot- dando uno sguardo alla mappa degli statito principale ed it centro economico del del Sud del Brasile, ho trovato nomi come paese si spostava dalla regioneNord-Est Garibaldi, Nova Venezia, Nova Trento eallo stato di Sao Paulo (dove si cominciava cosi via. In pill, alcuni colleghia coltivare it nuovoprodotto). A partire da dell'Universita di Florianopolis mi avevanoquegli anni gia era chiara la fine del si- detto che in una cittadella provincia,sterna schiavista, it quale non rendeva piu durante una settimana dell'anno, it dialettoda un punto di vista economico (il prezzo veneto diventava la lingua ufficiale e chedi uno schiavo era maggiore del guadagno dalle fontane cittadine sgorgava vino diricavato dal suo lavoro), di conseguenza la origine italiana! legislazione brasiliana era tutta tesa ad E stato cosi che tutte queste informazioni incentivarel'ingressodimanodopera mi hanno spinto ad approfondirela europea. conoscenza di questo fenomeno delquale, Nel 1885, quando fu sempre piu chiaro quando vivevo in Italia, non avevo sentitoche la schiavitu aveva i giorni contati, it parlare molto, se non nell'ambito familiare.governo riprese, dopo alcuniinsuccessi, la Infatti it mio nonno paterno nacque neglipolitica della colonizzazione riorganizzan- Stati Uniti da madre italiana e padre ... do it servizio di catasto e la vendita di lotti ignoto! Quando, come e perche era avvenu-di terreno agli emigrati. La grande doman-

13 Tuttitalia, No. 10, December 1994 17 da brasiliana corrispondeva, per sua fortu-delle piantagioni di caffe di Sao Paulo, al na, alla crisi che attraversava l'Italia delcolono veniva dato un pezzo di terra corn- dopo-Risorgimen to. pletamente inesplorato etagliatofuori Fino al 1884 erano entrati nel paese non dalle principali comunicazioni. Nel cuore pill di 15.000 Italiani ma nel 1885 questi dellaforesta,quindi,questiItaliani diventarono 21.765; nel 1887 erano 40.157 e ricostruirono it proprio mondo culturale 132.326 nel 1891. Tra it 1875 ed it 1935che sembrava, e che ancora oggi sembra in entrarono nel Brasile circa un milione eparte, un prolungamento dell'Italia: la lin- mezzo di Italiani, i pill diretti nello stato digua, i costumi, gli usi, la cucina, la reli- Sao Paulo. giosity furono adattati alla nuova situ- I11875 e la data ufficiale dell'arrivo degli azione.Essendoitmaggior indicedi Italiani nella regione Sud del Brasile, laemigranti rappresentato da veneti, i quali quale comprende gli stati di Rio Grande doformaronoimaggiori centri urbani,it Sul, Santa Catarina e Parana. A partire damezzo di comunicazione linguistica che quell'anno gli Italiani si installarono nellepredomino fu una misceladidialetti colonie di Nova Milao (oggi Caxias do Sul)veneti, una lingua comune o /wine con e Bento Goncalves, ma risale al 1859 la pre-caratterizzazioneveneta,itcosiddetto senza di 800 Italiani in questa regione talian. provenienti dall'Argentina e dall'Uruguay. Fuggiti dall'Italia con la promessa di possesso di un pezzo di terra dal quale nessuno li potesse cacciare,i coloni si tro- Contributo politico varono in poco tempo proprietari terrieri Ancora pill indietro nel tempo 6 segnala- (un lotto aveva la superficie media di 25 tala presenza di un illustreItaliano: ettari!). Venendo da un'esistenza difficile, Giuseppe Garibaldi. Nel 1835 prese parte,al colono non pareva vero vedere che it suc- con ruolo di comando, alla Guerra decesso economico, ora, dipendeva dalla sua Farropilhas,perla creazionedellacapacity e disposizione al lavoro. Tra i Repubblica Juliana indipendente dal gover-coloni italiani sembro che imperasse pill no corrotto di Rio de Janeiro. una mentality protestante che cattolica: it Un altro tipo di contributo politico chelavoro acquisi un valore mitico e mistico; gli Italiani dettero nel corso della loro pre-divento la ragione di vivere dell'individuo, senza nel Brasile fu quello della diffusionesegreto per fare fortuna, causa di progresso del pensiero anarchico. e prova di onorabilita. E interessante notare the e questo it Ca ratteristiche della punto chiave che spiega un mal celato razzismo dei coloni italiani del Sud brasiliano, colon izzazione e dei loro discendenti, nei confronti della La zona di colonizzazione italiana di Riopopolazione nera che in quegli anni usciva Grande do Sul ebbe come abitanti, quasidalla schiavittl. La dedizione estrema al esclusivamente, individui e gruppi prove-lavoro ha caratterizzato lino ai giorni nostri nienti dal nord dell'Italia e, in particolare,la colonizzazione italiana. Parlando con dal Triveneto. Al contrario della quasidiscendenti italiani, spesso it loro accento totality dei grandi centri d'immigrazionecadeva su questa laboriosita che avrebbe nel Brasile, questa regione era composta da permesso alto stato di Sao Paulo e alla famiglie. Piti dell'80% degli uomini adulti regione Sud del Paese di essere it cuore eco- erano sposati e erano partiti dall'Italia con inomico-civile della loro nazione. familiari,itche caratterizzalacoloniz- zazione di questo stato come lavoro di famiglia e non come di individui isolati.Un caso esemplare Cio ebbe grandi riflessi psicologici, facili- Tra le varie citta da me visitate, piccole e tando l'individuo nell'adattamento ai primigrandi, con gli amici del Circolo Italo- duri anni della colonia. Brasiliano di Florianopolis, quella che pill Alcontrariodell'emigrantesalariatomi ha colpito e stata Bento Goncalves.

14 Tuttitalia, No. 10, December 1994 Nell'allegro viaggio verso questa citta, inal nostro arrivo nel padiglione della festa, occasione dell'annuale Festa del Vino, mi tralo stupore e lacuriosity di molti stata raccontata un po'della storia dinell'avere la possibility di poter parlare con questofioreall' occhiellodegliItalo- un Italiano «DOC», dal momento che it Brasiliani. turismo italiano e sconosciuto nel Sud II tutto ha inizio con l'istituzione della del Brasile. colonia Dona Isabel nel 1870 dove, cinque E cosi in una giornata, andando in giro anni dopo, arriveranno 40 famiglie dal per la citta e per la festa, mi sono state fatte Trentino che occupano le zone di collinatante domande sull'Italia, con le immanca- coperte di foresta. Dopo i primi due annibili richieste di cantare, a guisa di Pavarotti sorgonoleprime piccolefabbrichee (!), Nessun dorma, e canzoni degli altrettanto negozi, cosi come la scuola pubblica. GlicelebrissimiPeppinodiCaprieRita immigranti continuano ad arrivare e nel Pavone degli anni '60 (!). 1883 sono 12.000, dei quali 10.000 Italiani, i quali producono una grande diversity di prodotti agricoli, al contrario delle mono- Rapporti attuali tra ('Italia e le colture che caratterizzano it periodo dellacomunita italiane schiavitd. La produzione del vino, che nei I legami con 1'Italia sono stati mantenuti primiannisoddisfasoloitconsumodai discendenti con la creazione di asso- domestico, va mano a mano aumentandociazioni per la salvaguardia della memoria. per poi dare vita alla formazione di coope-A loro volta, be Regioni del Triveneto rative vinicole che cominciano a vendere it hanno concesso borse di studio ai discen- loro prodotto fuori dai confini della colo- dentiedistituitoconvenzionitra be nia. Nel 1910 viene fondato it primo gior- University dei due Paesi. nale ed inaugurato it telefono comunale; Tra be vane associazioni che piu si distac- due anni dopo e la volta dell'illuminazionecano nel progetto di recupero della cultura pubblica, composta di sessanta lampioni.veneta, c'e la Society Massolin de Fiori di La ferrovia arriva a Bento Gonsalves nelPorto Alegre, capitale dello stato di Rio 1919 e, tre anni dopo, a la volta della reteGrandedoSul.IlPresidente,Julio elettrica. Posenato, a autore di van libri sull'architet- Nel 1925 l'immigrazione entra in declinotura tradizionale dei coloni ed ha incentiva- e gli anni tra le due guerre testimonianoto iniziative di restauro e ricostruzione in una discriminazione nei confronti deglistile di case, mulini e piccole aziende vini- Italiani a causa dello schieramento delcole nella locality di Sao Pedro, con I'obiet- Brasile a fianco degli Alleati. L'uso deitivo di attirare i1 turismo. dialetti viene represso, ma fino agli anni '70 Da parte dell'Italia, I'interesse verso be era abbastanza comune sentire i bambinicomunita di Italo-Brasiliani e venuto, a esprimersi in talian. Durante it cosiddettolivello centrale, con la concessione della «miracolo economico» brasiliano degli annidoppia cittadinanza atutti coloro che, '70 si verifica un grande sviluppo indu-facendone richiesta, dimostrino di avere striale, che si manifesta fino ai nostri giorniuno dei genitori, dei nonni o dei bisnonni con le cifre del reddito pro capite annuo:nato in Italia. Stando ai dati non completi 6.800 dollari contro la media di 2.800 nelricevuti dalle associazioni, sarebbero circa resto del Paese. Tra i vari altri dati e da8.000 i Brasiliani che hanno fatto richiesta notare che Bento Gonsalves a it maggior del passaporto italiano su un totale di circa centrodifabbricazionedimobilidelotto milioni di discendenti. Brasile, ed it maggior centro di produzione vinicola dell'America del Sud. Seguendo l'esempio del Comune di Serafino Correia, Conclusione e stataapprovatarecentementedal Quello che questa esperienza ha lasciato Consiglio Comunale una legge per l'inse- in me, al di la dell'accrescimento personale, gnamento del dialetto nelle scuole elemen-e la convinzione che la conoscenza dei sen- tari. E proprio in talian siamo stati ricevutitimenti d'odio e di ammirazione per 1'Italia,

Tuttiialia, No. 10, December 1994 15 gli aneddoti, le storie tragiche e divertentiNota degli emigranti italiani nel Sud brasiliano - Le date e le cifre sull'emigrazione sono pagina tragica della storia italianapossa aiutare ad intendere meglio le ragioni ditratte dalGazzettino Brasile,pubblicazione chi vede nell'Italia di oggi it Brasile thedelle Associazioni Italo-Brasiliane, edizione videro i nostri bisnonni. speciale, 1992.

Europa Centre Havering for Modern Languages

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The Europa Centre is set out in the form of a continental village. The staff are native speakers of the language of the visit and play the parts of the'inhabitants'. Visiting students have the opportunity to undertake a variety of activities,including buying goods in the shops with real foreign currency, making enquiries and reservations, gathering information about the village and its inhabitants,making telephone calls, writing postcards and buying refreshments in the café -all in the foreign language of the visit.

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Europa Centre, The Walk, Hornchurch, Essex RM113TL Tel. 0708 445694/440087 Fax: 0708 445639

London Borough of Havering Director of Education and Community Services: Colin Hardy B.Sc. M.Ed.

16 i, 2 0 Tuttitalia, No. 10, December 1994 Donne immigrate a Bologna: temi e problemi

Francesca Gattullo Coventry Catherine Hoskyns University Marina Orsini-Jones in Italia. Laddove sara possibile, si cerchera Premessa di usare la terminologia preferita dalle L'obiettivo che ci si propone con questodonne stesse, vale a dire la loro identifi- lavoroledidelinearelepolitiche cazione con la comunita cui appartengono: sull'immigrazioneportateavantidal«le Soma le», «le Entree», «le Marocchine», Comune di Bologna con riferimenti ancheecc., anche se a volte si fara use del termine alla politica a livello provinciale (Provincia «straniere». di Bologna) e regionale (Regione Emilia- Si cerchera inoltre di presentare le vane Romagna)negli anni 1987-1994, con par- tematiche dal punto di vista delle immi- ticolare riferimento all'immigrazione «algrate stesse3 e similmentedi capire se i femminile». Si cerchera di inquadrare itbuoni propositi del Comune di Bologna, caso di Bologna in un'ottica sianazionalevisto da molti come it pin progressista (italiana), sia europea, e di verificare se ed'Europa, siano stati percepiti come tali come le donne immigrate a Bologna siano dalle donne contattate. state influenzate da direttive prese a livello L'analisi che segue deriva dall'esperien- europeo riguardo ai tre temi di: za fatta da Marina Orsini-Jones e Francesca pan opportunita; Gattullo in qualita di interpreti e consulenti razzismo; per gli scambi tra Coventry e Bologna(citta immigrazione. gemellate) relativamente ai temi di donne e Si e scelto di analizzare quasi esclusiva-immigrazione e razzismo dal 1990 ad oggi, mente la situazione delle donne provenien-e dagli scambi di idee e materiale avuti con ti dal Terzo Mondo e non quella delleCatherine Hoskyns, che da anni si occupa donne provenienti dall'Est europeo, perchedi legislazione europea sui temi di immi- si e avvertito, nel corso dello svolgimento grazione e pari opportunita, e che e attual- di questa ricerca, che le donne di coloremente coinvolta nella European Women's sono soggette ad una discriminazione Lobby.4 tripla: non solo in quanto donne ed in quanto immigrate, ma anche in quanto «nere»,2 ed e su di loro che bisogna concentrarsi per garantire loro 1. Introduzione Si e anche scelto di non utilizzare it ter-1.1 L'Italia dalla tolleranza al razzismo mine «extracomunitarie», che, sebbene uffi- In base al testo I razzismi reali di Balbo e ciale, risulta, all'esame dei fatti, essere unManconi (Balbo e Manconi, 1992), l'episo- eufemismo sterile che accomunerebbe unadio che ha cambiato i sentimenti di corn- donna biancanord-americana ad unaprensione e accettazionealmeno a parole donna nera nigeriana, con i paradossi che degli stranieri provenienti dal Terzo ne conseguono.Iltermine «migrante»,Mondo da parte degli Italiani e stato it divenuto pin o meno ufficiale tra gli espertifamoso, o infame, a seconda dei punti di sull'argomento, viene percepito come con- vista, «affare albanese», quando migliaia di notato in negativo, dalla natura transitoriaAlbanesi, che tentavano di approdare sulle del participio presente, dalle immigratesponde italiane con van mezzi di fortuna, stesse, in quanto molte di esse vedono itfurono prima tenuti in condizioni disu- proprio futuro come fermamente radicatomane allo stadio di Ban e nella zona adia- natitalia, No. 10, December 1994 21 17 cente al porto di Brindisi, poi rispediti invisibile dal grande spartiacque della storia Albania con uno stratagemma nell'agostocontemporanea costituito dalla caduta del del 1991 (Balbo e Manconi, 1992, p. 31). muro di Berlino, i19 novembre del 1989. L'opinione pubblica italiana, invece di con- dannare l'episodio (come fece la stampa1.2 II caso di Bologna straniera), si mostra piu o meno unanime: Bologna,ilcapoluogo della Regione la decisione presa era l'unica possibile,Emilia-Romagna, viene sempre descritta

18 Tuttitalia, No. 10, December 1994 precedentemente sconosciuti alla citta. Unminima di donne che utilizza i Centri di altro segno del cambiamento si e visto neiprima accoglienza, che a volte sono stati risultatiottenuti,anche inEmilia- creatidal Comuneutilizzandofondi Romagna, sia da Umberto Bossi e dal suoinizialmente stanziati per centri femminili partito,la Lega Nord, dichiaratamente (Tavole 2 e 3). intollerante nei confronti dei «diversi», sia dai post-fascisti di Alleanza Nazionale guidati da Gianfranco Fini (di Bologna lui stes- 2. Donne immigrate a Bologna so), le cui posizioni sui «diversi» hanno gia2.1 Profilo delle donne immigrate causato notevole preoccupazione. Negli ultimi anni molto e stato scritto Anche a Bologna Bossi e Fini mietonosulle donne immigrate'' in Italia in gene- consensi tra quei cittadini che si sentonorale e in Emilia-Romagna in particolare (si minacciatidall'«invasore»straniero.La vedanoperesempioCampani,1989; parola infatti che si sente dire spesso, persi-Palazzi, 1991; Garoia, 1991; Parmeggiani, no nella Bologna progressista, e «inva-1992). Cosi come a livello nazionale, anche sione». Questo nonostante it fatto che ita Bologna le donne immigrate si possono numero degli immigrati provenienti dal suddividere nei tre gruppi seguenti: Terzo Mondo in Italia sia relativamente (a) Le COLF (COLlaboratrici Familiari). Cio basso, se confrontato con quello degli altriche caratterizza molte di queste donne, Paesi della Comunita Europea (le stimespecie le filippine ed eritree, e it fatto di parlano del 2% della popolazione totale, diaver gestito autonomamenteitproprio cuila meta sarebbero clandestini).1° A«progetto di immigrazione»; Bologna gli immigrati provvisti di permes- (b) Le CASALINGHE. Questo gruppo conso o carta di identita sono 1'1,43% dellasiste di donne venute principalmente per popolazione (Tavola 1). ricongiungersi al marito (provengono di CiO che colpisce, tuttavia, e da un lato la solito dalle aree del Nord Africa mag- novita del fenomeno e dall'altro la concen- rebino); trazione dei flussi migratori in poche aree (c) Le PROSTITUTE. Anche queste donne all'interno dei grossi centri urbanifatto hanno spesso gestito it proprio «progetto» che rende phi visibile la presenza deglidi emigrazione oppure sono venute per immigrati e li rende facili bersagli degliricongiungersi ai mariti; la maggioranza, attacchi razzisti. tuttavia, e vittima della nuova «tratta delle Per quanto riguarda l'immigrazione alschiave», in crescita in tutta Europa, che femminile,l'analisidellacomposizioneattinge soprattutto dai paesi slavi e dalla della popolazione immigrata a Bologna ri- Nigeria. vela che le donne sono arrivate prima degli Le donne cinesi,molto numerose a uomini, che hanno creatoassociazioniBologna, presentano un'anomalia rispetto autonome, e che hanno cominciato quasial quadro di cui sopra, in quanto sono subito la loro battaglia per acquisire dirittivenute insieme al resto della famiglia. In loro negati. Sono giunte a Bologna moltobase alle testimonianze raccolte, sanno prima del 1985,cioe antecedentementeanche organizzarsi molto bene e sono le all' arrivo massiccio di immigrati uominimigliori utenti dei servizi disponibili (il (Moruzzi/Fiorenza, 1990, p. 11). consultorio citato alla Tavola 7, per esem- Sebbene da un lato l'arrivo di questi ulti-pio), grazie alla stretta rete di collabo- mi abbia aiutato le donne a divenire piurazione che esiste all'interno della comu- «visibili», dall'altro ha alterato negativa-nita cinese. mente it rapporto che esse avevano con il Mentre le donne ai punti (b) e (c) sono Consiglio comunale, soprattutto per quan-presenti anche negli altri Paesi membri della to riguarda l'offerta di assistenza e servizi,UE, quelle del punto(a)costituiscono dal momento che ultimamente it Comuneun fenomeno prettamente italiano ha indirizzato piU iniziative agli uomini, in(Moruzzi/Fiorenza, 1990, p. 11; Parmeg- quanto essi costituiscono una «emergen-giani, 1992, p. 86). La situazione bolognese za»: si veda per esempio la percentualeci aiuta a capire tale fenomeno: it numero

Tuttitalia, No. 10, December 1994 19 delle donne lavoratrici in Emilia-Romagna Allora, comincio a tornare nella polemica infatti it phi alto d'Italia e uno dei phi alti [.. Io con la tessera sanitaria degli arabi, lo d'Europa (Pesce, 1991, p.87). A cie si vedo proprio come un fatto stranamente stra- aggiunge da un lato it fatto che la donna no. Non riesco a capire per quale motivo. italiana in genere tiene molto alla casa L'operatore dell'USL sa benissimo l'italiano, e vede come normale avere un aiuto non sa l'arabo, quando la dai a un operatore italiano, la guarda. .fa fatica leggerla. Ma io domestico,12 soprattutto se lavora fuori conosco la mia lingua. Per quale motivo mi casa; dall'altro the e sempre phi difficile fai una tessera con la mia lingua? Ma cosa mi trovare italiane disposte a lavorare come interessa? Non mi serve. E io qui davanti a domestiche. questo finestrino dove c'e 10 persone, io sono Dal punto di vista del datore di lavoro, unica araba o unica straniera con una tessera inoltre, vi sono una serie di vantaggi: le diversa, alloratutti mi guardano. (Abdel immigrate,essendogiovaniespesso Aziz, 1991a, pp. 110-11). sprovviste di documenti, sono disposte a Molte di queste donne provano dunque lavorare molte ore al giorno, accettanograndefrustrazione(Alamin,1991)e remunerazioni phi basse e non possono sentono la necessity di una piattaforma da rivendicare alcun diritto.13 cui dar voce alle proprie esigenze. Sono Le inefficienze del sistema previdenziale inoltregeneralmentedelusedalladi- italiano (i cui effetti si sentono anche nellascrepanza, tutta italiana, fra la teoria e la efficiente Bologna), infine, completano it pratica all'interno delle istituzioni (Abdel quadro, in quanto la donna italiana che Aziz, 1991a, 1991b; Argata Sabatini, 1993).14 lavora deve anche sobbarcarsi la cura dei Le donne con un grado di istruzione eleva- familiari anziani e/ o portatori di handicap, to (specialmente le filippine e le eritree), oltre che quella della propria famiglia.che tuttora finiscono per fare le COLF, si Tutto cie, quindi, ha chiaramente determi- lamentano delle difficolta incontrate lad- nato it boom della domanda e dell'offertadove esse tentino di migliorare le proprie delle COLF immigrate. possibility di impiego (Alamin, 1991). Se veniamo ai bisogni di queste donne, Nonostante quanto si e detto nel para- dall'analisi delle interviste, delle comuni-grafo precedente, la maggioranza delle cazioni personali e della letteratura sull'ar-immigrate dichiarano che le bolognesi ten- gomento, risulta che quelli primari sono co- tano comunque di venire incontro alle loro stituiti dall'alloggio e dai servizi in generale.esigenze, anche se le immigrate vorrebbero La preoccupazione principale 6 la salute deivedersi maggiormente rappresentate propri figli. L'ostacolo insormontabile allaall'interno dei servizi da loro utilizzati. garanzia dei diritti fondamentali e costituitoVorrebbero che Bologna diventasse piu dalle barriere burocratiche. multiculturale e che le donne italiane con Anche una volta che si riesca a superarecui esse lavorano avessero una interpre- la«verificaburocratica»,restanopoitazione diversa phi flessibile della comunque gli stereotipi e i tentativi malde-necessity di «integrazione» per le immi- stri dell'amministrazione locale di aiutaregrate.15 Cie 6 ben illustrato nella vignetta gli immigrati. Per fare un esempio trai riprodotta in appendice (Figura 2), in cui tanti, it Comune di Bologna aveva presenta-traspare it panico della donna araba cui la to con orgoglio in uno dei programmi perfemminista italianaoffre di togliersiii l'immigrazione una nuova tessera USL,«chador» (vale a dire le proprie tradizioni). scritta completamente in arabo, per permettere agli immigrati di madrelingua araba di2.2 Donne immigrate e politiche sulle pari accedere ai servizi sanitari locali (Figura 1). opportunity Le parole che seguono sono it commento Le donne immigrate a Bologna sembre- fatto sulla «card» da una immigrata araba, rebbero avere beneficiato in maniera positi- Zenab Abdel Aziz, Presidente dell'Associa- vadellalegislazionedellaComunita zione donne arabe e straniere dell'Emilia- Europea per le pari opportunity sul lavoro Romagna (la bozza del testo non 6 statae per la formazione di imprese gestite da corretta): donne.16

20 Tuttitalia, No. 10, December 1994 IIprocesso e cominciato neglianni Tra le altre leggi da citare vi sono la legge Settanta e ha visto una serie di tapperegionale 29/87 sulla promozione dell'oc- importanti. In particolare, la direttiva UEcupazione a livello regionale, cheriflette le 207/76 che estatatradottainleggedirettive UE e contiene un articolo sulle nazionale con la 903 / 77: «Parita di tratta-azioni positive e sui mezzi per raggiungere mento tra uomini e donne in materiadile pari opportunity. La legge nazionale lavoro». In tal modo, l'articolo 37 della142/90 ha successivamente dato notevole Costituzione Italiana, che sancisce la paritaautonomia alle regioni nell'applicazione delle opportunity sul lavoro fra uomini edelle direttive UE sulle pari opportunity, donne, trovava finalmente applicazioneautonomia che l'Emilia-Romagna ha sfrut- legislativa (Santini et al., 1992). ta to appieno. Nel 1984 e stata creata in Italia la prima All'inizio degli anni Novanta sono state «Commissione nazionale per larealiz-approvatedalParlamentodueleggi zazione della parita tra uomo e donna»nazionali sulle azioni positive: la 125/91 (DPCM, 12 /5 /1984, Santini etal.,1992, sulle lavoratrici dipendenti e la 215/92 p.39).Contemporaneamente venivanosulle lavoratrici autonome. Entrambe le approvate le raccomandazioni UE sulleleggi hanno dato it via all'approvazione di azioni positive (UE 635/84), che indica-una serie di leggi regionali esi collegano vanol'amministrazione localecomedirettamentealle raccomandazioni UE. soggetto responsabile per la promozionediUno degli aspetti piu rilevanti della 215 e azionipositiveafavoredelledonnel'istituzione di un fondo nazionale (30 (Santini et al., 1992). Il 1984 ha visto anchemiliardi di lire nel triennio 1992-1994) per l'approvazione della legge 863/84 che hala promozione delle imprese femminili creato la nuova figura del Consigliere per (Noidonne, 1993). le pari opportunity. Il Comune di Bologna, insieme alle asso- Le direttive UE 378/86 (sul trattamento ciazioni di volontariato degli immigrati e ai occupazionale e sui piani di previdenzasindacati, e riuscito ad ottenere fondi dalla sociale) e 613/86 (sul trattamento dei lavo-UE per promuovere iniziative finalizzate ratori autonomi), insieme alla raccoman-alla formazione professionale delle donne dazione UE 567/87 (sulla formazione pro-immigrate. Donne immigrate di Coventry e fessionale delle donne) sono state tutteBologna (citta gemellate) hanno partecipato importanti nel promuovere quelle attivitaa una di queste iniziative edalla collabo- finalizzateall' aumentodellaparteci-razione / scambio e nato un corso di for- pazione femminile alla formazione profes-mazione professionale per le donne immi- sionale. Esse hanno inoltre fatto avanzaregratedi Coventry ispiratoall' esempio la legislazione sulla creazione di impresebolognese.17 da parte di sole donne e sui diritti di conge- L'impegno del Comune di Bologna nei do per gravidanza. La 567/87 ha fornitoconfronti dei diritti delle donne e stato con- infine finanziamenti speciali del Fondofermato dalla creazione del Progetto Donna SocialeEuropeoperiprogettisulla (Tavola 6), il cui scopo e stato quello di dar creazione di imprese gestite da sole donne voce alle istanze femminiliall'interno della (Santini et al., 1992). citta. L'Emilia-Romagna estata una delle All' interno del programma 1990, poche regioni italiane a rispondere imme-Progetto Donna non solo ha promosso diatamente tanto alle direttive UE, quantonumerose attivita in favoredelle donne alle leggi nazionali. E stata infatti la prima aimmigrate, ma ha anche creato la rivista sancire la creazione, attraverso la leggeDonne eImmigrazione.Ilpersonaledi regionale 3/86, della CommissioneProgetto Donna ha anche collaborato con regionale per le pari opportunity. Non solo,il Centro Stranieri del Comune, istituito nella sezione intitolata «Donne e diritti di nel 1987. cittadinanza» della 3/86, viene fatta men- Purtroppo, peril, alcune delle decisioni zione particolare dei diritti delle donneprese dal Comune fra il 1990 eil 1993 sem- immigrate. brano tradire l'impegno originario da parte

Tuttitalia, No. 10, December 1994 21 dell'amministrazione locale nei confrontisenza di immigrati nel territorio: nel trien- delle donne immigrate. Nel 1990, per esem-nio '90-'92 gli immigrati sono stati trattati pio, le donne e le loro associazioni sonocome «emergenza temporanea» e le parole state senz'altro danneggiate dalla decisioneusate perriferirsial «problema immi- del Comune di non permettere l'uso delgrazione» tradivano quantomeno un certo Centro Stranieri come luogo di incontro perrazzismo verbale (Moruzzi /Fiorenza, le associazioni (servizio che invece era stato1990). Sono state inoltre adottate alcune disponibile dall'87 al '90). Di conseguenza, misure percepite come razziste sia da molti molte associazioni femminili sono scorn-Bolognesi, sia dagli immigrati, come quella parse e la maggioranza degli immigrati si di alloggiare questi ultimi in ghetti simili sentita abbandonata dal Comune (Hamidi,a lager nella periferia della citta (quartiere 1993). Stalingrado), con circuiti video e pattuglie Nel 1993, infine, e stato deciso che le fun- armate di controllo (Moruzzi, 1991, p. 7). zioni del Progetto Donna sarebbero state La bozza del progetto del Comune stesa assorbite da una commissione all'interno da una donnanell'ottobre del 1993 e del Comune stesso; di conseguenza, molteapprovata all'inizio del 1994 («Progetto per donne bolognesi hanno preferito crearel'immigrazione»,DelMugnaio,1993), nuove associazioni o associarsi a gruppi didimostra una maggiore sensibility al pro- donne esistenti, interrompendo cosi la loro blema dei rapporti etnici. Innanzitutto vi si collaborazione diretta con it Comune (siafferma che la presenza di immigrati non veda la Tavola 7 per una guida ai servizipub pill essere vista come un'emergenza per le donne immigrate a Bologna). temporanea e che la casa e i servizi sono una necessity imprescindibile per miglio- 2.3 Donne immigrate e razzismo rare le relazioni fra i residenti della citta. Solo recentemente e stata approvata unaNon solo, it documento mette anche in legge sulle relazioni razziali in Italia: laguardia contro alla tendenza ad associare legge 25 giugno 1993, n. 205, «Conversionel'aumento della criminality con it crescente in legge, con modificazioni del decreto-numero di immigrati. legge 25 aprile 1993, n. 122, recante misure Sembrerebbe, quindi, che it vuoto isti- urgenti in materia di discriminazione raz-tuzionale sul problema del razzismo a li- ziale, etnica e religiosa». Sebbene ora ci siavello europeo sia stato recentemente col- una legge, restera da vedere se ci sia anchemato, a livello nazionale con la legge 205, e la volonta di applicarla, specie da parte dia livello locale bolognese da una maggiore un govern() che ha al suo interno un note- sensibilitydell'amministrazionelocale, vole numero di ministri appartenenti allanonostante gli errori che abbiamo visto Lega e ad Alleanza Nazionale. sopra.II Comune ha anche aperto nel E indubbio che gli episodi razzisti sonomarzo 1993 it Centro di Documentazione e in aumento anche in Emilia-Romagna, it Laboratorioperun'EducazioneInter- che conferma it cambiamento dell'opinioneculturaleCD/LEIin collaborazione con pubblica cui si riferiva nell'introduzione sia l'Universita di Bologna. L'obiettivo del in Italia, sia a Bologna. E tuttavia quan-Centro e di essere una unity di formazione tomeno strano che tanti Italiani, molti deipedagogica sui problemi del razzismo e quali dovettero emigrare nel dopoguerra,dell' immigrazione. abbiano dimenticato la loro storia di paese Tali tentativi, che sono la conseguenza di di emigranti e siano diventati addiritturauna lunga tradizione di coscienza sociale a intolleranti nei confronti di chi, come moltiBologna, sono tuttavia meno efficaci e pill di loro, ha tentato la via di cercare di farvulnerabili in quanto, a differenza della fortuna all' ester°. legislazione sulle pari opportunita, essi non II Comune di Bologna si e sempre battutotrovanosufficienteconferma alivello contro it razzismo ed it suo impegno e evi-europeo. Quanto alla legge 205, si sono gia dente in tutti i documenti che riguardanoverificati vari episodi di razzismo tra it l'immigrazione. Esso, tuttavia, si e rifiutato1993 ed it 1994 per cui essa non e stata per un certo periodo di riconoscere la pre-applicata e i razzisti non sono stati puniti.

22 Datitalia, No. 10, December 1994 2.4 Donne immigrate e immigrazione:di un Ministero «senza portafoglio», vale a politiche e leggi nazionali e locali dire senza potere decisionale effettivo. Il L'atteggiamento del Governo italiano neiMinistero cesso di esistere poco dopo la sua confronti dell'immigrazione e abbastanza istituzione.18IIgoverno presieduto da ambiguo. Da un lato, l'Italia vuole essere Berlusconi sta al moment() (luglio 1994) «comprensiva» e cristiana, ma dall'altro,discutendo che misure prendere per gli non desidera «ospitare» troppiimmigrati eItaliani emigrati all'estero e se avere un dichiara di volere adeguarsi alle politicheministero per loro, o un'ambasciata. Pare di chiusura deglialtriStatidella UEche non ci sia nessuna intenzione di isti- (Favaro e Tognetti Bordogna, 1989). tuire un ministero che si occupi esclusiva- Nel 1986 e stata approvata la prima leggemente degli immigrati, la qual cosa confer- nazionale sull'immigrazione,la943/86merebbe latesiche questo lavorosi «Norme in materia di collocamento e trat-propone di dimostrare: vale a dire che i tamentodeilavoratoriextracomunitaritempi sono molto duri per le minoranze in immigrati e contro le immigrazioni clan-Europa e che i gruppi piu deboli non destine». Prima di allora non esistevanogodono di rappresentanza alcuna, ne a li- norme specifiche. Questa leggerifletteva la vello dei singoli Stati membri, ne a livello posizione moderata della UE sull'immi-della UE. Al momento eitMinistro grazione della meta degli anni OttantaAntonio Guidi, Ministro per la Famiglia e (prima, cioe, della caduta del muro digli Affari Sociali, che si occupa, tra le altre Berlino) e metteva 1'Italia in linea con gli cose, degli immigrati.19 altri Stati membri. Per tornare alle leggi, si pub dire che nel Vi e accordo fra gli esperti riguardo altriennio 1990-1992 si sono almeno comin- carattere innovativo e progressista della ciati a sentire gli effetti della 943/86 a livel- legge, nella misura in cui dava agli immi-lo locale. Per comprenderli appieno, tut- grati la possibilita, quantomeno teorica, ditavia, occorre inquadrarli nel contesto di contribuire attivamente alla propria inte- altre due leggi: grazione. Questa stessa legge assegnava1. La 39/90 (nota anche come «Legge alle Regioni it compito di promuovere taleMartelli»): «Norme urgenti in materia di integrazione e di pianificare i servizi e laasilo politico, di ingresso e di soggiorno dei formazione di supporto. La legge e tuttaviacittadini extracomunitari e di regolariz- compromessa da una generale mancanzazazione dei cittadini extracomunitari e apo- di chiarezza e dalla quantita di «zonelidi gia presenti nel territorio dello Stato»; grigie». Questo ha comportato gravi diffi- 2.Il Decreto-Legge 187/93 (noto anche colta per le amministrazioni locali checome «Decreto Conso»): «Nuove misure in hanno trovato difficile comprenderla. Nemateriaditrattamentopenitenziario, consegue che la 943/86 ha avuto unanonche sull'espulsione dei cittadini varieta di applicazioni, a seconda dellestranieri». diverse interpretazioni date dalle singole Molto e stato scritto sulla Legge Martelli. amministrazionie Questure (Favaro eLa si pu6 leggere come una risposta alle TognettiBordogna,1989b,pp.17-21; tendenze della UE in materia di immi- Parmeggiani, 1992, pp. 83-84). Come spes-grazione e un tentativo di prevenire le so accade in Italia, la 943/86 non e stata critiche da parte degli altri Stati membri sul nemmeno sostenuta da finanziamenti olassismo delle norme italiane sull'immi- politiche nazionali e non ha quindi vistograzione. Come gia sottolinea to, 1'Italia era piena applicazione. infattivistacome un«ponteverso L'ambiguita del Governo italiano a statal'Europa» ed era stata esercitata una certa confermata dall'istituzione, nel 1989, di unpressione sul Governo italiano affinche Ministero per gli Italiani all'estero e persorvegliassetale ponte piu da vicino. l'immigrazione(assegnatoalMinistroNeanche la legge Martelli ha visto piena Boniver). Tale Ministero,icui obiettiviapplicazione, e it fatto che essa non sia stata erano alti dal punto di vista teorico, in pra-rinnovata ha significato un aumento del tica non aveva alcuna efficacia, trattandosinumero degli immigrati clandestini. Questi

Tuttitalia, No. 10, December 1994 23 si trovano infatti nell'impossibilita di rego- Lapit importanteleggeregionale larizzare la propria posizione anche quan-dell'Emilia-Romagna sull'immigrazione, do soddisfacessero tutti i requisiti previstithe e una applicazione diretta della 943/86, dalla legge. e la 14/90, «Iniziative regionali in favore L'introduzione del decreto Conso, chedell'emigrazione e dell'immigrazione riflette direttamente le politiche immigrato-Nuove norme per l'istituzione della consul- rie di Schengen e Trevi, ha suscitato molteta regionale dell'emigrazione e dell'immi- controversie:secondoalcuni,infatti, grazione». Dal punto di vista delle pari andrebbe addirittura contro i pin fonda-opportunity la 14/90 e carente sotto due mentali diritti umani, cosi come sono enun-aspetti: ciati nella Costituzione Italiana. Tale decre-1. Non vi si fa alcun riferimento alle donne to dimostra leintenzioni del Governoo all' etnia; italiano di essere in linea con gli altri Stati2. i bisogni degli immigrati non sono dif- della UE. ferenziatidaquellidegliEmiliano- Nessuna delle leggi di cui sopra fa riferi-Romagnoli che erano emigrati e sono ritor- mento ai problemi delle donne immigrate;nati in patria. l'unico aspetto che ha un effetto diretto E vero che vi sono due donne immigrate sulle immigrate 6 dato dalla legislazioneche fanno parte della Consulta Regionale, sul ricongiungimento familiare. La leggema questa non ha alcun potere decisionale attualmente in vigore in materia ala effettivo. Va pert)riconosciuto chela 943/86, in quanto nella legge Martel li non 14/90 contiene un preciso riferimento alla vi sono riferimenti al ricongiungimento.formazione professionale deilavoratori Second() la 943/86, art. 4, i lavoratori inimmigrati che ha reso possibile it reperi- regola possono chiedere it ricongiungimen-mento di fondi per progetti speciali creati to familiare con: per le donne. it coniuge; Uno sviluppo a livello regionale a favore ifigli a carico, non coniugati, solo sedei lavoratori immigrati in generale si minorenni; avuto nel 1991 con la «Convenzione per i genitori a carico (Parmeggiani, 1992,l'avviamento al lavoro di lavoratori extra- p. 84). comunitari». Questa consiste in un accordo I familiari possono ottenere it permessofra la Regione, le associazioni professionali di soggiorno solo dopo un anno dal loroe i sindacati, che tiene conto della situa- arrivo in Italia.Il fatto che questo stiazione della domanda e dell'offertadi diventando l'unico canale di immigrazionelavoro. La convenzione ha rappresentato per le donne 6 alquanto preoccupante inun notevole passo in avanti in quanto ha quanto comportera quasi sicuramente undato la possibility ai lavoratori stagionali ostacolo al loro processo di emancipazione.privi di permesso di fare domanda per i Non solo, ma come sottolineato da Parmeg- relativi documenti. giani (Parmeggiani, 1992, p. 84) costituira Per quanto riguarda la promozione di anche un ostacolo per quanto riguarda la corsidialfabetizzazione, insegnamento loro liberty di circolazione, the e stretta-della lingua italiana e formazione profes- mente legata a quella del marito. Secondosionale per le donne, sembra che sia ancora la legge, esse infatti finiscono per esserepossibile fare leva su alcune leggi nazion- mere appendici dei mariti immigrati: i loroali. II Comune di Bologna ha per() recente- diritti cessano di esistere laddove cessanomente dimostrato di volere lasciare questo quelli di questi ultimi, indipendentementetipo di iniziative alla responsabilita delle dalla loro volonta (Parmeggiani, 1992, pp.associazioni di volontariato che si sono 83-85). La legge einoltreinterpretatarivelate estremamente attive frait1990 alquanto rigidamente dagliufficidella e it 1993 (vedere Tavola 6). Questura italiana, dai quali dipende la decisione finale sull'idoneita al ricongiungimento.

24 Tuttitalia, No. 10, December 1994 Le immigrate sono state in qualche modo Conclusioni l'obiettivo di molte di queste politiche; la Non si possono certo trarre conclusionipresente analisi ha voluto dimostrare tut- definitive dalla presente discussione intavia che esse non hanno ne reale possibi- base al materiale esaminato. Una cosa elity di accesso alle risorse, ne possibility di chiara, comunque: vi sono modi diversi in partecipare (con poche eccezioni). Anche a cui questioni particolari di politica comuni-Bologna, dove vi sono stati tentativi di taria vengono trasmesse ai diversi livelli diavviamentodiprogrammiinquesta applicazione legislativa. direzione, le donne stanno cominciando Delle tre aree in esamepan opportunity,soltanto ora ad avere voce in capitolo, pro- razzismo e immigrazionee la politica per leprio quando it clima e in netto peggiora- pari opportunity quella che sembra averemento. avuto it maggiore effetto sulla legislazione Restera da vedere se e come ci sara la locale. In questo caso, infatti, e possibile trac- volonta, a livello localebolognese, ciare una linea continua dalle direttive UEnazionale italiano, nonche europeo, di allalegislazionenazionaleitalianafino risolvere i conflitti crescenti in un'Unione all'applicazione da parte del Comune diEuropea che sta divenendo sempre phi Bologna. I finanziamenti che hanno accom-xenofoba. pagnato queste leggi hanno creato un legame che, per quanto debole, collega Bruxelles a Bologna edefacilmenteindividuabile. Note L'accento messo di recente sugli aspetti 1.Parte di questo articolo a un estratto da C. transnazionali di tale politica ha anche dato Hoskyns e M. Orsini-Jones, 'Immigrant buoni frutti, come nel caso dello scambio fra Women in Italy: Perspectives from Brussels Bologna e Coventry. Questa politica ha quirt- and Bologna', pubblicato contemporanea- dicreato una cornice di legittimazione mente a questo sulla rivista The European all'interno della quale Bologna 6 stata in Journal of Women's Studies. Ringraziamo grado di dare la propria impronta (in questo Margit van der Steen, direttrice della rivista, per averci permesso di pubblicare la caso si e dimostrato un impegno maggiore parte su Bologna in italiano su Tuttitalia. nei confronti delle donne di quanto non si L'articolo e nato da un intervento fatto da fosse dato a Bruxelles, e, per quanto riguarda C. HoskynseM.Orsini-Jonesalla i progetti, una preferenza alle cooperative Association for the Study of Modern Italy come tipo di impresa). Annual Conference, 'Migration in Italy in E significativo che negli anni Settanta e the 20th Century', tenutasi a Londra it 26 e Ottanta a Bruxelles non si sentisse una par- 27 novembre 1993. ticolare preoccupazione nei confronti delle 2.Si pub vedere a tal proposito it modo in cui questioni etniche e dei rapporti interetnici. una giornalista de La Repubblica si riferisce CO ha comportato un vuoto che e stato alle prostitute slave come

Tuttitalia, No. 10, December 1994 2 25 (UE). Ne fanno parte donne coinvolte in itgruppodiCoventryhapercepito organizzazioni sia su base nazionale, sia l'atteggiamento italiano in senso paternali- europea. Si prega di notare che si e deciso stico, mentre gli Italiani hanno criticato gli di cambiare la denominazione CEE con UE, Inglesi per una visione a loro giudizio trop- in seguito al recente cambiamento di termi- po limitata che porterebbe, secondo loro, nologia alivello europeo, su consiglio alla ghettizzazione degli immigrati. dell'Ambasciata Italiana a Londra. 16.Riguardo alle donne italiane e alle pari 5.Si vedano in proposito le deliberazioni UE opportunity si pub consultare l'ottimo rias- del giugno 1994 sulle maggiori restrizioni suntofattodallagiornalistaStefanella riguardanti i permessi di residenza per gli Campana su La Stampa di giovedi 16 dicem- emigrati dal Terzo Mondo (vari articoli su bre 1993, p. 32: «PM donne nell'economia e tutte le testate nazionali, 21 giugno 1994). it lavoro cambia». 6.Si vedano in proposito una serie di articoli 17.Le donne di Coventry (in maggioranza di su La Repubblica e sulle altre testate nazio- origineasiatica)chesisono recatea nali dell'8 e 9 giugno 1994. Bologna nel 1992 sono state colpite in senso 7.Ne ha parlato in questi termini Martin positivo dal diverso approccio rispetto alla Jacques, nel programma Assignment formazione delle donne immigrate in Italia trasmesso nell'aprile 1993 dalla rete BBC2. (per lo piu magrebine), cioe dall'accento 8.L'attuale sindaco Vitali, per esempio, e suc- posto sulla creazione di cooperative piut- ceduto a Imbeni, dopo che questi ha dato le tosto che sull'iniziativa privata. dimissioni in base alla necessity di un cam- 18.Non siamo riuscite ad ottenere la data esat- biamento di leadership. ta. All'Ambasciata di Londra pensano che it 9.L'aumento si e verificato soprattutto fra it Ministero abbia cessato di esistere nel 1990, 1985 e it 1992. ma non ne sono certi. 10.Ci si riferisce qui alle cifre fornite dal 19.Si veda in proposito una intervista rilasciata Ministero degli Interni per it 1991. Le cifre al quotidiano La Stampa dal Ministro Guidi, relative ai clandestini possono essere solo «Si a un filtro intelligente: bisogna tutelare i stime: quella del 2% e data da fonti locali, phi deboli», 21 giugno 1994, p. 5. come it Comune di Bologna, inchieste di giornali (La Stampa del 21 giugno 1994, tra gli altri), e la chiesa cattolica (Caritas). Riferimenti bibliografici 11.Si vedano le Tavole 4 e 5 riguardanti leZ. Abdel Aziz, intervento senza titolo fatto nazionalita di provenienza delle immigrate. all'incontrodistudioL'immigrazionea 12.Il dubbio sul fatto che non sia etico avere Bologna: le politiche comunali perit1991, una donna, specie se sottopagata e di co- Bologna, Comune di Bologna, 1991a, pp. lore, come domestica, ha fatto solo un timi- 105-15. da comparsa tra le donne di sinistra che ne Z. Abdel Aziz, intervento senza titolo fatto al hanno discussobrevementesulla stam- convegno L'emigrazione al femminile, in R. pa nazionale net 1992. Bonoli (a cura di), L'emigrazione al femminile: 13. Le leggi sono uguali sia per le COLE Atti del Convegno, Bologna, Regione Emilia- bianche che per quelle immigrate, se sono Romagna, Consulta Regionale per in possesso dei documenti necessari.II l'Emigrazione e l'Immigrazione,vol.7, problema consiste nel lassismo con cui le 1991b, pp. 183-6. leggi vengono normalmente applicate in M. Alamin, intervento senza titolo fatto al con- Italia, che da adito allo sfruttamento delle vegno di cui sopra, L'emigrazione al fem- immigrate. minile, op. cit., 1991. 14. Il tema del divario fra teoria e pratica e uno Z. Argata Sabatini, intervento senza titolo fatto di quelli che ha maggiormente interessato alla conferenza Prima Conferenza Regionale lo scambio fra le citta gemelle di Bologna e delle Associazioni degli Immigrati, Bologna, Coventry (1984-1993). Su questo argomen- Regione Emilia-Romagna, 3 aprile 1993. to e sulle impressioni delle donne immi- L. Balbo e L. Manconi, I razzismi reali, Milano, grate rispetto a Bologna, si veda it gia citato Feltrinelli, 1992. video Oltremare: Qui e Altrove (Bologna, G. Caccialupi, «L'assistenza sanitaria agli immi- SezioneFemminile PDS,Realizzazione grati da parte di una struttura pubblica: it Movie Movie, 1991). Centro per la salute delle donne straniere 15. E interessante che durante lo scambio dell'USL 28 di Bologna. Prima Analisi di Bologna-Coventry siano stati espressi punti esperienze», in Society Multietnica: appunti e di vista molto diversi fra loro sull'inte- dati sul fenomeno migratorio in provincia di grazione dalle diverse parti. Nel complesso, Bologna, Bologna, Provincia di Bologna,

26 30 Tuttitalia, No. 10, December 1994 1993, n. 4, pp. 53-8. P.Vitiello,«II centro stranieri della Caritas G. Campani, «Donne immigrate in Italia», in G. Diocesana di Bologna», in Society Cocchi (a cura di), Stranieri in Italia: caratteri Multietnica, op. cit., 1993, pp. 88-94. e tendenze dell'immigrazione dai paesi extraco- «Supplement° sulla Legge 215/92 », su Noidonne, munitari, Bologna, Istituto Carlo n. 7-8,1992. Cattaneo/Misure, 1989, pp. 3-16. Sono inoltre stati consultati i testi integrali delle A. Del Mugnaio, proposta per it nuovo Progetto leggi citate. per l'Immigrazione, Bologna, Comune diPer una bibliografia completa sull'argomento Bologna, 1993. vedereU.Melchionda,L'immigrazione European Women's Lobby,Confrontingthe stranierainItalia.Repertoriobibliografico, Fortress Black and Migrant Women in the Roma, Edizioni Lavoro ISCOS, 1993. European Community, 1993. G. Favaro e M. Tognetti Bordogna, Politiche socialiedimmigratistranieri, Roma, La Ringraziamenti Nuova Italia, 1989. Sono moltissime le donne (e alcuni uomini) the M. Garoia, intervento senza titolo fatto all'incon- ci hanno aiutate a completare questo lavoro. tro di studio di cui sopra, L'emigrazione al Ringraziamo in particolare: femminile, op. cit., 1991, pp. 104-7. in Italia: R. Hamidi, «Forme di rappresentanza», inter -Zenab Abdel Aziz (Presidente, Associazione vento fatto alla Prima Conferenza Regionale Donne Arabe, membro della Consulta delle Associazioni degli Immigrati, op. cit., Regionale per 1'Immigrazione della 1993. Regione Emilia-Romagna);ZitaArgata M.MoruzzieA.Fiorenza,Progettoper Sabattini (Presidente, Associazione Donne l'Immigrazione, Bologna, Comune di Filippine, membro della Consulta Bologna / Assessorato alle Politiche Sociali, Regionale per 1'Immigrazione della 1990. RegioneEmilia-Romagna);JulaBleta M. Moruzzi, Nota sullo stato di attuazione del pro- (Presidente, Associazione Para mana, getto immigrazione e proposte per it completa- Bologna); Giovanna Campani mento della prima fase di intervento, Bologna, (Professoressa, University di Firenze); Paola Comune di Bologna, 1991. Castagnotto (Assessorealla Pubblica M. Palazzi, «Donne extracomunitarie in Emilia- Istruzione, Comune di Ferrara); Loretta Romagna», in R. Bono li (a cura di), L'emi- Michelini (Cooperativa Progetto grazione al femminile, op.cit.,1991, pp. Integrazione,Bologna);MartaMurotti 19-37. (Presidente, FILEF, Bologna e Direttore L. Parmeggiani, «I diritti delle donne migranti», della rivista Emilia-Romagnanel mondo); in Parity e differenza: tesi del corso operatrici di Lara Parmeggiani (Progetto Donna, parity, Bologna, Bromurodargento, 1992, Comune di Bologna); pp. 77-102. nel Regno Unito (a Coventry): A.Pesce,Un'altraEmilia-Romagna, Bologna, Glynis Cousin (Tile Hill College); Phil Dunn, Commissione Regionale per la Angela Evans, Harriet Gore, Brian Parker e Realizzazione dellaParityfra Uomo e Ann Selby (City Council); David Jones Donna, 1991. (SeniorLecturerinEnglish,Coventry P. Santini, V. Sogni e L. Squarzoni, University);CathyPreston(Women's «Considerazioni sul profilo del consigliere EducationCoordinator,Departmentof di parity nell'Ente Provinciale», in Parity e ContinuingEducation,University of differenza, op. cit., 1992, pp. 16-74. Warwick).

Tuttitalia, No. 10, December 1994 27 1.-Le dimensioni del fenomeno a Bologna:

al31 maggio 1993

Cittadini italiani residenti a Bologna 392.337 Cittadini stranieri residenti a Bologna 5.687

totale 398.024

PROGRESSIONE DELLE PRESENZE DI EXTBACOMUNITARI NELLA CITTA DI BOLOGNA

dic-90mar-91 giu-92 oft-92 mag-93

popolazione residente 412.000411.172399.315396.758 392.337 residentistranieri 4.063 3.038 5.650 5.974 5.687 totale 416.063414.210404.965402.732 398.024

percentuale stranieri 0,98 0,73 1,40 1,48 1,43

mag -93

ott-92

O residentistrar giu-92 residentiitali

mar-91

,AAVaiee:. di c 0 \''';c;

380.000 390.000 400.000 410.000 420.000

residenti italiani e stranieri a Bologna

Tavola 1

28 Tuttitalia, No. 10, December 1994 SERVIZIO IMMIGRAZIONE

extracomunitari dic-90mar-91 giu-92 ott-92 mag-93 censiti dal Servizio Immigrazione 1.627 1.808 2.180 2.725 2.062 presenti nei Centri di accoglienza 1.025 903 1.472 1.306 1.238 63,00 49,94 67,52 47,93 60,04

3.000

2.500 is

to 2.000 1.500 dic-90 mar-91 1.000 giu-92 00

0 ott-92 censiti dal Servizio Immigrazione

mag-93 presenti nei Centri di accoglienza

0 presenti nei Centri di accogliei censiti dal Servizio Immigraz

Grafico 2: confronto tra censiti e presenti nei Centri di accoglienza

Extracomunitari privi di alloggio censiti a Bologna dal 1/1/90'al 31/5/93 4 .1 20 assenti a successivi censimenti 1.343 espulsi o allontanatisi dalle strutture di accoglienza 702 2.045

Privi di alloggio presenti a Bologna of 31/5/93 2.075

nei Centri di accoglienza (ex scuole, prefabbricwi, appartamenti, centri per famiglie) 1.238 senza alcuna dimora 837 2.075

Tavola 2

Tuttitaiia, No. 10, December 1994 3 29 SESSO

nei centri in altri totale To'. di prima accoglienza insediamemi

maschi 1021 566 1.587 97,54 femmine 4 36 40 2,46 1025 6 0 2 1627

2,46%

maschi

femmine

97,54%

Grafico n° 3: Sesso (tutti)

RICERCA SOCIALE SIGH IMMIGRATI A BOLOGNA

Tavola 3

.:.0. 3 4 30 Tuttitalia, No. 10, December 1994 Tay. H Stranierf resident' per cittadlnann a sessoal 31 dlcembre 1991 a 1992 (1) 1992 1991 1992 1991 Plea Pus Mt- M F MF M F MF M F MF M F

915 7281.9431.149 7931.942 Europa 733 7641.497 800 7851.585 Aala 7 65 Bangladesh 16 16 27 at Albania 18 1 19 58 23 Bhutan 7 7 7 277 rim a Austria 5 17 22 5 18 9 19 Cambogia 1 1 0 K b belga 9 9 18 10 13 16 Cana 220 180 400 247 219 466 rc og Bulgaria 4 11 15 3 5 9 Crum 3 2 5 1 1 2 cy cs Cecosavacctia 7 6 13 4 Corea del Slid 1 4 5 1 4 5 mk Uammarca 5 11 16 5 14 19 clk 315 495 rp 1 4 '5 Ilippete 147 301 448 180 st Pinlandia 1 5 6 169 Liappone 6 13 19 11 18 29 pp t 1-ranaa 52 126 178 52 117 74 89 163 Cilordana 58 5 63 48 4 52 pr d (iermana 70 92 162 India 9 18 27 9 16 25 incl gr Greta 240 100 340 214 92 306 3 3 6 3 3 6 n in Irtancla 3 3 6 2 3 5 Maness Iran 166 80 246 154 79 233 rr yu ex Yugoslavia 54 45 99 99 73 172 3 4 7 irq 0 1 1 Iraq 6 3 9 I Lussemburgo 97 4 1 6 israele 72 38 110 63 34 m matta 5 1 6 5 1 1 2 1 2 3 tao n Norvegia 1 3 4 0 2 2 Laos 30 8 38 32 8 40 rl ni Paest)dassi 22. 16 38 23 21 44 Man° 7 3 10 7 4 11 mal pl ?Mona 22 32 54 23 34 57 Malaise Maldive 1 1 1 1 m1 p Portogallo 4 12 16 6 15 22 0 1 1 om go Hegno Urals 101 101 202 94 86 180 ()man 39 Paltistan 29 29 208 208 pak rsmPlep.di San Manno 22 20 42 22 17 1 1 1 1 sgp r Montana 7 20 27 12 16 28 Singapore 43 14 57 46 15 61 sy e Spagna 27 57 84 34 61 95 Sala 7 10 Sn Lanka 67. 42 109 75 50 125 a S Svena 4 6 10 3 I moan 2 1 3 3 .1 4 tw co Svizzera 38 45 83 39 46 85 I hadanclia 3 3 0 6 6 t h Ungnena 7 12 19 6 14 20 25 I urcna 16 5 21 18 7 25 tr su ex U.M.S.S. 5 13 18 5 20 Yemen del Nord 4 4 2 2 Jen

3 1 2 3 vn Africa 700 3201.020 1.356 3631.719 Vietnam 3 2 21 ciz Argena 19 19 19 3 America 230 293 523 209 321 530 and Angola 1 1 3 3 Argentina 13 21 34 12 22 34 ra br Burkina Faso 1 1 3 1 1 -DOS 1 1 1 Barbados 1 1 rti Burundi 1 7 Bohm 2 1 3 2 2 Dot cm eamerun 6 6 7 8 12 Brasne 18 61 79 17 70 87 br cv (Apo Verde 2 9 11 4 0 Canada 10 8 18 8 8 16 can tch Cad 1 1 2 16 26 42 16 27 43 rch a Costs d'Avono 3 3 3 1 4 elle 1 10 10 20 12 16 28 on rcb Congo 2 2 4 1 Coimbra 2 1 3 1 3 4 cr et Egttto 81 19 100 79 19 98 Costa 'Cita 267 Cuba 2 1 3 3 3 6 c em =pa 85 187 272 91 176 1 4 Uominica 0 0 wt' ga (i3D0r1 4 1 5 3 Ecuador 1 4 5 1 4 5 ec gn Ghana 1 2 3 2 2 4 1 0 El Salvador 2 2 2 2 els M Ciibuti 1 1 1 1 2 Ciiamaka 0 1 p rg Uurnea 1 1 1 1 Guatemala 1 1 1 1 gca gubGuinea Bissau 1 1 Hata 1 1 1 1 m eaKKenia 4 3 7 6 4 10 Messioo 5 7 12 4 9 13 mex lib Libia 12 4 16 8 4 12 2 Nicaragua 4 10 14 4 7 11 nic and Madagascar 1 1 2 1 2 3 5 pa rmm Mali 5 3 8 5 2 7 Panama 2 3 1 1 0 py ma Marocco 221 44 265 700 73 773 Paraguay I 13 27 40 12 34 46 pe ms Mauna 4 9 13 5 8 13 Peru' 18 25 dom mzb Mozambico 0 1 1 Hep. Uomentcana 6 15 21 7 60 177 list wan Nigeria 27 10 37 29 14 43 U.S.A. 113 83 196 97 1 1 2 1 1 2 u rca Hap. Centrafticana 0 1 1 Uruguay Venezuela 12 10 22 10 10 20 yv nva Huanda 2 2 2 2 sip Sao iome4 Prinape 1 1 1 1 70 Oceania 5 7 12 5 7 12 sn Senegal 34 34 70 Australia 5 6 11 5 5 10 aus sy Sernelles 5 4 9 5 4 9 44 Nuova Lelancla 1 '1 2 2 nz sm Somata 18 10 28 21 23 1 1 2 za Sul Atnca 1 1 2 4 5 9 4 5 9 apo aidSudan 2 2 3 3 Apollde eat lanzama 0 1 1 1 0 tg I °go 1 In I unc a 153 8 161 281: 13 295 eauUgama 0 1 1 1 In cOmplesao 2.5872.1174.7043.5232.2745.797 zr laire 2 2 1

Tavola 4 35 Tuttitalia, No. 10, December 1994 31.

BEST COPYAVAILABLE Ruolo familiars delle donne di cittadinanza etiopico- eritrea e filippina nel comune di Bologna e egiziana nel comune di Reggio Emilia. Valorl relativi a 100 CITTADINANZA Ruolo familiareEtiopico-eritrea Filippine Egiziana Capo-famiglia 63,60 67,30 8,30 Moglie 9,20 21,30 48,60 Fig lia 16,90 6,60 40,30 Madre 2,20 - Sorella 2,70 Cugina - 0,60 Nipote - - 1,40 Zia - 0,70 Convivente 5,40 3, 60 Altro 0,60 0,70 Totale 100,00 100,00 100,00

Font!: Comune di Bologna e Comune di Reggio Emilia, Deli anagralici.

Distribuzione per eta delle residenti di nazionalita etiopico-eritrea e filippina nel comune di Bologna e egiziana nel comune di Reggio Emilia. Valori relativi a 100 CITTADINANZA Classi di eta Etiopico-eritrea Filippine Egiziana 0- 5 3,80 4,80 21,50 6 -14 8,70 1,20 1 8,80 15 - 24 6,10 4,20 4, 20 25 34 1 5,20 42,50 36,1 0 35 - 44 4 4, 6 0 37,70 1 7,30

45 54 1 5,70 9,00 1, 4 0 55 64 5,40 0,60 0 , 7 0 65 74 0,50 - - Totale 100,00 1 00, 00 100,00

Distribuzione per stato civile delle residenti di cittadi. nanza etiopico-eritrea e filippina nel comune di Bologna e egiziana nel comune di Reggio Emilia. Valor! relativi a 100 CITTADINANZA Stato civile Etiopico-eritrea Filippine Egiziana nubile 62,50 62,50 44,80 coniugata 23,00 35,70 54,50 vedova 9,80 1,20 0,70 separ/divorz 3,80 0,60 Totale 100,00 100,00 100,00 Tavola 5

32 Tuttitalia, No. 10, December 1994 Progetto Donna (PD) Attivita organizzate per le donne immigrate1989/1993

1989 1. Conferenza /Incontro su e con donne cilene. L'incontro verte sulle difficolta che queste donne incontrano a loro rientro in Cile, dopo un'esperienza di emigrazione. 2. Giornata /Conferenza sulla donna araba. PD produce una guida bilingue in arabo e italiano sui servizi disponibili a Bologna per le donne immigrate che viene distribuito a tutti i partecipanti alla conferenza.

1990 1. Seminario sulle pari opportunity sul lavoro e sulle donne nell'impresa. 2. PD collabora all'organizzazione del convegno regionale (organizzata dalla Consulta Regionale per l'Emigrazione e l'Immigrazione dell'Emilia-Romagna) sulle donne emigrate ed immigrate, 'L'emigrazione al femminile', Bologna, 12-13 gennaio.

1992 1. PD organizza un corso per sarte/operatrici tessili utilizzando fondi sociali dell'UE ed in collaborazione con Pangea (un'associazione di volontariato fondata da donne e uomini immigrati insieme ad Italiani), Paramana (un'associazione di volontariato formata da donne italiane e donne immigrate), e Cooperativa Progetto Integrazione (una cooperativa creata da donne italiane e donne immigrate). II corso dura 5 mesi e finisce it 5 marzo 1993. In occasione della Giornata della Donna dell'8 marzo 1993, le donne immigrate presentano le loro creazioni di moda ad una sfilata organizzata dalle associazioni di cui sopra in collaborazione con le donne del PDS.II festival delle donne include inoltre una scena multiculturale con esposizione di artigianato e cibi tradizionali preparati sia da donne bolognesi, sia da donne immigrate. 2. PD partecipa allo scambio tra donne immigrate di Coventry (di origine principalmente asiatica) e Bologna (di origine principalmente magrebina). In ottobre un gruppo di donne di Coventry visita it centro da cui opera Progetto Donna e incontra le donne che frequentano it corso per sarte. 3. PD partecipa all'organizzazione dell'incontro di studio su «Donne immigrate e ricongiungimento familiare: le politiche sociali nell'applicazione del diritto», organizzato dalla FILEF (Federazione Italiana Lavoratori Italiani Emigrati e Famiglie) in collaborazione con la gia citata Cooperativa Progetto Integrazione e con it sostegno degli enti locali e di molte associazioni di volontariato. 4. PD ottiene fondi sociali UE al fine di creare un centro per donne immigrate di origine araba. Il centro includerebbe bagni turchi ed una lavanderia. L'obiettivo sarebbe di permettere alle donne arabe di creare una propria cooperativa utilizzando ability preesistenti (la tradizione del massaggio, della cura del corpo, nonche la cura degli abiti ed it rammen- do). Purtroppo gli stanziamenti iniziali vengono utilizzati dal Comune per creare centri di prima accoglienza la cui utenza e principalmente maschile. 5. PD riceve un secondo stanziamento di fondi UE ed it progetto diviene parte integrante del Progetto per l'Immigrazione stilato da Anna Del Mugnaio ed approvato nel gennaio del 1994. Progetto Donna ha terminato di esistere nel 1994, in quanto it Comune ha deliberato di assorbire le sue funzioni all'interno di una commission comunale.

Tavola 6

37 Tuttitalia, No. 10, December 1994 33 Servizi principali disponibili per donne immigrate a Bologna

Progetto Donna (vedere Tavola 2), 1989 (Comune di Bologna); Centro Stranieri (Centro di assistenza per immigrati, per documenti, prima accoglienza, ecc.), 1987; - Centro di documentazioneCD/LEI (Centro di Documentazione e Laboratorio per un'Educazione Interculturale), 1993 (Comune e University di Bologna); - Associazioni per immigrati in generale edonne immigrate in particolare (volontariato), quali: Associazione delle donne arabe dell'Emilia-Romagna (1988), Associazione delle donne filippine (?), Paramana (1990), Cooperativa progetto integrazione (1991). Le associazioni sono in genere legate al coordinamento delle singole comunita (filippina, cinese, ecc.); Centro stranieri della Caritas Diocesana di Bologna (1977). Legato alla chiesa, fu it primo ente 'ufficiale' a provvedere servizi per immigrati. Nel marzo del 1993 ha creato quattro appartamenti per donne immigrate con emergenza casa (Sperandio e Vertuani, 1993); - Parroci e arcipreti bolognesi nelleparrocchie dei vari quartieri. I preti vengono in genere preferiti, in caso di bisogno, da immigrate non provviste di documenti, in quanto garanti- scono discrezione assoluta. Spesso la popolazione locale si rivolge al parroco se vuole im- piegare una COLF (comunicazione personale); - Sezioni femminili all'internodi sindacati e partiti, soprattutto CGIL e PDS rispettivamente; - Centro per la salute delle donne stranieredell'USL 28 di Bologna: primo «welfare centre» creato unicamente per donne immigrate in Italia. Le consulenze sono assicurate in italiano, francese ed inglese dalle operatrici sanitarie, in arabo e cinese dalle mediatrici culturali the sono donne appartenenti rispettivamente alle comunita marocchina e cinese (Caccialupi, 1993, pp. 58-9).

Tavola 7

34 Tuttitalia, No. 10, December 1994 CUP-CARD PER I CITTADINI EXTRACOMUNITARI DI LINGUA ARABA RESIDENTI IN CITTA'

Figura 1

39 Tuttitalia, No. 10, December 1994 35 501\10 VENOTA MI HAI A TocTLIERTI PORTATO ILCHADOR. Li'DENT1EPR

Figura 2 da: Agenda ottomarzo, 1993-94, A. M. Lanfranco (omaggio de «L'Unita»)

36 Tuttitalia, No. 10, December 1994 The infernal pilgrimage: a study of Giorgio Caproni's Stanze della funicolare (2): Part I

Catharine Mackenzie University of Hull

The poem to be analysed in this essay come profondamente vibra ai vetri, forms the second part of a series of verses anneriti dal tunnel, quella pigra which have the collective title of Stanze della corda inflessibile che via trascina funicolare; in de profundis gli utenti e li ha in balia its turn, this collection of nei sobbalzi di feltro! E una banchina poems is drawn from Il passaggio d'Enea, a bianca, o la tomba, che su in galleria collection written by Caproni between 1943 ora tenue traluce mentre odora and 1955. It is therefore helpful, although gia l'aria d'alba? E l'aperto, ed e la perhaps not essential, to consider Versi, the che procede la cordanon 6 l'ora poem to be analysed, both in the context ofquesta, nel buffo, di chiedere l'alt. the railway verses and in the wider context of the collection. The text under considera- E all'improvviso una brezza che apre, tion is reproduced below. allo sbocco del tunnel, con le spine delle sue luci acide le enfiate, fragili vene piu lievi di trine Stanze della funicolare sanguigne e di capelli dentro gli &chi d'improvviso feritie d'improvviso 1. Interludio l'alba che sa di rifresco dai cocci e dai rifiuti gelidi, e sul viso E intanto ho conosciuto l'Erebo scopre pei finestrini umidi un'urbe - l'inverno in una latteria. cui i marciapiedi deserti gia i primi Ho conosciuto la mia fragori di carrette urgono. A turbe Proserpina, che nella scialba s'urgono gli spazzini cui gli orecchi veste lavava all'alba ha arrossato una sveglia urlando l'ora i nebbiosi bicchieri. nel profondo del sangue, neppur qua pub aver tregua la cordanon e l'ora Ho conosciuto neri questa, nel caos, di chiedere l'alt. tavolianime in fretta posare la bicicletta E lentamente, in un brivido, l'arca, allo stipite, e entrare di detrito in detrito, entro la lieve a perdersi tra i vapori. nausea s'inoltraoscillando defalca E ho conosciuto rossori i mercati di pesce e d'erbe, e it piede mani indicibili via sospinge di felpa oltre le bianche di gelo sulla segatura rocce del giorno. E laddove un colore rancida, e senza figura di febbre la trascorre sulle panche nel fumo la ragazza ancora intorpidite, a un tratto al sole che aspetta con la sua tazza ahi quale orchestra frange fresca it mare vuota la mia paura. col suo respiro di plettri. Col rame d'un primo melodioso tram nel sale di cui l'etere vibra, fra it sartiame 2. Versi d'un porto ancora tenero un'aurora ecco di mandolini entro cui gia Una funicolare dove porta, ronza chiusa altra spintaecco un'altr'ora amici, nella notte? Le pareti in cui impossibile e chiedere l'alt. preme una lampada elettrica, morta nei vapori dei fiatipremon cheti rombi velati di polvere e d'olio E via per scogli freschissimi ed aria, lo scorrevole cavo. E come vibra, nella tremula Genova, l'antico

Tuttitalia, No. 10, December 1994 37 .4. legname della barca a fune in aria l'arca a quel peso di buio, ma ancora nero travalica i pontil'intrico non l'arresta it suo cavovia la fa scande d'obliqui deviamenti, e giunge scivolare in silenzio verso altr'ora per terrazze a conoscere l'aperta d'un phi probabile labile alt trasparenza del giorno. Ove se punge umido ancora l'occhio una phi certa E i fanali ... Che sera e mai accaduta? scoscesa di cristalli e ardesie, e vela quale notte prelude? Una sterrata guai se spinge l'utente oltre it dosato zona scintilla di cocci e di muta passo del cavo l'incanto! Si vela luna, ch'ora in silenzio copre e aerata it vetro al vaporoso grido, e it fiato luce di pioggia promessa. La prua in nebula condensa la parola volge l'arca a Staglieno, e se la mano che in nomi vani appanna l'ariala porta l'utente a bocca, la sua cristallina presenza entro cui l'ora fronte e spruzzata a un tratto da un lontano giusta e sfuggita di chiedere l'alt. sciame di gocce gelide che al cuore l'abbandono impediscono. Giti i vetri L'ora che accendono bianche le tende tira, ma ormai una musica incolore agitate alla prima brezza, e al mare altri vetri infittiscerada stria reca ragazze it cui sciame discende di lucori la notte, all'inodora fresco le scalinatearde di chiare promessa sorvolando muta, la maglie la lana e l'acuta profluvie cheta barca procede verso altr'ora di capelli e di risa, e gli arrossati forse phi giusta di chiedere l'alt. calcagni acri nei sandali tra esuvie di conchiglie ristora e vetri. I lati E intanto, quale fresca pioggia cade, vibrano della muta arpa che inclina notturna, sulla buia funivia unicorde a altre baize, ma gia un Righi che lentissima scivola e pervade rosso da un'altra Genova la cima di silenzio la zona? Mentre via, tira inflessibile al cavodai gridi via essa ascende vibrando sottile l'arca e dalle persiane verdi l'ora nella tenebra dolce, da una loggia stacca come un sospiro, oltre cui sta che una nebula sciacqua, altra sottile di specchiere freschissima la sola acqua d'argento s'accendee una pioggia stanza ove lieve era chiedere l'alt. phi fresca del respiro che dal mare all'utente apre it petto, ora ch'ei tocca E la mano, chi muove ora? chi accende timido it fildirame cui trasale la mano corallina che saluta lontanissimo un timpano. La bocca trasparente di sangue, ora che intende apre stupita a quel trillo, ma ancora di soprassalto la barca la cupa sulle lastre lavate la citta mazza di mezzogiorno sul bandone dal profondo altre voci porgealtr'ora ondulato che rulla? A un'Oregina in cui ii nichelio non pub segnar l'alt. grigia di casamenti ove it furgone duro s'inerpica, ahime se una prima E la funicolare dolce dove nube la copre mentre una sassata sale, bagnata e celeste, nell'urna fa in frantumi quel sanguementre oscura della citta di mare umida? dove, l'ombra del carro la frigida erbata col suo cavo oliatissima e notturna, Era it pietrisco e i bucati, e a lungo d'una altri scogli raggiunge e una sfilata guerra ch'e esplosa a squarciagola, scola di ragazze in amore? A marinai come a grandine un tetto! Forse e qua porgono, andando, la spalla spruzzata che si teme l'arresto? o forse e l'ora sulle selci ove cantanoove mai fra i panni scialbi di chiedere l'alt? cadde minuta una pioggia piu fresca sul tepore degli aliti. E sul mare Forse qui e Yurto . Ma no!allo Zerbino che ancora tenerissimo rinfresca alto sopra le carceri, nel grigio col suo lume la notte, ahi se compare fiato di tramontana ora un bambino fra le nubi una luna di cui odora corre ancora di piumeporta it viso come un pesce la pietra! ... Perche qua ad un palmo dai vetri, e se scompare non s'arresta la corda? perche l'ora nel colpo che di tenebra riannera neppure in sogno e di chiedere l'alt? l'aria, fra le rovine d'aria appare dei genovesi in raduno la nera Oh, una brezza ha potenza, e via trascina, mutriala gara a bocce col nitore con in cavo inflessibile, anche it suono entro l'arca di colpe chiude. Inclina di quei sandali freschi e della prima

38 42 Tuttitalia, No. 10, December 1994 voce che si alza sulle altre. E nel tuono The title I/ passaggio d'Enea refers to the bianco che it mare fa sulla banchina plight of the classical hero Aeneas, who superata dall'arca, in un lucore was doomed to wander the earth after the nuovo una nebbia l'appannab la prima capture of Troy in search of a location for a luce d'un'alba che non ha calore di figure e di suoni, e verso cui new city. The main theme of this collection l'arca silenziosissima sospira of poetry, therefore, is that of the wayfarer la sua ultima meta. Ma nei bui whose destination is unknown: an allegory bar lungomare, ohime la lampadina of the journey of life towards death, confu- che a carbone s'accende per la sola sion towards enlightenment, or perhaps donna che lava in terrache gia sa just simply movement itself. Aeneas' con- fra i bicchieri del latte ove sia l'ora dition could be said to symbolise restless- in cui l'utente pub chiedere l'alt! ness and disorientation, particularly as he does not know his destination, and simi- Perche e nebbia, e la nebbia e nebbia, e it latte larly human beings do not know their spiri- nei bicchieri b ancor nebbia, e nebbia ha nella cornea la donna che in ciabatte tual destination, having a rather vague and lava la soglia di quei magri bar confused notion of their place and signifi- dove in Erebo b it passo. E, Proserpina cance in the universe. Bearing this literary o una scialba ragazza, mentre sciacqua reference in mind, then, Versi and Stanze i nebbiosi bicchieri, la mattina della funicolare both represent aspects of this b lei che apre alla nebbia che acqua metaphysical journey in concrete terms. (solo acqua di nebbia) ha nella nebbia The journey is also considered in other molle del sole in cui vana scompare poems in this collection, such as L'ascensore l'arca alla vista. La copre la nebbia and Epilogo. vuota dell'alba, e la funicolare gia lontana ed insipida, scolora Versi could thus be seen as a seminal nella nebbia di latte ove si sfa poem in this collection, despite its unas- l'ultima voglia di chiedere l'ora suming title. Taking the theme of the jour- fra quei lenzuolo di chiedere l'alt. neytemporal, intellectual or otherwise as a starting point, I would like first to Before embarking on a specific discussionexamine the development of this and rel- of the poem, I would like to establish its sig- ated themes throughout the course of the nificance in terms of its context. As the sec- poem, and then to move on to other issues ond part of Stanze della funicolare, it describes such as versification, structure and style. a journey by cable railway out of Genoa, Literally, the poem depicts a journey whereas the first part, Interludio, was con-made by cable railway through and out of cerned with people waiting in a milk bar Genoa, and lasting around 24 hours, from this sets the scene for Versi and introduces one dawn to the beginning of the following various concepts by acquainting the readerday. Various uses of recurrent imagery with the milk bar and the waitress working(which I shall explain in more detail later inside; both will figure significantly ason), a certain formality of style, and particu- images in the conclusion of Versi. Althoughlarly the classical references at the end of Persephone is working in a milk bar, andthis poem to Hell and Persephone, would not at a railway station, the connection issuggest that this journey goes beyond the made through Versi, and the bar is perhaps apurely literal, becoming metaphysical or sort of stop-off, a gateway to lands beyond,even mythical in nature. If the passengers a suggestion confirmed by the conclusion ofin the train are destined for Hell, then the the poem. Thus Interludio introduces thejourney might be seen as an allegory of the allegory of the waitress washing the milkjourney of life towards death, of the search glasses, who is identified as Persephone, thefor meaning in the universe, or the inex- suggestion that Hell (l'Erebo), her traditional plicably frustrating human condition of residence, has a physical, everyday location, development and transience. Each literary and the themes of waiting, blindness andstanza represents a possible physical 'stan- confusionthere is fog, noise and the disap- za', a stop for the train; or, depending on pearance of entering customers. one's interpretation, various stages in life's

Tuttitalia, No. 10, December 1994 39 journey, or attempts to resolve the mysterythis train, as in stanza 7 (ma ancora /non of the human condition (or to find an exitl'arresta it suo cavo) and yet, logically, the from it!). All of these attempts or stages are true driver of the train is elsewhere. If one thwarted, however, and even the last stan-assumes the authorial voice to be represen- za in the poem does not solve the problem: tative of the passengers on the train, these the poem may have reached an arbitrarypeople seem to have no idea where they conclusion, but the journey obviously has are, where they are going, and most impor- not, suggesting that this is an eternal prob-tantly, where the train will stop. Unless the lem rather than an incidental one. In fact,train. stops, they have no choice but to even the poem's opening, which simplytravel, and in the direction of the train, catches the train already on the journey, ineven though the destination appears to the middle of a tunnel and symbolicallybe unclear; but the train does not stop, between stations, suggests that this con-although the possibility is suggested in cerns the infinite movement and wayfaringeach stanza. of the human race; one life may begin at the This predicament poses an interesting moment of conception and end with death,anomaly. Presumably the passengers on but Versi is concerned with situating this inCaproni's train have some idea as to their the wider context of that life's place in time chosen destination, and are aware that the and space. The questions being posed heretrain must stop somewhere, which might concern origins and destination, and nosuggest that they have some control over answer is provided: life is a constant jour-their own destiny, and yet the overall ney, if seen on a metaphysical level, andimpression gained from the poem is one of any certainties or boundaries would dimin- helplessness. Perhapsitisthe lack of ish the impact of this theme. understanding, the confusion produced by Two ideas which are closely related tothe darkness, the fog, and the apparent the theme of the journey are the themesunpredictability of stopping-placesthat of predestination and being lost, both ofgive the passengers an air of powerless- which are connected with a strong sense ofness; or perhaps it is the deception, the con- ignorance, helplessness and oblivion orfusion and anaesthesia produced by the anaesthesia. 'Predestination' is perhaps anchetilrombi velati di polvere (stanza 1, lines odd term to use in connection with this4-5), the sobbalzi di feltro (line 11), or the poem, since it implies order and meaning,misty windows. Obviously the train is pro- and Versi rather blurs any such feelingsducing noise as there are references to the with a ubiquitous suggestion of confusion,vibrating cable and distant rumbles, but the but I feel that the poem contains a definitetrain is constantly described as being silent impression of events proceeding in an perhaps the silence is more apparent to inevitable, linear fashion, which is never-those inside, for whom these noises are theless completely beyond the control andreduced to a muffled trillo (stanza 9). understanding of those involved in them. Having touched on and illustrated these To explain: the train, which symbolises thethemes of the journey,predestination, progress both of the individual and of thehelplesness, being lost and anaesthesia, I entire human race, as it contains a numberwould like to introduce briefly several of people and yet exists as an entity in itsrelated motifs which occur in Versi. These own right, is running in a definite direc-are linked to the already mentioned themes tion, pulled by a corda inflessibile which is in the following manner: connected with in its own turn, presumably, being oper-the principal theme of journeying is the ated by something or someone else. Thenotion of transience, that is to say develop- train is pulled along; this is not a bus beingment as realised by movement in space and driven to a destination, but rather a vehicletime; anaesthesia and ignorance have an whose movement is determined by some-apparent antithesis in the theme of suffer- thing else, something as yet unknown anding, physical or mental; while death fea- operating from a great distance. At times,tures inevitably as an offshoot of all of the cable is made out to be the 'driver' ofthese.

..F 40 44 Tuttitalia, No. 10, December 1994 Transience, or change and imperma-mercy of time, just as the passengers are at nence, as opposed to the notion of predesti-the mercy of the train's cable (a symbol for nation, is realised in Versi through the time as well as for predestination?). physical movement of the train through Physical suffering, with its connotations space and its movement through time.of pain, sickness and fever, is connected Time in this poem is an abstract conceptwith mental suffering in Versi. Although made concrete, like Hell and conscious- the passengers appear to be insulated from ness: each physical (non)-stop of the train is the noises and images outside by the train's closely linked with a particular time of day, walls and misted windows, this numbness as in the bianchelrocce del giorno (stanza 3), is not positivethere is little permanent and even with weather conditions the relief from the tedium of the journey. temperature tends to drop during theConstant references to unwanted intrusion night, producing rain. Death, representedinto the passengers' repose suggest a per- by Hell and Persephone, has an actual petualgoading, a hellishtorment. physical situation, in stanzas 11 and 12.Confusion and disorientation are combined Although other passengers on the train dowith sudden, harsh, piercing lights which not appear to undergo any fundamental render the passengers' eyes feriti (stanza 2), changes, bar one or two frustrated attemptsand the motif is continued in stanza 4 (Ove to see ahead (guai se spinge l'utente oltre it sepunge /umido ancoral'occhiouna piu dosato /passo del cavo l'incanto! in stanza 4), certalscoscesa di cristalli e ardesie). Needless or even to rest, the train itself is symbolic of to say, there is no preparing for this daz- the individual, thus its progress representszling blindness, just as there is no prepar- the movement of life. Weather conditionsing for the sudden departure from pleasant come and go, as do light and darkness inscenery. Eventually, the blindness, which this poem, with an apparent unpredictabil-has been suggested throughout the poem ity, although by stanza 8 there are intima-by the use of finestrini umidi and persistent tions of a pioggia promessa, which will grad-rain streaking the windows, will find its ually appear, and become finer and finerterribleconclusioninthecataractin until it dissolves into the nebbia at the endPersephone's eyes; she has become numb of the poem. The passengers cannot controlto the whole ghastly spectacle. the weather any more than they can stop There are other physical torments, too: thetrain, and climaticconditions arethe train shakes its passengers about, and usually temporary, so they come to sym-rain sprays their foreheads, preventing bolise transience in their development andthem from rest (although this last image disappearance. has other connotations, to be explained Other examples of transience in Versi arelater in this essay). A hand raised in greet- found in the uncertain nature of the jour-ing in stanza 6 becomes a target for stone- ney itself, which has no conclusion. Breezes throwing;thegirlsinstanza 5 have suddenly appear and blow away sounds, arrossati /calcagni acrinei sandali, despite while rain rinses a loggia of whatever detri-their revelry, and there are suggestions that tus it might have accumulated; the spazzinithe train might crash. Mention is made of la appear in stanza 2 because that is wherelieve /nausea and un colore di febbre. It is true they should be at that particular point inthat the poem also contains music, beauty time, but they are presumably not alwaysand freshness, but these things do not last, working. The rifiuti gelidi of stanza 2, andand the use of words such as ahi and the perhaps even the cocci, are remains of lifepoem's negative conclusion betray the or its accoutrements, while the train movespoet's true concern. di detrito in detrito (stanza 3). These things It will by now be clear that mental suffer- only exist here in an altered, impermanenting(confusion,uncertainty,impotence, state; the rubbish will be swept away, andbeing lost, incomprehension, etc.) forms the shells will eventually sink into the soil. part of the physical suffering in Versi. Each It must be said that everyone and every-potential stop which is passed by becomes thing in this poem appears to be at thefrustrating; the journey is endlessly tedi-

Tunitalia, No. 10, December 1994 45 41 ous, and has no conclusion. Darkness and life) would seem to suggest at first that the inclement weather confuse the passengersliving are destined for death; and yet the and disorientate them. Attempts to makeissue is more complex. It is more complex contact with the outside world are foiledbecause the city of Genoa is itself full of with the parola /che in nomi vani appanna hellish imagery. This is no paradisethere l'aria (stanza 4). Helpful lamps, symbolic in is bustling noise and movement, at certain Caproni's poetryof pointsof mentalpoints, and in stanza 10 the city is referred enlightenment, are either dead, unpleasantto as an urnaa city of dead people? There lucori, or few and far between. Physicalis life: there are laughing girls in stanza 5, blindness reflects mental blindness; the and a playful child in stanza 7, but perhaps travel sickness of the passenger produces athese are illusions. In stanza 6 the grass is vertigo of the mind. frigida, and people are arguing; a stop here The theme of death is the logical conclu-might prove dangerous. sion of the problems of transience and suf- This is life, however, with its fleeting fering, but with Caproni itis unclearmoments of pleasure and pain, and the whether or not the condition is permanent.tone is ambiguous. What is perhaps more Although the whole of Versi concerns itselfsignificant is the image in which the train is with a gradual death, the daily dying thatdescribed as a barca, and an ancient boat at is life, and suggests that there is death atthat (stanza 4). This image, when taken in the end, the unclear conclusion hints at fur-conjunction with the poem's classical refer- ther uncertainties beyond the grave, with-ences and style, puts the reader inevitably out being specific. Death, as an absence ofin mind of thelittle boat inclassical consciousness or value, is a significantmythology used by Charon the ferryman to theme in Versi from the very first stanza: itferry the dead over the river Styx to Hades, is the implied metaphorical destiny of the or Hell. The image is obviously important, train, questioned in the firstline, andas the word barca is used on three occa- makes its first symbolic entry with the lam-sions. Could it be said, therefore, that the pada elettrica, morta. Light at the tunnel'spassengers are already dead before the end is paradoxically compared to a tomb,poem's conclusion, perhaps even journey- in preparation for the deathly dawn thating through Hell? Their numbness and will conclude the poem. Whatever death as absence, demonstrated by the way in a concept may imply for Caproni, it is justwhich the train's identity dominates over as present in the harsh light of day and thethat of its cargo, would certainly suggest city as in the deserted fog at the end of the this. Small wonder they are unable to make poem, and is mainly suggested by imagery. much contact with the outside world. There are a number of images connected The phrase l'antico /legname della barca sug- with death in Versi, but perhaps the mostgests an interesting image. Old wood is salient of these is that of the train itself,dead wood, but it was once a living thing referred to as a funicolare and a barca, butand part of nature. The sarcophagus-train, most significantly as an arca. The ambiguitytherefore, is dead, being pulled along by its of this term colours the entire poem. Eithercable, but it is dead rather than inanimate. one interprets it as a vehicle containing liveThis image reinforces the image produced people escaping from danger in search of aof the train as an entity representative of safe harbour (as with Aeneas and Noah); ora life;it is a fitting vessel for its torpid it is a sarcophagus, a ceremonial coffin con- passengers. taining dead people or relics, in which case Assuming, therefore, that the passengers its destiny is surely Hell. The essentialon the train are intellectually or metaphor- question is this: is this a journey of the liv-ically dead, if not quite physically, is their ing towards death, or a journey of the deaddestination their salvation or their damna- towards life? The predominance of nega-tion? Judging from the image of the lenzuo- tive imagery and solitude towards the endlo in the very last line of the poem, there of the poem, plus the fact that the train iswill be another death at the destination, leaving the city (traditionally a symbol ofwhen and if it comes; maybe this killing of

42 Tuttitalia, No.10, December 1994 consciousness will be a relief, even if it is It will be obvious from this discussion of the ultimate horror. The lenzuolo reflectsthe main themes in Versi that the poem, this ambiguity: the sheet might be a sooth-besides being rather long, is extremely rich ing blanket of oblivion, or a shroud. Asin imagery and thematic material. There is with the problem of arca, the semantic con-much in Caproni's use of recurrent imagery fusion is deliberate. One thing is certain,in this poem that has not yet been detailed. however: the dying are travelling towardsBefore examining this, however, this essay a deeper death, because the poem has anwill take a detour from the analysis of con- unmistakeable air of decline about it, espe-tent to discuss matters of formthat is to cially towards the end. Maybe this will be say: versification, structure and syntax. an eternal dying if so, it is possible to view the 'destination' positively or nega- tively, just as it is possible to view the train [The concluding part of Ms Mackenzie's either as a coffin or as an escape boat. study will be published in Tuttitalia 11. Ed.]

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Tuttitalia, No. 10, December 1994 43 Ma quei maledetti accenti:da che parte vanno?

Andrew Wilkin University of Strathclyde

sits. La loro maggiore diffusione si deve alla Introduction minore severita degli insegnanti, nonostante essi Since I took over the stewardship of the continuino a considerare ogni errore d'ortografia present journal,a goodly number of come una specie di «peccato mortale».2 readers have been kind enough to write Many will aver that something of the to me in terms of appreciation for the firmsame could be said of written English over stand I have attempted to take on the ques-the same period. By pure coincidence, I tion of the correct phonetic use of writtenhappen to be writing these notes just a accents in Italian. Many such readers havecouple of days after having had the privi- asked for a brief article on the topic of writ-lege of visiting a former printing works ten accents, and it is in response to suchwhere I was able to note the beautifully requestsnot merely to exculpate myselfcorrect written form of English used in of an apparent foible!that I have writtennewspapers at the turn of the present the following notes. century. Could the same be saidof present-daynewspaperEnglish? How would the compositor of 1900 view today's A little history widespread use of 'S to signify a plural form assur-rather than a genitive form? Its appearance Many subscribers to Tuttitalia in a great many contemporary written con- edly those of a certain age!will be fam-texts suggests a laxity on the part of iliar with Carlo Tagliavini's strictures onmany native speakers (a collective 'minore the correct written forms of Italian, setseverita' perhaps?), even though we know down almost 30 years ago: Verso it 1910, quando la percentuale degliitto be patently wrong (and possibly analfabeti in Italia si aggirava intorno al 50%, i even a 'peccato mortale'). maestri elementari andavano dicendo ai loro scolaretti che volevano proseguire gli studi, che sarebbe bastato un solo errore di ortografia per Written accents for phonetic essererespintiall'esamedimaturita[.. .]. reasons L'affermazione era forse esagerata, ma e certo altogetherdissimilar che in quegli anni, i ragazzi di quarta o quinta Somethingnot elementare, e ancor peggio quelli delle classi gin- might be said of the use of written accents nasiali, che, anche solo per distrazione, commet- in modern Italian. Tagliavini further notes tevano qualche errore di ortografia erano grave- that: mente biasimati dagli insegnanti e molto spesso [..] una serie di regole di grammatica storica, presi in giro dai compagni.1 che,naturalmente, aiutano sololepersone Times have of course changed sinceprovviste di una buona cultura generale e non those days before the First World War but, potrebbero mai essere insegnate in scuole ele- as Tagliavini goes on to note: mentari o medie inferiori3 Dopo phi di mezzo secolo, la percentualewould help us to know when to pronounce degli analfabeti si e fortemente ridotta, ma glivowels as open or closed, but that: errori di ortografia si trovano purtroppo anche In questi ultimi anni, si sta generalizzando negli elaborati presentati agli attuali esami di nella stampa italiana migliore (ma purtroppo maturita, che non rappresentano piti la conclu- non si insegna ancora nelle scuole) una differen- sione dell'insegnamento primario, ma di quello ziazione grafica [. secondario superiore e danno adito all'univer- Indeed, this graphic differentiation in the 44 4, Tuttitalia, No. 10, December 1994 use (where called for) of the graveaccent for made over a decade, and incorporated such open vowels, and of the acuteaccent forinto the new edition of their work. The closed vowels, is indeed to be found in textswriter of the present notes is pleased to printed by, for example, the publishinghave been one of those who responded to houses of Bompiani and (more recently)the authors' invitation for user comment, Einaudi. Thus it is that a reading of Albertobut I accord only in part with their updated Moravia's works in their original Bompiani notes on written accent marks in Italian. I imprint provides not just a social educationquote at some length from the Lepschys' but also a lesson in correct orthographic conclusion on this matter: Many proposals have been made [. . .1 to intro- forms! duce a consistent system of accent marks in It is just not sufficient for textbooks to Italian indicating unambiguously (i) where the feature (as many do in their Introductions) stress falls, (ii) when the stressed vowel is E or 0, a bland comment to theeffect that the writ- whether it is open (with a grave) or closed (with ten form of Italian has two commonlyused an acute). The simplest and most explicit system accents (the grave and the acute), theformer would be to put an accent mark on the stressed to be used where pertinent on openvowels, vowel of every word. As most Italian words are and the latter on closed vowels, but that inparoxytonic, a more economic[sic]system practice the only real differentiation calledwould be not to put an accent mark on these, for is that between the open and closed unless the stressed vowel is E or 0 (in which case forms of E, thus giving E and E. How thenone needs the accent mark to indicatewhether they are closed or open). [..1 Some authors see would one be made aware of the phonetic these systems as purely didactic artifices to be value of accented vowels A, I, 0 and U, used in texts for teaching, others present them as especially when certain of these are techni-projects of spelling reforms (with the ultimate cally unpronounceable if the erroneous aim of reforming pronunciation as well, making diacritic is employed? it conform to the Florentine standard more sys- The English-speaking learner of Italian tematically). These proposals, however, particu- might reasonably have hoped for clearlarly if they are presented as spelling reforms, guidance with the appearance in 1979 ofseem not only unwieldy and impractical,but The Pronunciation of Italian: A practical also basically ill-conceived. The elimination of a few ambiguities is pointless, because there are IntroductionbyMargueriteChapallaz. countless more (this is how language works), Sadly, only partial help was forthcoming,and unnecessary, because the context almost with the observation that: always disambiguates the word. [...1 The intro- The grave and acute accents in Italian or- duction of these accent marks would probably thography indicate stress and are also sometimes not make Italian speech more national, but used to differentiate between the two values of Italian spelling less so. The adoption of these letters [e] and [01, the acute for closed, and the projects would not bring Italian spelling any grave for open. But usage in this respectis not nearer to a phonological representation,but always consistent.5 rather take it further away [..]. For the foreign Ms Chapallaz goes on to provide a listing learner the best solution is to put a grave accent of occasions when the use of a written on vowels which traditionally require an accent accent is compulsory, and indicating that mark (which is [..] what most Italians do).7 there are exceptions even to this degree of I regret that I can only accord in part with obligation, and that indeed (confusingly) inwhat such highly respected friends and col- one instance 'a written accent,usually the leagues have written. The Lepschys correct- grave but sometimes also the acute,is ly observe that accent marks should indi- used'. cate 'unambiguously where the stress falls', The English-speaking learner had further that 'spelling reforms seem unwieldy and cause to hope for elucidation withthe pub-impractical', and that 'the elimination of a lication of the masterly volume The Italianfew ambiguities is pointless', but to recom- Language Today by Anna Laura and Giuliomend to foreign learners the unqualified Lepschy.6 When the second edition of theuse of the grave accent markfails to take volume appeared, the Lepschys graciouslyaccount of the phonetic quality of the indi- took cognisance of consumer comment vidual vowels which call for written accents.

Tuttitalin, No. 10, December 1994 45 ; 4 9 closed stressed vowel 0 in Italian is never The solution? to be found in a position calling for a writ- Many of us who set about learning theten accent, the 'problem' is reduced to just Italian language as a foreign language, and six vowels. Of these, correct phonetic ar- all who do so as a native language, willticulation demonstrates that A is always have encountered at an early stage the factopen (and thus alwaysA), and that I and U that the Italian language features fullyare always closed(and thus I and U respec- seven vowels, and that thesevowels can betively). With closed stressed vowel 0 being classified as front or back vowels, depen-effectively non-existent, we can safely write dent upon their point of articulation withinaccented 0 as 0. Thus the question is fur- the resonance chamber. Thus it is that I andther reduced simply to the two values of E the two values of E are classified as front (open E as in cioe; closed E as in percha The vowels, A as the mid vowel, and U and the table of diacritics can thus be summarised two values of 0 as back vowels. as: Moreover, we also learn that whilstA, E or E (as appropriate), f,O,and U. (theoretically) the number of vocalic pho- Having expressed a reasoned interpreta- nemes is infinite, in practiceeach languagetion, and with every intention of continu- has a recognised number of themseven as ing to apply that reasoning, the present noted in the case of Italian -, and that thesewriter will not be in the least surprised if can be further defined as open orclosed other potentially contrary views are dependent upon whether the lower jaw isforthcoming! As the Lepschys noted, 'this in an open or virtually closed position atis how language works'. the moment of utterance of the vocalic phoneme. It follows as a natural sequitur that open stressed vowels should carry a References and that 1. Carlo Tagliavini, La corretta pronuncia italiana, grave accent where appropriate, Bologna, Casa Editrice Libraria Capitol, 1965, closed stressed vowels should bear an acute p. vii. accent. It is, for example, not only wellnigh 2. ibid., p. viii. physically impossibletoarticulatethe 3. ibid., p. 15. vowels I and U as open vowels, but it is 4. ibid., p. 15. also quite erroneous, as a consequence, 5. Marguerite Chapallaz, The Pronunciation of ever to mark them with a graveaccent (as Italian: A Practical Introduction, first published one will often see, but not inthe present London, Bell & Hyman, 1979, and sub- re-publishedbythe journal!). sequentlyprivately author, p. 229. The present writer, whilst recognising 6. Anna Laura Lepschy and Giulio Lepschy, The that by some he may be dubbed 'puristic' Italian Language Today, first published London, or even 'pedantic', takescomfort from the Hutchinson Educational, 1977, then in paper- fact of not being alone in the campaign for back 1979; second edition published 1988; the correct phonetic use of written accents reprinted 1991 and 1992, London, Rout ledge. in Italianwitness the practice adopted by 7. The lengthy citation is taken from pp. 99-100 the publishing houses of Bompiani and of Anna Laura Lepschy and Giulio Lepschy, Einaudi. TheItalianLanguageToday, 2nd edition, If allowance is made for the fact that London, Rout ledge, reprinted 1992.

Tuttitalia, No. 10, December 1994 46 Reviews

Reviews editor Judith Kelly

Pronto!ItalianforBusiness. Alwenation, the overseas colleague has already Lamping and Paul Durrant, London, Pitmanmade a booking for the visitor. Publishing, 1993, viii + 216 pp., £13.99. Most business clients are more concerned with being able to get their message across At Oxford Brookes University, we teachin a business situation than with finding the Italianaspartofthe Languagesforcorrect verb ending. Grammar explanations Business degree. In addition, our languagein Pronto! are related to real-life examples, training unit often teaches Italian to busi-and the use of 'technical' terminology is ness clients. So we were eager to test outkept to a minimum, although I suspect that Pronto! Italian for Business. for some learners even the words 'direct Pronto! advertises itself as 'ideally suited object pronouns' may be off-putting. to total beginners' and 'those with only The book is well set out and easy to use. limited time'. Itis aimed at the BTECThere is an excellent range of speaking, student and at the adult business learnerreading and writing activities in the Pratica alike. Each Unit contains: list of objec-section. Many of the exercises on cassette tives, Conversazioni, Spiegazioni, Grammatica,can be used without reference to the In Italia, Pratica and a Riassunto of whatbook useful for the car-bound business has been learnt. At the end, there arelearner. several additional assignments and role- I have some minor niggles. Firstly, some plays and a Grammar Review for easypeople would argue that Tuscany is not in reference. northern Italy but in central Italy, and sec- Business learners paying for full-costondly English-speaking readers should be tuition, whose time is limited and lessonsaware that using an unearned Commen- often sporadic, like to see the linguisticdatore or Cavaliere title in addressing some- equivalent of a business plan with a clearone is apt to sound grovelling rather than list of objectives to work through. Pronto! respectful. helpfully provides such a list at the start of The lecturer's packnot sent for review each Unit, for example Using the telephone, would have to contain a lot of useful booking accommodation, introducing oneself.material to be good value at £18.99. At the initial stages, the objectives are often Some of the Assignments are a little ar- similar to those of the tourist the 'eat, tificial.Itisnot clearto me why in sleep and meet' situations of any survivalAssignment 3 Mr Craven'ssecretary, Italian coursebook. The business learnerarranging a trip to Italy for him from also wants to socialise with his/her over-London, where there is no shortage of seas contacts, use the telephone and maketravel agencies, would choose to do busi- an appointment. All of these situations areness with a small Italian travel agency, and covered in Pronto! Even the 'eat/sleep /moreover one which only seems able to meet' situations are covered in an intelli-produce brochuresinItalian!Equally gent way, for example, checking into aunlikely is the possibility that the adult hotel; many textbook writers ignore the factbusiness learner might be working as a that business travellers rarely book theirreceptionist in an Italian hotel or at the own hotel room, since their secretary does ticket office of the Stazione Termini! it for them. In Pronto's more realistic situa-o These are the drawbacks of aiming a text

Tuttitalia, No. 10, December 1994 51 47 at two different markets. But Pronto's goodvocabulary'isindeed entirelytenable. points far outweigh its blemishes. OurThere will always be debate as to whether tester an experienced language trainerLiving Italian is (or ever was) the best text working with an ab initio learner from a for adults, but its sheer longevity evinces local company judged it 'il migliore testo di not only its staying-power but also its business usato finora'. enduring popularity with its prime market ANNA PROUDFOOT niche. As the blurb continues: 'Each unit, Oxford Brookes University designed to build systematically on what you have already learned, contains: * gram- Living Italian. Maria Valgimigli, new edi-mar * vocabulary * text * speaking and tion with revisions by Isabella Marino,writing exercises. There are also revision London, Hodder & Stoughton 'Headway', 1994, units to help you to practise what you are viii + 339 pp., £5.99, ISBN 0-340-59677-5. learning. At the back of the book grammar and vocabulary sections provide a useful Surely every adult learner of Italian has reference'. And it is precisely for reference encountered Living Italian at some stage in purposes the Grammatical Indexis the learning process! After all, it was firstentirely pertinent for its levelthat many published more than three decades ago! Inadult learners hang on to their copies of some ways, then, this is an opportunity toLiving Italian, when their formal learning welcome an old friend back to the fold in process has been completed. an updated guise. Yes, of course, even this new edition of It is not necessarily widely appreciated Living Italian contains some errors, omis- that Italian is the most flourishing of thesions and misprintswhere have all the major languages with those adult learnersproof-readers gone? Just take page 32 for who wish to present themselves for nation-example: who on earth is it pradre, and why ally recognised examinations. The fact thatdoes c'e appear thus, without its accent? this has been the case for the past quarter ofWhy do we have on page 113 L'Inghilterra a century or so is in large measure due to(whose inhabitants are given in the wrong the continuing presence on the market oftypographical font), but not La Scozia (nor texts such as Living Italian. In common with indeed Il Gallesan excellent opportunity a clutch of other hardy annuals, Livingfor demonstrating that not all countries are Italian has been prepared to adopt a highlyfeminine in Italian or L'Irlanda)? Yes, organised and largely traditional approachthere are the 'usual' errors of referring to to the systematic building of grammar and the conditional as 'tense' (it is of course a vocabularyand this despite the flow ofverb mood), and a battery of phonetically change that has been witnessed over theincorrectwrittenaccents(readersof years in the modes adopted for the teach-Tuttitalia will be familiar with the under- ing of school-age learners. Adult learners signed's manic preoccupation with accura- still quite overtly demand a clearly struc-cy in such fields!). But there are niceties tured and relatively 'formal' text to accom-such as getting Qual e universally correct, pany their studies. and using the upper case for courtesy form This new edition, in an enhanced 7.75" xnouns and possessive adjectives. It is less 5" format, comes with an appealing illus-than clear why one should need to learn to trated cover (thank goodness we have gotask Di the colore e l'erba?, write out 5800 in rid of that facile Vespa and the leaningletters, or translate I see the master, I see him Tower of Pisa which 'graced' the cover of (all to be found on page 79). And it is oddly so many earlier editions!), within whichgratifying to know that Quando ci si lava Isabella Marino has updated the contentbene, non ci si sente piie sporchi (I have of whilst retaining the overall approach of thecourse corrected the accent on phi!), as we original text. So the cover-blurb claim thatare advised on page 270. 'Working through the book you will ac- Iffespective of the quirks and 'quaint- quire a sound knowledge of the fundamen-nesses' of Living Italian, it is a foregone con- tals of Italian and a useful and practicalclusion that this new edition will uphold

48 Tuttitalia, No. 10, December 1994 the market niche to which its predecessorsexaminers rather than the real needs of stu- have laid claim. dents. The authors of Ciao!, however, have ANDREW WILKIN kept to the most important functions and University of Strathclyde realisticactivities as well as providing much relevant and useful cultural informa- Ciao! Quarto libro. Michael Buckby andtion. The section on youth hostelling, for Jenny Jackson, with Theresa Huntley, Ianexample, seems to have been written by Skelton and Colin Yarwood, York, Language someone who has actually visited one a Teaching Centre, University of York, 1993,rare occurrence! There is also a lovely unit, 152 pp., £8.25. Che pensi della tua regione?, which is stimulating and provides a fresh look at this type This is the fourth book in the Ciao! series of topic, and which will be relevant to widely accepted as being the first viableNational Curriculum Area F. Of course, the course for teachers of Italian at KS3 and KS4. big question facing the authors now is how It is certainly the first to reflect currentwell Ciao! 4 willfitin with National teaching methodology. The aim of the pro-Curriculum requirements. It is very much ject, based at the Language Teaching Centre geared to the needs of current GCSE syl- at the University of York, was to 'offer alllabuses. If KS4 is to be largely concerned potential learners of Italian materials which with 'vocational' language and Areas of are equal in quality with those available forExperience D, E and F, then teachers would other languages'. Books 1 to 3 have beenhave to supplement the course to a large well received by teachers, and in manydegree, although, on the other hand, much respects the authors continue to achieveof the material should fit in somewhere. their aim with Book 4. The range of materi-The target language is used . throughout, als is good: as with the previous books in theexcept in the final grammar section. One of course, the Students' Book is accompaniedthe authors' aims was 'to make diversifica- by two audio-cassettes, and comprehensivetion a real possibility'. Again, this may be Teachers' notes (not here reviewed) are alsoeven more difficult when the NC is fully available on IBM-compatible disc at £11.50 implemented. around half the price of the book. Un- Ciao! 4 is published by the Language fortunately, there is no set of Copymasters,Teaching Centre at the University of York, unlike with the previous books, which is arather than by Nelson, as was the case with pity. I found these invaluable when usingthe first three books. I feel this has resulted Books 1 and 2imaginative, lively, profes- in a reduction of quality in the production sional and very time-saving. Maybe theof the book, and this is my only real criti- authors felt it inappropriate for the targetcism of it. I loved the appearance of Ciao! 1 age-group (I would disagree), or maybeand 2: Ciao! 4 is much less striking and they simply ran out of time and money. appealing to look at. Perhaps more serious- Ciao! 4 completes the course and conse-ly, the quality of the paper and binding quently covers those topics necessary fordoes not seem so good, and the books the majority of current GCSE syllabuses. Aswould probably start to look tatty very may be expected, it continues to provide aquickly. The layout of the pages is particu- good variety of communicative tasks tolarly demotivating overcrowded, with develop the four skills. Subjects tackled arevery small text, lots of rather vague photos, mainly transactional and will be familiar todrawings, boxed bits of text, etc., etc. language teachers of most GCSE courses: For any teacher of Italian, however, Ciao! services not covered in the previous books,4 is an important achievement, providing such as youth hostels, airports, post offices,the opportunity to teach the language on a and five units devoted to holiday prob-more equal footing than has ever been lems, featuring car, health, accidents andpossible in the past. The authors have complaints. It must be said that these seemcertainly to be congratulated for that. to me to be pretty tedious and often rather SALLY WILLIAMS unlikelythere to satisfy the whims of the Burleigh Community College, Loughborough

1:1 Tunitalia, No. 10, December 1994 IA. tat 51 49 Uno.Corso comunicativodiitaliano. Itisworth rememberingthatthe Gruppo Meta, Cambridge, Cambridge Teacher's Guide and all the instructions in University Press, 1993. Libro dello studente, the books and cassettes are in Italian. 213pp.,£7.95,ISBN 0-521-46814-0+ Having used the book myself and from Audiocassette 1 & 2, £9.95; Guida dell'inseg- what other colleagues have told me, this nante, 147 pp., £14.95, ISBN 0-521-56812-4;haS often been a problem for beginners. Libro degli esercizi + Audiocassetta 3, £6.95. The language of the instructions is in fact sometimes more difficult than the language Uno, previously available from Bonacci, the students are required to use in their has now been published by C.U.P. The only activities. difference between the two editions is the I still think that Uno is a pleasant book, covers the contents are identical. Thisoffering a wide range of interesting and review should therefore be read in conjunc-useful exercises and giving a true picture of tion with my previous review published incontemporary Italy and Italian. Teachers Tuttitalia, number 6, December 1992. I will should be aware, however, that if they want concentrate here on the components of theto use it in English-speaking classes at be- course which were not available at the time ginners' level, they have to be prepared to of my first review. integrate the text with other material, in The two cassettes accompanying theparticular grammar explanations in English. Student's book containthedialogues BARBARA BETTINELLI together with other listening exercises. The Loughborough University recordings retain the spontaneity of everyday conversation between native speakersL'italianosiimparaindue.Marco and are a valuable source of authentic lis-Barsacchi and Vincenzo Gatto, University of tening material. The only criticism is that Toronto Press, 1993, 103 pp., £15.00. they do not supply the students with the wide range of accents which they are likely L'italiano si impara in due is designed to to have to cope with when in Italy. I found enable students to work in pairs in a class- particularly useful the exercises that focusroom situation, where the teacher is at hand on those aspects of pronunciation withto offer preparation and support. The book which students often experience difficulty. is divided into two sectionsStudente Ruolo The audiocassette accompanying theA and Studente Ruolo Band comprises a Libro degli esercizi contains a variety of good variety of communicative activities: ques- exercises which could be used in the lan- tionnaires, role plays, articles (Schede cultu- guage laboratory or by the students whenrali), information-gap exercises, diagrams working at home at their own speed. for students to label, and advertisements. The Guida dell'insegnante contains an The book is further divided into 31 task introduction to the course and a bibli-sections, beginning with Conoscersi. This ography of publications on teaching for-activity requires students to complete a eign languages. This is followed by a step-questionnaire about their partners, asking by-step guide on how to use each unit infor personal details in Italian. The details the book. This guide is very detailed andrequired vary from Nome and Luogo di would prove particularly useful to rela- Nascita to I suoi interessi e passatempi sono... tively inexperienced teachers who could to Le opere d'arte italiane the conosce sono ... refer to it at any stage of their lesson. ItObviously, several weeks of preparation would perhaps have proven useful to havewould be required on this topic before stu- more suggestions on how to expand thedents would be capable of completing the material in the units and set up alternativetask, and some of the questions are more activities. At the end of the book there are appropriate to students at Key Stage 4. four unitstest which can provide the La casa (interno and esterno) provides a teacher with further indications as to themore adaptable resource, presenting stu- level of mastery of lexical and structuraldents with pictures and corresponding items attained by the students. items of vocabulary. Partner A is asked to

50 54 Tuttitalia, No. 10, December 1994 find out from Partner B in which rooms ofand recognition of the artistic value of the house certain items of furniture areCarlo Goldoni (of whose death this year located. Partner A must then complete the[1993] is the bicentenary) and of his work. plan of the house provided. This particularAmongst Goldoni's vast theatrical output activity is more accessible to Key Stage 3our attention has focused on a limited students, once they have learnedthenumber of dialect plays, [...], which were appropriate vocabulary. Slower learnerschosen partly because they have been could copy and label the diagrams for dis-neglected by critics (possibly because of the play, or the teacher could use the pictures increaseddifficultiesof comprehension to introduce new vocabulary. dialect now presents) but above all for their With thorough preparation, many of themerits in terms of liveliness and realism. tasks are manageable for students workingThen, there are a number of connecting independently, and a useful Italian-to-threads within these comedies which invite English word-list is provided at the back ofextensive discussion'. This clarity of expo- the book. Although intended for beginnerssition is matched by the structure of this and intermediate students, some of theslim volume (for which no cover price is tasks are rather more difficult, and wouldindicated), right from its double-faceted be more suited to A-Level candidates ortitle and on through the five core chapters. adults. Printed in black and white, with a The six comedies in dialect here consid- good deal of text, and a relatively smallered (La putta onorata, 1748; La bona mugier, number of pictures and photographs, this 1749; Le donne gelose, 1752; Le Massere, 1755; collection of resources would be less moti-Le donne de casa soa, 1755; and Le Morbinose, vating for slow learners or students at Key1758) span a decade and provide the Stage 3. It does offer, however, a variety ofopportunity to observe the evolution of the interesting and stimulating activities fordramatist's theatrical style and language, GCSE candidates and more mature stu-as well as the effects of contemporary social dents. and economic change. Moreover, as their DEBRA WRIGHT respective titles readily imply, 'all six of Knotting ley High School, Wakefield them were inspired by women and have women as their leading characters', thereby Goldoni and Venice: A Study of Sixproviding a ready-made vehicle for com- Comedies in Dialect. Emanuela Cervato,ment on the position and standing of translated by Andrew Thompson,women in the Venice of the age, all the Department of Italian,University of Hull,more interestingly so in view ofas Ms 1993, x + 53 pp., ISBN 0-85958-746-0. Cervato correctly notesGoldoni's 'well- known weakness for women'. Add in two It was a pleasure, late last year, to sharefacets of Venetian life of the mid-eighteenth thespeakers'rostrum with Emanuelacenturygambling and the Carnivaland Cervato and other scholars at the importantthetightlystructuredpatterningof Bicentenary Conference on 'Goldoni andEmanuela Cervato's study is seen to be 18th-century Theatre' (Glasgow, 13 fully coherent. November 1993), and thus to have the In sequence, the reader is offered an opportunity to witness at first hand theIntroduction, followed by brief chapters on dynamism, scholarship and clarity whicheach of: Venice and the Venetians; The Dott.ssa Cervato brings to her work on thisWorld and the Theatre; Female Figures; major Italian dramatist. It was doubly aGambling; and Carnival. There then fol- pleasure, therefore, to have seen on thatlowsashortConclusionhighlighting occasion an early copy of Goldoni andrecent Goldoni criticism, and a Venice, and subsequently to receive a copyBibliography detailing some 35 works for comment in Tuttitalia. mostly of relatively recent date (and thus In her Introduction, Ms Cervato is imme-likely to be available in University and sim- diately explicit as to her purpose: 'Thisilar libraries). The target audience of the short study is intended as an appreciationseries of studies of and introductions to a

Tuttitalia, No. 10, December 1994 55 51 variety of Italian authors, steadily emanat-for each poet, preceded by a critical-histori- ing from the Department of Italian at thecal entry, and supported by a useful appa- University of Hull, is perhaps principallyratus of notes and critical bibliographies. composed of undergraduate students. ThisThe notes are rigorously of a linguistic and slim volume on Goldoni and Venice will be generally cultural nature, enabling even the read with both profit and pleasure not only'first-time explorer' to get a grasp of a large by University students, but additionally byand extremely diversified corpus of poetry. teachers preparing students for syllabuses As any anthology editor will recognise which include an element of Italian theatre,and dread, selection and exclusion are and indeed by anyone who retains an inter-often a major source of contention and con- est in the world of the theatre generally: troversyand the anthology in question is such is Goldoni's standing in world the-no exception. The editors' decision to lead atre, and such is the accessibility to the gen-the reader intothe Novecento through eral reader of Ms Cervato's study. Her stylePasco li and D'Annunzio is not only under- (and Andrew Thompson is to be com-standable, but extremely appropriate for mended for the translation) evinces claritytheir didactic intent. Equally appropriate, and transparent progression of argument,and indeed refreshing, is their determina- with the elements of factual notation care-tion to stretch the chronological range of fully balanced by her own assessments. It is the anthology to include poets from the certainly the case with this study that the1980s, establishing thus a balance between pleasure lies in the reading thereof. By hav-the first and the second half of the century, ing turned her focus on a relatively restric-and avoiding the 'over-emphasisation' of ted number of feature aspects, Emanuelathe great masters to the detriment of the Cervato permits the reader comfortably tocontemporary scene. The editors' choice of absorb much of the flavour of the age. A theindividual'Poetsoftherecent delightfullittle volume,I commend itGeneration' is indeed arguablebut inclu- heartily to readers of Tuttitalia. sions and exclusions in this case are not ANDREW WILKIN only unavoidable, but very much still University of Strathclyde dependent on the editors' own assessment of a context still in fieri. Less pardonable, Twentieth-CenturyItalianPoetry. Anhowever, is the exclusion of poets such as Anthology. Edited by John Picchione andCaproni and Penna on the questionable Lawrence R. Smith, Toronto-Buffalo-London, grounds of 'pedagogical practicability'if Toronto University Press Incorporated, 1993, someone has to 'go', it had better be those xxv + 509 pp., £23.00. poets who cannot comfortably be grouped within the 'movements' and 'isms' which, An ambitious project, this substantialaccording to the editors, shape the panor- anthology aims at providing a comprehen- ama of the Novecento. This, I fear, is the sive and balanced introduction to 'one ofmajor, fundamental flaw of this otherwise the most innovative and influential poet-laudable, and useful, enterprise. ries of the European continent', directed at The editors' stubborn determination to the interested as well as the academicfit poets into categories which unavoidably reader. The joint effort of two general edi-fit them too tightly, or not at all, leads to tors, and an impressive number of scholarsunpardonable confusion, andpotential from USA, Canada, Britain, Australia andpedagogical disaster. The criteria for the New Zealand, it is clearly and deliberately'grouping' are unclear and inconsistent: if designed as a pedagogical tool which Pasco liandD'Annunzioareindeed favours information and selection over'Precursors', and Cucchi and Magrelli evi- interpretation and comprehensiveness. Thedently are 'Poets of the Recent Generation', organising principle is historical-chrono-the charting of the rest of the century is logical: a general critical introduction to theentrusted to well-known (well-worn) cate- Novecento is followed by 12 sub-sections, or gories: crepuscolari, futuristi, ermetici, as well chapters, including a wide selection of textsas 'new' ones coined for the occasion, such

52 56 Tuttitalia, No. 10, December 1994 as 'Poets of Realism and Ideology' (thatwomen played in the Resistance and uses means Pasolini and Fortini), and 'Poets ofFausta Clemente's short story Marcellina as Irony', which are as unnecessary as theya fitting example. Marcellina forms her are misleading. The 'assignment' of poetsown clandestine group with women in her to each category is, unsurprisingly, highlyvillage, thus enjoying independence and contentious: can we really categorise Sereni respectability. Dr Wood then moves on to as ermetico? And what, if anything, makes atalk about women's demands in the im- poet eligible to be grouped within 'Themediate post-war period with particular Experimentalists' ratherthan'Otherreference to the family. It is not surprising Experimentalists'? The Introduction fails tothat the story used to support this is La explain it. Worse still, in suggesting themadre by Natalia Ginzburg. This short story existence of 'movements, currents andis the only one by a woman writer to "isms"' in the Novecento, it fails to draw aappearintheanthologyNovelledel clear distinction between 'programmatic' Novecento, edited by Brian Moloney, in the movements such as futurism and the newsame 'Italian Texts' series. avant-garde, and categories generated by Sharon Wood continues by considering criticaldiscourse. Given the notoriousneo-realism and the writers who could not instability of such terms, more care shouldrelate to this movement because it was too have been taken in the effort to 'structure',entrenched in patriarchal values. These through them, a century which is, by defi-writers are Morante, Ortese and Romano, nition and by general consent, unstruc-and theirrespectivestoriesdeal with turable. One cannot but feel that, in thiswomen and children of the lower classes, respect, Pier Vincenzo Mengaldo's Poeti deloften at the margins of society. The main Novecento could have provided a useful,part of Dr Wood's introduction focuses on and a truly balanced, critical model. the development of feminism in Italy. The EMMANUELA TANDELLO most important writer to emerge in this University College London period is Dacia Maraini, and her story deals with the difficulties a young woman faces Italian Women Writing. Sharon Wood, when she becomes sexually exploited by an Manchester, ManchesterUniversityPress,older man. Other writers whose roots 1993, 168 pp., £8.99. remain firmly in the feminist movement areof courseincluded:for example, This long-awaited anthology of ItalianFrancesca Sanvitale and Sandra Petrignani. short stories by twentieth-century womenMany of these writers have often taken an writers is aimed at University and sixth-active role in society, campaigning for form students. Included are stories bywomen's rights. Duranti,Ginzburg,Maraini,Morante, All of the writers included in the an- Ortese and Romano, to name some of thethology have written novels as well as short better-known writers. There are 13 storiesstories. All of them offer a range of content in all and they are preceded by notes on theand style, making it clear why such a authors in English. At the end of the bookwealth and diversity of women writers are there are notes to the text, designed toat the forefront of literary activity in Italy clarify the more complex linguistic con-today. It will be essential to see how this structions, followed by an extensive vo-interest will continue to develop in a cabulary. It is the critical introduction incountry which, unfortunately, has a govern- English, however, which makes this bookment which has shifted further to the right. an even more worthwhile acquisition. This anthology is essential for anyone In her thought-provoking introductioninterested in Italy, or indeed feminism and Sharon Wood has succeeded in illustratingpolitics. Most of all, it encourages anyone the relationship between women and fic-who reads itto pursue the debate on tionin post-Second World War Italywomen and fiction, and hopefully to begin against a political and social background.integrating a wider number ofItalian She begins by considering the vital rolewomen writers in University courses

Tuttitalia, No. 10, December 1994 something which is much needed. social change; (4) Migration; (5) Energy; (6) JANE E. McALLISTER Industry; (7) The service sector; (8) Urban University of Leicester development; (9) Agriculture and rural change; (10) Recreation and conservation; Western Europe: Geographical Perspec-(11) The encircling seas; (12) Trends in tives. Hugh Clout, Mark Blacksell, Russellregional development; and (13) Western King and David Pinder, 3rd edition, Harlow,Europe and the 'new Europe'. As is averred Longman Scientific & Technical, 1994, xiv + in the Preface: 'the present book [...1 is pre- 251 pp., £15.99, ISBN 0-582-09283-3. sented in a thematic way and, rather than emphasising the uniqueness of each of the Western Europe: Geographical Perspectives 18 states of Western Europe, attempts to first appeared in 1985, but such has beendraw out common characteristics and the rate of change in the human geography shared problems, while always recognising of Western Europe over recent decades thatspatial variations in their expression'. the editors have conducted a thorough Italy is accorded wide-ranging treatment, revision and updating of this highly suc-with comfortably more than one-third of cessful text, to provide readers with a thirdthe text featuring direct reference to the edition, which confronts the profoundcountry which is the prime concern of social, economic and political changes thatreaders of this journal. It is a pleasure to be have taken place up to the early 1990s.able to direct readers' attention to the chap- Indeed, this edition features a brand newter on Migration (where the hand of chapter on 'Western Europe and the "newProfessor Russell King a long-standing Europe, to cast particular attention onfriend of Italian Studiesis clearly evident), those changes which have affected us all asand to the chapters on Agriculture and rural a result of the enlargement of the Europeanchange and on Trends in regional develop- Community (deriving from the re-unifica- ment (elements which are so central to a full tion of Germany) and the upheaval that has understanding of contemporary Italy). occurred in Central and Eastern Europe. I have pleasure in commending this text The editors stress that 'the book has beento the attention of readers of Tuttitalia: it written in a selective, generalised way andshould certainly be a standard holding in at an introductory level, with a Britishschool, college and University libraries, undergraduate audience in mind'. It wouldand ought also to be on the departmental be pertinent to comment that the principalbookshelf of all teachers of Italian Studies. target readers will include not only stu-ANDREW WILKIN dents of Geography and Modern European University of Strathclyde Studiesand here I would include A-Level students as well as undergraduates but indeed also students of Modern Languages, whose studies nowadays feature a notBooks received insignificantdietofappropriatearea studies. Language Very generously interspersed with fig-Collins ConciseItalianDictionary. ures and tables, this volume is designed London, Harper Collins, 1994, £13.99. preciselyto be'user-friendly'. With aOxfordPaperbackItalianDictionary. detailed Index and an extensive list of Oxford, Oxford University Press, £4.99. References, it can justifiably claim to be a reference tool which will lead the readerLiterature, history, culture and collec- swiftly to the desired area of discussion.tions There are thirteen chapters, and to give aVita Nuova. Dante Alighieri, edited by J. sense of the book's coverage Ilist them Petrie and J. Salmons, Dublin, Belfield Italian here for the information of readers ofLibrary,1994, £7.95.Available from The Tuttitalia: (1) Optimism and uncertainty; (2) Foundation for Italian Studies, Department of Political evolution; (3) Demographic and Italian, University College, Dublin 4, Ireland. 54 58 Tuttitalia, No. 10, December 1994 News and views

Report and by way of providing a lengthy list of suggested activitiesto develop reading skills, Derek ensured that all the delegates ALL Italian Day, London, 18 June had acquired a vast number of ideas which 1994 they might (once they recover from speed- The 1994 ALL Italian Day took placecopying them from the OHP) be able to try once again at the Italian Institute in Londonout on their students. [In this connection, where the hospitality was as warm asreaders should see Derek Aust's article in ever. Top marks go particularly to thethis issue of Tuttitalia. Ed.] catering, including generous quantities of Lunch was followed by Anna Bartrum's wine kindly donated by theItalian baker's dozen of flexible and fun ideas for Instituteat lunchtime on a bright sunnythe Italian classroom. She started off with a Saturday! number of suggestions for the use of pic- About 60 delegates, from a broad rangetures for variety in introducing new vo- of educational establishments, were wel-cabulary and repetition practice as well as comed to the Italian Institute. Sue Ling fromdialogue building, and numerous games the Central Bureau then provided a livelyadaptations, including noughts and crosses and interesting account of a links courseand blockbusters. A fast pace for straight recently held in Imperia which had been aafter lunch, but highly entertaining, cre- great success. This course had combinedative and stimulating! It was particularly community and local links with opportuni-important to note that fun activities of ties for teachers and schools and some lan-these kinds work very well with adult guage work. The next language teachers'learners and not just with year 7! course (which takes place every two years) To follow Anna, Simonetta Manfredi could be tied in with further links courses.gave a lecture in Italian on social, political Sue also went on to highlight other oppor- and economic aspects of contemporary tunitiesforteacherssuchasteacher-Italy. As ever, it was good for most of us to exchange opportunities post-to-post, andhave the rare opportunity to hear some the EU teacher exchange programme whichsolid, high-speed academic Italian. To the need not be simultaneous and which couldsurprise of some, Simonetta decided not to be used to develop a link, study the Italianreflect on the recent elections or to talk school system, etc. She also updated dele-about the so-called Seconda Repubblica but gates on developments in LINGUA and theto reflect on the Prima from its inception in introductionofthe LEONARDO andthe plebiscite of 1946 (which abolished the SOCRATES programmes. monarchy) to the 1990s, examining in par- Sue was followed by Derek Aust rattlingticular party political and regional changes, off quirky Italian jokes in his inimitable the influence of the Mafia and Tangentopoli style. Based on the work he is doing withon contemporary Italian society. She thus Leonardo Oriolo to prepare a post-GCSEshowed in what ways the first Republic's reading text book Come leggere, he pres-progress might have led to the establish- ented some texts and exercises of prelet- ment of the second. tura,comprehension andexploitation. Thanks must go to the Italian Institute, Both through practice on these exercisesand particularly to Angela Vegliante, for

Tuttitalia, No. 10, December 1994 59 55 their generous hospitality to us once again. duced is intended for use by lecturers and The ALL Italian Committee, and particu- teachersinlanguageclasses;bothin larly the tireless Hilary Reeves, are to bepreparingstudentsforaperiodof congratulated on the organisation of a well- study/work in Italy, and in consolidating attended, stimulating and enjoyable day. the knowledge they have acquired during JOCELYN WYBURD the period of study/work in an Italian Gateshead College institution. It can also be used with adult courses in language centres: indeed, the ITALIA 2000: A new LINGUA pro- target groups include post-degree students, researchers and professional people who ject for Italian as FL (Action VB) have to work for a period in Italy or are in The project ITALIA 2000, which hascontact with theirItalian counterparts. recently been accepted by the Commission Such consumers can use the video proof the European Communities, aims to pro-grammes and the ancillary support ma- vide multi-media Italian language pack-terials on a self-access basis in order to ages at intermediate /advanced level basedimprove their competence in the spoken on 'authentic sources'. These realia consistlanguage and /or in written project work. of extracts from Italian television pro- In this way the learner will become increas- grammes, edited with sub-titles in Italian,ingly independent, taking the responsi- and withstudiointroductions,givingbility for his/her own learning process at a language explanations and background in-suitable pace. formation, plus input for further research. Information about the material produced Each package is related to a topic and thewill be sent at the beginning of each acade- areas covered include: the environment, mic term to interested institutions. In addi- health and welfare, regional and Europeantion, a seminar /workshop will be held at a issues, legal and financial matters, educa-Language Centreor Teacher Training tion,politics,employment andequalInstitution during the summer term of next opportunities, and cultural and scientificyear (possibly May 1995), in order to obtain questions. A video-transcript is providedfeedback, proposals and cooperation from on PC disc, while notes, related readinglecturers and teachers in other institutions. material from newspaper articles, and A video package, Nuovi partiti e televi- language exercises are included in a separ-sione, is available from October 1994. It ate workbook. The main objectives are notincludes Tg1 extracts about programmes only to provide up-to-date informationand manifestos of the new political parties, about current Italian cultural trends, butpresented for the General Election of 1994, also to illustrate authentic language usageand the role of the media during the propa- in an appropriate and meaningful context. gandaelettoraleperiod. A comment in The packages are prepared by a team ofEnglish about the present political situation European lecturers and teachers who workin Italy is also offered in a video interview as partners in a consortium, including twowith Denis Mack Smith (University of Colleges of the University of Wales (CardiffOxford) and Robert Leonardi (London and Aberystwyth), seven other BritishSchool of Economics). institutions,aSpanishUniversity,an Allthe language material produced Italian University, and two Italian televi-within the ITALIA 2000 project will be sion networks. Language, media and com-available for consultation by students and puting experts are adding their efforts for ateachers at: fuller exploitation of resources and educa- European Language Centre, University of tional technology in order to create newWales College of Cardiff, Bute Building, opportunitiesforinnovativelearningCardiff; strategies. They also propose to experiment Language Centre, University of Oxford, with interactive satellite teaching and dis-12 Woodstock Road, Oxford; and tance learning. Centro Linguistico dell'Ateneo, The multi-media language material pro- University di Parma, Parma.

56 60 Tuttitalia, No. 10, December 1994 Summary details of the first six video-Carmela De Vito, Peterborough; First Prize cassettesproducedcanbefoundin Borsa di Studio + £70; Tuttitalia 8, December 1993, p. 22. Carmen De Rosas, Oswestry; First Prize For further information, please write to £70; MarinaDiStefanoCocuzza, EUROS,Sandra Aragosa, Peterborough; Second University of Wales College of Cardiff, POPrizeBooks; Box 908, Cardiff CF1 3YQ (Tel: 0222-FrancescaRolando,Sherborne;Second 874799; Fax: 0222-874946). Prize- £15. MARINA DI STEFANO COCUZZA Thegratitudeofallconcernedis University of Wales College of Cardiff expressed to the donors of the prizes: cash prizes to a total of £200, plus book prizes, were generously donated by the ALL Italian Essay Competition Italian Cultural Institute in London; 1994 - the British-ItalianSociety and Thomas Sixty-two candidates participated in theNelson Publishers each generously do- 1994 ALLItalianEssayCompetitionnated £200 towards winners' prizes and (approximately 20 fewer than in 1993). ThetravellingexpensestoattendItalian threejudgeswereMrs B Sleeman Universities and other educational institu- (Gloucester), Miss Marvita Costa (London), tions; and Mrs Lina Carrier (London). After care- the horse di studio were generously do- ful scrutiny of the essays, the judgesnated by: declared themselves impressed by the UniversityItalianaperStranieridi general standard of the entries. Perugia; Congratulations are extended to the win- British Institute of Florence; ners with thanks to all participants for their AssociazioneCulturaleItaliaideadi excellent contribution to the Competition. Roma. The winners were as follows: GIOVANNA MUSZYNSKA Category 1 (up to 16 years): Essay Competition Organiser Emma Howard, London; First Prize£70; Helen Cankett, Somerset; Second Prize As an example of the work submitted, Books; we publish below the essay by Clare Anna Gordon-Walker, London; SecondHoward (Category 2), for which she was Prize£15. awarded a borsa di studio plus a cash prize. Category2(6th-formers and1styear University): I giovani d'oggi Clare Howard, Swansea; First PrizeBorsa di Studio + £70; I giovani d'oggi sono disposti a lottare Tracey Morgan, Newry, Northern Ireland;per i loro diritti? Sembra the in questa so- First Prize£70; ciety dei consumi i giovani preferiscono Edward Clement, Worcester; Second Prizeguardare la televisione o giocare con i Books; giochi elettronici, e non si interessano dei Anna Weston, London; Second Prize£15. problemi importanti, per esempio la politi- Category 3 (Adults in Further Educationca, i senza casa, oil razzismo. E poiche and evening classes): molti giovani sono sempre a casa loro a Peter Sonley, Gloucestershire; First Prize guardare la televisione o ascoltare i loro Borsa di Studio + £70; dischi, diventano pigri. Anche se si sentono Anthony James, Bedfordshire; First Prize arrabbiati e pensano «non sono d'accordo £70; con quello», non fanno niente perche sono Sandra Stevens, Derby; Second Prize troppo pigri. Books; Ma, in Gran Bretagna, non c'e veramente Peter Batchen, Dorset; Second Prize£15. una tradizione di protesta per i giovani da Category4(Italian mother-tongue andseguire. Prima degli anni Sessanta, molta parentage): gente, anche i giovani, non aveva con-

Tuttitalia, No. 10, December 1994 57 sapevolezza di molti problemi sociali, edcome questo da seguire. E recentemente c'e anche la protesta era una cosa della classestata un'indagine su Radio Uno per vedere operaia. Molti non conoscevano niente suiquanti giovani conoscevano i nomi dei problemi dell' ambiente, e alcuni problemi,ministri del governo. Una grande per- come i diritti per gli omosessuali ed it raz-centuale dei giovani che erano coinvolti in zismo, erano soffocati. questa indagine non conoscevano i nomi Gradualmente c'e stato un cambiamentodei ministri, per non parlare dei problemi nella societa e quindi dagli anni Sessanta politici. fino all'inizio degli anni Settanta i giovani Nelle scuole, se it preside fa qualcosa che hannocominciatoalottarecontroi non 6 popolare, generalmente gli studenti pregiudizi nella societa. In questi anni i gio- to accettano, mentre in Italia i giovani sono vani lottavano contro it razzismo con gran-disposti a lottare contro it governo. Sembra di marce di protesta. C'era un movimentoche ci sia una grande differenza tra gli per la pace e per la liberta in genere. atteggiamenti in Gran Bretagna e in Italia. Ma negli ultimi venti anni,i giovani Comunque, ci sono alcuni giovani in hanno perso la loro volonta. Oggigiorno,questo paese che sono disposti a combat- infatti, sembra che vogliano solo comprare itere per le loro credenze, specialmente per vestiti e le altre cose per se stessi, o voglianosalvare la natura e l'ambiente. I problemi tutti i nuovi divertimenti. Alcuni giovanicon l'ambiente, per esempio l'ozonosfera e creano anche dei problemi per la societa. t'effetto serra, negli ultimi cinque anni sono Per esempio, molti usano gli stupefacenti, ostati molto in vista. Molti giovani sono sono coinvolti in attivita criminali. Sembracoinvolti nelle organizzazioni per gli ani- che molti giovani d'oggi siano egoisti e nonmali, come it «Fondo mondiale per la natu- si interessino dei problemi degli altri. ral. Molti giovani sono contro gli «sport» In Italia, comunque, sembra che i giovanicrudeli, come la caccia alla volpe, e fanno siano molto phi disposti a parlare a sfavoredelle proteste e qualche volta sono arrestati di qualcosa che credono non sia giusta. Loper le loro azioni. scorso Natale, molti studenti di tutta Italia Molti giovani sono contro it razzismo e it sono andati in sciopero contro le nuovenazismo, che in questo secolo e un grande riformedelMinistrodellaPubblica problema. E meno forte di cinquant'anni fa, Istruzione, Rosa Russo Jervolino, riguardo ma e to stesso un problema nella nostra alle scuole. Lei ha un progetto per lesocieta. Ci sono giovani nelle organiz- aziende: quella di investire capitali negli isti-zazioni come «La lega contro it nazismo» tuti scolastici «per favorire iniziative di stu-che combattono per i diritti delle mino- dio e di ricerca».I ragazzi sentono cheranze etniche. questo e un primo passo verso la privatiz- In conclusione, benche ci siano giovani zazione della scuola, quindi 50 mila giovaniche non fanno niente per la societa, ci sono hanno sfilato a Napoli, 20 mila a Roma, e 15 anche molti giovani con una coscienza che mila a Bari, e hanno deciso di fare unavogliono provare acostruire una vita protesta contro la misura. Hanno occupato migliore per se stessi ed anche per gli altri. le scuole e protestavano nelle scuole con slogan come «Boicotta la bigotta» e «Vogliamo una sola licenziata, Jervolino disoccupata». From the Editor's desk Ma inItaliaigiovani hanno una Following the by now standard practice tradizione di protesta. Per esempio, negliin this section of Tuttitalia, I report below anni Sessanta c'e stato un famoso movi-on items of correspondence and other mento di studenti per una societa migliore. matters of interest to ALL Italianists. C'era una domanda per l'educazione per tutti, una fine agli atteggiamenti competi-Exchange opportunity in Piacenza tivi, ed anche una riduzione nella potenza dell'autorita. L'aborto e it divorzio sono A group of teachers attheIstituto stati legalizzati. TecnicoCommercialeRomagnosi of In Gran Bretagna non c'e un esempio Piacenzaareplanning toorganise

58 .11 62 Tuttitalia, No. 10, December 1994 exchanges with British students for theirshould in fact dramatise "un'andata dal own students attending the fourth class ofpopolo", suggesting the end of a phase of the ITC (i.e. 18-year-old students). They are Calvino's development as a writer, and the seeking contacts with British schools where end of an era as far as post-war writing in Italian is taught, or other schools whose Italy was concerned.' students would be willing to participate in such an exchange. All the Piacenza students have a fairly good knowledge ofTravelingua English. For further information please Travelingua is an independent organisa- contactProf.ssa Rose Corradi,Istitutotion run by a small group of enthusiastic TecnicoCommercialeRomagnosi,Via teachers of Italian, all of whom have lived Cavour 45, 29100 Piacenza, Italy. and worked in Italy, and over the years have built up strong links with the country. As a teachers' group, Travelingua does not National StandardsAmerican go in for glossy brochures or expensive Style advertising, preferring to invest its energies I was pleased to receive a copy of thein the week-long courses it mounts in col- SITI,asmallprivate Spring1994leafletpublished by thelaboration with American Council on the Teaching oflanguage school in Bergamo. The teaching ForeignLanguagesInc.(ACTFL)onsyllabus used draws on and expands the 'National Standards in Foreign Languagematerial presented in the BBC's Buongiorno Education'. Published as an issue of the Italia!, L'Italia dal vivo, and Italianissimo. Full NationalStandardsinForeignLanguage details of courses, dates and costs may be Education Newsletter, the leaflet was de-obtained from Travelingua, 37 Plane Tree signed to 'address concerns and questions Way, Woodstock, Oxon (Tel: 0993-811086; that have arisen over the course of stan- Fax: 0734-503326). dards development concerns shared by Task Force members and those commenting on its work'. The hope was that the con-Journals received tents of the leaflet would 'shed some light Igratefullyacknowledgereceiptof on the work of the K-12 Student Standardseditorial desk copies of the following Task Force, as well as the context in which journals: it is operating'. Topics featured are: The Italia Contemporanea, 194, marzo 1994, 216 National Context; What is a Standard?;+ 77 pp. [Istituto nazionale per la storia del Standards for What Language?; Standards movimento di liberazione in Italia]; for What Levels?; Need for Involvement; Italia Contemporanea, 195, giugno 1994, and Additional Reading. Also included arepp. 217-456 [Istituto nazionale per la storia an essay by Marty Abbott on 'National del movimento di liberazione in Italia]; Standards: Local Realities', and a note seek- Notiziario/Newsletter, 1, March 1994, 23 ing Pilot Sites. Further information may be pp. [INCA /CGIL]; obtained from ACTFL, 6 Executive Plaza, Studi d'Italianisticanell'AfricaAustralel Yonkers, New York 10701-6801, USA. Italian Studies in Southern Africa, Special Issue, vol. 6, no. 2, 1993, 'Images of Africa in Italian Literature and Culture (Twentieth Tuttitalia 9: errata corrige Century)Part 3', 134 pp. [Associazione One small but significant prepositional Professori d' Italiano / Association of gremlin found its way into the concluding Professional Italianists]; paragraph (page 33) of Pauline Small's Lettera dall'Italia, anno VIII, numero 32, essayon'Calvino,Cosimo andtheottobre-dicembre 1993, 82 pp. [Istituto della Communist Party' published in Tuttitalia 9. Enciclopedia Italiana]; I am pleased to correct the error. The final KimStacks & CD-ROM, 10, 1994, 78 pp. sentence of her essay should read: 'It is [KimTec UK]; ironic that the central novel of the trilogy TES Bookfind News, no. 1, Spring 1994,

Tuttitalia, No. 10, December 1994 6 3 59 4 pp. [Book Data in association with theRivolta, Quaderni della Societa Letteraria, Times Educational Supplement]; 7, 90 pp., Fondazione Museo Miniscalchi- IIBoiardo,n.3,aprile 1994, 28 pp.,Erizzo, Verona, 20 maggio-20 giugno 1994 Notiziario di informazione e di bibliografia [SocietaLetteraria di Verona /Biblioteca boiardesca[AssessoratoallaCultura, Civica di Verona]; Giovani e Pubblica Istruzione, Comune di Il Segnalibro, anno 1, n. 4, aprile 1994, 24 Scandiano]; pp., Mensile di informazione lessicale e IlBoiardo, n. 4, giugno 1994, 36 pp.,grammaticale [II Segnalibro, Lussemburgo]; Notiziario di informazione e di bibliografia Italian Today /Il Segnalibro, year 1, no. 6-7, boiardesca[AssessoratoallaCultura,June July 1994, 24 pp., Monthly magazine Giovani e Pubblica Istruzione, Comune difor the diffusion of Italian in Great Britain Scandiano]; [II Segnalibro, Lussemburgo]. Il Paradiso Perduto da Rol li a Baj: edizioni, ANDREW WILKIN traduzioni,illustrazioni, a cura di Gloria University of Strathclyde

74E ASSOCIATIONfor LANGUAGE LEARNING Dates for your diary!

ALL INSET Days

IT Seminars 13 January 1995 BETT Show, London Company Language Forum 26-27 January 1995 Bedfordshire Asian Languages Day February 1995 Sandwell, W Midlands E-Mail and Language Learning 4 February 1995 Stafford French Cultural Day 4 March 1995 Making the most of the April/May 1995 French Coast short visit to France For further details contact ALL Office

60 .).!64 Tuttitalia, No. 10, December 1994 Novita! Uno Corso comunicativo di italiano Gruppo META

Uno is the first level of an exciting new Italian course, ideal for 14-19 year olds in secondary schools, for students in sixth form and F.E. colleges, for ab initio undergraduates, and for adult learners. It guides students from elementary to intermediate level. The lively libro dello studente features copious illustrations, photographs and realia, many in full colour. In Italian throughout, Uno satisfies the demands of the national curriculum programmes of study, promoting use of the target language at all times through a wide variety of activities which enable students to acquire the language strategies needed to communicate in real situations. Full grammar explanations and examples are given, and all the language is presented in authentic contexts, encouraging awareness of social, political and cultural life in Italy today. Libro dello studente 0 521 46814 0 Paperback £7.95 Libro degli esercizi e sintesi grammatica 0 521 46813 2 Paperback f6.95 Guida per l'insegnante 0 521 46812 4 Paperback £14.95 Audiocassette i & 2 0 521 46815 9 £9.95 + VATin UK Audiocassetta 3 0 521 46816 7 f6.95 + VAT in UK Uno is for sale only in the UK, USA, Canada and Australia.

Teachers/lecturers: For inspection copies of the libro dello studente and libro degli esercizi, and approval copies of the guida per l'insegnante, please write to: Julie Mullan, Educational Marketing Department, Cambridge University Press, FREEPOST, CAMBRIDGE The Edinburgh Building, Shaftesbury Road, UNIVERSITY PRESS Cambridge C82. IBR, or telephone 0223 325-013/014/889. The Edinburgh Building, Cambridge CB2 2RU,UK Source Code: A 64322

S. Tuttitalia, No. 10, December 1994 61 BEST COPYAVAILABLE 4A4in ASSOCIATION for LANGUAGE LEARNING

Language World 31 March-3 April 1995 University of York

Language World is the annual course/conference and exhibition of the Association for Language Learning, the UK professional association for language teachers in all sectors of education. It provides inservice training and information to support the teaching and learning of foreign languages at all levels.

Specific languages Primary Secondary 16-19 Higher education Adult education Business training Teacher training and inspection plus much more! The theme for Language World 1995 is the teacher, the learner and the learning environment. The conference will follow the usual format of talks, workshops and promotional presentations taking place all day Saturday, Sunday and Monday. Longer courses on specific areas will be held on Monday. Gillian Shephard, Secretary of State for Education, will be a guest speaker Major exhibition of language materials and resources (Entry free!) Approximate costs: 3 day course fee £78 Full board plus 3 nights accommodation(ensuite) £135 1 day only £39 Full board plus 3 nights accommodation(standard)£115 (reduced rates for part-time and student teachers)

66 62 Tuttitalia, No. 10, December 1994 (1G40 'It-RN/LI° ASSOCIATION for ALL/MGP Publications LANGUAGE LEARNING

Using the Target Language 60 pages 7.00 Author: Carol Macdonald ISBN 1 85234 507 1 (April 1993) With a glossary of classroom terms in French, German, Italian, Russian, Spanish

Managing the Modern Languages Classroom 48 pages 7.00 Authors: Amanda Flint, Anna Lise Gordon ISBN 1 85234 509 8 A practical down-to-earth guide on managing pupils' learning

Appraisal for Language Teachers 56 pages 7.00 Author: Michael Pennington ISBN 1 85234 532 2 The first book on appraisal specially written for modern language teachers

Teaching and learning grammar Author: Alison Taylor ISBN 1 85234 554 3 5.50

Working with your Student Teacher Authors: Sarah Fletcher and Michael Clavert ISBN 1 852345 45 4 7.00

Being a Head of Department Authors: Anna Lise Gordon and Amanda Flint ISBN 0 748718 15X 7.00

Copies available from ALL office. Please enclose payment with order.

6 Tuttitalia, No. 10, December 1994 63 Notes for contributors

Contributions The Editorial Boardb) Disk: Most word processing packages welcomes previously unpublished articles are acceptable but if you have any query which will further the cause of the learning contact the ALL office. Also send in one and teaching of Italian. hard copy of the article with the disk, Contributions are expected to fall into and keep one for yourself. one of these categories: a)Articles of about 3000 words. Give your article one short title (not a title b) Brief (up to 1000 words) items of infor-and a subtitle), and divide it up with brief mation, notes on innovative practice,subheadings. discussion points (including those arising from previous articles). Give full references for all sources quoted. c)Reviews usually of about 300 to 400Journal policy is to put these at the end of words (longer reviews or articles may be the article and not at the bottom of the accepted). page. The guidelines below are intended toIllustrations help contributors: Photographs are particularly welcome, as are charts, diagrams and tables where rele- Presentation vant. Please send these at the same time as Articles should be submitted either type- your typescript. written or on computer disk (plus hard copy) Timing a) Typewritten: Type with double spacing. In order to be considered for inclusion in Typewriters or word processors should thefollowingissue,articlesshould be set at 44 characters (the equivalent ofnormally be sent in by 1st February and the line length), as this will help the1st August. Where topicalityisof the Editor plan the arrangement of the jour- essence, shorter deadlines are possible by nal. Please send two copies of the article negotiation with the Editor. and keep one for yourself. One copy of the article should be 'clean' (with no cor-Copyright rections) to enable the printer to scan it. IfAuthors are reminded that the Association there are any changes or corrections these holds the copyright for all articles pub- should be made on the second copy. lished in its journals.

64 Tuttitalia, No. 10, December 1994 0 0 The Nelson Modern Languages Competition1995 Reading Matters! This exciting project will help Produce an ontology of original your students to develop reading material suitable for creative writing skills as well as to 1 1-12 year old learners of: encourage reading for + French, r + (erman, enjoyment, whilst bringing + Spanish, cross-curricular work to a sharp any otherforiegn focus. And of course there is language. the opportunity to win The anthology should include a valuable prizes! variety of students' own original material, for example short a voucher for £250 forNelson Modern Languages titles stories plays, plays, poems, cartoons etc, on one of the 100 copies of an anthology of selections from each of the llowing themes. +It'sa mystery winning entries + Inventors and inventions Down on the farm Open to all students of a modern foreign Dungeons and demons language aged 11-18. Maximum of two eeBeyond the horizon entries in different languages. :4A theme of your own

0,r3 For moreintormation and a registration form please cut .ant and return a completed copy of :this form to Secondary Promotions Department.FREEPOST..Thotii4s Nelson & Sons Ltd, :Nelson House. Mayfield Road, Walton onThames,Surrey.KTi4fik. These is no need to use a stamp. :Teacher's name. :Sehbol: Address:

Pbstaxie: Telephone: TUTTEflJML December 1994 No. 10

Contents Page Editorial 2 Derek Aust Developing post-GCSE reading skills 3 j Keith Killby The Monte San Martino Trust 10 Michele Maisto Tra Garibaldi e Pavarotti: note sulla presenza italiana nel Sud del Brasile 13 Francesca Gattullo,Donne immigrate a Bologna: temi e Catherine Hoskynsproblemi 17 & Marina Orsini- Jones Catherine The infernal pilgrimage: a study of Mackenzie Giorgio Caproni's Stanze della fttnicolare (2): Part I 37 Andrew Wilkin Ma quei maledetti accenti: da che parte vanno? 44 Reviews 47

News and views 55 Notes for Contributors 64

16 Regent Place, Rugby CV21 2PN. Tel: (0788) 546443 Fax: (0788) 544149 70 The Itali ii0Or h',nal SO/dation for Lan titigi Learn*

RoleTlay'and::COmmuniaitiv*cOriiitteike,

Women, literature and SO-Ciety

Le relaziOni di spazio in 'ItOliano

BESTCOPY AVAILABLE ASSOCIATION for LANGUAGE LEARNING

President: Madeleine Bedford, Further Education Teaching Council Secretary General: Christine Wilding Chevalier des Palmes Academiques Italian Committee Derek Aust (Chair), South Devon College Anna Bartrum, St Paul's School, Milton Keynes Julie Beverly, Plymouth Business School Mariolina Freeth, Islington VI Form Centre Jenny Jackson, Bedfordshire Upper Schools Teresa Lorusso-Gibson, Trinity School, Leamington Spa Ernesto Macaro, University of Reading Giovanna Muszynska, London Hilary Reeves, Stanground College, Peterborough Angela Vegliante, Italian Institute Andrew Wilkin (Editor), University of Strathclyde Tuttitalia is published twice a year, in June and December. It is supplied to ALL members who choose it as one of their two specialist language journals in addition to Language Learning Journal and Language World, and is available on subscription to libraries and individuals. Other journals published by the Association for Language Learning Language Learning Journal, German Teaching, Vida Hispdnica, Francophonie, Rusistika, Dutch Crossing (published by the Centre for Low Countries Studies), Language World Quarterly Newsletter Advertising: All enquiries should be addressed to the Advertising Manager at the address below Contributors: See page 64 Official address: Association for Language Learning, 150 Railway Terrace, Rugby CV21 3HN. Telephone: 01788 546443. Fax: 01788 544149 TUTTITALIA

ISSN 0957-1752 JUNE 1995 No. 11 Editor Andrew Wilkin Department of Modern Contents Page Languages Univ. of Strathclyde Editorial 2 Glasgow G1 1XH John De Cecco andModern Languages in the Primary Editorial Board Daniel Tierney School: the Scottish Experience 3 Derek Aust Anna Bartrum Julie Beverly Jocelyn Wyburd Suggested strategies for the use of Mariolina Freeth authentic video materials 9 Jenny Jackson Ernesto Macaro Douglas Angus SCOTVEC modules and the LLB 12 Giovanna Muszynska Hilary Reeves Carole Shepherd Rossella Peressini From Teaching to Research: Role-Play and Communicative Competence 15 Reviews Editor Carole Shepherd Catharine Mackenzie The infernal pilgrimage: a study of 58 Beatty Avenue Jesmond Giorgio Caproni's Stanze della Newcastle-upon-Tyne funicolare (2): Part II 22 NE2 3QN Guya Rossi Women, Literature and Society: News Editor the 'half' and the 'whole' 29 Julie Beverly 29 Cedarcroft Road Beacon Park Julie Beverly I luoghi del cuore e le molte yerita: Plymouth PL2 3JX an introduction to the novels of Isabella Bossi Fedrigotti 35 Published by Association for Language Learning Pierangela DiadoriLe relazioni di spazio nell'italiano contemporaneo: Parte I 40 Printed by Stephen Austin and Reviews 46 Sons Ltd Caxton Hill Ware Road News and views 61 Hertford SG13 7LU Notes for Contributors 64 © 1995 Association for Language Learning Tuttitalia, No. 11, June 1995 1 Editorial

Ternpus fugit and the end of another aca-Scotland (a topic last hosted in Tuttitalia 3). demic year is in sight! It is certainly true forJocelyn Wyburd very much an emerging your Editor that the seasons are marked byspecialist on the techniqueprovides us the preparation and publication of issues ofwith more strategies for using authentic Tuttitalia! It is, however, a gratifying andvideo materials in the classroom, whilst indeed privileged taskespecially whenDouglas Angusthe guruof modular members of the Editorial Board continue to coursesdetailsthelatestversionsof receive highly positive feedback from col-SCOTVEC modules in relation to the LLB leagues up and down the country. Grazie! specifications. As always, we have endeavoured to RossellaPeressinireportsonher bring together in this issue of Tuttitalia aresearch into role-play as a means of range of materials which we believe will beenhancingcommunicativecompetence, of appeal across the ever-widening spec-and Catharine Mackenzie completes her trum of our discipline. I am sure you willsubstantial analysis of Caproni's Stanze wish to join me in welcoming as Reviews della funicolare (2). Editorwith effect from this issueCarole Mindful of areas of interest reflected in Shepherd. As one of the senior teachers ofmany contemporary coursesinItalian Italian in Britain, and as an author herselfliterature, we have two articles whichin of a number of teaching texts, Carole is par- broad termscan be described as bearing ticularly well placed to order our compre-on Women's Writing: Guya Rossi on hensive coverage of new materials inWomen, Literature and Society; and Julie Italian Studies. With a helping hand fromBeverly, a member of our Editorial Board, the undersigned, Carole has aggregated aon the novels of Isabella Bossi Fedrigotti. substantial block of critical assessment for We welcome back Pierangela Diadori, this issueand there is plenty 'on theof the University per Stranieri di Siena, stocks' for forthcoming numbers. who provides the first instalment of a For Tuttitalia 11 it has proved possible totwo-part study (in Italian) of how spatial include eight articles spanning all our stan- relationships are dealt with in modern dard areas of coverage, as well as theItalian. Reviews and News and Views sections. As It is the firm belief of the Editorial Board always, we start with classroom issues,that these articles, taken together, represent move through applied research and intoyet another attractive range of materials cultural studies, and on to our featurewhich will appeal to the readership of article in Italian. Tuttitalia. John De Cecco and Daniel Tierney (both As always, I appeal to intending con- now teachertrainers,theformer antributors to submit their offerings, if at all Italianist, the latter a Hispanist with Italianpossible, exactly in line with the Notes for as his second string) bring us up-to-date onContributors (to be found on page 64). the programme designed tointroduce I wish you all buone vacanze and buona Modern Languages (and for us, especially lettura! Italian)intoevery primary schoolin ANDREW WILKIN

2 Tuttitalia, No. 11, June 1995 Modern Languages in the Primary School: the Scottish Experience

John De Cecco University of Strathclyde and Daniel Tierney

Introduction ondary Modern Languages departments. The first part of this article will provideThe secondary Modern Languages teachers some general background information onwould work alongside their primary col- Modern Languages in the Primary Schoolleagues to deliver the foreign language. (MLPS) in Scotland, whilst the second partThe other Authority appointed a team of will look at Italian in particular. tutors to work with the primary teachers, Pilotprojects with the aim that the latter would assume inteachingModernresponsibility for teaching the foreign lan- Languages to primary pupils in Scotlandguage. were initiated in 1989 following the statement by the Secretary of State for Scotland There were also two full-time develop- in Circular 1178 that he wished: ment officers who were engaged in sup- to examine the case for beginning the study of a porting, developing and monitoring the modern foreign European language in primary pilot as it evolved. Funding was also made school. He is aware that early experiments in the available for resources. field were not a success and he considers that a This was a crucial period in which better outcome may be achieved with more care- lessons were learned and good practice dis- ful planning, an adequate supply of trainedseminated. The projects were also the sub- teachers, and an appropriate level of resources ject of research which was funded by the committed to the project. SOED, and carried out by a team from the In addition to the national Scottish Office University of Stirling led by Professor EducationDepartment (SOED) PilotRichard Johnstone. Projects there were also a number of regional projects. The national pilot project involved 12 secondary schools and theirExtension of the Project associated primaries, with the first six sec- The initial partnership model, i.e. pri- ondaries and theirassociated primarymary and secondary teachers working schools being involved in the teaching oftogether, allowed for a successful start to French and German. In 1990 a further fourthe piloting and for insights to be gained. secondary schools and their associated pri-After three years of experience in the pilot maries were added for French and German,projects,it was decided to extend the and one pilot project in Italian and one inteaching of a foreign language to all pri- Spanish were initiated. Concurrent withmary schools in Scotland. In January 1993 the national pilot project in Italian anotherthe relevant Minister announced: projectinItalian was established byBuilding on these foundations (i.e. the national Strathclyde Region. By 1992-93 the foreignand regional pilots), we now propose that all language was being provided to Primary 6 Scottish primary schools should offer teaching in and 7 in ten of the twelve projects, and to a modern European language: French, German, Primary 4-7 in two of the projects. Seventy-Spanish or Italian. I intend that the SOED, in consultationwithotherinterestedparties, six primary schools and over 4,300 pupilsshoulddevise an implementationstrategy, were involved at this stage. The Scottishincluding training arrangements, which would Office provided funding which was used bring to larger numbers of primary teachers the by eleven of the twelve Local Authorities linguistic skills they need to introduce a modern involved to appoint extra staffing in sec- language into the primary curriculum.

Tuttitalia, No. 11, June 1995 3 The time was now right to provide the drama and physical education activities through primary teachersthemselves with the the medium of the foreign language; necessary linguistic competence to allow6. The language required for games, to teach pupils some songs and poems, and to tell and them to take this forward. Like otherdevelop some popular stories through the countries such as France and Italy, Scotland medium of the foreign language. had concluded that the person best placed In addition, the primary teacher would to deliver the foreign language in the pri-also have confident command of the basic mary curriculum was the primary classstructures of the language. S/he would be teacher. What was required was a majorable to use a foreign language dictionary programme of specialised language train-appropriately including cross-referencing ing. This was in no way a criticism of theskills, and write labels /captions accurately secondary Modern Languages teacherswith the support of a dictionary if required. involved in the pilot. Their vital role in theThe primary teacher would also acquire an initial partnership model had contributedawareness of the culture and background so much to the successful development thatof the country /countries whose language the Government was committed to extend-was being taught. ing the project. There was now a sound basis for doing so. The role of the secondary specialist would evolve and wouldThe Italian Training Programme continue to be important, but it was now These competences were illustrated by appropriate for there to be a shift in the bal-references to pilot experience in a paper ance of responsibility for the delivery ofentitled Modern Languages in the Primary foreign language activities to the primarySchool: Cornpetences, which was published school and to the primary teacher in par-in April 1993. This was the document ticular. The National Extension Programmewhich would determine the nature of the was thusinitiated. An extensive pro-language activities which were 'fleshed gramme of consultation involving primaryout' by one of the present authors as the teachers,secondaryteachers,advisers, Lead Writer working to the Italian Writing directors of education, teacher trainers andGroup under the convenership of an HMI. linguistic attaches was undertaken to deter-The writing group was composed of the mine the shape of the Training Programme. HMI, the lead writer, a teacher trainer, the Direttore Didattico from the Consolato Generale d'Italia in Edinburgh, a primary The Cornpetences teacher involved in the Italian pilot, and a As a result of the wide-ranging consulta-Local Authority adviser. The lead writer tion exercise, a seriesof competences,was commissioned to work 2-3 days per which the primary teachers would acquire,week drafting the Training Programme, were identified. These were as follows: which was subsequently amended and 1. The sound system of the language, accurate approved by the writing group at its fre- pronunciation and intonation; quent meetings. The Training Programme 2. The foreign alphabet and numbers (ordinals, in Italian would involve the teachers in 160 cardinals, time, date, price, age, quantity); hours/27 days of intensive class contact 3. Core language in the broad areas of personal language (e.g. self and family), descriptive lan- time spread over a one-year period. With guage (e.g. for people, weather, etc.), affective 27 days of training to be planned, the language (e.g. likes, emotions, etc.); Italian writing team established the follow- 4. Language for the classroom: Daily Routineing format: (register,date and weather,prayers,etc.); Days 1-5: Designed to expose participants to General Classroom Language (handing things as much spoken Italian and things Italian as over, giving instructions, etc.); Language for the possible, with the intention of building up confi- Pupil (asking for permission, expressing prob- dence in coping with Italian in a wide variety of lems, etc.); topic areas: exchanging personal information; 5. The language required to deliver some basic Italianpronunciation and alphabet;talking art, craft, home economics, science, technology, about one's family and job; using numbers;

4 76 Tuttitalia, No. 11, June 1995 understanding and telling the time; identifying the textbook as a reference work for the places in an Italian town; talking about one'steachers when required. daily routine; talking about days, dates, birth- In addition to three broad-spine ring- days; the weather; talking about school; likes bindersfullof desk-top-published A4 and dislikes; ordering food and drink; parts of the body; shopping for clothes and souvenirs; activity and language sheets and support- talking about house and home. Later in theing audio cassettes generated by the writ- course these topic areas would be picked up and ing teams, the teachers were all provided developed. with the textbook and audio cassettes for By the end of the initial five days of train-Italianissimo 1 for them to use at home if ing the participants should: they required or wished, and to retain after * feel comfortable in an Italian languagethe Training Programme for reference or to environment; develop their Italian further. * be accustomed to having language pre- Days 21-27: The main feature of this final sented exclusively in Italian; phase of the Training Programme was the degree of involvement of the participants in * be able to understand and (perhaps) teaching and leading language-based activities. remember how to use some of the basic These days took place after the summer vaca- structures for specific topic areas in a var- tion, so some initial re-working of key language iety of communicative activities. areas was felt to be appropriate. The context for Days 6-20: Continued development of linguis- this revision was the creation of an imaginary tic competence; continued awareness-raising of Italian village, complete with characters. Further appropriate foreign language methodology and details on how this was organised are given later practice in the classroom skills necessary to pre- in the present article. Other aspects targeted in sent topics and language functions for learning this final phase were: how to incorporate Italian and teaching activities in the primary classroom; into the primary teachers' forward plan/teach- opportunity for reflection on classroom applica-ing programme, preparing and delivering to tions, i.e. integrating foreign language activities their course colleagues short Italian lessons for into the pattern of the primary curriculum, often direct language teaching, inventing and telling a based on the viewing of video excerpts of class-simple story, and delivering a craft or PE activity room activities made during the National Pilot. in Italian. To foster linguistic and grammatical progression the Italian group decided to make use of a commercial course which wouldThe Participants provide a 'language route' or framework. In year one of the training programme, After due consideration, it was felt thatwhich began in November 1993, a total of Italianissimo from BBC Publications pro-almost 400 primary teachers were to be vided appropriate topic areas, languagetrained,with themajorityinFrench. functions and grammatical support. In par-Seventeen teachers volunteered to under- ticular, the audio, video and print materialstake the training in Italian. Some had pre- provided contexts for the presentation ofvious experience in Italian, but six were features of Italian culture and backgroundcomplete beginners. Seven had 'a few including aspects of modern Italian life.phrases', 'perhaps more understanding of This was not to say that the BBC coursethe written word', 'maybe an 0 Grade from provided this phase of the training pro-some years ago'; four had 'a reasonable grammeexclusively.TheItalianissimo amount', 'perhaps a Higher Grade some materials were used on these training daystime ago', or 'current tourist language'; to resource some of the course activitiesnone identified themselves at the outset as which had been devised to develop linguis- 'more advanced'. tic competence (e.g. an audio exercise to The aim of the Training Programme was support the presentation of a model dia-not to produce linguists as such, but to give logue, with the video as the basis for dis-the primary teachers sufficient linguistic cussion in Italian of the excerpt viewed,competence and the confidence to enable seekingoutfactualdetails,personalthem to present Italian language activities descriptions, comments and reactions toto their primary school pupils. An equally people, places, statements, etc.), and withimportant aim was to provide training in

Tuttitalia, No. 11, June 1995 77 5 methodology appropriate for the teaching initaliano? Cosa vuol dire...? Come si of Italian to that age group, as well as pool- scrive...? Phrases such as these were used ingtheir own expertise inthisarea.effectively throughout thecourse, but Moreover, it was not simply a question ofnever more so than when colleagues of one training the teachers to deliver set lessons:participant who had continued to attend, their own linguistic resource would go wellalthough more than eight months preg- beyond the needs of their pupils. nant, asked anxiously Come si dice 'push' in The Italian training days were held in a italiano? Glasgow hotel. As with all the other train- As the language was developed on the ing courses operating throughout Scotland,course, it was also applied where possible there were two tutorsthe Lead Tutorto the classroom scenario either through (who was the Lead Writer of the Italianspecific linguistic activities or through the Training Programme), and the Supportpooling of expertise of the primary teachers Tutor (who was an experienced Italian pri-themselves. Those involved in the pilot mary teacher on the staff of the Ufficioprojects, those with early stages qualifica- Scolastico Italiano, Edinburgh). Thetions, and those with other experience teachers themselves were from Strathclydepooled their wealth of ideas. and Lothian Regions. Supply teaching To give a couple of examples: when cover, funded by the SOED, was providedteaching the weather, time was taken to to allow the primary teachers to be releasedthink of classroom applications (games from their normal classroom duties inwhich could be played, activities which order to attend the course. could be used to develop the language, and craft activities which could be incorporated such as the making of weather charts); Course Activities when dealing with the language of games, The early days of training involved the phrases such as tocca a te, passami ii dado, or participants in a lot of work on self and ho vinto! were used. family, the sound system, numbers, time, Another important point linguistically countries, basic classroom language, etc. Awas the decision on what should be insignificant amount of time was devoted tocluded for a given topic area. Was it essen- the sound system in Italian, and this was to tial /desirable to provide the teachers with pay dividends in linguistic competence andall/a lot of exponents (e.g. grandine) when in the building of confidence. What was teaching weather? Needs were met and reassuring for tutors and course partici-responded to, but a core of language had to pants alike was the ability of the primarybe identified at the outset. teachers to listen to and understand reason- To give a further example: on the topic of ably extended conversations inItalian, ailments it was perfectly appropriate that albeit with the support of mime, gesture,the teacher should know mi fa male and ho cognates, etc. mal di...,and understand the structure of One of the first activities in Day 1 was tofar male, but there was not the same need to exchange personal information on name,speak, for example, about appendicitis. spelling of name, age, birthdays, etc. TheseEqually, if a lexical item was required information-gap exercises on self proved towhich the teacher did not know, e.g. on be useful ice-breakers with the teachersdoing a project on animals after a visit to a soon getting to know each other and estab-sea-life centre and the names of certain sea- lishing a good working relationship withcreatures were required, then the dic- group members. An important feature oftionary skills developed throughout the the activities in the initial days of theTraining Programme would allow the Training Programme was the systematic teacher to find the required word. building-up of classroom language for The language structures, exponents and the management and delivery of learning/lexical items were extensive, but a decision teaching activities and for coping with was taken to avoid unnecessary burdens or languagephrases. Come si dice... complications. Thus, some teachers were

6 Tuttitalia, No. 11, June 1995 able to use one exponent to make a particu- in una casa nel bosco. Raccoglie fiori nel bosco. lar request, whereas others felt confident Canta e ride. Mangia la zuppa dalla scodella enough to use a variety of exponents. Inpiccola. E buonissima! Or in the story of the both cases, the essential point was tolittle elephant, possessive adjectives with achieve communication and with accuracy. members of the family: vorrei un naso lungo There was also the desire to develop the come mio padre, mia madre, mio fratello, mia teachers' linguistic competence for theirsorella. Or all the various food items which own needs beyond the classroom. Thus, the Hungry Caterpillar ate. Thus the stories although the primary teacher's eventual provided useful linguistic development for use of the imperfetto in the primary class-the teachers, as they would in turn for their room would be limited, some time andpupils. activities were devoted to it on the training course. In addition to the on-course activities, participants were able to extend theirOver to you knowledge and accuracy using the self- Throughoutthetrainingdaysthe access materials provided by Italianissimo. teachers had opportunities to take on their teaching role, trying out some of the new language points, with their peers taking on Classroom videos et al the roles of pupils. By the end of day 20 Another aspect of theTrainingthe core language had been introduced and Programme was the use of videos of class-developed. Days 21 and 22 were given over room experiences in the pilot projects.to revision around the theme of the imagi- These had been commissioned by thenary village. Where in Italy willit be SOED, and would give the teachers useful(points of the compass)? What geographi- insights into how one might organise acal features are there nearby? What is there variety of language activities such as PEin the village (buildings, etc.)? Each person warm-ups,prayers,mentalarithmetic,on the course was given an imaginary char- story-telling, games, drama, songs, etc. acter which allowed further development The scope of the present article does notof self, family, jobs, etc. Then to interject permit a detailed account of the content ofsome hilarity and to legitimise a guided the training materials, but one or two par-tour of 'the village' which the participants ticularly interesting features are worthy ofhadcreated, we hadthearrivalof mention. Two of the training days were'Martians' (in the guise of the tutors) who, based on special events: one on Natale, andof course, had different customs from the the other on Carnevale e Pasqua. TheseItalian villagers, and who required expla- includedasimplifiedversionofThe nations of the purpose of even the most Snowman by Raymond BriggsIl Pupazzo common objects and concepts. Ecco la scuo- di Neve; the songs Tu scendi dalle stelle and la! A the cosa serve? Ti presento mio marito. Santo Natale; the instructions for playing Marito? Che cos'e un marito? board-games; pelmanism; and the lan- The final days of training were given guage for craft activities to be organised inover to the practice of teaching and all Italian (making a Christmas mobile, mak-course participants had to teach a language ing a mask for Carnevale, decorating eggs,point using flashcard activites, a game, tell recipes, and performing a playletGli a story, and deliver an art and craft activity. occhiali di Arlecchinousing props madeThis was an opportunity for them to seek earlier). clarification and to fine-tune their perfor- Story-telling provided a rich source ofmances if necessary. The ideas presented language development, for example Riccioliwere extremely imaginative and, although d'Oro,IlPiccoloElefante, and IlBruco it was potentially a nerve-racking experi- Affamato. These stories offered useful rein-ence, the teachers felt it was beneficial and forcement of linguistic points such as theallowed them to share ideas and to put present tense of verbs and the agreement of theirnewly-acquiredlanguage-teaching adjectives in the story of Goldilocks: Abita skills into practice.

Tuttitalia, No. 11, June 1995 7 Evaluations Some of the teachers have been involved in exchangevisitswithItalianprimary The first phase of training finished inschools. There is the prospect of participa- October 1994. How successful was it? Lettion in a two-week course to be run in Italy the primary teachers speak for themselves.in autumn 1995, with course fees and sub- Evaluations were conducted at regularsistence funded by the Ministero della points throughout the 27 days of thePubblica Istruzione. All the teachers are Training Programme. Participants' com-keen to maintain and extend their involve- ments on the training materials, coursement in Italian language and culture, and activities, range of language areas targeted,to share this with their primary pupils. The and level of tutor support, were consist-Modern Languages in the Primary School ently very positive. The final mean figureprogramme has been an exciting challenge. of 3.7 on an ascending scale of 1-4 was aThe extension of this to every primary pleasing indication of the positive responseschool in Scotland and the massive in-ser- to the national Training Programme. vice training programme have been ambitious. Early results from the pilot projects Phase 2 and from the training have been highly Phase 2 of training has now begun with a encouraging. A lot of work remains to be further 821 teachers being trained20 ofdone, however, and many further chal- them in Italian. Two further phases oflenges lie ahead. Watch this space! training are envisaged withhopefully more opportunities for primary teachers toNote go through theItalianTrainingPro- Although this article has been contributed by gramme. For the first group of teachers the the National Development Officer and the Lead programme has been completed, but they Writer for Italian, they have written here in a are all now receiving follow-up support personal capacity for the information of fellow from theLocal Education Authorities. Italianists.

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8.0 8 Tuttitalia, No. 11, June 1995 Suggested strategies for theuseof authentic video materials

Jocelyn Wyburd Gateshead College

Introduction (c) Play a short clip (not necessarily from its beginning) without sound, to provoke student There is a popular myth that authenticspeculation as to what is happening, what the Italian TV materials can only be used with context is, or who people are; at a simpler level, degree-level students. The following are they could just describe colours, clothes, people, some suggested strategies mainly aimed at scenery, etc. On second viewing, with sound, the GCE A Level or equivalent, but many of students could attempt to identify to what extent which are adaptable to pre-GCSE level. they are correct (but it must be emphasised that Mostauthenticmaterialsrequirea they are not to expect to understand every phased approach to viewing, frequently word); repeatedindifferent ways and with (d) Play a short clip without the picture, to pro- differentgoals. Any student, even atvoke student speculation as to what is happen- Advanced Level, will panic at being played ing, where, and at what time of day, purely from an entire transmission of one news story, the sounds. On second viewing, with pictures, a further brainstorm could take place to correct or let alone the entire news for that day, alter their original images or ideas; without having thematerial rendered accessible. (e) Play a longer clip with sound and picture, Most of the notes which follow outlinehaving asked different groups of students to some suggested strategies for each phase, scan for different types or pieces of information rather than having to concentrate on every word. aimedatuse with news broadcasts, These information items are then fed back either because they usually feature a combinationcentrally or from group to group. With soap of 'talking head', interview and on-locationoperas, for example, at pre-GCSE level, each reports, which make them interesting both group or pair tracks one character for personal linguisticallyandvisually.Forless details; advanced students, advertisements, game- (f) Play a series of short pieces, without instruc- shows and soap operas also provide a great tions, to the students (e.g. headlines or adverts), source of stimulating material and theand at the end ask the students to note key same strategies can be applied. words for as many of the clips as possible based on memory (e.g. Pope, Rwanda, terrorism, etc., or detergent, chocolates, olive oil, dishwashers, Unlocking the material etc.). Some suggested strategies: The language and ideas generated by the (a) Before viewing the video clip, use a freeze-brainstorming in the above activities could frame or a still picture on OHP to brainstormbe written onto a series of posters to be vocabulary, images, ideas, opinions, and specu- affixed to the wall, and added to in subse- lation, either as an explicit vocabulary generator quent exercises, thus building up a collage or to introduce a topic or theme; of vocabulary and images relating to a particular theme. (b) Play a short section of a clip and use the pause button to elicit speculation as to either Some teachers may find that further what happens next or what had happenedviewing is unnecessary for their purpose, shortly before. The clip is then replayed to com- depending on their objectives. It is also pare the reality with the speculation. Thispossible that, from the images evoked by requires a dramatic event or image; the above exercises, quite profound discus-

Tuttitalia, No. 11, June 1995 t81 9 sions on moral and ethical grounds, or the (b)Comprehension approaches expression of more profound opinions, The teacher could guide students' view- could be stimulated. Alternatively, use ofing by providing a specific comprehension the video could be a direct stimulus togoal to different groups of students, which reading /writing or other A Level topicthey then explain to each other. Some alter- work. native strategies are: * statements to be recognised as true or false: Viewing several times * multiple-choice comprehension; * grid-filling with a category of information to Once students aresensitisedtothe be found on each viewing in order to reconstruct material by having become aware of what the story; it concerns and of some of the language * gap-filling exercises of summarised and para- involved, itis then possible to use the phrased passages written by the teacher; material for more in-depth comprehension or extension purposes. * re-ordering mixed-up statements according to the order in which they appear in the material The teacher may wish to concentrate (directly or indirectly); students' minds on some particular aspect of a clip because it follows thematically * discover definitions in Italian for a number of from other work being performed, or may items of vocabulary or to search for the Italian for [...] from the viewing of the material. wish to choose incomplete clips from various parts of the tape to achieve a particular Cf. B. Hill, Making the most of video, London, goal. CILT, chapter 2, for examples of all the In view of the speed and difficulty of theabove, especially grids. Italian in such material, considerable time (c)The Kim's Game approach may need to be spent on category (b) The teacher shows a video clip twice and below, before attempting (c), if comprehen-asks the students in a limited amount of sion of the issues is required. timetowrite down everythingthey (a)Thematic approaches remember. This could range from individ- The teacher could show a number ofual words to full sentences, from descrip- clips just concentrating on the news presen-tions of visual images to a summary of a ters (this is just one example; alternatively,particular issue discussed or event taking one could use advertisements, severalplace. reports on the same topic, etc.). The following are suggestions at a progression of lin- Extension Activities guistic levels as to how these could be Access to and understanding of the used. The words uttered by the presentersvideo material is not in itself to be regarded need not be important for this process,as the goal or objective. It is to be used as a though the sound should be left turned up,stimulus to linguistic expression and to as their voices and intonation contribute tospark off debate, thought processes and the impression they make: students' own original work. There follow * describe their looks and clothes; some suggestions, as accessible as possible * past tense: what was s/he wearing in the pre- to all levels of learner. These should be vious clip?; adapted by teachers to their own students' * simple expression of opinions: which presen- abilities. ters do the students like best and why?; (a)Oral activities * speculation about presenters' lifestyle, per- The video material also inspires oral sonal characteristics, background; practice as students will instinctively pick * comment on their style of presentation of theup aspects of pronunciation, intonation stories in terms of language, intonation, etc.; and mannerisms, as well as being more * comparison of TG1 news presentation with inspired to act a role than if a character is that of BBC1. presented on paper.

10 Tuttitalia, No.11, June 1995 Examples: on the same or related subjects, especially * whole class, pair or group brainstorming (as from the day after the event, are particu- described above); larly useful for a comparison of how the * studentstudent exchange of opinions andstory was reported in the two media. On ideas; the whole, use of video, to introduce a topic Interactive role-plays: or theme which will subsequently be * persuasion,accusationand defence(e.g. explored in reading, can motivate the stu- policeman and arrested party); dents more towards the exploration of the * interviewing (e.g. journalist and arrested per-reading material. For example, they will son/victim, etc.); have a face to put to the person referred to, or vocabulary on (say) crime will have Drama techniques: 'come alive' in the video clip. * 'conscience alley'student in role (e.g. as an arrested mafioso) walks through an alley formed (c)Writing Activities by two rows of other students as if entering a These activities, too, differentiate by out- court-house; the students express their thoughts come as students decide what they wish to on the adopted role as s/he passes through,write. The element of creativity, and self- or express opinions as on-lookers about theexpression without the exposure that some individual; students feel when asked to speak, can * 'thought-tracking'student groups act out aencourage the more timid and show stu- situation which is 'paused' on instruction from dents' true potential. Examples are: the teacher, with the rest of the group suggesting the thoughts of each of the actors at that * newspaper headlines stimulated by an event moment; reported on the video; * 'hot-seating'one student in role (e.g. as an* lists of categories of vocabulary from brain- arresting policeman) sits in the centre of a circle storming and comprehension exercises; of students having questions fired at him/her * definitions in Italian of selected items of vocab- about what s/he did and why, etc.; ulary, e.g. through synonyms and paraphrase, to Public speaking: allow students to build their own glossaries; * speech in defence of one's own position (e.g. * 'role on the wall'a figure outline with a per- by an arrested party); son's inner characteristics written inside the out- * leading a protest (e.g. against the Mafia); line, and outer influences or activities written round the outside; this can be the product of * advocating positive solutions to moral crises;brainstorming work based on video (e.g. the fig- Debates: ure of a leading politician); * 'balloon' debates (with personalities seen on * posters, flysheets, etc., expressing protest or in TV); support of a politician, a particular party, the * parliamentary debates (on a matter of public Mafia, etc.; concern); * short newspaper articles, summarising a video TV news: news item; * stimulated by an event in Italy, chosen and* composition of an imaginary interview report researched by students, from which they mustwith someone for a newspaper (e.g. the write-up produce a news report, covering functions fromof an oral interviewing activity); studio presenter to outside broadcast, inter- * a letter to one's local MP, to the parent of a vic- views, etc., with video reports to show to the rest tim of crime, etc., in protest/support/plead- of the class. ing/sympathy, or to recount an event; All the above activities can be filmed or * essays on an issue raised in the video material. recorded by students for further use. Further suggested reading: (b) Reading Activities B. Hill, Making the most of video and These will depend on available ma-Making the most of satellites and interactive terials, but newspaper/magazine articles video, both London, CILT.

Tuttitalia, No. 11, June 1995 11 SCOTVEC modules and the LLB

Douglas Angus Kelso High School

In the event, the sub-committee also Introduction addressed a number of criticisms of the Given that pupils should not normallyexisting modules which had been voiced attempt to upgrade Standard Grade in S5,by teachers and lecturers across the country, that Higher Grade is still very difficult forand tried to respond to the needs identi- many pupils, that a new language forfied. The hope is that the sub-committee's beginners in the senior school is very likelywork will make life easier for the teachers: to be a module, and that, moreover, we areit should certainly increase the flexibility of starting to see a rise in the number ofthe modular structure. The opportunity pupils who carry on the study of a lan-was also taken to try to tie in the modules guage into S5 and S6, SCOTVEC assumes amore clearly with Scottish Examination very significant part in the curriculum ofBoard (SEB) examinations, and this meant the upper secondary school. some realignment of the equivalences You probably groaned when you heard that the modules would be altered forrecognised. session 1994-95, and you are probably groaning now. However, the future is notEntries and exits all black! Bear with me, and read on. Module 1 is intended for learners who have no prior knowledge of a modern The impetus for change foreign language. It is particularly intended The initial impetus for changing the mod-for recreational evening classes or taster ules came from the fact that all vocational courses in schools, or for use with Skillstart language qualifications have to tie in withcourses. It is not intended for learners who national (and here I mean UK national) stan-already have another language, nor is it dards, which have been set up by a cross-intended to be the first in a series of mod- sectoral Industry Lead Body, the Languages ules leading to a vocational qualification. Lead Body (LLB). This quango was set upNormally it is an end in itself. by the Department of Industry as one of a Module 2 is the normal first module for series to regularise all vocational education,learners who intend carrying on their study from plumbing to interpreting. As SCOT-of the language, and it would also be used VEC modules are primarily intended forin a GSVQ. It equates to a General award at vocational use, the languages modules hadStandard Grade, i.e.it is equivalent to a to fit in with the standards laid down. Grade 4.It should be achievable in 40 The task of doing this fell to a sub-hours, but in a school situation would nor- committeeofSCOTVEC' sLanguagemally take longer than that. Module 2 repre- SteeringGroup. The sub-committee sents LLB level 1. worked for eighteen months with a view to Module 3 has increased in length to be a producing revised modules which fulfilleddouble module of a nominal 80 hours, and three criteria: is seen as the equivalent of a Credit pass at 1. They fitted the LLB standards; Standard Grade. That is, for learners who 2. They allowed as much existing supporthave achieved a Grade 3 at Standard material as possible to be still usable; and Grade, Module 3 would be the normal pro- 3. They did not further complicate assessment. gression, and would give certification at a

12 Tuttitalia, No. 11, June 1995 more advanced level. The module con-where they were, but also allowing more tinuestooffer work pitched betweenlatitude. Standard Grade and Higher Grade, and to Module 1: there are no great changes act as the first year of a two-year Higherhere, but three things should be noted. Grade for those who want this. There hasFirstly, it is not necessary to keep record- been a slight shift to a more vocationalings of speaking assessments: a copy of the emphasis, but allthe support materialtask, and a dated note that the assessment availablestillcontinuesto be usable.wassuccessfullydone,areenough. Module 3 represents LLB level 2. Thisapplies throughout the modules. Module 4 is also a double module. It isSecondly and this also applies through- broadly equivalent to Higher Grade, and inout the five modulesthere is no longer a fact represents a Higher pass at Grade C.set number of assessment tasks for each Normally, learners attempting Module 4learning outcome (LO): rather, one must would already hold Module 3 or a Creditbe guided by type of information, topics, pass at Standard Grade. This is up to themode of communication, and context, teacher's discretion, but gives a clear viewdetails of which can be found in the Range of the level of language required for thisStatement. What one must do is make sure module. The work is often very similar tothat all of the topics and types of information work for Higher Grade, and as such is alsoare covered, and that context and mode of suitable for the first year of a two-yearcommunication demands are met. Teachers Higher Grade. It is certainly possible toshould look carefully at the words may and teach a class from the same materials andmust, and make sure that assessments enter some for Module 3 and some forcover all the requirements in the Range Module 4. Statement. It is now possible to combine Module 4A is a single module. It is not soseveral demands in one assessment: e.g. much an alternative to Module 4 as an add- one assessment can take in a topic, a type of on to it. It was deemed better to leave theinformation, be over the phone, and in for- extant Module 4 largely unchanged, and tomal language. Current assessments can be put the changes required by LLB standards continued, if they cover all the demands of into an extension module. This module is the Range Statement. The teacher can, how- very much a vocational module: its naturalever, simplify, redesign, or alter to a much home isin the workplace or college,greater extent than previously. One should although it could easily be delivered inlook carefully at the Evidence Require- school as part of a vocationally-basedments forthe number of assessments course. Modules 4 and 4A together repre-necessary. Thirdly, the length of passages sent LLB level 3. has been defined more clearly, to give an Module 5 has undergone very little alter-upper as well as a lower limit. This should ation. LLB level 4 is at post-school, HNDhelp with the setting of appropriate levels level. Module 5 therefore remains as anof material. alternative to the Certificate of Sixth-Year Module 2: LOs 2, 3 and 4 have changed Studies(CSYS)forpost-Higher Gradeslightly: 2 has lost its restictions, 3 has been students. divided into two separate skills, and here too the restrictions on the type of assessment necessary have been lifted. LO4 (now The changes LO5) has more of a vocational element, but The new modules became valid fromhas lost restrictions on type of assessment. August 1994, and for the academic year Module 3: the changes are greater here, 1994-95 it is possible to use either old orbut hopefully for the better. LO3 has been new modules. changed to try and make the task clearer, In practical terms the changes are notbut otherwise not. LO2 has been split into great. What has happened isthat thediscrete skills. LO5 has had a more con- assessment structure has been 'loosenedsciously vocational slant added, but the up', enabling teachers to remain very muchevidence requirements have been made

Tuttitalia, No. 11, June 1995 13 more straightforward. In all, the changescally or vocationally orientated. Here a here can be as great or as small as onefolio of work must be presented, but the wishes to make them. tasks involved are intended to be inter- Module 4: the new LO2 introduces thepreted widely by teachers. need to present using prepared materials: Overall, the hope is that teachers' lives this is an LLB-induced change, and thehave been rendered no more complicated most frightening aspect of this must be the than they already were! 8-10 minutes requirement. We are not looking, however, for some poor pupil to talk non-stop for 10 minutes: rather, pre-Note senting a pop-song or TV item, introducing This article is published, with the kind it, playing it, then talking about it, or intro-permission of the author, as an edited ducing an activity in which others mustversion of a contribution to the SALT participate. What has changed quite a lot isNewsletter of June 1994. L05, which has become much more practi- Ed.

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14 8 6 Tuttitalia, No. 11, June 1995 From Teaching to Research: Role-Play and Communicative Competence

Rossella PeressiniUniversity of Durham

Background to the Project the possible relationship between role-play and oral communicative competence. The In October 1991 I began to teach Italian in specific aim was to discover whether there Higher Education and to make tentativeexists a difference in the oral communica- use of role-play in my classes. The students tive competence of learners who have been seemed to enjoy role-play and the psycho-taught via role-play (group A), compared logical benefits of theactivity,imple- with the oral communicative competence mented within a supportive and relaxedof learners who have been taught in a more atmosphere, were soon visible: an increasetraditional way, via individual presenta- in the students' motivation and self-confi-tion (group B). For the purposes of the dence when using the language, in line research I had to define role-play, oral com- with the results of Stern's research.' municative competence, and establish the During the next couple of years I becamecriteria for measuring oral communicative more interested in role-play and I started to competence in practice. consider whether it was really beneficial to My interpretation of role-play reflects the the development of the students' commu-way I use it in the classroom as an interac- nicative competence (inclusive of linguistic tive creative experience whereby participants competence, as defined by Cana le and adopt different social roles, share realistic con- Swain).2 Thus, curiosity, together with a texts, and perform in front of the class without desire to develop and use effective teaching having rehearsed the interaction beforehand. techniques, drove me into research. Oral communicative competence was defined as the ability to function effectively in Introduction adefinite/specificcommunicativesituation. In 1988 a study on communicative lan-The effectiveness was to be measured in guage teaching3 revealed three featuresterms of: about role-play: 1. lexical variety; 1. the concept and the way in which it2. useofconversationalroutinesand was implemented varied from teacher to 'fillers'; teacher; 3. creativity (use of personal thought); 2. role-play was often an occasional event4. independence of participation; and in the classroom, usually set at the end of a5. accuracy and fluency of discourse. learning unit,to consolidate what the The study was conducted over two learners had previously mastered; and years. During the first year I experimented 3. the teachers' expectations of the stu-with the role-play, the methods of data dents' capacity for creative language usecollection, and the criteria for assessment were low. of oral communicative competence. The The present paper discusses the benefits experimentation was carried out in the sec- of using role-play regularly, in a systematicond year. way, in the classroom. Profile of the participants The aim of the research Two groups of undergraduates studying The aim of the project was to examineat the University of Warwick participated

Tuttitalia, No. 11, June 1995 6 7 15 in the experiment. They were all learningof the study and one at the end of the Italian as an option and were all beginners course; with the exception of one student who had2. an interaction with a native speaker of a post-beginner knowledge of the lan-Italian as a final test in order to measure the guage. The course ran for 25 weeks, withstudents' communicative competence. three hours of teaching per week. The Supplementary data on the group A stu- examination method consisted of an oraldents'inter-languageweregathered and a written examination at the end of thethrough recordings of each role-play ses- course. Each constituent made up 50% ofsion implemented during the academic the total final mark. The coursebook usedyear. A record of the students' attendance was Mastering Italian 1 by Noemi Messora. at the classes was kept for both group A Group A comprised mainlyBritishand group B. students (13) studying Physics. Group B contained an equal proportion of Cypriot (6) and British (6) students from the SchoolThe first questionnaire of Industrial and Business Studies. It was The purpose of the first questionnaire decided to make group A the experimental(see Appendix A) was to build up a profile group, because of the high proportion ofof each student and to identify and assess native English speakers. The experimental the main variables such as age, national- group (group A) consisted of 15 students;ity, previous language experience, initial the control group (group B) consisted of 14 motivation, and course expectations. The students, one of whom elected not to takeresults were useful in exposing the simi- part in the test. larities between the two groups, but also thedifficulties and constraints of the experiment. For example, one limitation Teaching methodology was that I was not free to choose the sub- I taught both group A and group B tojects of the experiment. I was working make sure that the same syllabus waswithin the constraints of an established covered, the same teaching material andUniversity course, and I could not select aids (coursebook, handouts, audio /videothe students who wanted to learn Italian tapes, newspaper articles) were used, andab initio. As a consequence, a large propor- the same activities were implemented. Thetion of the students had a different mother only significant difference in teaching tech-tongue, were of different nationality, and niques was in the way I conducted thethe main subject of their degree course weekly1 1/2-hourconversationclass.In was different. A second problem was the group A the students worked via role-playdivision of the students into the two which emphasised interaction, informationgroups A and B, since I was not in a posi- gap and opinion gap.4 In group B thetion to decide which group a student had students worked via individual presenta-to join. Because of personal timetable con- tion with a stress on monologue. In bothstraints, the choice was left entirely to the groups students went through a prepara-individual student. As a consequence, I tion phase where they would prepare forfound myself with one group (group A) their role (group A), or for their presenta-where the mother tongue of the majority tion (group B), later to be performed inof the students was English, and another front of the class. In both groups the stu-(group B) where there was an evenly dents were invited to look for the tutor'sbalanced proportion between the number assistance when needed. of English and Greek mother tongue students. Although the project constraints had to Research methodology be taken into account in the evaluation of Two forms of data collection were usedthe final results, the two groups were in the research: broadly comparable. There were many 1. two questionnaires, one at the beginninghomogeneous elements between the two

16 Tuttitalia, No. 11, lune 1995 groups; for example, the majority of stu- and an effort was made to create a friendly dents: and informal atmosphere (drinks and bis- 1. had previously studied a foreign lan-cuits were provided). The students were guage (French); introduced to the native speaker and left 2. had defined their knowledge of theirto interact face-to-face while I moved out foreign language as 'good' or 'advanced';of view (but still in the office) in order 3. had defined the learning of a foreignto switch on a small unobtrusive tape- language as an experience they found 'notrecorder. I had taped the students' perfor- difficult but not easy'; mances during the course of the year and 4. had given as the main reason for learn-therefore if any student was aware that the ing Italian the desire to learn another lan-interaction was being taped, s /he would guage; and not regard it as unusual. The analysis of the 5. had expressed a preference for the oral performances was carried out from the development of oral/aural skills. taped data, rather than in real time, permit- ting more detailed and accurate work. The use of an ordinary tape-recorder, however, Interaction with the native speakerproved to be a limitation as far as the data At the end of the course, the studentswere concerned. Some of the students undertook an interaction with a native spoke in a low tone and the quality of some speaker of Italian with whom they were notrecordings was not good. Nevertheless, my familiar. The main reason for choosing anpresence during the interaction, the notes I interaction with a native speaker as a test of took during the interview, and the ques- oral communicative competence was thetions or answers of the interviewer helped desire to give the students a direct test,5 in some cases to interpret some of the diffi- one that would reflect a realistic experiencecult sounds. It would have been interesting likely to happen in a University environ- to analyse non-verbal communication, but I ment. Another reason was the intention ofhad no video facilities when I conducted giving the students a taste of the officialthe experiment, so I decided not to take oral examination, which would be con- into account this aspect of oral communica- ducted, in my presence, by another native tive competence. This is perhaps one of the speaker language tutorintheItalianlimitations of the study. Department, a few weeks later. The structured interview included sev- The interaction lasted 20-25 minutes anderaltaskssuchasgivingdirections, included two sub-interactions. The firstdescribing, opinion-expressing, and narrat- was a structured interview initiated and con- ing. The elicitation input was constant.6 All ducted by the native speaker. The studentsthe students had to answer the same set of had been told beforehand that they were toquestions, though not necessarily asked in interact with the native speaker informallythe same order, since the interviewer had as if in a conversation where they could askbeen asked to make the interaction sound questions and not just answer them. Theyas natural as possible. Each student was had also been told that they would not bealso asked not to discuss the interview with assessed, but it would be a useful realistichis /her peers. exercise before their official oral examina- It was decided to select a corpus of the tion. The interviewer knew the purpose oftranscribed datafor examination. This the exercise, but she did not know whichincluded two tasks: students belonged to group A or group B. 1. a guided description of one's own The second interaction was a free two-village/town/city; and minute interview of the native speaker initiated 2. expressingopinionaboutlifeat by the students, who were invited to find outUniversity without parents or expressing as much as possible about the nativeopinion about the idea of a united Europe. speaker. The students had not been told The decision was taken to choose the about this interview in advance. more informative/substantial of the two The interactions took place in my officefor analysis. The reason for selecting and

Tuttitalia, No. 11, June 1995 17 analysing the above tasks was that these higher number of creative sentences than topics had not been discussed in classgroup B, especially in description and directly, they were new, and I was mainlyopinion-expressing (averages: group A = interested in the students' reaction to novelty. 11; group B = 7.76). In the two tasks, a cre- The free interview, on the other hand, wasative sentence was deemed to be one analysed in its entirety. which conveyed additional and/or personal information, and did not simply regurgitate stock phrases made available Hypotheses in the interviewer's question. I was sur- Before the interaction with the nativeprised at the results of creativity in the free speaker took place, starting from observa-interview. Here, group A used on average tion of the two groups' oral performances4.3 creative questions, compared with 3.8 during the course, I made the followingfor group B, so that the difference between predictions: the two groups was not significant. One 1. group A would communicate betterwould have expected that students taught than group B as far as lexical variety, use ofvia role-play would have been very fam- conversational routines, and fillers and iliar with an interview situation where they creativity were concerned; were in charge, and would have asked a 2. group A would be more independent ingreater number of creative non-routine taking part in the free interview than groupquestions, and also be more active. One B. Independence was measured only withpossible explanation is that in a role-play, reference to the free interview in terms ofdespite the fact that students are asked to comments, opinions, spontaneously addedplay both the 'consumer' role and the role by the students without the native speakerof a person in authority (for example, a job requesting them; and applicant and an interviewer, or a driver 3. group A and group B would show noand a policeman), the meaningful role, the significant differences in their level of accu-one that the students as language learners racy and fluency. would probably envisage for themselves in the future, is the consumer role, more reac- tive than active. The results By contrast, the results of participation In the two tasks and the free interviewin the free interview revealed a tendency taken together, group A spoke more thanto be active in a different way. The stu- group B. Group A's average number ofdents in group A produced a higher per- lexical items was 90.6, compared withcentage of independent sentences (i.e. sen- group B's 64.38. Group A also used atences not in direct response to a request larger average number of coherent sen- from the native speaker) than group B (A = tences (on average, A use 28.8 sentences20%; B = 12.1%). This seemed to indicate during the three analysed tasks; group Bthat group A was more confident with the used 22.69). This seems to indicate thatlanguage and better able to change the group A was more willing to use the target interview into a conversation where they language. It should be noted, however,could express their opinions and com- that the lexical density (number of differ- ments. ent words spoken ÷ total words spoken x On average, group A produced a higher 100) was higher for group B (group A =number of accurate sentences than group B 54.3%; group B = 63.9%). This result was(A = 14.13; B = 12.92), although as a per- not surprising: the students had covered centage of sentences spoken, the students the same syllabus and vocabulary, butin group B were more accurate (56.9% of since group A was prepared to speak morethe sentences spoken by group B were they tended to re-use their vocabulary to aaccurate, against 49.07% for group A). One greater extent than group B. Group A usedpossible explanation for this is that the a larger number of colloquial routines andmore a student speaks, the higher the risk fillersaslubricators, and produced aof making a spoken mistake.

18 9 Tuttitalia, No. 11, lune 1995 As far as fluency is concerned, group Athan group B, and were slightly more produced a higher number of fluent sen-creative. The students also proved more tences than group B (on average, A = 16.26; willing to contribute to the free interview B = 12.07). In percentage terms the figureswith unsolicited personal opinions or com- were much closer (A = 56.48%; B = 53.22%). ments (independent sentences). The results The results seem to indicate that thecan be interpreted as a sign that group A students taught via role-play (group A) was more confident in the use of language, were more willing to talk, more concernedand consequently more willing to show with the ability to communicate, and lesstheir knowledge. concerned with accuracy. The third hypothesis was confirmed only in part. The difference between the two groups' level of accuracy was not signifi- The second questionnaire cant, but the difference between the two The second questionnaire (Appendix B) groups' level of fluency was significant. was devised in order to obtain informationThis result suggests that the students on the students' reactions to the course,taught via role-play had a greater ability to including a personal evaluation of the level use communication strategies in order to of communicative competence they had sound fluent. reached. It was distributed at the end of the Role-play seemed to work well in the course, after the interaction with the Italianway in which it was implemented, encour- native speaker. aging students to experiment with lan- The results revealed that group A foundguage. A study of this sort, however, given the study of Italian more difficult thanthe size of the subject groups and the vari- group B. One possible explanation for thisables in analysing results can only offer is the .way I implemented role-play, withevidence, not proof, of the value of role- the students not having rehearsed the inter-play. It would be interesting to undertake action beforehand, and with the studentsfurther research with a somewhat broader continuously experiencing the uncertaintyfocus, to analyse, for example, and com- of their interlocutors' moves. This proved pare the students' reactions to familiar and more demanding and more likely to bringunfamiliar topics, or analyse and compare to light the students' language limitations.the discourse of the same group of learners The students of group A found role-playinvolved in the same role-play conducted a difficult but challenging experience, andat a later period. also a humorous way of learning. They rated their ability to talk, read and write more highly than did group B but, surpris-References ingly, group A did not value their listening 1. S. L. Stern, 'Why drama works: A psycho- ability very highly. Group B rated their linguistic perspective', in J. W. Oiler and ability to understand more highly than did P. A. Richard-Amato, eds, Methods that group A. One possible explanation is that work, Rowley, Mass., Newbury House, the students who were taught via role-play 1983. tended to value its usefulness especially in 2. M. Cana le and M. Swain, 'Theoretical bases terms of self-confidence and development of communicative approaches to second of productive skill, whilst neglecting its language teaching and testing',Applied potential benefits on the receptive side. Linguistics, 1,1980, pp. 1-47. 3. R. Mitchell, Communicative Language Teaching in Practice, London, CILT, 1988. Conclusion 4. R. Nolasco and L. Arthur, Large Classes, London, Macmillan, 1988. Of the three hypotheses, the first and the 5. D.Baker,LanguageTesting,London, second were confirmed. The students Edward Arnold, 1989, p. 10. taught via role-play produced a higher 6. G. Brown and G. Yule, Teaching the Spoken number of lexical items, used a larger num- Language, Cambridge, Cambridge Univer- ber of conversational routines and fillers sity Press, 1983.

Tuttitalia, No. 11, June 1995 Si 19 c.To read and understand Italian news- Appendix A papers 12.What kind of job do you expect to find after The first questionnaire graduation? 1. Name: 13.What would your ideal job be? 2. Age: 14.As a first job, would you like to work: 3. Nationality: a.In the UK 4. Mother Tongue: b.In Europe 5. Degree Course: c.Elsewhere (Please specify). 6. What qualifications do you have in foreign languages? a. 0 LevelorequivalentinFrench, German, Spanish, Other Appendix B (Please specify) b. A Level or equivalent The second questionnaire c.Other (Please specify) Your reactions to the course would be very much

d. No formal qualifications but ... appreciated. Please answer as thoughtfully and 7. How would would you describe your accurately as possible. knowledge of the foreign language(s)in Name: which you are most proficient? Degree Course and Year: a.Poor 1. Learning to understand Italian was: (Please b.Basic tick one) c.Good a.very difficult d. Advanced b.difficult e.Excellent c.not difficult, but not easy 8. Do you find learning foreign languages to d.easy be: e.very easy a.Very difficult 2. Learning to speak Italian was: (Please tick b.Difficult one) c.Not difficult, but not easy a.very difficult d. Easy b.difficult e.Very easy c. not difficult, but not easy 9. Why did you decide to learn Italian? Please d.easy evaluate the importance of the following e.very easy factors on a scale of 1 to 5. (Scale: 1 = Not 3. Learning Italian grammar structures was: important; 2 = Slightly important; 3 = Of (Please tick one) average importance; 4 = Important; 5 = a.very difficult Very important) b.difficult a.For career purposes (e.g. using Italian in c.not difficult, but not easy a future career) d.easy b.Forsocialpurposes(e.g.holidays, e.very easy Italian friends or relatives) 4. At the end of this course in Italian you feel c.A personal desire to learn another able ...Please evaluate each of the follow- language ing factors on a scale of 1 to 5. (Scale: 1 = not 10.Why did you decide to select this course? at all; 2 = a little; 3 = fairly well; 4 = well; Please evaluate the importance of the 5 = very well) following factors on the scale of 1 to 5 a.To understand an Italian native speaker explained above. talking about familiar topics (work, a.Because the course appeared to be an family, hobbies, etc.) academic challenge b. To talk in everyday situations (asking b.BecauseIpreferreditto the other for route information, buying a ticket, options available etc.) and about familiar topics (work, c.Because it may help me find a first job family, hobbies, etc.) 11.After this year of working Italian, I would c.To read an article from a quality Italian

like to be able... Please evaluate the im- newspaper on current affairs in order to portance of the following factors on the understand the gist of the article scale of 1 to 5. d. To write a 200-word report on a familiar a.To understand an Italian person topic b.To talk to an Italian person e.Other 92 20 Tuttitalia, No. 11, June 1995 5. Have you worked with role-play before? a.embarrassed YES/NO. b.nervous If YES, with what subject? c.challenged 6. Was role-play useful for you in each of the d.confident following areas? Please evaluate each of the 8. Did you enjoy participating in role-plays? following on a scale of 1 to 5. (Scale: 1 = not Why? Please tick one and explain why. useful; 2 = a little useful; 3 = fairly useful; a.not at all because ... 4 = useful; 5 = very useful) b.a bit because ... a.Improving your ability to understand c.somewhat because ... other people using Italian d.quite a bit because ... b.Gaining self-confidenceinspeaking e.very much because ... Italian in front of a group of people 9. How would you evaluate your overall role- c.Improving your ability to speak Italian play performances? at a reasonable/normal speed a.poor d. Improving your accuracy of expression b.passable (correctness) c.average e.Improving your future communicative d. good performance outside the class in a real e.very good situation 10.How many hours per week did you revise f. Other Italian at home/outside the class? 7. What did you usually feel when you per- 11.Do you have any Italian friends? YES/NO. formed a role-play? Please evaluate each of If YES, how many hours per week do you the following on a scale of 1 to 5. (Scale: 1 = speak Italian with them? not at all; 2 = a bit; 3 = somewhat; 4 = quite 12.Do you have any suggestions for improve- a bit; 5 = very much) ment of the course? C. Heath For Excellence in Modern Language Texts

Crescendo! A contemporary thematic approach to Italian language and culture that meets the needs of today's students. Italiano/ Marchegiani Jones 1995 Paper 565 pp0-669-28778-4

For more information contact: Lorna Casimir, D. C. Heath and Company, 16 Upper Market Street, Hove, East Sussex BN3 lAS, U.K. Tel 01273 771834, Fax 01273 202796, Car Phone 0850 937457

' v..4k BEST COPY AVAILABLE Tuttitalia, No. 11, June 1995 5 a 21 The infernal pilgrimage:astudy of Giorgio Caproni's Stanze della funicolare (2): Part II

Catharine MackenzieUniversity of Hull

[This is the second and concluding part of Ms of enjambment and interrupted phrases. Mackenzie's study on Caproni. Part I, together All this is extremely significant in terms with the text of the poem, was published inof the effect produced on the reader. Tuttitalia 10, pages 37-43. Ed.] Firstly, the poem's wearisome length might be questionedmight not the same effect Let us begin with versification. Caproni'sbe achieved in something of half the use of rhyme in Versi is intriguing, becauselength? The answer is no. In terms of time, itisatonceregularandirregular.the poet istaking the reader /traveller Superficially, the poem appears to have athrough a 24-hour train journey; further- coherent rhyme scheme, and yet closermore, we are constantly informed that this attention reveals that this regularity is actu- journey is laboriously slow and painful, ally deceptive: the system used seems to be with no stops to provide interest. Twenty- based on assonance, rather than strictfour hours spent travelling on a train seem rhyme. The significance of this paradoxical like an eternity (which makes the choice of half-rhymewillbediscussedbelow. the train journey a good metaphor for life), Meanwhile, on the basis of 'assonance mas-and this length and tedium is reflected in querading as rhyme', the following analy- the length and tedium of the poem. sis may be suggested. The division of Versi into twelve regular Versi consists of twelve stanzas, each ofstanzas, corresponding to twelve places which comprises sixteen lines. Accordingwhere the train ought to stop, has the effect to the 'rhyme' scheme, these sixteen linesof reproducing the mechanical feeling of can be divided into four sets of four, usu-the experience, the practical aim of compre- ally with each quatrain 'rhyming' ABAB orhension by the reader, and the effect of ABCB. The last four lines in each stanza,reducing the poem's pace to a slow, regular however, always have the same scheme ofrhythm, which glides along, like the train, ABAC, and the two words on the end ofsometimes in a rather confusing manner, the last two lines of each stanza are alwaysand encourages a sense of suspense, impa- ora and alt (with the exception of those con- tience and irritation in the reader, as per- cluding the last two lines of stanza 5, where haps felt by the passengers. The very first ora has been notably moved back to the endproposition in Versi concerns the destina- of line 77, reflecting its emphasis as thetion of the train, and this questioning emo- subject of the stanza and the temporarytion gathers momentum as the poem drags change of tone at the end of the stanza. The along, like the corda inflessibile. Even more train leaves this particular place almostfrustrating is the suggested halt at the end reluctantly, certainly lingeringly, and it isof each stanza, where the physical stopping only in this stanza that the notion of stop-of the train (although it does not actually ping is seriously entertained, hence thestop) is suggested by the abrupt last line, absence of orainitsusual role as awhich only has ten syllables, the last of reminder of the passage of time). The metrewhich is always, for emphasis, alt. This is used is the Dantesque endecasillabo, withmonosyllabic, where other words ending the significant exception of the last line oflines are polysyllabic; it is onomatopoeic, each stanza, which only has ten syllables.and ends in a plosive consonant, where There is also a tension between a heavy use other final words end in a vowel to pro- 22 94 Tuttitalia, No. 11, lune 1995 duce continuity. The effect produced is thatpoem reflects the psychological length of of a line abruptly cut off, a journey tem-the train journey, and the length of the porarily terminated by a word, a sound, themetaphorical journey through life, let us end of a stanza. The repetition of the phrase now observe how its internal structure is chiedere l'alt and the word ora serves to related to the theme of the passage of time. emphasise this notion, this attempt at stop- In essence, Versi describes a whole day and ping which is always frustrated, and whicha whole night, condensing a lifetime into reaches a sort of nadir of futility at the end one representative 24-hour day. There is a of the poem. Further emphasis is producedlogical progression here: the poem com- by the 'rhyme' scheme, where the mostlymences just before daybreak, and reaches regular ABAB or ABCB scheme gives waythe dawn of the following day in the last toaquatrain with adecisively non-stanza. Midday, as one might expect, rhyming fourth line. occurs in stanza 6, halfway through the The use of the endecasillabo, enjambment,poem, although the true mid-point of a complex syntactic structure and a rather24-hour day would probably occur a few formal rhyme scheme reflect the formal,hours later. At any rate, five stanzas are rather ceremonial concerns of the poet. devoted to the morning, five to the evening Considering that this is almost a funeraland the following night, and a mere two to liturgy, accompanying a sarcophagus to itsthe afternoon. Is the reader to assume, awful destination, a classical metre is mosttherefore, that the morning and night pass apt, and reflects the classical references andslowly, while the afternoon passes quickly? imagery. But the enjambment and the regu-Obviously time is a matter of opinion; per- lar assonance also have the purpose of pro-haps Caproni wants to emphasise the slow ducing a sense of connection, the mechani-tedium of the night, particularly as the cal regularity mentioned earliera feelingjourney drags on and the passengers lose of speed, too, which is balanced by thewhatever interest they originally had. Less slow, halting progress of the stanzas andseems actually to happen in the early interrupted by rhetorical questions. Theevening, until the dawn halfway through enjambment pulls the poem along, just asstanza 11the poet dwells on the rain, and the cable pulls the train. In the same way, itthe weather conditions, and the darkness, could be argued that this tension betweenwhich obscure everything. Maybe it is win- movement and non-movement, betweenter, which would explain the swift nightfall going and stopping, which produces con-which takes the passengers by surprise; fusion and discomfort, and is realised bywinter would certainly seem to be sug- enjambment mixedwithinterruption,gested by the frozen rubbish, the tramon- together with various structural devices tana, and the presence of Persephone, who this tension is also expressed in the oddtraditionally spent spring and summer on regularity of the assonance that has beenearth, and autumn and winter in Hades. described. The lines of Versi seem to rhyme, The syntax in Versi is a curious blend of and yet do not rhyme exactly or pre-very long, complex sentences and inter- dictably; the feeling that they produce isrupted phrases and questions. Apart from never certain, but rather a suggestion of thethe sense of being pulled along, produced hidden, inscrutable force demonstrated byby the endless clauses and sub-clauses, so many other elements in the poem.conjunctions and relative pronouns, and Again, the sense of speed and regularthe formal quality that it gives to this seri- movement produced bythe rhymingous subject, the syntax also, importantly, vowels at the end of each line is slightlyproduces an effect of confusion and obfus- offsetbythefrequently non-rhymingcation. This is achieved by the sudden consonants; if nothing else, this providesunpredictability of the questions and excla- colour and variety. mations, and the combination of these with In terms of structure and syntax, thethe long phrases, but it is also effected by poem's form is a good reflection of its con-the nature of the questions themselves. The tent. Having noted how the length of theopening question is rhetorical, and intro- Tuttitalia, No. 11, dune 1995 95 23 duces the poem, but subsequent questionsauthorial voice, but thisis largely im- will suggest an answer without actuallypersonal, and only interrupts from time supporting it; propositions are made in theto time with rhetorical questions and form of questions, and this gives an oddexclamations. These exclamations, often effect of things happening without beinghighly stylised expressions of lamentation understood (which links to the previously ('guaise ... 'ahime se... 'ohime...') mentioned themes of the hidden force and give the impression of mourning, a rhetori- helplessness). 'E una banchina /bianca, o lacal liturgy for the sarcophagus. In a sense, tomba...?' asks the poet in the first stanza;the poem is a classical argument, with the question does not leave the platform'spropositions,rhetoricalquestionsand identity completely open, but actuallyexamples, and the answer to the opening offers two suggestionsthe reader has noquestion is, fittingly, provided in the final real choice. stanza(but,typically, does not really Similarly, the syntactic order of wordsanswer the question, merely reiterating the within the clauses does not aid comprehen- problem, which is nebbia or confusion). In sion; frequently the object is mentioned thisslightly formal, impersonal atmos- first, then the verb, and finally the subject. phere, it is difficult to tell whether the tone Leaving aside the fact that the Italian lan-is positive or negativeone senses that the guage often employs this sort of wordnegative effect is produced more by the order for aesthetic reasons, it might becontent than the style, but the lamentations argued that there is a conceptual basis foradd to it. It could be argued that there is a this order within the poem. As alreadyquasi-religious feeling about Versi pro- mentioned, the train and its passengers areduced by the solemnity of the subject mat- subject to uncontrollable, inevitable andter, the formal nature of the style, and the incomprehensible forces, and likewise theplain title and hymn-like form of the poem. reader sees the effects of the verb, then theVersi would thus perform the function of a verb, and finally what is causing the verb.sort of elegy.Itis perhaps typical of This produces suspense, confusion andCaproni's poetry in that it combines all mystery, besides being an inversion of the these interpretations and different slants. normal order, which is generally subject, Some mention has already been made then verb, then object (at least in Englishof Caproni's use of imagery in Versi in and Italian). connectionwiththedevelopmentof Parallels could be drawn between thishis themes; let us now examine more inversion and the paradox of the train,closely his use of noise and music (and which is ascending from the depths to Hellsilence), light and darkness, and weather in a complete inversion of tradition whichconditions. normally locates Hell in profundis. Signifi- It is probably safe to say that in this cantly, just as the passengers feel the effectpoem, noise indicates the presence of life of the moving train, but will not know who(with its positive and negative aspects), or what is moving the vehicle until theywhereas silence, however comforting, is reach their destination, the reader does notassociated with death. The motif of music know the subject or cause of the actionis strange and beautiful, and is a true dis- until the end of the clause, and does nottraction for the train and its passengers: find the answer to the opening questionunfortunately, these sounds either fall on until the end of the poem (and not reallythe deaf ears of the dying, muffled by the then, either). In this way, the sentences aretrain, or are transient and quickly passed. all dragged along, backwards, until they The reader is first introduced to sound reach their subject. The speed produced bywith the quiet, muffled rumblings of the the enjambment is counteracted by thecable, and then its movement and vibra- complexity of the syntax, and the disrup-tion, so that the cable becomes representation at the end of each stanza. tive of the life-force in its ability to produce The tone of Versi is difficult to gauge.all manner of sound. Indeed, the cable One has the impression of an omniscientseems more alive than the passengers S 24 Tuttitalia, No. 11, June 1995 whom it pulls alongthey cannot makesurprise and movement are moments of themselvesheard,whereasthecableinspiration and beauty, transient and dis- vibrates like a musical instrument, being tant echoes of what might and ought to be. compared to a muta arpa in stanza 5, and Ahi quale orchestra frange fresca it marelcol suo producing strange trilling noises in stanzarespiro di plettri laments the poet, with what 10. Considering that it makes so muchsurely must be a tone of longing for the noise, the anaesthesia of the passengersbitter-sweet beauty of the mourning of must be profound; they only hear echoesNature. The passengers in stanza 9 are andintimationsofthisextraordinaryshaken from their apathy by the strange- music. Perhaps music and sound could beness of the trill°, but it will not last. regarded as inspiration, making harmony Light and darkness in Versi, and their out of the dreary chaos in this poem. temporal counterparts, day and night, pre- It is significant that this noise is pro-dictably become primitive symbols for pos- duced by the effect of the wind and rain onitive and negative experience, light being the wires and cables of the train, as these(generally) associated with psychological too seem to be symbolic of an impersonalenlightenment, the life-force, variety and life-force. All in all, the movement of thebeauty, while darkness is associated with cable, and the vibrations of the train (andblindness, death, despair and oblivion. As the trams in stanza 3) become symbolic ofwith the musical imagery, however, these change and flux, and transience, all ofsymbols may sometimes be used in a sur- which can work either positively or nega-prising manner, and this is usually for the tively for human beings. purpose of demonstrating unpredictability That silence is associated with death canor confusion. At the end of the poem, for be deduced from the negative and hopelessexample, the paradoxical use of the light of nature of the images in which it is con- dawn to represent Hell is all the more strik- tained. In stanza 4, for example, the passen- ing for being unpredictable, and, one might ger tries to make contact with this interest-argue, quite typical of a place like Hell, ing world outside, but si vela/il vetro alwhere all values and presuppositions are vaporoso grido and he might as well havetraditionally inverted. remained silent. In stanza 5, the muta arpa Darkness is first associated with blind- of the train cannot stay to join in the merry-ness in the first stanza, where the train's making on the beach, and the moon indestination and whereabouts are shown to stanza 5 is also mute, significantly associ-be unknown, and the windows are black- ated with the hard-shelled cocci, which areened. A dull electric lamp makes little perhaps symbolic remnants of life (or aimpact on the darkness, and only serves to reflection of the cocooned passengers onshow that the train is in a tunnel. With the the train). What music that remains now is mention of the banchina / bianca and the com- either toneless (incolore) or lontanissimo; and parison with a tomb, it is shown that light eventually all noises, voices and music aremay not necessarily signify life, and indeed swept away, to be enveloped in a tuonowhen the light suddenly breaks into the bianco, an all-engulfing wave of the audi-tunnel in stanza 2, and rudely jolts the tory equivalent of nebbia. With the disap-passengers into life, opening up their veins, pearance of sound comes solitude andit is painful, and the dawn seems to be deaththe only human being left in stanzaoriginating, paradoxically, from the rifiuti 11, apart from the passengers themselves,gelidi. Like sound, light means movement is Persephone, a denizen of Hell. Thisand change, but this may well be painful dawn has no calore /di figure e di suoni andand feverish (fever itself, although un- the train has by now become silenziosissima. pleasant, and an indication that something What, then, is the function of the disin-is wrong, is an accelerated manifestation of terestedlife-force,asrepresentedbylife). In stanza 3, where the train has sounds, in Versi? A glance at the tone of the emerged properly into daylight, there is words containing the musical imagery isrejoicing in the sunlight and the sea, but enough to suggest that these moments of there is also febbre and nausea.

Tuttitalia, No. 11, dune 1995 25 On the whole, though, light seems to be a symbols in that it has both positive and positive image in Versi; there are mentionsnegative connotations. By and large, how- of l'aperta trasparenza del giorno (stanza 4),ever,itsincidence brings change and the crowd of girls in stanza 6 have brightmovement, and most importantly, it can be clothing and are rejoicing, and it is lightassumed that the wind has disappeared by which gives life and colour to la mano coral- the time the sarcophagus has become lina in stanza 6, a human touch. The lightenveloped in nebbia (a symbol for death, as imagery is all the more positive because thewe shall see), because itisphysically darkness imagery is negative: as the trainimpossible for wind and fog both to be pre- slides towards decay and oblivion, thesent simultaneously in the same place. night draws in, and there are increasingWhatever pain and sadness may be associ- instances of buio and notte. The first cloudated with wind in the course of the poem, in the sky in stanza 6 is lamented, becausetherefore, the breeze in stanza 11 makes a it has obscured the hand, that sign ofbrief appearance, but is as nothing when humanity and warmth, that might save thecompared to the hellish mental stagnation passengers. In stanza 7, the north wind, aand suffocation of the fog. cold wind associated with winter,is As with the other life symbols, wind described as being grigio, and the little boyacquires some of its power as an image running around is swallowed up into thefrom the other things that are combined darkness caused by the train's shadow. The with it. For example, the brezza in stanza 2, peso di buio is associated with carceri and the with its positive effects of awakening and sullen-faced inhabitants of that part of thereviving the passengers, and its negative town. effects of hurting their eyes, becomes com- In the stanzas following this, the use ofbined with feverish light imagery so that light imagery becomes interesting. Thethe overall impression is one of sudden only natural light available now is moon- sensory bombardment; similarly in stanza light, which is rather weak, and only serves 5, the life and movement of the curtains is to highlight things which are dead or inani-due as much to light as to wind, and the mate (the cocci and the stones in stanza 10).positive tone of the image is partly due to The sea shines freshly in the night, but only its juxtaposition with the bright, youthful because it has movement and life of its owncrowds of girls, and the mention of the the literary metamorphosis of the stonemuta arpa. Elsewhere, wind combines with into a (dead) fish in stanza 10, smelling ofrain and sea-water, or simply with the moonlight, is probably the last example ofcable of the train itself, to produce extraor- beauty given to the passengers, and is once dinary noise. again a subject for lamentation. Silence, Othersignificantexamplesof wind earlier described as being symbolic ofimagery are more ambiguous than those death, is associated with the darkness, andjust described: in stanza 7, the grigio/fiato di both these elements reach their height oftramontana, whose colour suggests dust intensity in stanzas 11 and 12. Interestingly, and gloom, and whose origins and nature however,theultimatedarknessfor are traditionally associated with coldness Caproni in this poem seems to be containedand winter, perhaps heralds the approach in the image of pale fogthe train does notof death, reminding the reader of the slide off into a black void, but rather intopassage of time. The wind's grimness may the mist. Possible reasons for this suddenhave something to do with Zerbino and the change of symbolic language are givenprisons, or theentirestanza may be below. intended to suggest death with its shadows Of the weather conditions usedas and darkness. Paradoxically, a child is seen imagery in Versi, those most recurrent andrunning around, excited by the strong emphatic are wind, rain and nebbia, or fog. north wind an example here, surely, of Wind in Versi usually takes the form of ayouth, life and levitybut the unswerving brezza, a fiato, or a respiro, and seems to bepurpose of the train is more powerful than the most unpredictable of the 'life-force'this diversion, and the child suddenly

26 Tuttitalia, No. 11, June 1995 disappears, to be replaced with gloomy The flaw in this theory is that rain arrives adulthood, thus confirming the intimationswith the darkness, and that nebbia, the logi- of the encroachment of spiritual 'old age'.cal end of the rain's becoming finer, is cer- In stanza 9, the respiro from the sea alreadytainly a negative image (if one takes ambi- feels stale and old (eventually, of course,guityto be negative). One might be there will be no breeze or wind when theinclined to think, however, that rain has fog arrives), although it still supports life,more to do with life than with death, for and the gentle rain is what keeps thevarious reasons. If rain is left to run its passengers conscious. The implication herecourse naturally, and so cathartically to is perhaps that the 'breath oflife'is clear the air, fog will not followthe gradually dying. What is interesting to noteappearance of the fog at the end of the is the sudden, brief, dramatic reappearancepoem must be unnatural, oratleast of a powerful breeze in stanza 11, just priorunusual. The rain in Versi rinses, cleans, to the descent of the nebbia; is this repre-refreshes and purifies, and perhaps, like sentative of a death agony? Of the fivethe music, it also has an intermediary func- senseswhichpermithumanbeingstionthat of mourning the dying. This meaningful existence and communicationwould explain its connection with negative with the environment, the sense of hearingimagery and death, as the elements them- is usually the last channel to disappearselves weep for the passing of the arca. before a loss of consciousness, so in quicklyLamentation is bitter-sweet, since it gives sweeping away sound, the wind is chang-creative expression to negative emotions, ing the passengers mentally. Since it is alsoand similarly the rain's beauty is ambigu- moving the sounds physically, it is sud-ous in tone, and only appears towards the denly accelerating time, as time and spaceend of the poem, as the sarcophagus are closely connected in this poem, as weapproaches the ultimate death. Nebbia, of have observed. All at once, movement incourse, becomes a frustrated weeping; no time and space becomes associated withrelief is obtained, as the water does not ageing, sudden degeneration, a rapid anddescend, and as the fog becomes increas- ruthless cleansing of the mind and memory ingly dense, the likelihood of catharsis and in preparation for the ultimate non-being.creativity becomes increasingly remote. This wind of forgetfulness represents theThe water used by Persephone to rinse the last breath, the final sign of life which,milky glasses in stanza 12 is solo acqua di paradoxically, leads to death. nebbia, which produces a sense of choking Rain is a source of water, and has evapo-in the mist. One might almost reason that rated from the sea, but what is its symbolicthe inhabitants of Hell are effectively significance in this poem? If one takes thedrowning in their own unexpressed tears, image of rain in combination with itsand the sense of isolation, and the damna- effects, it becomes another symbol of life. tion that this brings with it, is emphasised. The words pioggia promessa are associated The concept of nebbia is certainly the with light in stanza 8, and the rain has con-most recurrent idea in Versi. Windows notations of freshness, beauty and sound; itbecome misty, clouds appear, eyesare produces music from the train's cable, itdescribed as being humid, and the word seems to sparkle and to make other thingsitself is given as the answer to all the ques- sparkle (altra sottilelacqua d'argento s'accende), tions in the poem, and is mentioned ten and it refreshes the crowds of girls intimes during the last stanza. The train's stanza 10. There are strong baptismal ordestination is not only surrounded by fog, ceremonial associations in the words ba- it is fog itself, and the fog, which has pre- gnata e celeste; the rain has perhaps purified vented communication, provided mystery the sarcophagus in preparation for its desti-and confused the scenery, now becomes nation, a notion reinforced by the sciame disynonymous with ambiguity and paradox. gocce gelide in stanza 8, which sprays theThe image of nebbia is perfect to represent passengers' foreheads in a manner curi-confusion and death, as it is neither light ously reminiscent of Christian baptism. nor darkness, neither rain nor dryness. Tuttitalia, No. 11, June 1995 99 27 Darkness is not appropriate as an imagetionhere,much would beclarified. here, because Caproni uses dawn to sug-Emotion is a quality peculiar to human gest a threshold, something which is both abeings; in connecting the mind with the beginning and an end, and dawn is ofbody, it becomes both the problem and necessity an image of lightbut only athe solution. It is emotion which drives half-light, the crepuscular, supernaturalhumanity to feel that existence lacks 'mean- light of the mind clouded with emotion; ing', and yet it is emotion which, in associa- darkness is also not appropriate as antion with instinct, renders reason meaning- image here because for all its obscurity, it is less and useless. This strange quality seems too final and definite an image for the void to be ambiguous, simultaneously positive envisaged by Caproni. (Black is a very and negative. striking colour!) All the paradoxes, all the What, then, remains to be said about semi-consciousness and confusionthat Versiin conclusion? Obviously this is an make up the human experience, comeextremely complex poem, with many dif- together in this image, and its negative con- ferent levels of meaning and reference. notations stem largely from the fact that theThis essay has been rather long, but by no last stanza of the poem does not provide anmeans comprehensive; there is much in answerlife appears to be incomprehen-the poem that merits further study. Maybe sible, and attempts to solve the problem ofall that one can say about it is that the human existence are doomed to failuresearch for enlightenment and the mystery because human consciousness is simply tooof life are shown to be open-ended, as limited, too trapped by its own nature andwith the wanderings of Aeneas; to find the clouded by emotion. If one even went soultimate answer, one must first know the far as to equatenebbiadirectly with emo-question.

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28 100 Tuttitalia, No. 11, lune 1995 Women, Literature and Society: the 'half' and the 'whole'

Guya Rossi King's College, University of London

Introduction between itmeglio anditpeggio, or his earthly passion for Laura and his intel- The present article seeks to explore thelectual attempts to repress it. presentation of women by female and male Nearly all female characters portrayed writers, to analyse and compare the resul-by male writers are non-existent. The tant images, and to see whether these mir- image of woman as a 'real' being is absent; ror the life of women in Italian society. Inshe can only speak through his words, so doing, it attempts to determine whetherexpress his thoughts and feelings. But do an author's gender affects the presentationfemale authors depict female characters in of characters. their entirety, or are they still presented as Since its beginnings, all respectable liter-fragmentedsegmentsofaninvisible ature would start and end with an invoca- 'whole'? tiontothe Muse who was, andstill My readings of works by female Italian remains, a powerful source of inspiration, awriters (Aleramo, Maraini, Vigano, Ginz- goddess, a custodian of the creativity andburg) reveal a different image of woman memory of theartist:the male artist.that of a very complex, more realistic Embodying the male world, both in con-human being with qualities and imperfec- crete (his family and work) and in abstracttions which may or may not be considered terms (his ideas, feelings), the Muse wastypically 'feminine'. Sometimes she is a the essence of all the 'feminine' virtues,glorious, proud, independent being; at perceived by man, and the repository of hisother times she is a confused, tired, lonely dreams, illusions, hopes, ideals. Whetherbeing; but she isnever reduced to a she really existed (Beatrice, Laura), orMadonna or an Eve; she is a whole person whether she was just a figment of his im-whose inner and outer reality mirrors her agination (Nerina), the Muse has alwayssocio-political and historical existence. represented an ideal and idealised image of Texts consulted: woman, whose 'other' half was/is anotherSibilla Aleramo : Una donna mythical imagethe dangerous temptress;Dacia Maraini : La lunga vita di not the Madonna to revere and love, but Marianna Ucria Eve, to avoid and despise. Renata Vigano : L'Agnese va a morire What may have started as a useful liter- Natalia Ginzburg : E stato cosi ary device has become a symbolic reflec- Caro Michele tion of the male inner dichotomy: an Famiglia aspiration to Heaven on one side, a yearn- La citta e la casa ing for Earth on the other. In the Vita Luisa Adorno : Le donate stanze Nuova, for example, Dante's adoration for the 'angel' Beatrice is juxtaposed with his powerful attraction to the decoy, a muchSibilla Aleramo:Una donna less perfect donna dello schermo. This male- UnadonnaisAleramo'ssemi-auto- created Muse is thus never presented as abiographical novel narrated by a middle- whole but perpetually fragmented intoclass woman presenting the condition of good /bad; love / hate; moral / immoral: women in Sicily at the beginning of the witness, for example, Petrarca's conflicttwentieth century. It depicts this extra-

Tuttitalia, No. 11, June 1995 4 29 st. ti-A- ordinary woman's painful and courageousvery contrasting images of the same per- fight for emancipation. Its narrative pro- son: the whole and the divided. vides a vivid picture of the 'rules' governing the life of women at the time. The pro-Marianna Ucria: a 'feminist' view tagonist's story is partly that of many women: sexually abused at 15 and thenof a whole woman married off to her abuser, she discovers Una donna can be compared to a similar that she is expected to give up her own novel with a female protagonistMaraini's identity to assume the role of donna marita-La lunga vita di Marianna Ucrla, set in the ta, un personaggio serio. aristocratic Sicilian society of the seven- Welleducated,sensitive,intelligent,teenth century. Marianna is not dissimilar intellectually curious, and honest, she is a to Una donna. She has been sexually abused rebel, who questions women's passive at fiveby the old uncle who will then acceptance of men's rules. Her own mothermarry her at 13 with the blessing and com- has lived and died unable to question herplicity of the other men (and women) of the husband's infidelities, but the protagonist family. of Una donna comes to the conclusion that Marianna is different from other women: by submitting passivelytopatriarchy, her childhood trauma results in her being women only perpetuate their own slavery: deaf and dumb; the silence she was forced E incominciai a pensare se alla donna non vada to when assaulted has become a permanent attribuita una parte non lieve del male sociale. protective wall around her. She therefore Come pub un uomo the abbia avuto una buona has the 'permission' to learn to read and madre divenir sleale verso una donna a cui da itwrite and inthis way her disability suo amore, tiranno verso i figli? She thus becomes a powerful source of strength: in questions the traditional concept of theorder to communicate with others she 'good mother': Ma la buona madre non deveresorts to the written word. The magnifi- essere ... una semplice creatura di sacrificio, cent library of itsignor marito becomes deve essere una donna, una persona umana. Marianna's own world, satisfying her intel- Ironically, however, this woman who solectual curiosity, enabling her to acquire an strongly rejects the Madonna image will beeducation and knowledge usually denied forced by the rigid dictates of patriarchalto women of her age and social status. Sicilian society to make the ultimate sacri- Although, externally, she submits to the fice: unable to accept a loveless marriage,rules, and produces five children without she is made to choose between her inde-ever having known any sexual pleasure, pendence and her child. Her choice to leaveshe is presented as a perpetual rebel who, her child is an act of desperate survivalat the age of 40, falls in love with a younger which emphasises her lack of power: Comeman, lives her experience to the full, but avevo potuto? Oh non ero stata un'eroinachooses to remain independent by deciding ... ero it povero essere dal quale una mano di to travel around the world on her own. chirurgo ne svelle un altro per evitar la morte This, then, is a portrayal of a woman in d'entrambi. In deciding to survive as anall her many roles: as young woman, individual, to become a writer and tell heryoung mother, mother in love with one of story to others, she hopes her child willher children, subservient wife, rebel wife, eventually understand, forgive and acceptobedient and adoring daughter of a des- her in her integrity, and not only in her rolepotic father, irreverent sister, passionate as mother. lover, compassionate mistress of the ser- This novel is a woman's honest portrayalvants of the house. Though, ostensibly, a of another woman's attempt to escape thecharacterisation of a seventeenth-century prison of the role. Although the character is woman written by a twentieth-century one, presented as a whole person, ultimatelyit may be argued that Marianna isa society forces her to renounce a vital part of powerful symbol of Maraini's own feminist herselfher maternal beingand thus, asideals. The author herself has benefited the novel ends, the reader is left with twofrom the socio-political changes which

30 Tuttitalia, No. 11, lune 1995 have improved the life of modern Italianan awareness of the improvement in their women. As a consequence, the whole per-social conditions. It also shows that women son we are left with at the end of her novelpresented by female writers are women who would have been an unrealistic andwith all the imperfections and qualities of unconvincing character in Una donnacanthe whole human being. be taken to represent both socially and artistically a modern writer's vision ofThe everyday images of Natalia women and the first complete picture of a disabled woman who, though conditionedGinzburg by a patriarchal society, is able to explore The works of Natalia Ginzburg are full of the many facets of her personality. female and male characters whose lives, feelings and thoughts mirror the reality of women and men in modern Italy from the L'Agnese va a morire,or the pre-war period to the present. portrait of an unconventional Her novel E stato cosi (1947) portrays an anti-heroine who represents society's con- eroine ventional view of women at the time (that L'Agnese va a morire is probably one ofmarriage is women's best deal and that any the few literary works in which the protag- husband deserves his wife's selfless care). onist is not only an 'ordinary' unassumingShe marries an older man, aselfish, peasant, but also an older woman, notpseudo-intellectual person, from whom she beautiful, not educated, not successful inaccepts any sort of humiliation and pain conventional terms. She is a prototypeuntil she finally rebels and kills him. She mammona who leads a simple, limited, anddoes not love this man (sexually): quando mi limiting life, with no expectations and no baciava sentivo un po' di ribrezzo. When she surprises until her husband's death at thefinds out that he is in love with a married hands of the Germans. Deciding to vindi-woman and has no intention of leaving her, cate his memory, Agnese becomes a parti-she passively accepts the situation and giana, her age and appearance facilitatingrefuses to face her feelings of despair and her work for the Resistance. Thus what isisolation. She finds love and fulfilment in conventionally perceived as disadvantage her child: Quando e nata la bambina, mi sono grassa e vecchiabecomes in reality a sentita cosi felice come non ero mai stata nella powerful asset (as in the case of Marianna mia vita. But this happiness is short-lived Ucria's disability), helping her to escapethe child dies. the Germans' attention. Yet her motherly The novel begins at the end, with the qualities are vital to her work. She takes onprotagonist having shot her husband and difficult and dangerous tasks with incred-beginning to reflect on her past. It is inter- ible modesty and courage, whilst remain-esting to note that this timid woman shows ing sympathetic to the cause and the pains no remorse at her action, she can only state of the young partisans around her: Era con-facts: Gli ho sparato negli occhi. Her fierce tenta quando le dicevano brava come una sco- desire to be treated with respect is depicted lara promossa.Itis her image and herby the constant repetition of the phrase example which helps them to cope withDimmi la verita, and her frustration at not their difficultlife:Ebbe voglia di vederebeing told the truth, at being derided by l'Agnese the diceva semprequesta cosa posso her insensitive husband, culminates in her farla io se sono buona, ed erano cose pericolose. desperate gesture. It is the act of a person This novel was written in 1949, just threewho has spent her life annulling herself; a years after women in Italy had been given last attempt to regain oneself, after the final the right to vote, and their vital contribu-episode of emotional abuse (as her hus- tion to the cause of the Resistance had beenband gets ready to leave for a holiday with recognised. The choice of this particularhis lover, he behaves as if she were his ser- female character suggests an optimism forvant): M'aveva detto di preparargli ii to nel the women's causeprobably justified by termos per it viaggio. Mentre si preparava la

Tuttitalia, No. 11, June 1995 31 valigia s'era un po' arrabbiato perche trovava radical transformation, with divorce, abor- che le camicie non erano stirate bene. tion, and new family legislation. All these The two other women in the novel (herchanges have inevitably led to new values cousin, and her husband's lover) are bothwith social, economic and psychological presented as quite 'modern', less emotion-unrest marking the conflict between the old ally and physically dependent on men, less 'patriarchal' rules and the new 'feminist' fragile than the protagonist. But there are ones. strongsimilarities between thelatter In Famiglia, the confused and complex whom the male character sees solely as therelationships between the members of an brava mogliettina, and Giovanna, the lover.Americanised version of the modern Italian Both are mothers and lovers and both arefamily mirror the social and institutional unable to love the man who does not reallychanges of the '70s. The three female love either of them. Neither of them feelscharacters Ivana, Ninetta and Olga (respect- guilty, but both have internalised the tradi-ively Carmine's former lover now friend, tional male dichotomy between the roles ofhis wife, and his younger lover) share a wife /Madonna and lover /Eve. Non voglio rejection of the 'traditional' acceptance of che Albertotiscriva lui e mio marito. their role, switching instead from one role Abbiamo avuto una bambina insieme che adesso to another according to the circumstances e morta e questo fatto non si pub cancellare solo and their own feelings.All three are perche a voi due piace fare l'amore insieme. mothers and alltake lovers (although Giovanna stays married to a man sheNinetta shows that guilt common to the doesn't love for the sake of her child, so women of previous generations). both love and perpetuate that 'sacrifice' of Ninetta tries to be a traditional wife to womanhood which Aleramo would notCarmine for a while but, tired of the rou- accept.Ultimately,however, Ginzburgtine and of his selfishness, she accepts the depicts both women in all their complexity:short-lived love of an older man. We see although still restricted by society and byher changing from a traditional wife and themselves, the women of E stato cosi are mother into a passionate, daring woman real and 'whole' people and the novelwho emerges from her brief love affair dis- reflects the social changes beginning toillusioned and realistic, discovering new show in post-war Italy, and the consequentinterests to compensate for her emotional ambiguityoffeelings/ideasregardingvoid. Her decision not to separate from her women, marriage, and relationships. estranged husband until the son is older Ginzburg'ssubsequentnovelsalsoreflects, however, the inner contradictions reflect the unrest and changes of the period of many women of the time. between the '50s and the '80s. All her Ivana, a more independent woman in female characters struggle to escape unsat-her late thirties, is a modern unmarried isfactory situations, unafraid of changing mother who has chosen her role. She, how- status and of worsening their conditions.ever, is also unhappily in love with a They are lovers, sisters, mothers, still verypathetic older man. She values her friend- much tied to the family, but a family which ship with Carmine and is portrayed as a is getting less and less traditional in struc-complex woman caught up insocial ture,if not in fundamental values:c.f. changes but sure of her own values. Caterina and Maddalena in Valentino; Scilla Olga is a young unmarried mother, a and the mother in Sagittario; the motherless conventional 'motherly' type, free, and sisters in Caro Michele. audaciousandalmostruthless,who Her last two contemporary novels switches from one lover to another fully Famiglia and La citta e la casareflect theaware of her right to enjoyment and inde- substantial developments in the position ofpendence. Italian women within the family. Old rules Although presented on the whole as and laws have been rejected, the hatefulrealistic human beings, when seen through delitto d'onore has been declared illegal, thethe eyes of the male character, these three legal structure of the family has undergonewomen become fragmented. Carmine sees

32 Tuttitalia, No. 11, dune 1995 1' his wife as the embodiment of stability,appears as the dangerous and ambiguous commitment, the inevitable boredom ofEve, la donna da letto, the dream and night- everyday family life, whilst his lover andmare of most men. We should consider the his friend represent excitement and free-novel's Sicilian setting and its accurate dom; in short, a reappearance of the oldportrayal of men's attitudes to women at a dichotomy in the guise of male expectationtime when, though old taboos had not dis- of female roles. appeared, a new 'liberated' image of woman, perceived as more easily 'available' was appearing, marking the begin- Images of women in the works of ning of the exploitation of female sexuality male writers for commercial ends in'erotic'films, The split image (Eve versus Madonna) is books, and so on. The Sicilian society of the presentinmanycharacterisationsof novel seems to have changed very little women in works of modern and contem-from that of Una donna. Men see Luisa as poraryliterature by male writers.In an attractive widow, a femme fatale whose Montale's poetry (Mottetti), the poet con-beautiful body, analysed and shown in tinuesthetraditionofDante's donna'parts', charms and distracts men's atten- angelo with the image of Clizia, a platoniction: Stava seduta ] le gambe velate di lover: Ti libero la fronte dai ghiaccioli/che racco- nerobut whose mind and soul are per- gliesti traversando l'alte/nebulosewhere theceived as dangerous. Laurana's sexual woman as a person is non-existent, presentattraction to Luisa reveals, once again, only as a projection of the poet's alter ego. men's inner contradictions about women: e (Even if one accepts a different interpreta- phi it suo giudizio si faceva su di lei affilato e tion of the poem an allegory of light/free- spietato, 1, a intravederne la perversit a, dom opposedtotenebra /Fascism, onephi l'abbondante grazia del corpo, f I. .1,it arrives at the same conclusion: the womanprofumo che appena velava un afrore di letto, as real being is absent.) (... 1,suscitavanoinluiundesiderio In Pavese's novel II carcere, the protago- doloroso,fisicamentedoloroso.Through nist Stefano /Pavese is unable to relate to aLaurana Sciascia gives an honest analysis whole woman, only to 'halves': one pas-of this unhealthy and fragmented male sionate,selvaggia,youngandcruel vision of women a vision influenced by a (Concia); the other motherly, resigned,rigid Roman Catholic upbringingwhich and too loving (Elena): Avrebbe voluto cheupholds the perennial notion of woman as gli entrasse nel letto come una moglie, ma se Eve/sinner: E riconosceva Laurana in questo ne andasse come un sogno che non chiedesuo trasporto le remore di una lontana edu- parole. cazione al peccato, I I. ], allo spavento nelle In La casa in collina Pavese creates twocose del sesso, I. ..1.Si sentiva I I...] col images of women: Cate, independent andcorpo di lei che nel brusco abbordaggio delle fighting for the Resistance; and his land-curve si dislagava sul suo, come sdoppiato o lady, Elvira, an older version of Elena. In dimezzato: e la favola degli sdoppiamenti e dei this novel, however, there is a seriousdimezzamenti, che sempre lo aveva suggestio- attempt to portray woman as a real person:nato in letteratura, verificava ora nella sua Capii che Cate aveva una vita sua e le bastava. esistenza. Era seria e padrona. Although the writer does not fully succeed in this endeavour, itThe whole and the half:a circular is interesting to see that the male character is only able to accept this whole woman at apattern distance, so that Cate, like Clizia, can be Laurana's thoughts can be taken as a seen as a modern reincarnation of Beatrice. vivid and appropriate example of a man's In Sciascia's A ciascuno it suo there is noanswer to the questions posed at the begin- trace of the new woman who was emerg-ning of the presentarticle.The final ing in 1960s Italy, passionately fighting for impression is that there seems to be a circu- herfeministideals.Instead,womanlar pattern and that the women depicted by

Tuttitalia, No. 11, June 1995 33 men seem to be split into many artificialNote segments, often disconnected from the For the purposes of this article it was not poss- social reality of women in the 'real' world.ible to analyse a greater number of works. It is only by looking at the works of femaleReaders interested in the topic raised here are writers that one can visualise the whole recommended to look at Carlo Cassola, La ragaz- picture, draw thefullcircle, and see za di Bube and Gli anni passano, and to compare women in their 'wholeness'. these with Natalia Ginzburg, La citta e la casa.

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34 Tuttitalia, No. 11, June 1995 I luoghi del cuore e le molte mita: an introduction to the novels of Isabella Bossi Fedrigotti

Julie Beverly University of Plymouth

'I luoghi del cuore mi scaldano it cuore, mi distinguishing feature asthehistorical ispirano,mi induconoaparlarediloro. background. Places which were once part Evidentemente e nell'infanzia chesi of the Hapsburg Empire feature in all the costruiscono i luoghi del cuore, quel paesaggio novels, and the choice of such settings has che poi ti resta dentro, come sfondo dell'anima prompted some critics to see in this the pre- contro cui poi si muovono gli avvenimenti e idominant thread in her writing, accusing personaggi di tutta la vita.'1 Bossi Fedrigotti of nostalgia for Austria Isabella Bossi Fedrigotti grew up in the Felixa charge she herself denies: Trentino,speaking German withherE diventata una specie di accusa, puntuale. Viennese mother and Czechoslovak grand-Sempre sentenziano una mia presunta nostalgia mother, and the Veneto dialect with her dell'Austria, che non ho per niente.2 father and friends in Rovereto. At the age For the most part, the plots unfold of 12 she was sent to study in Florence, soagainst the backdrop of the Trentino and, that she might sciacquare i panni del dialettoby choosing, as the setting for her novels, in Arno, and it was there that she firstthe region in which she was born and grew began to write. up,BossiFedrigottifollowsawell- Her first three novels were published inestablished Italian literary tradition. fairly quick succession. Amore mio uccidi In various guises, her novels take the Garibaldi, published in 1980, offers anform of testimonies in which the protago- unusualviewoftheThird War ofnists recount the background to, and the Independence. This was followed in 1983details of, critical moments in their lives. by Casa di guerra, which focuses on life inOften these moments coincide with critical the Trentino during the Second World War periods of Italian history. at the time of the German occupation. In In the case of Amore mio uccidi Garibaldi,3 1984 came Diario di una dams di corte, thethe story begins in 1863 when the Princess story of a young woman's experiences dur-Leopoldina Lobkowitz from Bohemia and ingherfirstyearatthefin-de-siecle Count Fedrigo Fedrigotti from the Trentino Hapsburg court. There was then a gap ofmeet at a carnival ball in Vienna. A few several years untilthe publication,in months later they marry and make their March 1991, of Di buona famiglia, a penetrat- home near Bolzano in the Italian region ing study of the poisoned relationshipknown today as the Alto Adige, but which between two sisters. was then an Austrian province, part of the Bossi Fedrigotti's novels have all enjoyedHapsburg Empire. In the first part of the success. Casa di guerra, for example, wonnovel events and people are seen through the Premio Ancona, and was a finalist forthe eyes of Leopoldina. In her letters to her the Premio Campiello. There can be littlemother she writes of her new life in one of doubt, however, that Di buona famiglia,the 'outposts' of the Austro-Hungarian winner of the Campiello prize in 1991, isEmpire. She makes occasional references to her best novel to date. their growing concern at the prospect of Critics, seeking to define the work ofwar, but most of her letters are taken up Bossi Fedrigotti, have tended to attach thewith the details of their daily lives, and in label 'historical' to her novels, yet the geo-particular with their efforts to build a less graphical setting for the novels is as much aprecarious future for themselves. In the

Tuttitalia, No. 11, June 1995 35 second part, it is Fedrigo who becomesconcerns, ensure a quite distinctive per- narrator as he describes, in his letters tospective for each of their accounts. They Leopoldina, his experiences as an officer in tend to concentrate on the events in which the Kaiserjager fighting in the mountains ofthey were personally involved and which the Trentino against Garibaldi and his fol- touched them most closely. There is virtu- lowers. His letters, however, reveal rather ally no attempt to stand back from the situ- more about him as an individual, a hus-ation and provide a global view. Indeed, band and a father, than they do about thefor the most part they seem not to compre- conflict. The historical background, meticu- hend the significance of the cataclysmic lously detailed though it is, remains pre-events going on around them. What cisely that. emerges is a picture of some of the experi- The setting for Casa di guerra4 is the ences of a few, quite ordinary people, who Alpenvorland, the name given tothefind themselves caught up in the confusion region by the Germans after their occupa-of war. Although, in different ways, all the tion of the TrentinoAlto Adige in 1943,protagonists of Casa di guerra exhibit a when, effectively, the frontier set in placedegree of heroism, in that they expose between Italy and Austria after the Firstthemselves to personal danger, risking World War was dismantled and the regionarrest or even death in order to help friends sealed off from the rest of Italy. Againstand neighbours, or to do something which this background, Bossi Fedrigotti exploresthey believe to be 'right', in their unassum- thetensionsinherentinthesituationing accounts there is no sign that they through the testimonies of five very differ-themselves are aware of this. They do not ent people. The first to tell her story is theseek to dramatise themselves or their situa- German governess, Bertha Wesemann. Hertions. It is precisely this emphasis on the father is a retired Army officer, her Jewishordinariness of the people caught up in mother a victim of the Holocaust. She is fol- extraordinary events, this portrayal of the lowed by the cook, Resi Raffler, a German-protagonists as unheroic, which is one of speaking contadina from the Alto Adige.the strengths of this novel. The third account is given by the padrone. The third novel, Diario di una dama di He is the owner of the house referred to incorte,6 is rather different in tone from the the title, and is himself a Trentino. It is theothers. Elegantly written and beautifully Nazi, Franz Stauderer, who next tells hisillustrated, with sepia drawings repro- story. He too is a Trentino, but he is also anduced from a book entitled Viribus Unitis Optanten.5 Thefinal'witness'istheDas Buch vom Kaiser, published in 1897 in padrone's close friend and neighbour, thecelebration of Hapsburg Emperor Franz Austrian-born Maria Luigia Firmian. Josef's long reign, it recaptures the ambi- War, as it is waged on the battlefield, orence of the Imperial Court in the closing related in history texts, is absent from the years of the last century. pages of this book. Instead, the experience Bossi Fedrigotti's most recent work, Di isgraphicallyconveyedthroughthebuona famiglia,7 although set in the present, descriptions of homely, even banal, inci-looks back over almost the whole of the dents. Like a jigsaw puzzle, piece by piece,twentieth century. The novel charts the an overall picture emerges of life at thatdecline of a social class, the disappearance time, when the house referred to in the titleof traditional values, and the impact of two .provided shelter for a strange mix ofWorld Wars on the Trentino, but, although guests:Italianpartisans,Britishpara- the events of crucial significance take place chutistsworking behind enemy lines,between 1915 when many of the people German officers in retreat, as well as aof the Trentino were evacuated to Austria German deserter and neighbours fearful ofduring the First World War and 1946, the attack from either side. In some respects,year of the Italian Republic, historical the stories of the five witnesses overlap, but events per se feature only to a very limited their different backgrounds and experi-extent. At the heart of this novel is the ences, together with their very dissimilar story of two 80-year-old sisters, Clara and

36 Tuttitalia, No. 11, June 1995 Virginia, and their slowly festering rela- In Casa di guerra, it is not simply a matter tionship. It is an exploration of the reasonsof chance that the protagonists are all forthe breakdown incommunicationGerman-speaking.Onceagain,Bossi between them, and an examination of theFedrigotti takes an important moment in way in which, because of prejudice and dis-Italian history and portrays it from an torted perceptions, people may damageunusual angle: in this case, through the themselves andothers,wittingly andeyes of Italians who do not conform to the unwittingly. usual preconceptions (the padrone, Resi, Undoubtedly, the historical period isand Firmian), and through the eyes of very clearly defined in all four novels but,those who are, at least technically, the although the experiences of the protago-'enemy' (Bertha and Stauderer). Her sym- nistsareinextricably intertwined withpathetic portrayal of Stauderer and Firmian events of historical significance, the focuschallenges the conventional view of both is on the ordinary person, and Bossithe Nazi and the woman who associates Fedrigottiseeks therebyto avoid thewith enemy soldiers, whilst the compas- rhetoric of 'official' history and to portray asion and understanding evident in her pre- version which: sentation of all five witnesses is, by impli- nella realta domestica invece assume contornication, a criticism in general terms of a phi semplici, phi immediati e percia piu veri.8black-and-white vision of the world. Even That war should feature quite promi- the sacred totem of the family comes under nently in Bossi Fedrigotti's novels is almost attack in her account, in Di buona famiglia, inevitable. As she herself has said: of family relationships fuelled not by love sono tutti di guerra perche it Trentino e una zona or affection, but by loathing and distrust, di guerra, percio i racconti dei contadini, della and lubricated by lies and hypocrisy. gente sono infarciti di ricordi di guerra.9 Rejecting a custom imposed on her by her Her attention is drawn not to conven-upbringing and still in widespread use tional tales and images of men engaged in today, l'uso di non parlare, Bossi Fedrigotti heroic combat, but to the often unremarked also highlights in this novel the insidious but equally courageous struggle waged atdestructiveness of 'polite' conversation: home, frequently by women: Ah, quell'affabile conversazione, sempre uguale, Certo che gli uomini combattevano ma io ... non frizzante come un ruscello, che poteva durare mi importa, non mi interessa di scrivere del-per ore o per settimane [.. .1. Era una specie di l'eroismo e della forza dell'uomo in combatti-protezione, un paraurti che doveva impedire a mento. Chi resta a casa a combattere sono le chiunque di avvicinarsi troppo.13 donne. E un altro tipo di eroismo che m'interessa An important element in Bossi di piti.'° Fedrigotti's novels isthe solid core of BossiFedrigotti'spreferencefortheauthenticity which derives from the fact unconventional angle in her portrayal ofthat all her work is based on real people, both people and events ensures a freshnessplaces and events. Her first novel drew of approach which at times, quite deliber-much of its inspiration from the letters of ately, borders on the provocative. Theher great-grandparents although, as she choice of austriacanti,11 for example, to relate recently revealed, only one of the letters is the Third War of Independence, allows herwholly authentic: to present a thought-provoking alternative veramente autentica e quellasd'inizio quando lui to the traditional view of both Garibaldi (Fedrigo) scrive alla madre.El'unica lettera che and the Risorgimento. The heroic comman- c'e in italiano. Le altre sono tutte in tedesco.14 der of the Mille is always described in the In a similar way, the protagonists of Casa novel as a brigante and the impudence of thedi guerra are all based on people known to title, Amore mio uccidi Garibaldi, is echoed in her, and the experiences of the padrone, for the closing sentence of the book when sheexample, reflect those of her own father, writes of how death spares Fedrigo the painwho fought with theItalian army in of becoming Italian: Yugoslavia, and later with the partisans in gli a risparmiato it dolore di diventare italiano; the Trentino. Speaking of Di buona famiglia, muore nel 1902, sedici anni prima.12 Bossi Fedrigotti describes the book as:

Tuttitalia, No. 11, lune 1995 37 pieno di piccoli sassi che io ho raccolto in giro. enablethem(Fedrigo,Henriette,and Sono tutte cose inventate ma tappezzate di cose Bertha), or so they believe, to become fully vere.15 integrated. In some cases (Stauderer and The scene in which Clara discovers the padrone), their apartness is the result of Virginia's dressing-gown in a wardrobe indeliberate choices based on political think- her lover's flat and believes she has founding or personal preferences. The icy soli- confirmation of her sister's betrayal, draws,tude of Clara and Virginia, on the other for example, upon Bossi Fedrigotti's ownhand, is shown to be the inevitable out- discovery of a friend's dressing-gown income of the misunderstandings, resent- her brother's room: ment and anger which have built up over (lei) viene da not per le vacanze. A un certothe years. punto ha deciso di lasciare la sua vestaglia e le The theme of incommunicability sue pantofole a casa nostra e Ii ha messi nella runs camera di mio fratello, che non c'e mai, allora lei throughout Bossi Fedrigotti's writing. It is ci dorme. E nella camera di mio fratello,there in the reticences of Fedrigo and nell'armadio ci sono vestiti di mio fratello e lei ciLeopoldina in Amore mio uccidi Garibaldi, in ha messo la sua vestaglia... quell'e la scena che the silences and omissions of the witnesses avevo in mente, it che non vuole dire niente in in Casa di guerra, and in the evasions of realta. Perb, l'ho utilizzata.16 Henriette in Diario di una dama di corte, but The strong visual element apparent init finds its most concentrated expression in her writing is attributable, in part at least,Di buona famiglia, in the story of Clara who to her choice of real places as settings forsystematically destroys anything which her novels. The description of the housemight reveal: which featuresinCasadiguerra,for pezzi della tua vita che non hai mai raccontato18 example, has its origins in the solid realityand Virginia who declares: of a house which stands on one of the hillsnon mostro niente a chi mi sta intorno, mi so near Rovereto. The visual element is also controllare.19 related to the evocative use Bossi Fedrigotti Communication is shunned because of makes of small details, particularly thethe threat it poses to family life: L'intimita [ ] era it grande pericolo. Anche tocchi casalinghi, and to her method ofsoltanto a parole, anche soltanto tra donne: di li reconstructing the past by means of whatdiscendevano tutti i guai che minacciavano la she describes as: solida, ordinata, rispettabile vita della nostra le piccole testimonianze curiose, non ufficiali: le famiglia.2° lettere della gente, i fatterelli marginali, le tracce Whatever the emphasis, in all her novels del loro modo di vivere, it costume.17 Bossi Fedrigotti has tended to followa As Bossi Fedrigotti has developed as a similar pattern. The historical background, writer, there has been a change of emphasissocial and political, has been skilfully in her work. In Di buona famiglia she looksincorporated but, as the consistentuse of much more closely at the individual andnarrative in the first person (or, in one case, the question of human relationships. Thethe second person)21 suggests, it is thepro- historical and regional elements, whichtagonists who are the focus of attention. It are so striking in her first novels, haveis through their personal and often inti- given way to the psychological. It would mate accounts that the dramas unfold: the nonetheless be true to say that some psy-letters of Fedrigo and Leopoldina, the chological elements are present in all heraccounts of the protagonists of Casa di novels. guerra, the diary of Henriette (Diario di una Concerned with the experiences of thedama di carte), and the monologues of Clara ordinary individual, she focuses on peopleand Virginia. The past is reconstructed who feel themselves to be to some extentthrough this use of letters, diaries, testi- outsiders. In the frontier world of her nov-monies and confessions. This allows Bossi els, the characters, for a variety of reasons,Fedrigotti to portray people and events allexperienceadegreeofisolation. from different viewpoints, thus highlight- Sometimes because of social factors, a lacking different interpretations of thesame of means or social standing, which would'reality'. In her novels she remindsus of the

38 I-, ,..,,..,-. Tuttitalia, No. 11, June 1995 ambiguities of existence, the shifting multi- 7. Isabella Bossi Fedrigotti, Di buona famiglia, faceted nature of reality and exposes the Milano, Longanesi, 1991. 8.Isabella Bossi Fedrigotti, in an article by fallibility of our perceptions. MichelangeloBellinetti, II Giornaledi Vicenza, 30.03.1983. 9.Isabella Bossi Fedrigotti, in conversation Notes with the present writer, April 1993. 1. Isabella Bossi Fedrigotti, in an interview 10.idem. with Francesco Mannoni, 11 Seco lo d'Italia, 11.The term used to describe those individuals 28.09.1991. living in the Trentino-Alto Adige who 2.Isabella Bossi Fedrigotti, in an interview opposed the efforts of the irredentists and with Olga Maldifassi, Il Giornale di Bergamo, chose, during the 19th and early 20th 17.11.1983. centuries,tosupport Austria and the 3.Isabella Bossi Fedrigotti, Amore mio uccidi Hapsburg Emperor. Garibaldi, Milano, Longanesi, 1980. 12.Amore mio uccidi Garibaldi, op. cit., p. 135. 4.Isabella Bossi Fedrigotti, Casa di guerra, 13. Di buona famiglia, op. cit., p. 176. Milano, Longanesi, 1983. 14. Isabella Bossi Fedrigotti, in conversation 5.The Optanten were those who chose to go with the present writer, April 1993. and live in Germany after the signing of the 15.idem. agreement, on the repatriation of German 16.idem. citizens and the emigration of German 17.From an article by Minnie Gastel, Donna, aliens from the Alto Adige to Germany, by 38, novembre 1983. the governments of Berlin and Rome in 18. Di buona famiglia, op. cit., p. 54. 1939. 19.ivi, p. 116. 6. Isabella Bossi Fedrigotti, Diario di una dams 20.ivi, p. 175. di corte, Milano, Longanesi, 1984. 21.ivi, Clara's account.

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Tuttitatia, No. 11, June 1995 39 Le relazioni di spazio nell'italiano contemporaneo: Parte I

Pierangela Diadori University per Stranieri, Siena la percezione dello spazio nelle Consideriamo i principali tipi di opposizione spaziale che, con la loro combi- vane culture nazione, possono determinare la localiz- La percezione dello spazio varia da unazazione mediante categorie linguistiche: comunita linguistica all'altra e si realizza di (a) opposizione tra deissi (l'oggetto a presente conseguenzaincategoriegrammaticali nellasituazionecomunicativa)e anafora diverse nelle diverse lingue o nei diversi (l'oggetto e gia stato citato in precedenza); (b) opposizione fra la sfera del parlante (l'ogget- dialetti. A seconda delle relazioni spazialito 6 vicino a o lontano da chi parla) e la sfera che una comunita linguistica percepisce, si dell'interlocutore (l'oggetto a vicino a o lontano avranno infatti linguisticamente van modi da chi ascolta); di veicolare le informazioni relative allo (c) opposizione fra avvicinamento e allontana- spazio. mento rispetto a un punto di riferimento; Si pensi per esempio all'italiano e al (d) opposizione fra le possibili localizzazioni francese che, a differenza dell'inglese e del dell'oggetto rispetto a un punto di riferimento tedesco, non distinguonolaposizione (pill in alto, sullo stesso piano, o pill in basso); «sopra senza contatto di un oggetto con la (e) opposizione fra contatto o assenza di contat- superficie superiore di un altro» da quella to dell'oggetto con it punto di riferimento. «sopra con contatto», entrambe indicate A differenza di altre lingue,2 l'italiano ha semplicemente dalla preposizione sopra oun sistema di relazioni spaziali relativa- dal suo sinonimo su:1 mente semplice, basato principalmente su italiano: sopra o su due tipi di informazioni: francese: sur (1) se l'oggetto 6 in movimento se ne specifica la inglese: on (= sopra con contatto) direzione di allontanamento o avvicinamento over (= sopra senza contatto) dal punto di osservazione; tedesco: auf (= sopra con contatto) (2) se l'oggetto non 6 in movimento se ne indica fiber (= sopra senza contatto), la posizione rispetto al punto di osservazione, facendo riferimento ad un ipotetico asse verti- o al toscano che possiede una relazione cale che passa attraverso tale punto (sopra, den- spaziale in pill rispetto a tutti gli altri ita- tro, sotto), o ad un ipotetico piano orizzontale di liani regionali: quella di «lontano da chi cui tale punto fa parte (accanto, presso, vicino, parla ma vicino a chi ascolta» (codesto,fuori, intorno), secondo uno schema che viene codesta, costa, costi, costassti, costaggiti) men- reso graficamente da Cardona (1988, p. 22) tre nel resto dell'Italia si definisce solo la [Fig. 1]. posizione di «lontano», indifferentemente Rispetto all'enorme ricchezza di altre se sia lontano solo da chi parla o anche dalingue in questo campo specifico, in parti- chi ascolta (quello, quella, la, li, lasso, laggiU): colare quelle caucasiche,3 it sistema ita- toscano: codesto (= lontano da chi liano, al pari di quello inglese e di quello ascolta e vicino a chi parla) tedesco, possono essere considerati sistemi quella (= lontano da chi linguistici con indicazioni spaziali relativa- parla e da chi ascolta) mente limitate. Anzi, rispetto all'inglese e questo (= vicino a chi parla) italiano non toscano: quello (= lontano da chial tedesco, l'italiano a meno sensibile alla parla) direzione o posizione relativa e al grado di questo(=vicinoachi contatto o vicinanza dell'oggetto con it parla). punto di riferimento.

40 112 Tuttitalia, No. 11, lune 1995 Tuttavia, se osserviamo questa relativaper di qua, quassti, quaggia, al di qua, da questa limitatezza di manifestazioni verbali legate parte, 11, la, per di 11, per di la, lasso, laggiti, al allo spazio con gli altri codici comunicativi di la, da quella parte). nonverbali, ci accorgiamo che nell'italiano In particolare, con la deissi spaziale si contemporaneo le relazioni spaziali ven-pu15 indicare se un oggetto: gonoespressenonsoloverbalmente situato relativamente a un punto fisso ... (codice linguistico) ma anche attraverso ioppure relativamente al luogo in cui avviene movimenti del corpo (codice cinesico) e le l'interazione e alla posizione dei partecipanti nell'enunciazione (Sobrero, 1993: p. 419). distanzefragliinterlocutori(codice Nel primo caso, per esempio, possiamo prossemico). specificare che «Firenze si trova a nord di Vediamo dunque piu dettagliatamente le relazioni spaziali nelle componenti lingui-Roma», nel secondo possiamo dire ad uno stica, cinesica e prossemica della comuni- o phi interlocutori «si sta bene qui» indican- do it luogo in cui si trovano it parlante e gli cazione nell'Italia contemporanea. ascoltatori, mentre nel terzo caso possiamo notare «bello quel quadro», facendo cosi Le relazioni spaziali nel sistema percepire che it quadro in questione e di- stante sia dal parlante che dal suo inter- linguistico italiano locutore. In italiano la categoria semantica dello Nella deissi spaziale dell'italiano con- «spazio» si manifesta nei seguenti microsi-temporaneo si nota una certa diminuzione stemi grammaticali: i deittici, i legamentidi lessemi in relazione alla diminuzione di sintattici, le preposizioni, gli avverbi, lespecificita:esattamentesinonimisono particelle pronominali, i dimostrativi, i pre-ormai le coppie e qui /qua, addirittura fissi, i verbi e i sostantivi. Numerosi riferi-perduto e ogni riferimento spaziale nei mentispazialisitrovano anche nellepronomiarcaici costui /costei /costoro e espressioni idiomatiche, chesirifannocolui /colei /coloro, e in via di estinzione it ancora phi direttamente ad altri codicidimostrativo codesto, che sta perdendo ter- comunicativi, nonche ad esperienze delreno rispetto a questo e quello. Tuttavia: mondo di tipo phi pragmatico. nel parlato colloquiale la vicinanza/lontananza [ ...1vengono spessosegnalate(o,sesi preferisce, recuperate) attraverso l'intonazione, Deittici un movimento degli occhi, un'espressione del Ogni lingua ha la capacita di riferire un viso, un gesto della mano (Sobrero, 1993: p. 421). enunciato al contesto in cui compare, sia Nella comunicazione scrittaideittici questo di tipo linguistico o extralinguistico.spaziali possono fare riferimento al desti- Questa capacita (deissi) si esprime con inatario del testo e al suo ambiente, al testo deittici, ovvero parti del discorso che ser-stesso, a cie che si trova prima nel testo vono appunto per riferirsi al contesto, in(anafora) o a cio che si trova dopo (cata- particolare a tempi, luoghi e persone. fora). Citiamo qui alcune delle espressioni I deittici spaziali sono quelli che fannodi questo tipo presenti spesso nei testi acca- riferimento a luoghi presenti nel contestodemici e burocratici, a cui proprio i deittici comunicativo, che pue essere quello dellaconferiscono gran partedella coesione comunicazione orale o scritta. Nella comu-interna: nicazione orale i deittici spaziali phi comu- (a) deittici extratestuali: ci rivolgiamo a codesto ni sono gli aggettivi e pronomi dimostrativi officio; questo,codesto,quello,che indicanole (b) deittici testuali: in questo schema, nel presente diverse relazioni spaziali dell'oggetto con it lavoro; (c) deittici anaforici: come sopra, vedi supra, le parlante e it destinatario, e gli avverbi di componenti sopra indicate, i succitati provvedimenti, luogo, che possono esprimere posizione confronta al capitolo precedence, quest'ultimo; (qui, qua, quassti, quaggiti, al di qua, 11, la, (d) deittici cataforici: nel prossimo paragrafo, vedi lassti, laggiti, al di la, cosh', costa, costassa, infra, it sottoscritto, confronta al capitolo seguente, si costaggiti) o movimento (qui, qua, per di qui, veda in appendice.

Tuttitalia, No. 11, lune 1995 41 Legamenti sintattici e spesso determinato in italiano anchedal Fra 'le parole e espressioni che congiun-genere di sostantivo a cui siriferisce. gono .i vari blocchi del testo troviamo,conTroviamo infatti: a + nome di citta (a Roma); connotazioni spaziali, gli avverbi dovee donde. Dove ha valore locativo di in + articolo + nome di citta specificatoda un stato in attributo (nella bella Roma; nella Milanodell'800; in luogo e di moto a luogo in frasi relative(La una Firenze piena di turisti); casa dove abito; La citta dove sono andato adin + nome di nazione o continente(sostantivo abitare) e interrogative (Dove sei?;Dove singolare) che verra preceduto dall'articolose vai?). Come avverbio relativo,dove pue specificato da un attributo (in America; inAfrica; essere sostituito dal pronome relativo cuio nel Canada del nord; nella ex-Jugoslavia); quale preceduto dalla preposizionespaziale in + articolo determinativo+ nome di nazione specifica (La casa in cui abito; Lacasa nella (sostantivo plurale) (negli Stati Uniti d'America; quale abito), tuttavia nell'italiano negli Emirati Arabi); di media in + nome di regione (in Toscana; in formality si tende ad evitare questicostrutti Baviera; in sentiti come piuttosto aulici Alaska); e formali, ein + nome di isola di grandi dimensioni(in addirittura nel parlato piucolloquiale o Sicilia; in Corsica; in Madagascar;ma: a Cuba; a trascurato si usa spesso riprendere itloca- Ceylon); tivo (dove, in cui)o perfino it generico che,a + isola di piccole dimensioni (aLipari; a con la particella clitica ci (II cassetto dove ci Lampedusa; ma: all'Elba); ho messo le scarpe; II cassetto incui ci ho messo da + nome proprio dipersona (vado/sono da Luigi le scarpe; Il cassetto che ci ho = a casa di Luigi, tie! negozio di Luigi); messo le scarpe). da + articolo + nome generico di Donde ha valore di moto da luogo,ma e un persona (vado/sono dal parrucchiere; dal fratello di Mario;da vocabolo. ormai desueto, relegatoal re- un amico di Anna). gistro piu aulico e all'italianoburocratico. La scelta delle preposizioni locative Nella lingua comune si pith usano in sua vece leessere deterininata anche dal tipo di oggetto espressioni da dove,. da cui, dal quale,dalla spaziale in relaZione al quale quale, dai quali, dalle OWL viene a trovarsi ii soggetto (cfr. Leech, 1974:p. 83). Tale oggetto spaziale pub essere vistocome: Preposizioni (a) un punto su una superficie; (b) una linea; . In italiano de preposizioni locative sono(c) una superficie (in termini di generalmente; associate lunghezza e a (dueaspetti ampiezza, indipendentemente dal fattoche sia semantics: quellO. della .posizione'statica e orizzontale, verticale o obliqua); guellii del inciiiimente: .1' 1 , (d) un'area (territorioo area racchiusa entro certi Ecco alcune preposizioni che esprimono confint);. .posiziohe estatiCa di' tin "soggettoin (e) un volume: relazione ad' sin luogo: "(essere2trovarsi) a, In riferimento all'italiano,si veda lo in, dentro; sopra; sotto, vicinoa, Iontaiio da, alschema (Fig. 2) per alcuni esempidi prepo- di soprd di; at di sotto di, contro,presso, accan- sizioni locative. to, in mezzo a, a destra di,a sinistra di, ecc.). Nel caso che it soggetto simuova rispetto a un' luogo 'potremmo inveceavere leAvverbi preposizioni che esprimono: Come abbiamo rilevatoper le prepo- moto a luogo: (andare) a, in, da,verso, fino a, a sizioni, anche gli avverbi di luogoin ita- destra di, a sinistra di; liano vengono generalmentedescritti in moto da luogo: (venire) da, giti da, dadietro, da base alle categorie semantiche dellostato e davanti, da sopra, da sotto, da dentro, daldi dentro, da fuori; del moto, a cui si pub aggiungerequella relativa alla direzione: moto per luogo: (passare) attraverso, sotto,davanti, oltre; stato: (essere, stare) gist, su, fuori, dentro,sopra, vicino, a destra, a sinistra, sottosopra; moto in luogo circoscritto:(girare)intorno, (andare) in qua e in la, a destra moto a luogo: (andare) su, fin su, giti, fin giti, fuori, e a sinistra, su e giti, dentro, sopra, vicino; avanti e indietro, dentro e fuori. moto da luogo: (venire) da dentro, dasopra, da Tuttavia, it tipo di preposizionelocativa sotto; 42 4 Tuttitalia, No. 11, lune 1995 Figura 1 x

allontanamento F

Figura 2

PUNTO LINEA SUPERFICIE AREA VOLUME

STATO a al di la di su entro dentro a destra di oltre sopra in all'interno di a sinistra di lungo al di sopra al centro di dietro a da di all'interno davanti a di fronte a sotto di fuori di vicino a contro sopra a lontano da sul livello sotto a prima di di dopo sopra it oltre livello di sotto it livello di

MOTO A a lungo sopra in dentro LUOGO fino a rasente sotto fino in all'interno di al di la di su al centro di dietro a oltre all'interno davanti a di fuori di sopra a sotto a

MOTO DAda da dal di sopra da dal di dentro LUOGO da dentro dal di sotto dal di fuori da fuori da dall'interno di da sotto da da sopra MOTO PER attraverso attraverso attraverso attraverso attraverso LUOGO per per per per per

DIREZIONE verso verso verso verso verso per per per per per

Tuttitalia, No. 11, June 1995 43 direzione: (andare, venire) in su, in gill, in avanti, c'e una penna sul tavolo (= si trova); indietro, in dentro, in fuori, verso casa, a destra, a oggi c'e il sole (= si vede); sinistra, a dritto, all'indentro, all'infuori, all'insii, e conserva una leggera connotazione locativa, come si vede confrontandoit diverso significato di frasi di questo tipo: oggi c'e festa/oggi e festa; Particel le pronominal i c'e stato un incidente/e stato un incidente. Le espressioni phi impersonali e meno Ne (latino inde = da li) con valore di motolocalizzate spazialmente sono infatti quelle da luogo (= da 11, fuori da 11) e usato piut-che non contengono it ci idiomatico. tosto raramente: In altri casi la connotazione spaziale e Sei stato in classe? Ne esco proprio ora. E caduto in un burrone e nee venuto fuori illeso. invece ormai esaurita: cosa c'e? (= cosa succede?); Ci locativo (latino hic+ce = qui) con va- non c'e stato niente da fare (= non e stato possi- lore di stato in luogo e moto a luogo, ha bile). rimpiazzato quasi completamente it sinoni- Con il verbo avere ha funzione attualiz- mo locativo vi, che si conserva solo conzante e garantisce una maggiore corposita connotazione di registro aulico: fonica all'enunciato. Molto vitale nel parla- A Firenze non ci vado mai d'estate. to in tutta Italia, dato che esistono delle Vorrei che to vedessi la mia casa. Quando ci vieni? forme corrispondenti in molti dialetti, e Ci sei gia stato in America? obbligatorio nel caso che it verbo avere si Da osservare la posizione del ci locativoaccompagni al solo pronome personale rispetto agli altri pronomi: oggetto (ce l'hai?) e quando Yoggetto viene ci metto it libro; rafforzato dal pronome nella frase segmen- ce lo metto; tata (ce l'hai l'ombrello?). ti ce lo metto; In altre espressioni, it ci diventa indice mettimicelo. del parlato colloquiale ed e usato anche da La tendenza al rafforzamento del com-parlanti colti, mentre queste forme stentano plement() di luogo mediante it ci locativo fa ad entrare nello scritto informale, date le parte dei van fenomeni della frase segmen- difficolta di resa grafica: tata e del dislocamento a destra o a sinistra. c(i) ho fame; Questi fenomeni sono caratteristici del par- c(i) hai ragione; lato e dell'italiano neostandard (o dell'uso che c(i) hai in bocca? medio) e corrispondono all' esigenza di Se usato con i verbi sentire e vedere (ci spostare l'enfasi su determinate parti delsento; non ci vedo) esprime la capacity o discorso: incapacity di sentire e vedere bene, forse sul tavolo ci metto it libro; con un originario riferimento locativo agli ce lo metto io it libro sul tavolo; organi preposti all'udito e alla vista (non qui cosa ci devo scrivere? sento e non vedo si riferiscono invece ad una Ci idiomatico: e uno dei tratti in diffu- condizione momentanea). sione dell'italiano dell'uso medio, come ri- Una sfumatura di significato locativo levano Sabatini (1986, pp 160 sgg) e Berruto (qui/in questa faccenda/ a proposito di (1987). Si tratta di una particella molto pro- questi fatti) si mantiene, secondo Sabatini duttiva nella formazione di verbi con spe-(1986: p. 161) nel ci che si accompagna a cializzazioni semantiche che hanno ormai verbi come entrare, capire, credere, volere: perso l'originario riferimento locativo: questo discorso non c'entra niente con l'argo- non ci tengo (= non mi interessa); mento; quella ragazza a una che ci sta (= e facile da con- ecco it libro di fisica: vediamo se ci capisco qual- vincere); cosa; se piove ci vogliono le scarpe pesanti (= sono Se nee andata? Non ci credo; necessarie). In queste situazioni ci vuole molta calma. Con il verbo essere e necessario quando: Cosi anche in: si descrive un evento specifico del quale implici- Non mi ci va. tamente sono richiamati aspetti materiali e loca- Non ci sto a capire niente (regionale di area lizzabili (Sabatini, 1986, p. 160): meridionale).

44 Tuttitalia, No. 11, June 1995 finnico come particolarmente ricche di casi Bibliografia (parziale) spaziali: si tratterebbe secondo l'autore di G. Berruto, Sociolinguistica dell'italiano contempo- un adattamento linguistico al particolare raneo, Roma, La Nuova Italia Scientifica, 1987. habitat montagnoso in cui si sono svilup- G. R. Cardona, I sei lati del mondo. Linguaggio ed pate le lingue caucasiche mentre «nel caso esperienza, Bari, Laterza, 1988. delle lingue ungro-finniche ormai si pub G. Leech, A Communicative Grammar of English, pensare alla conservazione di un sistema London, Longman, 1974. adattato alle esigenze delle condizioni di F. Sabatini, La comunicazione e gli usi della lingua, vita dei popoli uralici poi scesi nelle pia- Torino, Loescher, 1986. nure» (p. 33). A. A. Sobrero (a cura di), Introduzione all'italiano 3. Cardona (1988: pp. 25 sgg) ricorda, fra le contemporaneo. Le strutture, Roma-Bari, Laterza, lingue ricche di categorie grammaticali che 1993. esprimono relazioni spaziali,it tunguso (otto casi spaziali che esprimono avvicinamento, coincidenza, allontanamento, attra- Note (parziali) versamento), e lo hopi (sette casi spaziali che esprimono lo stato in luogo, la prove- 1. In italiano si dice comunemente it lam- nienza, la destinazione, la coincidenza in un padario pende sopra it tavolo, ma in altri casi punto e la coincidenza in un'area). possibile specificare la mancanza di contat- to usando le espressioni al di sopra di e al di sotto di. [The concluding part of Dr Diadori's study, 2. In Cardona (1988, pp. 26 sgg) si citano le together with full Bibliography and Notes, lingue caucasiche e quelle del ceppo ungro- will be published in Tuttitalia 12. Ed.]

ASSOCIATION for LANGUAGE LEARNING ALL Italian Essay Competition 1995

The Association acknowledges with gratitude prizes from: Thomas Nelson Publishers British Italian Society

Course bursaries from: Language Centre Todi University per Stranieri, Perugia Accademia Lingua Italians Assisi British Institute Florence Italiaidea, Roma

Tuttitalia, No. 11, June 1995 45 Reviews

Reviews editor Carole Shepherd

Vita Nuova. Dante Alighieri, edited bydissuade rather than encourage enthusi- Jennifer Petrie and June Salmons, Dublin,asm to study the text. Belfield Italian Library, 1994, 152 pp., £7.95. The introductory notes are not didactic. (Available through The Foundation for Italian Various schools of thought and interpreta- Studies, Department of Italian,University tions are briefly put before the readers who College, Dublin 4, Eire). are then allowed to explore these areas further before coming to their own con- Like many others who teach Italianclusions. Indeed, to a certain extent this literature,Iam nota Danteexpert,may be in keeping with the nature of the although I thoroughly enjoy discussion ofVita Nuova because, as expressed in the his texts and the ideas therein. English-editors' concluding remarks, some aspects speaking students who wish to study theof the text 'imply that the meaning of the Divina Commedia are overwhelmed by theVita Nuova is not directed exclusively by diversityof translations and commentthe author, and that readers of the work are available. Those who wish to study Dante'sfree to appreciate and interpret it their own earlier works, including the Vita Nuova,way'. have rather less material available to them. There might possibly have been a little The Belfield Italian Library edition of thismore emphasis upon the fact of the origi- text should go a long way towards fillingnality of Dante's text, despite its contextu- that gap. This edition of the Vita Nuovaalisation within the existing literary tradi- is intended for the undergraduate and, astion. Perhaps also in the glossary the notion statedin thepreface,isdesignedtoof vida, or autobiographical element, which 'student-friendly'. is connected to the razo, might have been The text itself is preceded by an intro-explained, as well as the Aristotelian sense duction to Dante's life, the poetic tradi-of gioia as a transcendent state, linked inex- tion, the story and the principal actors. Intricably to beatitudine. This latter could addition, there are two useful sections on have been emphasised a little more in order the language and the verse forms into aid the understanding of Amor in its the Vita Nuova. Following the text, to fullest sense. These, however, are no doubt which there are clear footnotes and intro-concepts which would be commented ductory passages to each chapter, thereupon further during the teaching of the can be found a glossary of terms and atext, and are points which do not detract vocabulary. There is nothing in the foot-from the value of this edition of the Vita notes or introduction that is new, but thatNuova, both for undergraduates and also is not the intention. Rather, ideas andfor those readers who wish to explore interpretations of the text are collated and Dante's early works, perhaps in order more expressedinaclear,readablestyle. fully to comprehend the Commedia. I wel- Suggestionsforfurtherreadingarecome this edition as it will make the task of madenot too many, but just enough forteaching theVita Nuova rathereasier the interested undergraduate to follow up.because it renders the text much more After all, one must remember that stu-accessible to students. dents are often reading for several courses JUDITH KELLY and too long a booklist might serve to University of Leicester

46 TEntitalia, No. 11, June 1995 Parliamo insieme. Julie Docker, Cambridge, now ten years old and many of my students Cambridge University Press, 1994, 112 pp.,unfortunately have no idea who James £8.95, ISBN 0-521-35656-3. Mason might be. I am sure the author could have found a more up-to-date piece. Parliamo insieme is 'aimed at students of Despite this minor criticism, the book Italian who want to improve their commu-does make a clear attempt to offer teachers nication skills'. No specific age range issome useful advice on techniques for given, but we are told that the activitiesencouraging speaking. With the exception range from 'elementary to intermediate'of useful vocabulary, given in small print level and that they are 'graded for the firstin both English and Italian, and some two years of language learning'. Theygrammatical notes, the book is written would seem to be appropriate for Higherentirely in Italian. This reflects the spirit of Level GCSE candidates in schools andthe National Curriculum, the requirements post-16 learners. of mostExamination Boards and The activities cover a wide range ofUniversities, and the needs of the majority topics, arranged according to the author'sof students. The author, therefore, is to be preference, and focus mainly on the skill ofcongratulated for her contribution to hard- Speaking in Italian, although certain activi-pressed teachers of Italian. ties also lend themselves to practice with Parliamo insieme would be a useful addi- the skills of Reading and Writing as well.tion to the bookshelf of any teacher of Teachers are at times offered a variety ofItalian searching for new ways in which to structures of varying degrees of difficultypresent communication activities in the so that they can 'decide which level suitstarget language. their class'. CAROLE SHEPHERD The index lists 21 chapter titles, ranging St Mary's Comprehensive School from the clear 'Conversazioni al telefono' Newcastle-upon-Tyne totheimaginative'Abbandonatinel deserto' (Expressing Opinions) and 'GialloBasic Italian. Charles Speroni, Carlo L. veneziano'. Further details are given onGolino, Barbara Caiti, Seventh edition, Holt, the 'Funzioni' of the chapter, which in theRinehart & Winston, 1993, xvii + 443 pp., case of the 'Giallo veneziano', for example,£15.50, ISBN 0-03-097485-2. are 'Raccontare avvenimenti passati'. The reader is further advised of the grammar The seventh edition of Basic Italian is the which, in the chapter just mentioned, is 'IImost recent update of a course which was perfetto; it participio passato'. The gram-first published in 1958 and was designed to mar explanations are included in the chap-cater for students of Italian in American ters to assist in the performance of thecolleges, universities and high schools. tasks, rather than to give a complete gram- Compared to the preceding edition, the matical summary. Itisstressed in thenew compiling editor, Barbara Caiti, has Introduction that students should knowmade few but important changes: the the grammatical structures and vocabularynumber of chapters has been reduced from well before tacklingtheexercise. The32 to 30, grouped into eight units, with author does give some grammatical exer- some useful changes as to the presentation cises, however, for further practice in theof certain grammatical points. Without task. modifying the basic structure of the indi- Despite the fact that the book is in blackvidual chapters, some elements have been and white, the design is imaginative andadded which, in my view, improve both user-friendly. There is an effective use ofthe visual impact of the course and its use- visual material and the page layout is clear.fulness as a learning tool: for example, a Some of the reading material, however, is Vocabolario section has been added after the somewhat dated. In Chapter 1 an article isinitial dialogue; this contains all the new clearly dated 6/10/1985 and the student iswords presented in that chapter, grouped told 'Stasera, alle 20,30. .'. The material isaccording to their type (i.e. sostantivi, agget-

Tuttitalia, No. 11, June 1995 47 tivi, verbi, etc.). The layout of each chapterinformation is arranged in six main sec- has been substantially improved, particu-tions (A-F), each covering a major area of larly through better use of colour andthe structure of Italian, such as 'Verbs and charts to highlight grammatical structures.their Uses'. Each section comprises a num- Other useful additions are the Note lingui-ber of chapters30 in allconsisting of stiche e culturalialthough I feel that theysub-sections and paragraphs all logically could have represented useful additionalnumbered so as to make cross-reference reading material had they been written ineasy. Thus: Italian, especially towards the end of the (Section) F. Using Numbers courseand the Come si dice? section at the 28. Numerals end of each chapter, supplying some com- 28a. Counting: Cardinal Numbers. municative functions and expressions. Occasional warning signs draw attention In my opinion, the major shortcoming ofto 'traps' and 'pitfalls', such as the distinc- this course is the almost complete lack oftion between sapere and conoscere, or the authentic reading material, particularly inpossible confusion between the future the second half of the course. The eightending -emo and the conditional ending in Letture which appear at the end of each unit -emmo. are frankly very contrived and unappeal- Each explanation is illustrated with two ing, full of unfamiliar words which frus-or three individual examples or a more trate rather than interest the learner. Thecontinuous piece of Italian presented in instructions to the exercises, which were ineasy-to-spot grey boxes. There are no exer- Italian from the outset in the previouscises. The layout is easy to follow and the edition, appear in English in the firstdetailed contents pages and the index nine chapters and in Italian thereafter. make access quick and easy. Considering that an example is given for Even though Sections A and B give each exercise, I would have preferred the detailed information on parts of speech and instructions to be in Italian throughout.syntax which, apart from the examples in Despite this, most of the exercises are quite Italian, could serve equally for other lan- imaginative and, if used constructively,guages, and even if subsequent explana- succeedinthe author's aim to'drilltions are detailed and unusually precise, I thoroughly all four skills'. cannot agree with the publisher's claim I have been using Basic Italian as coursethat the Handbook Series is 'suitable for all book for a two-year subsidiary course since levels of language learning'. A beginner 1993 and, on balance, I have found it verywith no knowledge of the structure of lan- satisfactory. The grammatical explanationsguage would find the book a daunting are thorough with very few inaccuracies (Iprospect. For more advanced students and still prefer valigie and grigie, with an i; thepeople with an interest in the structure of rule is not so difficult as to warrant beingthe language, the theoretical and detailed disregarded), and the initial dialogues,explanations are fascinating and informa- although artificial, are realistic enough. Thetive, though not always fully necessary in students' reaction to the course has alsoorder to understand and apply a rule of been positive. A good effort all round. grammar. Explanation in English far out- CLELIA BOSCOLO weighs material in the target language. University of Birmingham IwouldrecommendtheGrammar Handbook for two categories of reader in Italian Grammar Handbook: A particular:(1)the serious learner who Comprehensive Guide to Italianwants to adopt a thorough and systematic Grammar. Derek Aust,Oxford,Berlitz approach starting from scratch up to an Publishing Company, 1994, ix + 341 pp.,advanced level, and who would be well £4.95, ISBN 2-8315-1363-4. advised to use the book in conjunction with one of the more communicative courses This Italian Grammar Handbook is first and based on the four skills; and (2) the already foremost a reference work. The detailedfairly well-informed student or teacher

48 ,120 Tuttitalia, No. 11, June 1995 . A At, who needs to dip into the book for explana- Photocopiable sheets are given to help tion or clarification, or merely to brush upyou carry out some of the suggested activi- on some rusty point of grammar. ties. These include: You're not on your own MARY OLIVER (giving examples of to whom you might St Cuthbert's High School turn for assistance); lesson plan proforma; Newcastle-upon-Tyne designingactivities;organising groups; summary of pupil evidence; pupil record Concepts. Association for Language Learning! card; and a sample of an annotated piece Mary Glasgow Publications, 1994. of workdisplayingevidenceofthe Attainment Target and Level achieved. The Concepts series, published jointly by 4. Teaching and Learning Grammar. Mary Glasgow Publications (MGP) and theAlison Taylor, ALL /MGP, 1994, 28 pp., Association for Language Learning (ALL), £7.00, ISBN 1852345543. offers helpful advice to teachers of modern Teaching and Learning Grammar gives languages. Although not specifically writ-teachers advice about the ways in which ten for Italianists, colleagues may wish topupils acquire new language structures know more about this series from a profes- and suggests strategies involving repetition sional development point of view. Whatand manipulation of language. The main follows is a summary of the contents ofaim is to provide a manageable, practical Handbooks 2-6. guide to improving grammatical practice in 2. AppraisalforLanguageteachers. the classroom. MichaelPennington,ALL/MGP,1993, The reader is reminded that pupils meet 52 pp., £7.00, ISBN 1852345322. grammatical patterns through classroom Appraisal for Language teachers provideslanguage, topic work, independent listen- practical guidance and useful advice foring and reading, games, drama activities, both appraisee and appraiser. Case studiesand through contact with native speakers. are used to show how appraisal works inThe Handbook also considers how gram- practice. The author explains that in ordermar may be introduced to low attainers, to ensure that appraisal is of use for all con- high attainers, and mixed-ability classes. cerned,clearcriteria must be agreed Examples are given mainly in French beforehand andalllanguageactivities and German, with a few in Spanish and must be planned and recorded with care.Italian. Unfortunately, one example given Photocopiable sheets include the follow-to illustrate grammatical patterns, Sabato ing: Self Appraisal 1 (the pupil's point of sono andata al cinema con mio amico, is gram- view); Self Appraisal 2 (the teacher's pointmatically flawed in Italian as far as the of view); Analysing a focus (to be used bycorrect use of the possessive is concerned. your observer as a guide to your lesson); A photocopiable section at the back of and Observation tally charts (for pupil-the book contains sheets for professional centred or teacher-led activities). development training, which suggest a 3. Managing the Modern Languagesdepartmental policy on the teaching and Classroom. Amanda Flint and Anna Liselearning of grammar, and the use of IT, Gordon, ALL /MGP, 1993, 40 pp., £7.00,songs, and poems for grammar practice. ISBN 1852345098. 5. Working with your Student teacher. Managing the Modern Languages Classroom MichaelCalvertandSarahFletcher, provides teachers with a wide range of ALL /MGP,1994,56pp.,£7.00,ISBN aspects of classroom management, includ- 1852345454. ing: a review of current practices; lesson Working with your Student teacher is aimed planning forthe National Curriculum;atTeacherTrainersandHeadsof designing activities; teaching the lesson;Department, but is also extremely useful creating a stimulating environment; work-for teachers working alongside student ing with pupilsingroups; recordingteachers in the classroom. Initial Teacher progress; assessing pupils' work; and eval-Educationhasundergonesignificant uating your own work. changes in recent years, notably the move

Tuttitalia, No. 11, June 1995 49 towards training which is more school-both long-serving and aspiring Heads of based and allows for a diminished role for Department and offers practical guidance Higher Education. As more and moreon how to carry out this demanding role. training is done within schools, teachersThe role of Head of Department has need advice as to how to act as mentors,changed a great deal in recent years and monitor their students' progress and givenow includesincreasing emphasis on feedback on lesson observation. Rolesmanagerialaspectsmanagingpeople, and responsibilities, as well as lines ofthe curriculum, and the budget. Practical communicationareconsidered.Caseadvice offered in the Handbook includes studies are used to show how policiesDepartmental planning, working with a work in practice. team, and developing the Department, as A photocopiable section at the back ofwell as documenting your work. the book contains advice on the compila- There is a photocopiable section at the tion of Profile statements, a checklist of theback of the Handbook which includes: subject mentor's responsibilities, a list offorms and tablesforefficientrecord- focal points for lesson observation, and akeeping andplanning;self-evaluation; form for reporting on competence. agendas; development plans; staff develop- 6. Being a Head of Department. Anna ment; and useful contacts. Lise Gordon and Amanda Flint, ALL /MGP, CAROLE SHEPHERD 1994, 48 pp.,£7.00, ISBN 074871815X. St Mary's Comprehensive School Being a Head of Department is written for Newcastle-upon-Tyne

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122 50 Tuttitalia, No. 11, lune 1995 The EARLS Guide to Language SchoolsHungarian,Norwegian,Polish,Portu- in Europe 1995. The European Affiliationguese, Russian, and Swedish). The section of Registered Language Schools, London,on Italian (the section heading adds 'in Cassell, 3rd edition, 1995, 309 pp., £14.99,Italy' in case we had any doubtswhich ISBN 0-304-34515-6. would be justified, however, see below!) occupies pages 172 to 204, and opens with The EARLS Guide now appears in its third the assertion that 'Nothing in the world edition and doubles the number of detailedcaresses the ear like the music of the Italian profiles of key language schools in Europelanguage, with its pleasing rhythms and compared to earlier editions. The Guidequerulous intensities fusing into an ancient covers the fourteen most popular Europeanharmony'. I don't suppose we would dis- languages (presumably the most 'popular' agree with this assessment, but it is less with English-speaking learners) as well as aeasy to arrive at Italian as 'an international substantial section on English as a foreignlanguage spoken by some 90million language. The ways of the English are dev- people'where are they all? There are the ilishly difficult to comprehend, so it willusual cautionary statements about regional offer an interesting challenge to our incom-variations and 'the student who finds his ing European cousins to unscramble thetextbook Italian quite different to (= from fact that the Torbay Language Centre, situ-correct English can help one with correct ated in Paignton, is listed under the head- Italian!)thatspoken by theinsistent ing 'Oxford' (page 24)! Venetian gondolier'. The Guide has brief but pertinent intro- The opening blurb on Italy is followed by ductory articles on 'A good language a map, a listing of schools by town, an indi- school', 'A good language teacher', a checkcation of specialisations offered by particu- list for 'Choosing a language school', andlar schools, the detailed addresses of the 'How to use The EARLS Guide'. As anfull range of schools, and profile descrip- example of the advice given, under thetions of several of the schools. Much of the heading of 'A good language school'key information sought by a teacher (or importance is attached to: the teachers; the individual learner) contemplating atten- fact that a friendly and positive atmosphere dance at a language school in Italy is is vital; the school's attitude towards theindeed to be found (with due 'interpreta- students; accommodation; the building;tion') in these pagesfrom course dates to and discussing any problems you mightage ranges catered for, minimum course have with the director of studies. As for 'Adurations to type of accommodation avail- good language teacher', readers of thisable, whether beginners are accepted, the journal may wish to check their own viewsavailability of executive and/or intensive against the recommendationsthatthecourses, hours of classes per week, fee teacher should: be welcoming; create anlevels, class sizes, and so on. encouraging learning atmosphere for all It is equally the case that clarity and the students; prepare his /her lessons inaccuracy of information which presup- advance (even conversation lessons!); have pose full research and close textual proof- a clear aim in the lesson; give consideration ing must be key features for the intending to the level and needs of the students;consumer, whoseinitialenquiryand understand the grammar of the languagepotential future investment is likely to be they are teaching; plan lessons logically; made on the basis of information retrieved and use topics that are interesting and rele-from such as The EARLS Guide. The fear of vant to the students; offer a variety of skillsthe undersigned is that, whilst some of the (all laudable enough as expectations, butinformation is indeed accurate, there is perhaps all rather predictable?). much else which has been laxly proofed The concerns of readers of Tuttitalia will and (onesuspects)by anon-Italian- naturally centre on Italian (the other lan-speaker. Let me give a battery of examples: guages covered being: French, German,invirtuallyeverycase whereeither Spanish, Danish, Dutch, Finnish, Greek, 'Universita'or'Facolta'or'Societa'is a welt Tuttitalia, No. 11, June 1995 51 featured, it is given without its grave accent Thevideocassettesproduced byII and occasionally with an erroneous acuteSegnalibro, with financial support from the accent;'degliis commonly printed as Commission of the European Union, repre- 'delgi';'Scuola' and 'Istituto' randomlysent a genuine source of video material for emerge as 'Scola' and 'Instituto' respec-viewing at one sitting or fragmented view- tively; a troubling case is that of the 'Scuola ing for comprehension purposes. Each Lorenzo de' Medici' which is printed asvideocassette is supported by a slim A4 'Scola Lorenza de'Medici' (sic), thus featur-booklet which introduces the video with a ing an error in each of its component parts!; few lines of informative background ma- another challenge is offered by 'La Bottega terial, a virtually complete transcription of dell Ita liana' (sic)who might this unapos- the video soundtrack, and notes on key trophised lady be and what does she offervocabulary (this last being rendered into for sale?; we are offered a new nationalFrench inthe samples whichIhave adjective 'suizzero' (sic); giving us a merescanned). 32 errors just in the first listing. More enter- Each video has a duration of some tainment (for the informed reader) and30 minutes or a shade longer, is in colour, misinformation (for the otherwise unin-and has a lead 'reporter' to introduce and formed reader) follows. The Florentinecarry forward the filmed material. The pric- dynasty now becomes 'D'Medici' (sic); aing structure is potentially attractive with town called 'Lungano' crops up on a num-options to subscribe to either five months' ber of occasionsof course this should beworth of material (5 videocassettes + sup- 'Lugano', which is in Switzerland and notport booklets), or one year's worth of main Italyand where, incidentally, one canterial (10 videos + booklets). The five- attend the Centro Culturale Tedesco (Imonth option costs 400 French francs /2000 don't imagine they teach a lot of ItalianBelgian francs, whilst the one-year permu- there!); we find a novel abbreviated form of tation costs 600 French francs/3000 Belgian address 'Sin.ra' (sic); 'sem', 'florence' and francs. This latter arrangement thus clearly 'infromation' (all thus) can be found onoffers the possibility for acquisition of page 191, where also the University ofmaterial, suitable for SCE Higher /CSYS / Camerino's summer schoolatCastel-GCE A Level and beyond, at a unit cost of raimondo is described as being 'deep in the 6OFF/300BF. heart of Umbria' (someone must have I have had the opportunity to view the moved the Marche since the last time I vis- materials published in January, April, May ited! They might as well have put 'deep inand June/July 1994. The respective titles the heart of Texas' for all the help this infor- are: mation will supply!); and a comment on C'erano una volta ...I carbonai. Il car- another school suggests 'I think I heardbone dal legno del bosco come una volta; someone say they also do courses for au Il museo dell' olio d'oliva di Imperia- pairs, but I might be wrong about this' Oneglia; (frankly, not much help!). One thing the Nascita di due vitelli; undersigned iscertain about: give thisand book a missit needs a massive overhaul Visita all'acquario di Genova. by someone who really knows about Italy The story of the 'carbonai', which runs and Italian. for fully 36 minutes, has some attractive ANDREW WILKIN outdoor photography, with gentle back- University of Strathclyde ground music which, whilst never intru- sive, can become a little monotonous. The Le videocassette de 'Il Segnalibro'. Prosetting is the Valle Stura between Genova Comunita Europea, Milano. Available on and Ovada on the Ligurian Apennines. subscription from II Segnalibro, 1, rue de la Three elderly brothers take to the hills in a Haye, 57000 Metz, France, or 19, rue Josephliving re-creation of history to show how Junck, 1839 Luxembourg, or 106, rue Verte,coal was made from wood up to the end of 1210 Bruxelles, Belgium. the Second World War. Since that time

52 124 Tunitalia, No. 11, June 1995 bottled gas has effectively brought aboutmomento e un po' indecisa, e piuttosto the demise of what was once a craft indus- stanca.' It is less than transparent to me try of considerable importance in a nationhow this item might be used in class. The largely devoid of primary fuel resources. vocabulary employed is (inevitably) of a The story itself is fascinating, and is toldrather specialised character, so the accom- through the commentary of the 'reporter'panying transcript and vocabolario would interlaced with a few on-camera explana-certainly be called fully into use. tions of the brothers Zunino themselves. 'Visita all'acquario di Genova' takes us The transcript gives virtually the wholeto Europe's largest acquarium for an text of the soundtrack of the video, the film 'immersion' course among some twenty quality of which is just occasionally a little thousand fish and five hundred different variable. Altogether an appealing and fas-species. The material could well be used in cinating piece which offers considerableconnection with the development of envi- scope for classroom exploitation. I wouldronmental themes in Italian, particularly as recommend the technique of a full viewingthis acquarium is used not least to safe- followedby'exploded'excerptsfor guard threatened species of fish. The film- detailed comprehension and vocabularying technique makes extensive use of extension exercises. zoom-from-stationaryshots, and could The visit to the olive oil museum athave been rather more adventurous with Imperia-Onegliawillholdparticularthe watery settingsbut presumably bud- appeal for those Italianists who have takengetary considerations were in force on this part (or are yet to take part) in the Centraloccasion. The commentaryas with the Bureau courses for teachers based in andolive oil museum tends to the monoto- around Imperia. At the 1995 Languagenous, with quite a bit of extraneous noise World Conference I had the pleasure offrom visitors to the acquarium. The princi- seeing some video excerpts of an organisedpal message is one of the sea as a protec- visit for teachers of Italian to this verytion for all its inhabitants, both fauna and museum! The commentary for this cassetteflora, which we must learn to defend and is delivered at normal Italian speakingrespect. speed, with no concessions made to the The other programmes scheduled for learner of the language. In this sense it release during 1994 are entitled: offers a genuine challenge to advanced Battitura delle castagne; students and might best be used from the I chiodi della Valle Stura; outset in the 'exploded' mode. Given that La fabbrica della Fiat di Melfi: lavorano the physical setting is indoors, the materialsolo i robot; is (perhaps) less visually appealing than La Fiera dei computer di Milano, capitale that of the 'carbonai', and the guide's voicecommerciale d'Europa; (quite in character with what we have all II centro europeo nucleare di Ispra; experienced) does become rather a chal-and lenge when sustained for half an hour. This II genio italico di Renzo Piano. detracts not at all from the visual interest of My understanding is that the complete the museum itself, which won the 1993 series of 10 videos as a one-year project is European prize as Museum of the Year. a free-standing entity (presumably cir- 'Nascita di due vitelli' is an unusual pro-cumscribed by the extent of budgetary gramme for school consumption: perhapssupportoffered by theEuropean it was produced with an Italian-learningCommission). The samples I have had the biology class in mind? The video is ratheropportunity to view suggest that they dark, with the setting being almost entirelywouldrepresentexcellentvaluefor in a stable. The opening part of the com-money if the potential end-user has accu- mentary of this TV-style reportage sets theratelyidentifiedthe intendedlearner tone: 'Siamo a Rossiglione per aiutare unagroup. mucca a partorire ... questa mucca ...ha ANDREW WILKIN qualche problema nel parto. ... Per it University of Strathclyde

Tuttitalia, No. 11, June 1995 53 Get by in Italian: Video Pack. London, BBCand learner to exploit all the constituent Books,1995, £29.99, ISBN 0-563-39971-6elements of the course to the full. (contains 60-minute VHS video; 2 x 90-minute The new elements in this enhanced ver- audio cassettes; Get by in Italian course book; sion of Get by in Italian are the video cas- Get by in Italian Video Pack Handbook). sette and its accompanying Video Pack Handbook. The guidance is clear and accu- The timing of my receipt of this newlyrate: start with the course book and the augmented version of Get by in Italian wasaudio cassettes, and then move to the video perfect! For this I am glad to record myand its Handbook. This is an eminently sen- thanks to Tony Hammond of BBC Books. Isible way to work, and provides a sound was able to 'plug in' immediately thispatterning for a two-hour class segmented uprated version of the course to my an-into four half-hour activities, with enough nual short evening series of classes for'left over' to carry interest forward to the adult beginners, whose aspirations rangenext class. I have mentioned classes a few from hoped-for University admission, totimes: I should of course add that all these summer holidays, to certificate courses inmaterials are equally suitable for solo Italian. From the pedagogic point of view,learners or indeed within the family set- the addition of the video materials ting. The Video Pack Handbook 'contains charmingly introduced by Mirellaevery conversation in the video, as well as D'Angelo make a massive difference tothe key phrases and other words contained the potential for effective course delivery. in each chapter, and simple explanations of The BBC has done professionally what Ithe language used'. In addition, 'there are had been doing amateurishly for a hand-exercises after each section, to test your ful of years: carefully edited video clipsunderstanding, and a short test at the end from the early chapters of Buongiornoof the course'. In brief, the video-related Italia!have been interlaced with theitems should now be understood as co- themes presented so successfully in Get byequal complementary elements within the in Italian. Get by in Italian course as a whole. Taking the component elements in turn, I am delightedtocommendthis we might turn first to the Get by in Italianenhanced edition to readers of this journal. course book authored by EmmanuelaHere is a product of very high quality Tandello. Her version of the text, followingwhich meets exactly a clearly defined user on from Bob Powell's earlier edition, wasneed. first published in 1992, and has since been ANDREW WILKIN reprinted in 1992, 1993 (twice), 1994, and University of Strathclyde now again in 1995clear testimony to its enduring appeal, and eloquent recommen-Eleven Short Stories/Undici Novelle: a dation for the BBC, whose language prod- dual-language book.LuigiPirandello, ucts are uniformly first-class. The six-unit translated and edited by Stanley Appelbaum, format is ideal for short courses with suffi- New YorkDover Publications/London cient exercises for (say) a once-weekly Constable Publishers, 1994, xviii + 187 pp., evening class and enough background £8.95, ISBN 0-486-28091-8. reading to hold the learner's attention throughout the week. I could make my This selection and translation by Stanley usual quibble about the use of erroneousAppelbaum of eleven short stories by graphic accentsbut I will restrain myself LuigiPirandelloisoriginalto Dover here!but let's correct andate e ritorno onPublications. A goodly number of works by page 49 to andata e ritorno. the 1934 Nobel Prize-winner have of course The two audio cassettes (first issued inappeared in English over the years, with 1992) provide authentic sound versions ofthe net majority of them being first pub- all the dialogues featured in the courselished in the U.S.A. before being made book, plus a selection of 'live' exercises, available much later in the U.K. One thinks, and indeed encouragement to both teacherfor example, of I/ fu Mattia Pascal, which

54 Tuttitalia, No. 11, dune 1995 was available in translation across thethese stories appear in chronological order Atlantic as long ago as 1964, but which of first publication, with Capannetta dating only became routinely available in paper- as far back as 1884, whilst La signora Frola e back 'over here' in 1993. Other anthologies it signor Ponza, suo genero is the most recent, of short stories have on occasion been pro- dated 1917. The stories thus span more duced for the U.K. market, some of themthan 30 years of Pirandello's activity as a including work by Pirandello. It is to the novelliere, and some have close associations credit of Dover Publications and Constablewith his career as a drammaturgo, and are Publishers that they have released the pre-chosen here to 'reflect most of Pirandello's sent volume of Eleven Short StorieslUndicibasic themes and concerns'. The trans- Novelle immediately on this side of thelatoreditor stresses that 'in each case, the Ocean. text is that of the original periodical publi- What has been aggregated for this edi-cation', and grants that 'although a text tion is the earliest published Italian versionbased on an author's "definitive wishes" or of each of the selected tales, together with "final testament" has obvious advantages, new facing English translations prepared the present approach has the merit of docu- specifically for this collection, with newmentingmoreaccuratelyPirandello's introductory matter and footnotes. growth as a stylist, of presenting the works The Introduction has three sections: 'Theas they were first given to the world and man and his work', which gives a brief but first gained fame for their author, andin informative sketch of Pirandello's life andthe case of those stories which were later the principal directions of his work; 'Thedramatisedof indicating the original basis short stories and the plan of the presentof the plays'. There can be no real quibble volume', which sets Pirandello firmly with-with such a clearly reasoned approach, and in the Italian novella tradition (he wroteone can afford to be indulgent with the over 230 short stories), whilst highlightingaffirmation that 'since Pirandello is a very his own very personal mode of writing,idiomatic writer, touches on many spe- revising, and re-writing, and contrastingcialised topics and sometimes uses rare or the goal of the present translation ('to be asdialectal words not to be found in even the complete and literal as possible withoutlargest dictionaries, it would be presump- sacrificing proper, idiomatic English') withtuous to claim complete accuracy for the the 'quite free' versions to be found in cer-presenttranslationbutthewill was tain earlier translations; and 'Remarks onthere'. the individual stories selected', which pro- This is a neatly presented paperback vol- vide a short introductory commentary ume in 215 mm x 137 mm format, which with details of first Italian publicationonbrings Pirandello back into the limelight each of the eleven stories chosen. (sorry, no Sicilian pun intended!) at a time For the fuller information of the special-when much recently translated material ist reader it would be proper to list herefrom Italian has been of authors of consid- the novelle included, together with theirerably shorter pedigree.I welcome its Englishtitles:Capannetta:Bozzettosici- appearance. lianolLittle Hut: SicilianSketch; Lumie diANDREW WILKIN Sicilia (the necessary accent had been omit- University of Strathclyde ted)ICitrons from Sicily; Con altri occhilWith Other Eyes; Una voce /A Voice; La mosca /The Italianissimo 1: Beginners' Activity Book. Fly; La giara /The Oil Jar; Non e una cosaRossella Peressini and Loredana Polezzi, seria/It's not to be taken seriously; Pensaci, London, BBC Books, 1994, 76 pp., £4.99, ISBN Giacomino! 'Think it over, Giacomino!; La tra- 0-563-39937-6. gedia d'un personaggio /A character's tragedy; Larallegrata /A prancinghorse;and La It is a pleasure to be able to include a signora Frola e it signor Ponza, suo genero/brief review notice of the publication of this Mrs Frola and Mr Ponza, her son-in-law. Beginners' Activity Book in this issue of The Pirandello specialist will note thatTuttitalia. The authors, Rossella Peressini

Tuttitalia, No. 11, June 1995 .. 4 55 (elsewherefeaturedinthisissueofthey are fun!with plenty of black-and- Tuttitalia) and Loredana Polezzi (author ofwhite pictorial realia and highlight boxes. an article published in Tuttitalia 7), devel-Also featured are two revision blocks: one oped the present slim volume whilstcovering units 1-5, the other for units 6-10, researching at the University of Warwick,so there is scope for confirmation and where much valid work is conducted onconsolidation of progress either in the the teaching of Italian as a foreign lan-autonomous or group learning mode. guage. Italianisimo 1 (with its coursebook, Yes, there a few gremlins which one four audio cassettes, and Teacher's Book)would wish to see corrected at the first has been on the market since 1992, so opportunity: it menu (page 10 and else- with the high uptake of the course amongwhere) should of course be it menu; the beginners in Italianthere has been anintroduction of intentional errors in an appropriate time-lapse for the identifica-exercise on page 11 (and elsewhere) is peda- tionof materials for inclusion inthegogically unsound; piii (on page 27 and Beginners' Activity Book. elsewhere) should be phi, and the same Pattern-matching the ten units of theaccent correction is needed for the days of course book, and also reflecting the twothe week on page 36; and ecco el vino (page cyclesof work introducedthere,the68) should read ecco it vino. These are mere Beginners' Activity Book responds to the call quibbles, however, and do not detract from for extension activities which the learnerthe considerable pleasure which learners can conduct either as 'homework' for awill derive from using thisdelightful directed course of study, or as develop- Activity Book. mental exercises if studying as an indepen- ANDREW WILKIN dent learner. Both types of learning context University of Strathclyde are thus catered for, and certain of the activities are also suitable for small group Mondo Italiano Magazine. Rosemary or pair work. Given the parallel characterPlum (editor), Market Harborough, of the materials featured, it is transparent University Texts, vol. 1, no. 1, Autumn 1994, that 'this activity book has been devised 56 pp., £6.00 termly, ISSN 1355-221X. mainly for learners who are using the Italianissimo 1 course book and recordings', Entry into the periodical magazine mar- and 'provides a wide variety of stimulatingketespecially one principally directed at activities for learners to consolidate and the school/college /university markethas develop their language skills'. to be very carefully researched and accu- Uniform in dimension with both therately targeted. Jeremy Thompson, as pub- Course Book and the Teacher's Book lisherof Mondo Italiano Magazine, has (important for storage considerations), theclearly done his homework thoroughly, as Beginners' Activity Book includes: evidenced by this first issue (notice of the Grammar exercises to practise languageappearance of issue number 2 is given in in realistic contexts; the 'News and Views' section). The pub- Activities to recycle and extend vocabu-lisher's own words areclear:'Mondo lary; Italiano Magazine...aims to be stimulating Authenticreadingtextstodevelopand informative, yet fun and of practical understanding of real Italian; use to those teaching and learning Italian'. Strategiesto improve learningtech- He has certainly struck a chord with end- niques; consumers, for they have come forward in Revision tests to check progress; their several hundreds to subscribe to this Key with answers to all the exercises. venture. Of course it is recognised that 'as Each activity is brief enough to be con-both a general interest publication and as a ducted within tight time constraints, whilst teaching/learning resource we are neces- at the same time there are sufficient of them sarily treading a fine line', but the potential in each unit to offer both variety and genu-mixed market (embracing not just teachers ine language extension. Just as important and learners, but also holiday-makers,

56 Tuttitalia, No. 11, June 1995 business personnel, those with friends and the story of Rome in the nineteenth relatives in Italy, and those many whocentury; retain their own 'love affair' with Italy) will the Museo delVinoLungarottiat take eagerly to the range of coverageTorgiano; offered by this glossy magazine in A4 the work ofscreen-writer Maurizio format,withblack-red-white colourGiandinoto; presentation. traditional fare of Umbria; The contents of Mondo Italiano Magazine a look at the Parco di Pinocchio and Il are sub-divided into sections on Culture, Paese dei Balocchi at Collodi; Language, Business, and 'Departments' Language: with features on music, sport, cuisine, soft- the latest language learning software for ware, books, a newsline, and a crossword Italian; in short, something to attract all segments pitfalls to watch for when learning Italian; of the intended readership. Of particular Business: appeal is the accompanying audio cassette aninterviewabouttheNazareno containing news, music, and key inter-Gabriel li fashion house; views with Angelo Sensini (the image- a look at the Farmacia di Santa Maria maker of the Nazareno Gabriel li fashionNovella,oneoftheworld'soldest house), the design guru Alberto Alessi,pharmacies; Alberto Manodori (on Rome in the 19th an interview about Italian design; century),andwiththescreen-writer Departments: Maurizio Giandinoto. The audio features developments in Italian contemporary develop certain of the magazine's articles,music; thus providing more in-depth coverage, a look at the start of the new Italian foot- whilst acknowledging that'the spokenball season; word is just as important as the written'. a range of newsline comment; What's more, there is a blue colour-coded autumn recipes; 8-page detachable insert in the magazine two book reviews; which contains transcripts of the key inter- a crossword. views included on the audio cassette. These Well presented, well researched, well provide 'examples of colloquial Italianpackagedgo for it!this is a 'must' for which generally offers accurate languageteachers,learners and generalinterest that is usually free of regionalisms'. Thus itreadersalike. Subscriptionenquiries isthatthe reader-learner-consumer ofshould be addressed to Mondo Italiano, Mondo Italiano Magazine has together theUniversityTexts, PO Box 31,Market written word (often provided in bothHarborough,Leics LE16 9RQ (Tel: Italian and English), the spoken word, and 01858-525382; Fax: 01858-525635). transcripts for extended exploitation of the ANDREW WILKIN published materials. The packaging of the University of Strathclyde concept is excellent! The detailed contents of the articles in this Express Track Italian: a self-study course first issue are worthy of listing in their own forbusinessandpleasure.Marina right, not least as an indication of theFardeghini and Paolo Niggi (English text wealth of coverage that can be incorporatedby Marcel Danesi and Julia Messenger), within a carefully structured magazine: Cheltenham, European Schoolbooks Limited, Culture: 1994, £29.95 (inc. VAT), ISBN 0-85048-160-0. the collection of costumes in Rome's Teatro dell'Opera; Express Track Italian is entirely clear in its the annual joust held in Arezzo; declared objectives: it is a self-study course Piero della Francesca's home town of(thus targeted at the individual learner) Borgo Sansepolcro; for business and pleasure purposes. The the work of the Hull Dante Alighieriauthors and publishers are to be com- Society; mended for their clarity in this regard:

Tuttitalia, No. 11, June 1995 57 Express Track Italian does not make vacuous acritically important dimension when claims to be all things to all types of learn- targettingthisparticular type of end- er. Describing itself neatly instead as 'alan-consumer. guage course ...and a way of getting to Each of the four units of the course book know Italy and the Italians', the cover sum-is divided into five sub-sections, which in mary for Express Track Italian encapsulatesturn are sub-divided into feature learning itas'aself-study course designed forpoints: people who speak little or no Italian, and a dialogue, also recorded on audio cas- who want to express themselves in busi-sette, with translation in the accompanying ness situations, or simply while travelling manual; around. It also provides a step-by-step key vocabulary; introduction to the Italians, their language, a 'How to say it' section, reinforcing the customs and culture'. This is neat, tidy, anddialogue work; above all, accurate. exercises in oral practice, again linked to The complete pack for Express Trackthe audio cassettes, with cross-reference as Italian, encased in a portable protectiveappropriate to grammar elements in the rigid plastic outer, and with European accompanying manual; Schoolbooks order code 30150, has the fol- an amusing short articlein English lowing constituents: telling of 'some of the good and not so the student's book (with illustrations bygood things about Italy and the Italians' GiuseppeQuattrocchiandXavier deall too often overlooked in the overall Sierra), 222 pp., ISBN 0-85048-159-7; preparation of the independent learner; four audio cassettesof a very high and a 'Take a Break' section with short recorded qualitylinked to the four mainfun exercises for reinforcement, some again units of the course; linked to the cassettes, and all with correct a manual containing the complete tran-answers given in the small manual. scripts of the audio tapes, translations of The concluding fifth sub-section of each the dialogues, and solutions to the exer-broad study unit includes additional exten- cises (for self-correction purposes), 49 pp.,sion-cum-revisionary learning points on: ISBN 0-85048-161-9. figures of speech; For the sake of accuracy, it should be written practice; noted that this course was originally copy- more vocabulary; righted for publication in 1989 by Editions some 'test yourself' exercises; Nathan of Paris, and passed through an a four-part story (partly in English, American version in 1990 published bypartly in Italian) entitled 'In the mouth of Barron'sEducationalSeries Inc.of the wolf' (In bocca al lupo), developed at the Hauppauge, New York.This Franco- conclusion of each study unit. American pedigree isoccasionally wit- The course book closes with a simple nessed in the names of some of the charac-map of Italy, some practical information ters featured in the various dialogues. entitled 'Italy from A to Z' (under the The authors adopt a welcoming one-to-motto 'To travel hopefully you need to feel one tone from the outset: 'Maybe you havewell-informed'), and an Italian-English never learned Italian, and feel that now isvocabulary listing some 1,500 words and the time; or you learned Italian years ago,expressions. and want to take it up again. Perhaps you Throughout the text we have very high are interested in learning more about Italy definition colour photography, and wholly and its people, their customs, culture andprofessional line-drawings in both colour language. Or maybe you are going to workand black-and-white. The learnerwill with Italians, and need a basic businessgenuinely feel that he/she is already on vocabulary'. This pleasing tone is main-the way to Italya psychologically telling tained throughout Express Track Italian, point! and generally does much to ease the Altogether quality material with the end- autonomous learner on his /her way user closely defined and well catered for

58 Igo Tuttitalia, No. 11, June 1995 and I haven't even mentioned necessarypanion offering advice and reassurance on corrections to the graphic accents! what to do before you leave, what not to do ANDREW WILKIN when you get there, how to go about living University of Strathclyde within Italy, and what to expect in terms of the Italian way of life and the impending The . ..issimo! guide. Rosemary Plum,"culture shock" which can sometimes Market Harborough, University Texts (in asso-strike'. These words, from the Introduction ciation with Hull Italian Texts), 1994, 86 +written by the author Rosemary Plum and 65 pp., £12.99, ISBN 1-899293-05-1. the publisher Jeremy Thompson, are full of common sense, and I would highlight the Are you a student (or indeed any 'acade- words guide, companion, advice and reassur- mic' traveller!) who proposes to travel toance as being precisely what the student Italy to live and work there for a while traveller requires. perhaps as part of an academic course? By my arithmetic, there are some fifty- Then The...issimo! guide is for you! As wetwo topics dealt with under nine over- go to press, three versions of the guide arearching headings: available (hence the core pagination plus Introduction; city-specific pagination given above) in Before you go; respect of Florence, Rome, and Bologna. Where to live; Devised and written by Rosemary Plum, Back to basics; who was the researcher for the BBC's Looking after yourself; highly acclaimed TV series Italianissimo Getting around; (the association of name is transparent!), Keeping in touch; these guides are targetted particularly at Free time; students (but not excluding their impover- Italy fact file. ished teachers!), and aim to help the reader Moving to the city-specific section (my 'get the most out of your time in Italy oncopy relates to Florence, so Firenzissimo!), the smallest possible budget'. Decidedlythe user will find more detailed local infor- not a replication of the 'Italy on ten dollarsmation on the following (and I will list the a day' pattern, The ...issimo! guide has an headings because they are not otherwise entirely practical approach based on realindexed): personal experience. Just as important, it is Bureaucracy; up-to-date, and indeed is published in a Accommodation; loose-leaf comb-backed format to allow for Markets; the insertion/substitution of subsequent Health and safety; updated materials.It really is essential Getting around; reading for all students about to embark on Communication; their statutory period of study residence in Bookshops; Italy, and isin truthsomething which Museums; has been lacking in student provision (at Theatres; least all in a single volume) for many years. Places of worship; For this reason above all The...issimo! Folklore and festivals; guide must be given the warmest possible More on markets (replicating some of the welcome, with every student of Italian earlier listing); being urged to acquire a copy. Sports facilities; The generic part of the guidethat Eating out; which is applicable in any part of Italy Nightlife; 'has been specifically designed to offer Local details for five different quartieri of detailed advice on overcoming that some-Florence often frequented by students. times daunting step of moving to and liv- Package the whole thing together and ing in Italy. It is not intended to be a guidethe student has in a single portable volume book or a travel guide (there are plenty ofwhat is tantamount to a vademecum of those around to choose from), but a corn-all the information s/he needs to have

Tuttitalia, No. 11, June 1995 131 59 readily available. I am delighted to giveBBC Italian Travel Pack (Phrase-book The...issimo! guide the highest commen-including mini-dictionary + Phrase cas- dation, and just wish it had been available sette). London, BBC Books, republished 1995, when I was a student! The address for £8.99 (inc. VAT). purchases is the same as that for Mondo Italiano Magazine givenearlierinthis Mondo Italiano Magazine, vol. 1, no. 2. Reviews section. Market Harborough, University Texts, 1995, ANDREW WILKIN £6.00 (includes accompanying audio cassette). University of Strathclyde Literature and Culture Books received Leonardo Sciascia. Joseph Farrell, Edinburgh,Edinburgh UniversityPress Language ('Writers of Italy'), 1995, £40.00 hardback. Italian Verb Handbook. Carole Shepherd,Teachingand LearningArgument. Oxford, Berlitz Publishing Company, 1994, Richard Andrews, London, Cassell £4.95. Education, 1995, £12.99. Italian Vocabulary Handbook. RossanaAll'uscita. Luigi Pirandello, with intro- McKeane, Oxford, Berlitz Publishing ductionandfacingtranslationby Company, 1994, £4.95. Emanuela Cervato and Doug Thompson, Market Harborough, University Texts(in Italian False Friends. R. Ferguson, Toronto, association with Hull Italian Texts), 1995, University of Toronto Press, 1995, £15.00. price not stated.

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Italianas a main language abinitio from 1995, Information Technology abinitiorepeated and post A' level from 1996 Teaching English as a Foreign Language with one or two of the following languages: Area studies French, German, Spanish and Russian Cultural studies Flexibility and choice in a modular framework Linguistics For further information please contact Marina Orsini-Jones, School of International Studies and Law Coventry University, Priory Street, Coventry CV! SFB. Telephone 01203 838237. Fax 01203 838107. E-Mail: Isx008 @ ulaccoventrycck

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lel 60 3;44. Tuttitalia, No. 11, June 1995 News and views

Paola Riverst sfuggiva mai un compleanno od una ricor- renza: a tutti scriveva messaggi gentili con Abbiamo perso la Paola la mattina dila sua calligrafia elegante ed inconfon- martedi 6 dicembre 1994. Alcuni giorni dibile. Ricordava persone e circostanze che prima mi aveva telefonato dall'ospedale io avevo da tempo dimenticato, e ricordava per chiedermi un piacere: aveva portatoin tutti i particolari luoghi in cui era stata con se del lavoro da completare (la riletturauna sola volta prima eipercorsi per di certi esami), ma si trovava in difficolta earrivarci. Era meticolosissima e la stupiva a voleva affidarlo a me per essere tranquillavolte che gli altri non fossero ugualmente che fosse al sicuro, fino a quando lei si fosse precisi. Ma era sempre gentile con tutti, con rimessa. chi le richiedeva un'informazione, con chi Ecco com'era la Paola, come un soldatosi scusava per aver pagato in ritardo la che, ferito, non si da per vinto e continua aquota di associazione, con chi le chiedeva combattere. La conoscevo da anni, credoconsiglio su libri da adottare o metodi di dal 1973 o '74, quando la incontrai per la insegnamento. prima volta a una riunione di insegnanti di Col passare degli anni, si lamentava sem- italiano qui a Cambridge. Negli ultimipre phi spesso di dolori misteriosi in varie quindici anni eravamo diventate moltoparti del corpo, ma continuava imperterrita amiche: un rapporto iniziato per motivile sue mille attivita, tanto che a volte mi professionali che si era andato via viaveniva di pensare che forse in realta questi trasformando in un legame phi stretto. Nondolori fossero immaginari. Mi chiedevo era in buona salute e aveva dovuto sotto-perche continuasse a lavorare, quando porsi a diversi interventi chirurgici, maavrebbe potuto mollare tutto e godersi la questo non le impediva di continuare ad vita. In fondo, pen!), capivo che la ragione applicare la massima precisione e solerzia a era it desiderio di non deludere le aspetta- tutto cio che faceva. tive degli altri. Era infinitamente affidabile L'insegnamento dell'italiano era per leie puntuale, con un senso del dovere cosi molto phi di un semplice lavoro, era quasiacuto che a volte suscitava perfino stupore. una missione. Questo la capivano bene i L'anno 1994 le aveva inferto colpi duris- suoi studenti, che l'amavano e spessosimi: a gennaio l'improvvisa malattia del rimanevano in contatto con lei per annimarito e a novembre la sua morte. Ma la dopo che it loro rapporto era ufficialmentePaola non era tipo da arrendersi e ad ogni terminato. colpo reagiva con energia e si riorganiz- E poi la sua attivita nell'ATI, l'associa-zava. Fino a quel sabato prima di morire in zione degli insegnanti d'italiano nella qualecui, quando tutti pensavamo che non fosse rivesti per moltissimi anni lacarica diphi cosciente di quello che succedeva Membership Secretary. Le piaceva mante-intorno, lei non solo mi riconobbe, ma nersi in contatto con tanti colleghi, parecchi trove) anche lalucidita per chiedermi anche all'estero. Allora non si usava it com- notizie dei miei famigliari. Ecco com'era la puter; le liste dei soci erano compilate a Paola. Non la dimentichero mai. mano e per la corrispondenza la Paola si ser- Requiescat in pace. viva di una vecchia macchina da scrivere. GIULIA KING Aveva una memoria di ferro, e non le Cambridge

Tuttitalia, No. 11, June 1995 4133 61 Ciao! Quarto Libro were compared. Teachers of Italian, in particular, will be interested to note the 1993 With referenceto the review whichrank order of difficulty: appeared in Tuttitalia 10, page 49, I would 1. Gaelic (writing) like to point out to our readers that Ciao! 2. Russian (writing) QuartoLibro was published by York 3. Spanish (writing) Language Teaching Centre, University of 4. French (writing) York, because the Nelson publishing house 5. Economics elected not to publish the final volume in 6. French (reading/ speaking/listening) the Ciao! series. This was due to financial 7. Italian (writing) constraints, not the quality of the authors' 8. Greek work. The consequent difference in pro- 9. Contemporary Social Studies duction quality was thus unfortunate, but10. Computing Studies. understandable in the circumstances. And which language would you recom- The undersigned was present in themend to a pupil, statistically speaking? capacity of Honorary General Secretary of DOUGLAS ANGUS ATI many years ago at a meeting held in Hull, between representatives from ATI, Kelso High School the Italian Institute, and Nelson, when the Publishers agreed to produce Ciao! in order From the Editor's desk to help combat the dearth of materials for Following the standard practice in this Italian. It was a great pity that, despitesection of Tuttitalia, I report below on items protests from ALL and teachers using theof correspondence and other matters of material, Nelson decided not to complete interest to ALL Italianists. publication of the course. I would like to thank the authors and York Language Teaching Centre for havingTuttitalia 10: errata corrige. ensured that teachers and their students Lest readers should sense that Derek are now able to complete the course. Aust has been consulting 'inappropriate' CAROLE SHEPHERD journalistic materials, he asks readers to St Mary's Comprehensive School note that the article he cited (Tuttitalia 10, Newcastle-upon-Tyne page 3) was drawn from Il Secolo XIX, and not as printed in his text. Langwidges is hard! The Scottish Examination Board (SEB) British Education Index and the Scottish Office Education Depart- Notice has been received that the annual ment (SOED) statisticians have been work-volume of the British Education Index for ing hard to prove that school students who 1994 is published in March 1995. The learn languages have to work harder than700-page case-bound book (ISBN 0- 85316- those who study other subjects. The infa- 163-1) contains subject and author informa- mous Kelly indices were just the start:tion about 4,700 periodical articles pub- transition from Standard Grade to Higherlished in 1993 and 1994. The cost of the Grade, value-added teaching, it is all start- volume in the UK, inclusive of postage ing to come out! and packing, is £102. It is available from: In May 1994, the SEB produced statisticsBritish Education Index Office, Brotherton analysing the 1993 Standard Grade results.Library, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT These make interesting reading for teachers (Tel: 0113-233 5525; Fax: 0113-233 5524). of languages. Sets of national and element ratings were produced which provide a guide to relative awarding standards. That IX API Congress is, they show in which subjects it is hardest Notice has been received from our South to achieve a good grade. Forty subjectsAfrican colleagues that the IX Congress of

62 134 Tuttitalia, No. 11, June 1995 the Association of Professional Italianists,has items on: the resignation of Judge Di on the theme of 'Power and Italian CulturePietro; the floods in Italy; the Sanremo andLiterature',willbe heldattheSong Festival; Federico Fellini; 'Mr and Mrs University of the Witwatersrand, Johannes-Bugatti'; Rome in the 19th century; and the burg, from 13-19 September 1995. Offers oflatest music news and releases from Italy. papers and further enquiries should beAlso just published by University Texts is addressedto:Department of Modernan edition of Luigi Pirandello's one-act Languages and Literatures, Italian Studies,play All'uscita, with introduction and fac- University of the Witwatersrand, PO Witsing translation by Emanuela Cervato and 2050, South Africa. Doug Thompson. Details of both of these newitemsmay beobtainedfrom: UniversityTexts, PO Box 31,Market Italianissirno 2 Harborough, Leics. LE16 9RQ (Tel: 01858- I amdelighted to reportthat 525382; Fax: 01858-525635). Italianissimo 2 (reviewed in Tuttitalia9, pages 54-5) was reprinted in late 1994. It is available from BBC Books, Woodlands,Journals received 80 Wood Lane, London W12 OTT, priced I gratefully acknowledge receipt of edito- at £14.99 (ISBN 0-563-36421-1). The author,rial desk copies of the following journals: Denise De Rome, advises that a number of Italia contemporanea, 196, settembre 1994, minor textualemendations have beenpp. 461-646 [Istituto nazionale per la storia incorporated. The reprint represents a defi-del movimento di liberazione in Italia]; nite improvement on what was already a Notiziario /Newsletter,2,August1994, highly commendable text. 23 pp. [INCA /CGIL]; Lettera dall'Italia, anno IX, numero 34, aprile-giugno 1994, 81 pp. [Istituto della Mondo Italiano 2 Enciclopedia Italiana]; As this edition of Tuttitalia goes to press, Lettera dall'Italia, anno IX, numero 35, notice has been received of the publicationluglio-settembre 1994, 81 pp. [Istituto della of the second issue of Mondo Italiano, the Enciclopedia Ita liana]; specialist materials magazine for teachers Catalogo Generale 1995 -1996, Casa of Italian, from University Texts of MarketEditrice Leo S. Olschki, Firenze, gennaio Harborough. The regularsectionson1995, 224 pp. [Casa Editrice Leo S. Olschki, Culture, Language, and Business all feature Casella Postale 66, 50100 Firenze, Italy]. items of appeal to teachers and students ANDREW WILKIN alike, and the accompanying audio cassette University of Strathclyde

_135

Tuttitalia, No. 11, June 1995 63 Notes for contributors

Contributions The Editorial Boardb) Disk: Most word processing packages welcomes previously unpublished articles are acceptable but if you have any query which will further the cause of the learning contact the ALL office. Also send in one and teaching of Italian. hard copy of the article with the disk, Contributions are expected to fall into and keep one for yourself. one of these categories: a)Articles of about 3000 words. Give your article one short title (not a title b) Brief (up to 1000 words) items of infor-and a subtitle), and divide it up with brief mation, notes on innovative practice,subheadings. discussion points (including those arising from previous articles). Give full references for all sources quoted. c) Reviews usually of about 300 to 400Journal policy is to put these at the end of words (longer reviews or articles may bethe article and not at the bottom of .the accepted). page. The guidelines below are intended toIllustrations help contributors: Photographs are particularly welcome, as are charts, diagrams and tables where rele- Presentation vant. Please send these at the same time as Articles should be submitted either type-your typescript. written or on computer disk (plus hard copy) Timing a) Typewritten: Type with double spacing. In order to be considered for inclusion in Typewriters or word processors should thefollowingissue,articlesshould be set at 44 characters (the equivalent ofnormally be sent in by 1st February and the line length), as this will help the1st August. Where topicalityisof the Editor plan the arrangement of the jour- essence, shorter deadlines are possible by nal. Please send two copies of the articlenegotiation with the Editor. and keep one for yourself. One copy of the article should be 'clean' (with no cor-Copyright rections) to enable the printer to scan it. If Authors are reminded that the Association there are any changes or corrections theseholds the copyright for all articles pub- should be made on the second copy. lished in its journals.

64 Tuttitalia, No. 11, June 1995 MI NVME MONDO ITALIANO magazine is the only UK magazine covering Italian general interest and educational subjects. It includes features, news focus, short stories, travel ideas, cuisine and competitions. What's more, it's also designed to be of use as a teaching resource, with parallel texts of selected articles, and an audio cassette with each issue that includes interviews in Italian, news, music and material complimentary to published articles. Also, it is the only magazine to sponsor a special 'online' section on CompuServe's Italian Forum.

Above all, MONDO ITALIANO aims to provide interesting and unusual articles on life in Italy, past and present, for anyone interested in Italy and the Italian way of life.

MONDO ITALIANO is edited by the researcher of BBC TV's Italianissimo series. Many of the regular contributors are Italian, and the standard of material published is kept at a high level in terms of both language accuracy and the magazine's production.

Published quarterly from Volume 2, MONDO ITALIANO will retain the current subscription rate of only £18 per year, and is only available on subscription from the publishers:

University Texts, PO Box 31, Market Harborough, Leics LE16 9RQ, UK Tel: 01858 525382, fax: 01858 525635, email: [email protected]

University Texts also publishes a range of academic, student and general interest Italian books, details of which can be obtained from the address above. We are alai the UK distributor for a number of Italian publishers. A -NM NOW June 1995 No. 11

Contents Page Editorial 2 John De Cecco and Modern Languages in the Primary Daniel Tierney School: the Scottish Experience 3 Jocelyn. Wyburd Suggested strategies for the use of authentic video materials 9 Douglas Angus SCOTVEC modules and the LLB 12 Rossella Peressini From Teaching to Research: Role-Play and Communicative Competence 15 Catharine MackenzieThe infernal pilgrimage: a study of Giorgio Caproni's Stanze della 22 6 funicolare (2): Part II Guya Rossi Women, Literature and Society: the 'half' and the 'whole' 29

Julie Beverly I luoghi del cztore e le molte verita: an introduction to the novels of Isabella Bossi Fedrigotti 35 Pierangela Diadori Le relazioni di spazio nell'italiano contemporaneo: Parte I 40

Reviews 46

News and views 61 Notes for Contributors 64

150 Railway Terrace, Rugby CV21 3HN. Tel: (01788) 546443 Fax: (01788) 544149

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President: Madeleine Bedford, Further Education Teaching Council Secretary General: Christine Wilding Chevalier des Palmes Academiques Italian Committee Derek Aust (Chair), South Devon College Anna Bartrum, St Martin's College, Lancaster Julie Beverly, University of Plymouth Mariolina Freeth, Islington VI Form Centre Jenny Jackson, Bedfordshire Upper Schools Teresa Lorusso-Gibson, Trinity School, Leamington Spa Ernesto Macaro, University of Reading Giovanna Muszynska, London Alessandro Nigro, Italian Institute Hilary Reeves, Stanground College, Peterborough Carole Shepherd, St Mary's Comprehensive School, Newcastleupon Tyne Andrew Wilkin (Editor), University of Strathclyde Jocelyn Wyburd, Gateshead College Tuttitalia is published twice a year, in June and December. It issupplied to ALL members who choose it as one of their two specialist language journalsin addition to Language Learning Journal and Language World, and is availableon subscription to libraries and individuals. Other journals published by the Association for Language Learning Language Learning Journal, German Teaching, Vida Hispdnica, Francophonie,Rusistika, Dutch Crossing (published by the Centre for Low Countries Studies),Language World Quarterly Newsletter Advertising: All enquiries should be addressed to the Advertising Managerat the address below Contributors: See page 64 Official address: Association for Language Learning,150 Railway Terrace, Rugby CV21 3HN. Telephone: 01788 546443. Fax: 01788 544149 140 TUTTITALIA

ISSN 0957-1752 December 1995 No. 12

Editor Andrew Wilkin Page Department of Modern Contents Languages Editorial 2 Univ. of Strathclyde Glasgow G1 1XH Dorothy Glenn Time in Montale's La Farfalla di Dinard 3 Editorial Board Derek Aust Emilio Sciotti Il Sasso Olino misterioso 8 Anna Bartrum Julie Beverly Salvatore Mariolina Freeth 10 Jenny Jackson Coluccello Understanding the Mafia Ernesto Macaro Giovanna Muszynska Pierangela Le relazioni di spazio nell'italiano Hilary Reeves Diadori contemporaneo: II 13 Carole Shepherd Reviews Editor Alessandro Benati The role of formal instruction: Carole Shepherd theoretical-empirical and pedagogical 58 Beatty Avenue considerations 19 Jesmond Newcastle-upon-Tyne 27 NE2 3QN Reviews News Editor News and views 39 Julie Beverly 29 Cedarcroft Road Notes for contributors 64 Beacon Park Plymouth PL2 3JX Published by Association for Language Learning Printed by Stephen Austin and Sons Ltd Caxton Hill Ware Road Hertford SG13 7LU

Editorial

In some respects this issue of Tuttitaliathe person of Salvatore Coluccello, a native has proved to be more of a challenge to of the Salento, whose own area of research produce than its predecessors under myinterest relates to the Mafia. He offers us a stewardship.ThisI fancyis because,short route to an understanding of the key with a view to maintaining diversity ofissues pertaining to the Mafia, which itself coverage, whilst attempting to accom-is an oft-prescribed topic for school certifi- modate generous paginationforbothcate purposes. Reviews and the News and Views section, In Tuttitalia 11 we featured the first part as well as pertinent report of recent ALLof a two-part study by Pierangela Diadori mattersaffectingItalianists,thetaskon how spatial relationships are dealt with presented itself as more of a jigsaw thanin modern Italian. In this number readers hitherto! The end product is, gratifyingly,will find the second and concluding part of one which your Editorial Board believesthis study, together with full bibliography should appeal across the wide spectrum ofand notes. readership which this journal enjoys. SecondLanguageAcquisitionhas For this issue we have attempted tobecome, markedly in recent times, a field of balance the materials in English with thosemuch active research. We take pleasure in in Italian, whilst affording due space to thewelcoming Alessandro Benati to the pages two amplified sections mentioned above.of Tuttitalia with his assessment of thecur- This has entailed some variation in ourrent position, developments in linguistic standard order of presentation which, we'consciousness raising', and offerings of trust, willin its own way add to thebasic models for application to the learning reading pleasure. of Italian. We welcome to our columns Dorothy Our Reviews Editor, Carole Shepherd, GlennofBelfast,whoassessesthehas gathered another substantial block of treatment of time (a theme so central toinformed comment on new materials for Italian poetry) in Montale- but here specifi-Italianists, whilst our News and Views sec- cally in the prose of his La Farfalla di Dinard.tion has been expanded to incorporate a Mrs Glenn is followed by four Italianswider range of coverage than in anypre- of widely varying circumstance and special- ceding issue.The Editor and Editorial isms.It is a pleasure to usher a return toBoard trust that this admixture will once our pages by Emilio Sciotti, the youngagain appeal to the readership of Tuttitalia, Italian prose writer resident in German-to whom we send greetings of Buon Natale, speaking Switzerland, with another of hisFelice Anno Nuovo and buona lettura! pithily amusing short stories. We are again delighted to afford space toANDREW WILKIN a postgraduate student of Italian, here in

4AC!

2 Tuttitalia, No. 12, December 1995 Time in Montale'sLa Farfalla di Dinard

Dorothy Glenn Queen's University, Belfast

was, so that each recalled detail, image or Past memory for instance, 'il favolosobestiario Of the various themes that link Montale'sdell'infanzia'throbs with a new vitality. Farfalla di Dinard with his poetry and theyEven a place from the past, when evoked have more or less the same kinship aswith the subtlety of perception, firm grip on Leopardi's Operette Morali with his Canti the concrete and discriminating eye that the the one which is most significant and persis-writer has acquired and that makes him a tently recurrent is that of the past. Thedifferent person in the present, becomes Montalian search of the past differs funda-something hallucinatingly real and at the mentally from the Proustian in thatit same time wistful. embodies no wilful, self-complacent and self-indulgent vein of nostalgia or sentimen- tality, largely due to the fact that for Montale La casa delle due palme the past is never completely detached from Take La casa delle due palme, for example, the present, but continuously cross-fertiliseswhere Federigo's perception of the place is with it. Hence when he talks of the past, thea curious mix of memories and present reality of the present is always compellinglyobservations. At times it seems as though there as a measure by which to gauge itsthe past is about to confront him as an reality, and the past itself, by continually immutable and self-contained reality, 'come mingling with the present, establishes a link un disco inciso una volta persempre', but between them which is both unbroken andas he reaches out to possess it, the pastloses unbreakable: ' qualcosa di fermo, qualcosaboth its concreteness and its separate iden- che teneva'. Even when such a link does tity and becomes contaminated with varia- seem to have brokenas, for example, intions which lie beyond its original form. thefirststory of thecollection whenLikewiseFederigohimselfsharesthe Buganza's name unexpectedlyfailstouncomfortable identity of one who exists as appear in L'amico della famigliasomething,both the resurrected persona of his past, nevertheless, continues to hold, perhapsabsolute and unchangeable, and at the same involuntarily, perhaps unconsciously, sotime the continually evolving creation of that ultimately the break is exposed as illu-the passing yearsa temporal conundrum di voler sory and 'la catena che m'ero illuso as 'l'uomo di un tempo ...in possesso delle fare a pezzi era pill forte di prima.' ricchezze accumulate pill tardi.' The intervening years stand in the way of a complete repossession of the past as it was. That Past and present is why, in some ways, the past seems so The intimacy of the relationship betweenunreal'un tempo ... quasi immaginario' pastandpresentisunderscoredby and any recovery of it miraculous. Montale's frequent use of the present tense At times, however, the past threatens to when talking of the past. Such a creativelyreclaim Federigo rather than he the past, as ambiguous hold on time allows the past tovarious scents, sounds and smells 'lo tira- be createdor re-createdas an integralvano pericolosamente in gill, nel pozzo part of the poet's perceived time, both thedelle memorie', but on each occasion the same, yet different from what itoriginally,,43`resent recalls him, and the awareness of

Tuttitalia, No. 12, December 1995 3 14/5 the changes both in himself and in hisschoolfriend, since both remind him, all too surroundings makes the complete reversalpoignantly, not only of the distance that of time a metaphysical impossibility. Sodivides his schooldays from the present, whether it is the past which slips away frombut also of the changes the intervening the poet's grasp, or the poet who cannotyears have brought about in him from altogether integrate himself with the past,which he cannot escape: 'Retrocesso alla what one is faced with is the impossibilityprima infanzia, non aveva potuto disfarsi of 'una reversibility dell'ordine temporale'.della parte di se ch'era venuta dopo.' And yet, from an awareness of the same- Yet, the interaction between past and pre- ness underlying diversity, vivid memoriessent also gives him a certain sense of secur- and associations spring to life for Federigo,ity, which derives from his awareness not acquiring a vitality which belongs to neitheronly of the continuity of time, but of its the past nor the present but whichsuper-repetitive nature. That is why for him the sedes both. Only a fifteenth part of thepast is never completely over; it is, as it house belongs to Federigo, just as only snip- were, continually replayed through 'la ripe- pets of the past are his and not the whole oftizione di certi gesti e di certe abitudini', it. These snippets of fleeting, disconnectedalthough always in a slightly different form, memories momentarily enable him to over- so that in what is identical he can glimpse come the boundaries between past, presentthe diversity which is the basis of 'il piacere and future, and to break down the barriersdi vivere' at the most elemental level pos- between what is living and what is nosible, 'eguale tanto per l'analfabeta che per longeralive,therebyemphasisingtheit letterato.' unbroken continuity of time in spite of its ravages: 'il sapore di famiglia che si traman- da di generazione in generazione e chenes-Memory suna cuoca potra distrugger mai. Una conti- His pleasure and his awareness of the nuity che distrutta altrove, resiste.. nature and pattern of life are further height- Montale's evocation of the past is herea ened by the regurgitations of memory well-balanced exercise of nostalgic wistful- which themselves amount to a re-running ness on the one hand, and of a novel andof the past on another plane. Thus, far from emotional detachment on the other. Theusebeing a form of escapism, memory stands of irony of a most subdued and delicatefor a sense of heightened realism, tied up kindfor example, as Federigo reflects thatwith the banalities of everyday experience. 'anche i suoi morti, condannati aun ciboIt has as much to do with the present as pill leggero, dovevano tornare talvolta inwith the past, for as the poet digs into the terra'enhances the richness and poetic,past it is not so much in an effort to retrieve efficacy of the evocation. what is gone or to 'pine for what is not', as to recreate, reassess and relive it within 'tempo d'uomo, spazio d'uomo'. interaction and interdependence But if memory adds to the richness and The interaction and interdependence ofvariety of living, this in turn gives an added past and present and their varying degreespotency to time and memory. For it is time of intensity are impressively illustrated inconsciously lived, whether 'measured out La donna barbuta, where the seeminglywith coffee spoons' or with 'the chords of unchanging nature of his surroundingsbeing' raging in one 'like fire', that gives enable the elderly man to cancel the previ-meaning to the divisions of past, present ous forty years in his mind, and recaptureand future,therebyconstituting what his childhood together with the people, Montale calls 'un'esistenza vera e propria'. places and experiences connected with it. Awareness of time in its relentless passing Thus evoked, the past acquires suchanis, paradoxically, a pre-condition for its intensity of reality that it eclipses the pre-redemption and its acquiring a significance sent. Hence the narrator refuses a cup ofbeyond that of its own momentary dura- 'espresso' and turns away from his oldtion. It is this awareness that leads the old

4 144 Tuttitalia, No.12, December 1995 man in Illacerato spirito to realise howEnrichment of life is essentially a matter of important it is to 'coglier la palla al balzo,keeping what Pater calls the 'hard gem-like ghermire quei pochi giorni di perfezione aiflame' alive, hence the urgency to exploit quali aspirava'. His failure to act in accor-each passing moment, as Montale does in dance with his insight prevents him fromso many of these short stories. The value realising himself and his moment in time soand measure of time depend not so much that Tora ch'egli attendeva era... passataon what is lived, as on how it is lived. In Il senza che nessuno (e tanto meno lui) se nevolo dello sparviero the girl's comment fosse accorto'. It is in the 'wasting' of his'meglio un'ora di liberta che una vita di time rather than in the non-achievement ofschiavitilis itself a vindication of this, his goal of perfection that his failure reallyinsofar as it is not the unit of time but what lies. fills it that determines its qualitative character. The bird poised for flight may be taken to objectify 'piccole e intermittenti felicita' Life worth more than a whole lifetime or, to In Montale the meaning and value of lifequote Walter Scott, 'worth an age without a have less to do with the achievement ofname', so that the bird seems to escape not goals as such as with their whole-heartedonly death ('Thou wast not born for death, pursuitbeautifully illustrated in La busac- immortal bird'), but time itself. The girl's ca, where the sought-after bird is recognised perception of it takes on a visionary charac- as not so much 'una busacca' but 'un sognoter from which the banalities of everyday irrealizzabile'. What really counts, then, islife disappear and the moment of time itself the intensity of experience and sensationbecomes timeless. It is such 'moments of implicit in the search itself, so that it is not a vision', to quote a Hardian title, and such question of the ends justifying the means,sensations and intuitions that make time but of the means becoming a raison d'être inmeaningful, singling out some individual their own right. Hence, unlike Leopardimoments from the endless succession of who postponed the act of living to an indefi-other nameless, undistinguished and indis- nite future'Ogni diletto e gioco/Indugiotinguishable moments. For the Bergsonian in altro tempo'Montale adopts a carpeor the relativist time is, as Wyndham Lewis diem attitude, which seizes the presentexplains in Time and Western Man, fun- moment and lives it to the full, thereby lib-damentally sensation, so that sensation erating it from what Eliot calls 'the waste,becomes the yard-stick with which to mea- sad time/Stretching before and after'. One'ssure it. Thus, an instant becomes an eter- own peculiar intensity of feeling conditionsnity, or an eternity an instant, leaving time's the quality of one's life as well as one'sobjectively measurable value at odds with awareness of worth of being and of living.its real value as it affects an individual. 'The ennobling difference between one man and another', says Ruskin (Sesame and Lilies), 'between one animal and another,The dichotomy of time is precisely in this, that one feels more Montale exploits the dichotomy between than another... we areonly human in so far'lived' time and 'clock' time, wittily playing as we are sensitive, and our honour is pre-off the one against the other, and letting cisely in proportion to our passion.' each assert its own reality by challenging the reality of the other. Such a dichotomy produces an almost surreal effect, as in Quality Slow, for example, where time is allowed to But it is not merely the degree but alsomove only at snail-pace, while the cuckoo the quality of intensity that counts or gives clock ironically continues to mark time with meaning to an experience, for Montaleexasperating regularity. The members of could have said with Pound: 'Nothingthe club deny the external reality of change matters /but the quality of affection in thethrough their enforced anachronistic life- end /that has carved a trace in the mind.'style, but far from freeing them from the

Tuttitalia, No. 12, December 1995 5 _cc grip of time, this makes them all the moremeglio lasciare scorrere it tempo, senza conscious of it, and therefore all the morecontrollarlo a ogni secondo', and they rely subject to it. For however slow the pace ofimplicitly on its regularity; at the same time, it never stops: the bride marries thirty-time, it is a measure of their personally three years late, the grandchild rather thanheld values and judgments, for we are told, the child will fulfil Marie lli's dying wish,Tuomo non pub uscire da se e non pub and the china tea-set acquired by Admiralmisurare le cose con un metro diverso dal Lanefield arrives in England, albeit with asuo.' Hence they feel betrayed when it fails delay of 133 years. to ring and relieved when it resumes its This amounts to a kind of diluting ofnormal role. It is their child, their creation, time, effected by extending the duration ofand yet as they lie awake at night awaiting events over a longer period. The converse isits call it is evidently both creating and the case in Donne del Karma, where timemoulding them. appears to have been condensed in Micky's accelerated progress from the fourth to the seventh circle of incarnation; hers is 'un casodi maturazioneaccelerata',offsetDependence on the past against the slower rhythms of the other The couple in Reliquie show a similar characters,especiallythevisitorwho,dependence on what to them represents although fifteen years her senior, has nottheir past, as Montale gives their memories progressed as far. Her individual percep-a kind of objective correlative in their sou- tion and appropriation of time as it comesvenirs. When the most significant souvenir across in her recollections and actions, isin the case of each goes missing, it seems to punctuated meticulously by the ringing ofthreaten the thread of the past which holds the bell, the suggested intrusion of anotherthem togetherathreadconsistingof level of 'reality'. shared memories which, when resurrected, enable them to interpret their past in their own individual way. 'La nostra vita e un Thepace of time bestiario, e un serraglio addirittura', com- Time moves at a varied pace, telescopingments the sick woman, for it is composed of or elongating events at will. It capriciouslyvariegated bits of existence in which appar- distorts both duration and succession, as inently insignificant things somehow played Crollo di cenere, where on the one handa major role. Thus a sort of secular symbol- crops grow precipitously and out of stepism,enveloping everydayobjects and with natural development for filming pur-events, culminates in the two missing pho- poses, and on the other the snail's journeytographs being found again which seems to comes to an untimely end, before the disin-reassure them that what bound their lives tegration of the column of ash, which fortogether remains intact, inviolate, though so the woman had symbolically guaranteedmany years 'of blur and blot', as Hardy its continuance. And time's markers, farwould say, have gone by. from being merely chroniclers of time, It is often those moments and experiences often succumb to a humanising influencewhich seemed inconsequential at the time which creates of them a sort of index of anwhich later return to us with a new signifi- inner state of mind. For Federigo in La tem-cance, having left 'una traccia incancella- pestosa, for instance, the clock's chimesbile'. Thus in La piuma di struzzo the two indicate an opportunity for escape; instead,characters who appear to the narrator in his his repeated failure to act transforms themsemi-dormant state acquire a significance into a confirmation of his imprisonment inthey did not appear to have on their first the stagnation of his non-acts and indeci-encounter. For, as Montale himself tells us sions. Likewise in L'Angiolino, the couple's in the poem I pressepapiers, ricordo non e alarm clock has a curiously paradoxicalgerarchico,/ignoraleprecedenzeele effect on them: hidden in their suitcase, itsusseguenze/e abbuia l'importante, ciO the marks time independently of them, for `eparve t4le'.

6 14 6 Tuttitalia, No. 12, December 1995 Just as past and present creatively inter- The operations of memory mingle in the 'here and now', so this life The question of survival thus depends on and the nextthe next being, in fact, but an the seemingly haphazard operations andextension of this present existenceoften distortions of memory. 'II nuovo film orga-overlap and merge in a natural yet uneasy nizza e ricucina i dati del film precedente',sort of way. For Montale treats the afterlife says the producer in Il regista, as he offers towith the same irreverence and satirical perpetuate his companion's name through humour as this life and deals with what some trivial role or other. Time can give ais lofty and sublime in a matter-of-fact, new significance to something in the past, unsolemn and unsanctimonious way, there- or take away the significance we attached toby chipping away at the accepted barriers it, with as much justice or injustice asbetween this world and the next. In Sul li- chance sees fit. Thus, for example, when mite, for example, the transposition of what Montale remembers his best friends in Lewas humdrum and banal in everyday life vedove it is through spontaneous and fortu-into the afterlife creates a feeling of meta- itous associations of a seemingly insignifi-physical perplexity resulting largely from cant nature, and when he recalls his lifethe dual vision of time thereby created with Mosca in the Xenia poems it is the time as measurable in hours, days, months humdrum of everyday living that becomesand years and divisible into past, present the most potent and poignant expression ofand future on the one hand, and time as his love. Conscious attempts to manipulate without either beginning or end on the memory or to impose upon it some kind ofother. Hence what the narrator had hoped hierarchy results in a barren and contrived was 'una partita chiusa' is awaiting him remembrance 'che funghisce su se' (Voce still, and the circle he had thought was giunta con le folaghe) devoid of the passion closed remains open-ended. It is not just a and vitality of casual and sporadic recall. Itquestion of his having to come to terms is to this kind of enforced 'afterlife', morewith his past or his memories - for these, dead than alive, that the widows in theas Nicola explains in almost Leopardian above-mentioned story consign their dead, terms, fade like a dream, so much so that a so that they plead: 'Lasciateci in pace!'. re-run of one's life is almost unrecognisable but the past itself has escaped its accepted The writer and memory temporal boundaries, thereby throwing the The writer finds himself the subject ofwhole order and sequence of the narrator's memory in Sulla spiaggia. Accustomed to life into disarray. The past presents itself thinking of himself as a kind of repository not merely as the fruit of a recalcitrant for the memory of othershaving, as hememory which will not be 'put by', but as says, Indio scrigno della memoria una folla something concretely real in itself. di fantasmi possibili'he is startled to find himself at the end of someone else's thread, hauled to the surface of another's con-A vision of time sciousness in a most unexpected way. The Through the medium of the short story, fact that the person thus recalling him hadthen, Montale, presents us with a kaleido- completely vanished from his mind butscopic vision of time which takes on board now, through an act of her own volition, notitsconflictingrealitiesandunrealities, only reasserts her presence in his conscious-promises and deceits, movements and mea- ness but forces him systematically to resur-sures, without any futile attempt to recon- rect her past, upsets his rather smug under-cile the irreconcilable or explain what is by standing of things and reduces him to theits very nature inexplicable. Whether cast in role of pawn in his own memories as well asterms of the real or the surreal, his observa- in hers. The various threads of memorytions are implicitly tied up with life as it is thus overlap and intertwine in a randomlived, his attitude to time with all its foibles pattern of voluntary and involuntary urges and follies being, as F. R. Leavis would have more or less clearly perceived. said, his attitude to life.

Tuttitalia, No. 12, December 1995 147 7 II Sasso Olino misterioso 1.

Emilio Sciotti Tagelswangen (Svizzera)

Quando la nonna ci raccontava la storiavo nello specchio e mi pareva di sorpren- del Sasso Olino, it posto sulle sue ginocchia dere l'ombra del Sasso Olino che attraver- era it mio, e mio fratello doveva contentarsi sava l'occhio. di poggiarsi a me e darmi i pizzicotti. Mi prese it vezzo di rispondere sempre La storia mi faceva tanto ridere perche«Eh?» a chi mi si rivolgeva dal lato destro. era la storia di un sassolino che si chiama-Trovavo naturale l'espressione «non sentirci va, appunto, Sasso Olino. da quell'orecchio», e mio fratello si imbe- Peccato che non me la ricordo stialiva e mi gridava che ero sorda e cretina. Ero cosi piccola. «Eh?», rispondevo. Un sassolino del genere non poteva che Nella storia della nonna doveva esserci essere magico, certo. Mio fratello aveva tre una Principessa dagli Occhi di Giada, che anni phi di me, e io credevo a tutto quanto perO coi suoi sospiri lasciava it Principe lui mi raccontava. Una volta mi mostro it Olino di sasso. Poi, un bel giorno .. pugno chiuso: Mah: davvero non la ricordo. olndovina cosa ho qui.» Comunque, nei pomeriggi in cui it favo- Speravo che non si trattasse del solitonio avvicinava le montagne fin quasi alla scarafaggio. siepe, avevo it solito mal di testa. La chia- «Se mi fai paura lo dico alla nonna.» mavo emicrania, ma ero convinta che fosse «Come si fa a non farti paura, a te?» qualcos'altro. Apri la mano: era un sassolino bianco Mio fratello tome dal servizio militare e con una venatura azzurra. mi disse che avrei fatto meglio a tagliarmi «Questo e it Sasso Olino, quello magico.»quelle trecce da oca. Il sabato dopo port?) in Figurarsi se non ci credevo. casa it suo pill caro amico e gli raccomando «E adesso guarda... lo infilo nel miodi parlarmi dal lato sinistro. Era un bel orecchio e...spingo forte... e .. .» ragazzo, premuroso, che si avvicinava pere Dopo qualche smorfia spalance la bocca troppo all'orecchio e me lo faceva arrossire. ... esulla sua lingua...c'era it Sasso Olino! II Sasso Olino intanto girava come la biglia «Anch'io voglio provare!», strillai. impazzita di un flipper. «No, to non ci sai fare.» Ci sposammo e andammo in viaggio di Luisapevacomeabbindolareunanozze a Roma. Nei musei vaticani vidi con «pasquina dalla coda d'anatroccolo» qualemeraviglia un sassolino della luna, che io ero, secondo l'affettuosa definizione dellal'astronauta americano Armstrong aveva nonna. Presi dunque it sassolino e lo infilairegalato al Papa. nel canale dell'orecchio destro, spingendolo Jo non avevo mai pace con le mie emi- forte in fondo. Strabuzzai gli occhi e aprii lacranie, e i dottori, dopo aver studiato le bocca: it Sasso Olino non era arrivato. radiografie, dicevano che solo la psicanalisi La mamma mi portb all'ospedale. Con poteva aiutarmi. un siringone pieno d'acqua mi tirarono su «Mi parli della sua infanzia.» tutto quel che avevo nell'orecchio. Il Sasso «Ho un sassolino che mi gira per la Olino non usci. testa .. .» Gli anni passavano e io credevo che it Era qualcosa del mio passato che andava Sasso Olino si nascondesse per sua magiarimosso, la materializzazione di un distur- nei miei pensieri. Qualche volta mi guarda-bo affettivo. A 8 -41.8 Tuttitalia, No. 12, December 1995 t S. Mio marito mi massaggiava le tempie eUna notte sognai la nonna che mi prendeva cio aveva come effetto di ricacciare it sas-sulle ginocchia e mi raccontava la storia del solino nel fondo della memoria. Sasso Olino,itquale un bel giorno, Quando rimasi incinta fui assalita daessendosi procurato ... tremende nevralgie, che resero penosa la Niente. Al risveglio la storia s'era dissi- mia gravidanza, anche perche ormai evita-pata come nebbia a un soffio di vento. Ma vo di prendere aspirine o altri farmaci con-anche it mal di testa era svanito, e questo tro it mal di testa. mi mise di buon umore e di buon appetito. Nello sforzo per ricordarmi della storia II giorno che entrai in clinica mi sentivo della nonna confondevo elementi di vanemeravigliosamente bene, avevo lo sguardo fiabe, per cui it Sasso Olino diventava quel-riposato e l'allegria di una principessa. Mio lo che impediva la Principessa dagli Occhimarito era preoccupatissimo. di Giada di dormire sopra i trentotto mate- Tutto ando liscio, veloce, perfetto. Mai rassi; ma poi mi rendevo conto di scam-visto bimbo cosi bello, dicevano in sala. Ci biare it Sasso Olino per it pisellino delfu soltanto it grido di stupore della leva- Principe e lasciavo perdere. trice, quando riusci a sciogliere it minusco- Durante le due settimane prima dello pugno del mio bambino: nella manina parto, le cefalee mi facevano impazzire. teneva stretto, bianco e azzurro ... 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Tuttitalia, No.12, December 1995 9 Understanding the Mafia

Salvatore Coluccello University of Strathclyde

[SalvatoreColuccello,agraduateofthe Sicilians, so, simply to guarantee an ordi- University of Bari, is in his third year of research nary level of civil behaviour, there was a for the Degree of PhD, allied to part-time teach- real need to find some local system to sort ing, at the University of Strathclyde. His topic ofout local disputes, to prevent wrongs being study concerns representations of the Mafia in literature. In this brief diaristic article he pro-suffered. The State could not aspire to fill vides some keys to a general understanding of this role effectively and little by little the what the Mafia means. Ed.] mafiosi, or 'godfathers', emerged. In general, these were people endowed with great charm and great power to whom the people turned to solve their problems. These histor- Introduction ical origins are important because they May 1767: the Scottish traveller Patrick explain why the Mafia has always enjoyed a Brydone wrote some letters (later published sort of popular legitimacy. in book form) to Sir William Beckford, describing his tour through Sicily and Malta. In one, he described an encounterA world of violence with a nobleman: 'Sicilian Banditti:...the From 1870 the newly constituted Italian Prince added that we might entirely rely onState gave the Mafia de facto authorisation to guards who were people of the most deter- run Sicily. This situation was not unique in mined resolution, as well as of the mostEurope, but while other countries have long approved fidelity...in any other countrysince crushed local bosses and warlords, the they would have been broken upon theweakness of successive Italian governments wheel or hung in chains but are here pub-has permitted the survival and continuing licly protected, and universally feared and strength of the Mafia. respected.' TheNorthernItalianofficialswho Winter 1993: a report from the Ministerarrived in Sicily after 1860 (the year of for the Interior: 'Cosa Nostra is challengingGaribaldi's landing at Marsala) encoun- the State as an opponent on equal terms.tered a region whose culture and economy Cosa Nostra is infiltrating the apparatus ofwere markedly different from those to the State. Cosa Nostra, its allies and protec- which they were accustomed. Upsetting tors are the most serious menace to Italiancherished myths, they found a land of desti- democracy.' tution. Politics were factional, and personal- After more than two hundred years theities often seemed to count for far more than problem is still unsolved. But why doesideas. Above all, this was a world of private such a situation exist only in the South ofviolence where disregard for public author- Italy? Various theories have been advanced. ity and an exaggerated sense of personal The Mafia was born out of a situation, honour drove men to take the law into their unfortunately recurrent, in the history ofown hands. The reluctance of Sicilians to Sicily. Centuries of foreign domination bydeal with the police was only partly due to Arabs and Spaniards progressively weak-fear of revenge. Equally, if not more import- ened loyalty to the State, leaving a vacuumant was a deep-seated moral imperative the Mafia has found easy to fill. Historically, which forbade collaboration with authority. power did not rest in the hands of nativeThis attitude was generally known as

10 150 Tuttitalia, No. 12, December 1995 omerta, a concept soon to be linked closelythe term appeared in a document of 1658 as with that of the Mafia. a synonym for a witch, while the folklorist Giuseppe Pitre stated that the term was used at the beginning of the nineteenth cen- Mafia and Omerta tury to signify 'beauty, gracefulness, perfec- (Code of Silence) tion and general excellence'. There are The term apparently derived from theother, more extravagant, hypotheses. Some dialect word omu (man) and had connota-alleged that it derived from a Greek word tions of strength and virility. It denoted notfor beautymorphe; and an American simply a disinclination to betray someonenewspaper of the 1920s elaborated on the to the authorities, but equally the courageclassical theme by saying that the Mafia needed to exact justice oneself. may have begun as a Greek philosophical The deep-rootedness of omerta is shownsociety that numbered Pythagoras among by the number of proverbs and stories thatits early members. Although claims are still commend it. For example: 'God is the onemade today for the Mafia's antiquity, the who sees and is silent; he is truly a manweight of opinion favours an Arabic root of who reveals nothing, even under the blowsome kind. One oft-quoted view is that the of a dagger.' Omerta was additionally sanc-word comes from ma'afir, the name of a tioned by prudence. 'He who is deaf, blindSaracen tribe that retreated into the western and silent will live in peace for a hundred hinterland of Sicily. years.' One popular fable told of how Speaking and Eating once requested King Solomon to decide which of them shouldThe hierarchy of Cosa Nostra control the mouth. Solomon gave his judg- Capo: elected by all the soldati. ment in favour of Eating, since Speaking Sottocapo: chosen by the capo (boss). could be the ruin of man. Consiglieri: elected by all the soldati. Even the Church sanctioned the status quo Capi decina: chosen by the capo. with the practice of componenda. Every year Soldati: chosen by the family. the Archbishop of Palermo published a The army of organised crime in Italy Bolla di Composizione, which stipulated thetakes in as many as 17,500 men, composed financial penalty for all offences, includingas follows: murder. Recourse to such measures was 6,800 in the region of Campania, divided also a tacit admission of the Church's moral into 131 bande (gangs); ineffectiveness. Secular practice in Sicily 5,700 in Calabria, in 163 famiglie; inhabited a sphere far removed from the and tenets of both religion and State. 5,000 in Sicily, in 151 cosche (gangs). The feeling that honour should, in the Around ten unknown associates gravi- last resort, be defended with violence wastate to each 'made man', giving an overall an important fact in the reticence of wit- total which may reach 175,000. nesses. When a man was killed, the respon- According to trade officials, Mafia busi- sibility for justice, or vengeance, lay not ness may account for 12% of Italy's GNP. Its with the State, but with the victim's family.system of taxation-extortion nets circa one As one proverb put it:'blood washesbillion pounds, equivalent to a 20% surtax blood'. In Sicily, the family, in its variouson Southern Italy. For the purposes of com- ramifications, has various functions, in-parison, in 1993 the turnover of FIAT was cluding that of protecting and assisting its£20 billion, while that of the Mafia was members as regards the duties imposed bymore than double at £45 billion. society and the State. Therein lies the prime The Mafia uses State institutions, it infil- root of the Mafia. trates the State, it influences the decisions of those who represent the State, not for the common good, but for the good of the The concept of Mafia Mafia. It is inside and outside the State: The Sicilian writer Leonardo Sciascia saidfrom the outside,ittriesto rival and

11 Tuttitalia, No. 12, December 1995 5 I neutralise the State; from the inside, it triesbroken by a lethal weapon, the 'supergrasses'. to influence those in power. First was Tommaso Buscetta, a former Mafia boss who had lost out in the internal Mafia wars of the early '80s. He was flown The anti-Mafia campaign in from the USA, after deciding that Italy's most respected judge, GiovanniFalcone's offer of the witness-stand to Falcone, his wife and three bodyguardsavenge himself on his enemies was one he were blown up by a ton of TNT packedcould not refuse: his evidence was devastat- under a motorway. Falcone was assassin-ing. It confirmed that the Mafia had for ated to remove him from the Mafia's path,years been helping to elect politicians, who to join the other illustrious corpses whoin turn protected their 'godfathers'. This died to challenge their power. delicate relationship, however, was turning The Mafia killed Falcone first, and latersour. By November 1991, the full impact of Paolo Borsellino, another respected magis-the 'supergrass' strategy had dealt the trate, before they became too powerful.Mafia a mortal blow. They had uncovered too much of the The real battle can only be won, hbw- Mafia's empire. The two judges did more,ever, when the political system, and the however, to damage the Mafia than anyonecultural code of values which underwrites since the Second World War. Their inves-it, is altered. The efforts of certain coura- tigations brought 606 Mafia suspects togeous churchmen and magistrates are the spectacular maxi-trial of the 1980s des-assisting in this struggle, and perhaps the pite resistance from their own profession.day is coming when all semblance of pop- The code of silenceomertawhich hadular acceptance will be withdrawn from shielded the godfathers for so long had beenthe Mafia.

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12 152 Tuttitalia, No. 12, December 1995 ,aoccecnsct===anIntsatIr..--1.:"

Le relazioni di spazio nell'italiano contemporaneoII

Pierangela Diadori University per Stranieri, Siena

[This is the second and concluding part ofstato preceduto per analogia da eccu(m) Dr Diadori's article on Le relazioni di spaziodando cosi luogo alle forme che stanno diret- nell'italiano contemporaneo. Notes and bibliogra- tamente alla base dei tre dimostTativi italiani: phy for the entire article will be foundon the concluding page. The first part was published in latino latino .italiano Tuttitalia 11, pp 40-45. Ed.] hic eccu(m) istum questo istum eccu(m) tibi istumcodesto ille eccu(m) illum quello In particolare: Di mostrativi Questo (lat. eccu(m) tibi istum): si assiste Per indicare la vicinanza relativa, l'ita-anche in questo caso allo stessoprocesso di liano ha un sistema di aggettivi e pronomidesemantizzazione osservato per quelloe dimostrativi basato su tre possibility di vi-al rafforzarnento in funzione locativame- cinanza o lontananza da chi parla e da chidiante l'avverbio: questo qui, questo quasti, ascolta: questo questo/a/i/e : vicirio a chi parla Codesto (lat. eccu(m) tibi istum): marcato codesto/a/i/e : vicino a chi ascolta come toscano, in disuso nell'italiano stan- quello/a/i/e : lontano da chi parlae da chidard, eccetto nei testi. burocratici (peresem- ascolta. pio nella corrispondenza: si fa domandaa In realty questo sistema e vitale nellocodesto ente). Molto vitale nell'uso toscano scritto e nel parlato solo in Toscana, mentresia parlato che scritto, pub essere anche raf- nel resto contemporanearidot-forzato dal corrispondente avverbio. locati- to a due sole possibility, the tengorto contovo: codesto cos'. solo della posizione dell'oggetto rispettoa'Quell° (lat. eccu(m) illum):come 'osserva chi parla: ' ' Berruto,4 si sta diffondendo comeaggettivb quello :lontano da chi parla deSemantizzato, senza piu valore indicati- questo : vicirio a chi parla vo e deittico, 'seguendo la stessa sorte del In latino it sistema dei dimostrativiera itlatino ille, che ha dato origine all'articolo seguente: indeterminativo in varie lingue romanze hic/haec/hoc (it.it /la/ille;fr.lellalles;sp.el /la /los /las).5 iste/ista/istud Quellosostituisce sempre piitl'articolo ille/illa/illud. indeterminativo in italiano (quelle persone Con randare del tempo si aperso hic che .) e quando e necessaria una conno- (come spesso accade con i terminimeno cor- tazione locativa si serve del rafforzamento posi), e si 6 reso necessario riempire it vuotofornito dall'avverbio locativo: quello quel- lasciato. Il dimostrativo istum, accompagnato lo laggiti, quello lassti.6 da un eccu(m) attualizzante, 6 andato cosia In certi casi anche l'italiano standard di esprimere it concerto di «questo>>. Adessobase toscana e privo della forma cheper- per esprimerelavicinanzadell'oggettomette di esprimere la vicinanza all'inter- all'interlocutore non bastava piu ne istum nelocutore come vediamo nel caso degli eccu(m) istum e si a quindi reso necessarioavverbi di luogo: esplicitare meglio tale vicinanza mediantequi/qua al di qua l'inserimento chiarificatore di tibi (eccu(m)costi/costa tibi istum). A sua volta it dimostrativo ilium if /la at di la.

Au. Tuttitalia, No. 12, December 1995 3 13 Prefissi di partenza o di arrivo (camminare per strada; incamminarsi verso casa). L'italiano si serve di vari prefissi nomi- Possiamo anche notare l'uso di verbi di nali e aggettivali di tipo spaziale, di originemovimento diversi, a seconda che si voglia sia greca e latina, ma anche, in misurameglio specificare it riferimento ad un vo- minore, italiana e perfino inglese: lume piuttosto che ad un luogo generico Dal greco: (penetrare /entrare). endo- (endoscopia) = dentro Anche in italiano, come in altre lingue, meta- (metalinguistico) = insieme a l'uso di prefissi permette di fornire diverse iper- (ipertensione) = sopra connotazioni spaziali ad una stessa radice ipo- (ipogeo) = sotto verbale che esprima stato o moto, coniando para- (paramedico) = vicino a. nuovi verbi che assumono spesso un signi- Dal latino: ficato sia reale che metaforico extra- (extrascolastico, extraparlamentare) (stare/sottostare/sovrastare;seguire/inseguire/ = al di fuori proseguire; passare /sorpassare /oltrepassare). inter- (interdisciplinare, interspazio) = fra Anche se in misura molto pill limitata intra- (intralinguistico) = all'interno di rispetto all'inglese, anche in italiano (spe- super- (supersonico, superattico) = sopracialmente nelle varieta regionali setten- sub- (subacqueo, subnormale) = sotto trionali) si usano talvolta avverbi con rife- pro- (prorettore, proconsole) = al posto dirimenti spaziali dopo particolariverbi infra- (infrasettimanale) = in mezzo a (mettere su casa; scrivere giti due righe) in sovra- (sovranazionale) = al di sopra di modo da accentuare le implicazioni loca- vice- (vicesindaco). tive del verbo stesso. Dan' italiano: Unproblemaspecificodell'italiano sotto- (sottosviluppo) riguarda la scelta dell'ausiliare essere o fuori- (fuorigioco) avere. Certi verbi di movimento, infatti, contro- (controfigura). possono essere accompagnati dall'uno o Dall' inglese: dall'altro ausiliare, a seconda che it verbo over- (overdose) = al di sopra di. sia usato senza indicazione di meta specifica (ho volato con un biplano) o sia accompagnato da un oggetto interno (ho sceso le Verbi scale), mentre siusera l'ausiliare essere Se mettiamo in relazione it sistema ver-quando si specifica un luogo preciso di bale italiano con it concetto di spazio, pos- partenza o di arrivo (sono volato a New York; siamo rilevare vari modi in cui ii primo sono sceso al secondo piano). Cosi anche, per viene ad essere influenzato dal secondo. esempio: (correre) ho corso molto; ho corso da Consideriamoiverbi che esprimono casa a qui; sono corso qui da casa; sono corso movimento: troviamo per esempio vaneall'aeroporto; (salire) ho salito la scala sociale; coppie di verbi che si differenziano per sono salito in soffitta; sono salito per le scale. l'aggiunta dell'idea di ripetizione del movi- La stessa implicazione di movimento in mento stesso (volare/volteggiare; ballare/bal- un luogo circoscritto, senza indicazione lettare), o anche in base alla implicazione di precisa di un luogo di partenza o di arrivo, un luogo preciso di arrivo o di partenza,si trova anche, in italiano, nei verbi cam- presente in un caso (passare it confine; balzare minare e passeggiare, che si accompagnano addosso a qualcuno; girare a destra), assente infatti sempre all'ausiliare avere (ho cammi- nell'altro (passeggiare in giardino; balzellarenato; ho passeggiato) e che non possono qua e la; girellare in citta). In altre coppie di essere seguiti, come per esempio in inglese, verbi di movimento l'aggiunta di un prefis-dagli stessi complementi di luogo che posso permette di esprimere l'idea di inizio delsono accompagnarsi at verbo andare. Se movimento stesso(icosiddetti«verbiinfatti in inglese si put) dire to go home e to incoativi» che costituivano in latino unawalk home, in italiano avremo invece sono vera e propria categoria verbale), a cui in andato a casa, ma ho passeggiato andando verso italiano si associa di solito it luogo preciso casa o sono andato a casa passeggiando.

14 154 Tuttitalia, No. 12, December 1995 . particolare le espressioni facciali, lo sguar- Sostantivi do, la postura, it contatto fisico e i gesti. L'esame dei sostantivi relativi a concettiQuesti in particolare sono strettamente spaziali in italiano esula dagli scopi dilegati alla comunicazione verbale, accom- questo lavoro e meriterebbe uno studio phipagnando, integrando o sostituendoi approfondito. Ci basti qui ricordare che inmessaggi espressi linguisticamente dagli italiano abbiamo la sostantivizzazione diinterlocutori. alcuni avverbi di luogo, sempre nel genre Gli italiani sono considerati appartenere maschile: it sopra/il sotto/il davanti/il dietroa pieno diritto alle «culture del contatto», al per indicare la parte di sopra /la parte dipari di arabi, latino-americani, greci, turchi, sotto /la parte davanti /la parte di dietro. spagnoli e molti popoli africani. A livello antropologico questo li distingue netta- mente dalle «culture del non contatto», a Metafore spaziali cui appartengono per esempio gli asiatici e Come abbiamo gia notato a propositoi nordeuropei (Argyle, 1992).2 Questo si delle formazioni verbali mediante suffissi put) facilmente notare nei frequenti contatti locativi, le indicazioni di spazio vengonocorporei fra gli interlocutori nella comuni- spesso usate per fornire non solo riferimen-cazione faccia a faccia in Italia, in contesti tia luoghi reali, ma anche per crearesiainformali,siamediamente formali immagini metaforiche. Dire sono gig nel(scambiandosi per esempio baci ed abbrac- senso di sono depresso, o sono su nel senso di ci anche fra conoscenti, parenti ed amici). sono allegro e ottimista sono gia due esempiTuttavia, it contatto con semplice funzione diriferimentispazialiconfunzionefatica (per esempio appoggiando la mano metaforica. Molte di queste metafore sonosul braccio o sulla spalla dell'interlocutore) ormai divenute espressioni idiomatiche,e piu diffuso nell'Italia del sud, mentre altri tanto che it parlante ha perso quasi corn-tipi di contatto, comuni anche in culture del pletamente la coscienza dei riferimentinon contatto, sono assolutamente tabu per spaziali originari: pensiamo all'avverbio su gli italiani (per esempio passeggiare mano usato con funzione conativa, per spingerenella mano fra amici maschi, come in India, qualcuno a fare qualcosa (su, muoviti!), oo dormire appoggiati a un altro passeggero espressioni come essere fuori pericolo /unasconosciuto in un treno affollato, come in persona al di sopra di ogni sospetto /su perGiappone). giultutti all'infuori di me, e via dicendo. In particolare, la comunicazione cinesica In altri casi le metafore spaziali hannodegli italiani e caratterizzata dalla ge- precisi riferimenti a tipici gesti simbolicistualita, specialmente rispetto ad altre cul- italiani: averne fin sopra i capelli nel senso diture, come quelle nordeuropee. La ge- non poter pig sopportare richiama it gestostualitaitaliana deve lasua fama di della mano a taglio mossa all'altezza dellaenorme ricchezza ed espressivita al grande fronte per esprimere noia. numero di gesti che vengono usati nella Metafore spaziali di phi recente co-comunicazione. niazione mantengono invece tutta la loro Sono staff recentemente notati 100 gesti carica iconica dei riferimenti spaziali chesimbolici (emblemi) in use nell'Italia con- contengono:pensiamoalleespressionitemporanea (Diadori, 1990), cioe atti non- introdotte dal linguaggio politico: risalire averbali, di solito movimenti delle mani e monte della questione /discutere i problemi condel viso, fatti deliberatamente, che hanno la base /risolvere la questione in sede ammini- una diretta traduzione verbale e it cui signi- strativa, e cosi via. ficato e noto alla maggioranza dei membri di una cultura o di un gruppo. Altrettanto usati, con una diffusione Le relazioni spaziali nella cinesicaancora phi accentuata nell'Italia meridio- italiana nale, sono i gesti che descrivono quello La componente cinesica della comuni-che viene detto verbalmente (illustratori), e cazione riguarda i movimenti del corpo, insono questi che presentano maggiori riferi-

Tuttitalia, No. 12, December 1995 15 1 44a mend alle categorie spaziali. In particolareprossemica riguarda l'utilizzazione dello servono ad accompagnare o sostituire le spazio da parte dei parlanti, ed 6 una forma espressioni verbali relative alle relazionidi codice nonverbale capace di trasmettere spaziali i seguentigestiillustratorimessaggi al pari del linguaggio verbale o di (Poyatos, 1983): marcatori spaziali illustranoquello cinesico. Pub trattarsi di regole conle dimensioni, la distanza e la collocazionesapevolmente codificate (come nel caso nello spazio di persone, oggetti o luoghi delle distanze da tenere con i membri delle (grande cosi! con le mani che indicanodiverse caste indiane) oppure di comporta- approssimativamente le dimensioni di unmenti acquisiti e divenuti ormai inconsci, oggetto o una persona); come la reazione all'invasione del proprio deittici, movimenti che indicano una per-«spazio personale»(cio6lospazio,di sona o un oggetto presenti nel contesto (indimensioni diverse da cultura a cultura, USA con un cenno del capo, in Spagna con che l'individuo considera inviolabile secon- it sollevamento del mento, in Italia condo it diverso tipo di relazioni con l'inter- l'indice o la mano aperta, oppure toccando locutore). un oggetto per dire «questo»), oppure indi- Il parametro fondamentale su cui si basa cano persone, oggetti o luoghi non presentila competenza prossemica a la distanza nel contesto (per esempio in Italia it pollicetenuta (in maniera conscia o inconscia) dagli che indica dietro le spalle di chi parla perinterlocutori, distanza che varia da cultura a accompagnare o sostituire un'espressionecultura in corrispondenza del diverso spazio del tipo «quello la»); personale di cui ciascuno dispone: 6 come se pittografi, che rappresentano la forma fisicaogni individuo si trovasse immerso in una del loro referente descrivendone l'aspettosorta di sfera protettiva o in una immagina- nell'aria o su una superficie (per esempio le ria bolla trasparente che lo tiene separato curve di una ragazza, it percorso di unadagli altri, e che ha dimensioni e grado di scala a chiocciola). Se vengono usati perpenetrability diverso da una comunita etno- accompagnare la descrizione verbale ser-linguistica all'altra. vono a dare enfasi al discorso; se invece i Hall (1966) distingue quattro tipi fonda- gesti illustratori pittografi sostituiscono lementali di distanze fra gli interlocutori, corrispondenti descrizioni verbali, questoriportando anche delle misure approssima- puo essere dovuto a economia espressiva,tive in riferimento alla comunita statuni- pigrizia mentale o a limitazioni verbali (pertense degli anni '60: rappresentare, per esempio, delle strutture intima, cio6 «la distanza dell'amplesso e spaziali particolarmente complesse). della lotta, del conforto e della protezione», Come abbiamo gia osservato, la perdita e quella del massimo coinvolgimento fisico di specificity dei deittici spaziali in italiano (0-45 cm); viene in parte compensata dal ricorso a personale, cio6 la distanza che permette di codici comunicativi nonverbali. In partico- «entrare in vario rapporto con l'altro me- lare, in base ad alcune ricerche condotte sudiante le estremita», se in fase di vicinanza parlanti dell'Italia meridionale, a stato rile-(45-75 cm), oppure e appena oltre l'inter- vato che «fanno maggiore use di gestualitavallo che consente di toccare facilmente con fini deittici spaziali le persone menol'altro (75-120 cm), intervallo che segna it istruite, le persone di ceto basso e le per-proprio «dominio fisico»; sone anziane nelle comunita rurali, e in sociale,cio6ladistanzaincui, non genere coloro che usano abitualmente itessendoci possibility di contatto con l'altro, dialetto» (Sobrero, 1993: 421). si esce dalla sua sfera di coinvolgimento (1,20-3,65 m); Le relazioni spaziali nella pubblica, cioe la distanza fra emittenti e destinatari di un comizio, una conferenza, prossemica italiana chevedeaumentarediconseguenza Individuata come componentedellal'ampiezza dei gesti o l'altezza della voce comunicazione e analizzata per la primaper permettere di inviare i propri messaggi voltadall'antropologoHall(1966),la (3,65-7 m e oltre).

16 X5.6 Tuttitalia, No. 12, December 1995 Queste distanze devono subire qualcheprossemica. Come rileva Sobrero (1994: adattamento quando si tratta di interlocutori421-422), c'e differenza fra le indicazioni italiani, che tengono a mantenersi (volon-spaziali fornite da chi vive in spazi ridotti e tariamente o involontariamente) phi viciniben conosciuti, come la citta, e chi vive in all'interlocutore rispetto ad altri popoli (perspazi ampi e poco conosciuti, come la cam- esempio nordeuropei e nordamericani) chepagna: i primi si serviranno meno di gesti stanno al di fuori del raggio d'azione deldeittici e specificheranno meglio le distanze braccio, ma meno degli arabi, che «si ten-verbalmente(«cento-duecentrometri»), gono appena al di la della distanza di con-mentre i secondi useranno maggiormente tatto col gomito» (Argyle, 19922: 169). i gesti e forniranno valutazioni phi gene- Le differenzenella strutturazioneriche delle distanze (olontano ma non dell'ambiente fisico(le dimensioni delletroppo»). case, delle strade, it grado di affollamento) II comportamento spaziale, al pari di possonoinfluenzareitcomportamentoquello cinesico, pub generare equivoci e spaziale di un popolo, incoraggiando ointolleranze dal contatto fra diverse cul- meno l'interazione. I mobili di casa, perture. Gli italiani, che usano distanze phi esempio la posizione dei divani, possonoravvicinate fragliinterlocutori rispetto fornire diversi gradi di cordialita, cosi comea nordeuropei, nordamericani e asiatici, la disposizione delle sedie di un'aula pubpossono essere considerati invadenti o ag- essere phi o meno adatta ad attivita digressivi da queste culture, specialmente gruppo. Nelle scuole italiane, si trova diquando superanoilimitispaziali che solito una disposizione frontale dei banchil'interlocutore proveniente da queste cul- rispetto all'insegnante, anche se special-ture considererebbe adeguati a una distan- mente nelle lezioni di lingua molti docenti za personale o sociale. Al contrario, un ita- preferiscono una disposizione a semicer-liano giudichera freddo e distaccato un chio che pone l'insegnante phi come ani-membro di una cultura che usa distanze matore che come centro dell'insegnamento.meno ravvicinate, o non comprendera D'altra parte le strade piuttosto strette dil'istintivoritrarsidel suo interlocutore molte citta italiane (specialmente di quelleproveniente da una cultura del non contat- phi antiche) contribuiscono forse all'uso dito nel momento in cui verra avvicinato incontrarsi per strada e di fermarsi anche aoltrelapropria sogliaditollerabilita. lungo per conversare. D'altra parte, it fatto che le persone phi Un'altra manifestazione prossemica cheansiose o mentalmente disturbate si ten- differenzia da cultura a cultura e l'ango-gano a una maggiore distanza dagli altri lazione secondo cui le persone si situanopuo aver contribuito a generare la fama nello spazio l'una rispetto all'altra (come cidella cultura italiana piu estroversa e si siede in una sala di aspetto, come si occu- amante della «dolce vita».7 pano le sedie in un'aula o a un tavolo di ristorante).Gliitaliani, come gliarabi, preferiscono un'orientazione diretta, met-Conclusioni tendosi generalmente di fronte all'inter- Una lingua nazionale perde necessaria- locutore, per esempio al tavolo di un ris-mente tutte quelle caratteristiche che la torante, anche se questo comporta unalegano a situazioni specifiche, per esempio distanza maggiore. Al contrario, gli inglesiquelle ambientali (cf. Cardona, 1988: 33 o i francesi che si siedono rispettivamente sgg.).Tuttavia, studiando lelinguedi in un pub o un bistro (locali peraltro assen-comunita piu ristrette, legate a particolari ti in contesti italiani) preferiscono sedersihabitat (per esempio zone montane, pianeg- fianco a fianco, con le spalle al muro. gianti, vicine a fiumi, ecc.)8 si sono visti Sia le espressioni verbali che indicano ledegli influssi diretti fra la configurazione relazioni spaziali, sia l'uso deittico dellaambientale e categorie grammaticali rela- gestualita sono strettamentelegatialle tive allo spazio usate dalla gente del posto. diverserappresentazionimentalidello In riferimento all'italiano contempora- spazio, di cui si occupa specificamente laneo, abbiamo cercato di analizzare, a fianco

Tuttitalia, No. 12, December 1995 , 17 delle categorie spaziali che, seppur limi-Note tate, emergono ancora nei microsistemi lin- 1. In italiano si dice comunemente «il lam- guistici dell'italiano standard (con alcune padario pende sopra it tavolo», ma in altri specificity in pid legate a particolari aree casi e possibile specificare la mancanza di regionali), anche i riferimenti spaziali di contatto usando le espressioni al di sopra di e altricodici nonverbali molto diffusie al di sotto di. funzionalmente rilevanti per la comuni- 2. In Cardona (1988, pp. 26 sgg) si citano le cazione: quello cinesico e quello prossemi- lingue caucasiche e quelle del ceppo ungro- co. Da questo confronto, si e potuto rilevare finnico come particolarmente ricche di casi una forte presenza di modality espressive spaziali: si tratterebbe secondo l'autore di dei rapporti spaziali nell'italiano contem- un adattamento linguistico al particolare habitat montagnoso in cui si sono svilup- poraneo, basata su tratti del codice lingua, pate le lingue caucasiche mentre «nel caso ma ancor piU su gesti simbolici e illustra- delle lingue ungro-finniche ormai si puo tori e sull'uso con funzione comunicativa pensare alla conservazione di un sistema delle distanze fra gli interlocutori, in una adattato alle esigenze delle condizioni di diretta compenetrazione e integrazione fra vita dei popoli uralici poi scesi nelle pia- codici comunicativi verbali e nonverbali. nure» (p. 33). 3. Cardona (1988: pp. 25 sgg) ricorda, fra le lingue ricche di categorie grammaticali che Bibliografia esprimono relazioni spaziali,it tunguso M. Argyle, Bodily Communication, London, 1975 (otto casi spaziali che esprimono avvicina- (trad. it., 11 corpo e it suo linguaggio: studio sulla mento, coincidenza, allontanamento, attra- comunicazione non verbale, Bologna, Zanichelli, versamento), lo hopi (sette casi spaziali che 19922). esprimono lo stato in luogo, la provenienza, G. Berruto, Sociolinguistica dell'italiano contempo- la destinazione, la coincidenza in un punto raneo, Roma, La Nuova Italia Scientifica, 1987. o la coincidenza in un'area). G. R. Cardona, I sei lati del mondo. Linguaggio ed 4. cfr. Berruto (1987). esperienza, Bari, Laterza, 1988. 5. Nel sardo, al contrario, si usa l'articolo P. Diadori, Senza parole. 100 gesti degli italiani, determinativo su/sa che derivadal Roma, Bonacci, 1990. dimostrativo latino ipse /ipsa /ipsum. E. T. Hall, The Hidden Dimension, 1966 (trad. it., 6. Anche l'articolo determinativo puo avere La dimensione nascosta. Vicino e lontano: it significa- funzionedidimostrativo:«Chiudila to delle distanze tra le persone, Milano, Bompiani, porta!»; «Preso it rapitore della ragazza». 7. 1968. Le caratteristiche che contraddistinguono it G. Leech, A Communicative Grammar of English, linguaggio nonverbale degli italiani sono in London, Longman, 1974. effetti diametralmente opposte a quelle D. Parisi e C. Castelfranchi, «Analisi semantica riscontrate nei malati di mente che, come osserva Argyle (19922: p. 271) «presentano deilocativispaziali»,in Lasintassi,Society Linguistica Italiana, Roma, Bulzoni, 1970,327-66. una comune tipologia di comunicazione nonverbale[...]: minore espressione fac- F.Poyatos, New PerspectivesinNonverbal Communication, Oxford, Pergamon Press, 1983. ciale,specialmente meno sorrisi; meno G. Rohlfs, Grammatica storica della lingua italiana e sguardi;minorevicinanza;unminor dei suoi dialetti, Torino, Einaudi, 1966-1969. numero di gesti diretti verso gli altri e un F. Sabatini, La comunicazione e gli usi della lingua, maggior numero di gesti diretti verso di se». Torino, Loescher, 1986. 8. Cardona (1988: pp. 34 sgg) cita it caso della L. Serianni, Grammatica italiana, Torino, UTET, lingua dei Mocheni, una comunita montana 1989. del Trentino, che presents un orientamento A. A. Sobrero (a cura di), Introduzione all'italiano tridimensionale dello spazio, determinato contemporaneo. Le strutture, Roma-Bari, Laterza, dall'asse del fiume che scorre a Tondo valle, 1993. da un asse perpendicolare e uno trasversale alla valle stessa.

18 Tuttitalia, No. 12, December 1995 The role of formal instruction: theoretical- empirical and pedagogical considerations

Alessandro Benati University of Greenwich

The pendulum swings in The role of formal instruction: the educational practice effects on language proficiency Over the last twenty years there has beenand production accuracy considerable change in terms of Second One of the main questions being asked in Language Instruction. Much of this hasclassroom research in the last twenty years been, without doubt, the shift from thehas been whether instruction is beneficial explicit focus on language itself (i.e. gram-and whetheritfacilitatesacquisition. mar, phonology and vocabulary) to anFormal instruction can be defined as the emphasis (implicit focus) on the expressionattempt to teach some specific feature of and comprehension of meaning throughthe L2 code, usually a grammatical feature, language. Behind this shift is the beliefin one way or another. that learners can develop greater second There have been several studies that language communicative abilities throughhave examinedtheeffectsofformal the kind of instruction that is more similar instruction on second language acquisition. to the 'naturalistic' environment (Krashen:Of particular interest are the investigations 1982). as to whether formal instruction results in The audiolingual approach of the 1950sbetter L2 learning. This research is of four and 1960s, and more recently the 'commu- different kinds; in this section we will focus nicative' approach which maintains theon one group of studies that has sought to theory that learning a second or foreigndetermine whether learners who receive language is just like learning a first lan-formal instruction achieve a higher level of guage, both renounce explicit grammar-L2 proficiency than those who do not. based instruction. These methods hold that Long argues (Long: 1983), on the basis of acquired implicit knowledge and learned his review of eleven studies that examined explicit knowledge, of the type taught inthe effect of formal instruction on the rate traditional language courses, are stored and success of L2 learning, that instruction separately and that learned knowledgedoes in fact make a difference. According cannot be converted into acquired knowl-to Long there is enough evidence to sustain edge. the view that second language acquisition Traditional methods such as the gram-(henceforth SLA) makes a difference in mar-translation approach and the cognitiveterms of being beneficial for adults as well code method, very popular in the 1960sas for children, for intermediate as well as and later in the 1970s, were very rule-advanced students, regardless of the way it based, orientated on the assumption thatis measured and of whether it is acquired awareness of L2 rules precedes the use ofin an acquisition-rich or acquisition-poor these rules. environment. Long claimed in his review Recently, in the light of increased num- that these conclusions were very damaging bers of studies in second language acqui-to Krashen's position on formal instruction. sition on the role of formal instruction,In the model proposed by Krashen the there are again calls for a return to explicitinput plays the pivotal role rather than methods. grammar instruction. The key aspect of

Tuttitalia, No. 12, December 1995 19 SLA, in Krashen's theory, is an uncon-evidence that communicative language scious process which results from experi-teaching (CLT) does not lead to accuracy. ence by using the language. This processHammer ly (1987) defines the 'immersion does not benefit from any conscious learn-programme' a failure, linguistically speaking, for example the teaching of grammati-ing. The apparent inadequacy of CLT, cal rules. The role of the learning of rulesdemonstrated by certain researchers and in classroom instruction isto 'monitor'educators, in developing higher levels of (Krashen: 1982). accuracy and linguistic performance, has In other words, instruction does not con-revived the research and consequently the tribute directly to acquisition and shoulddebate concerningtheroleof form- be limitedtoa few learnablerules. focused instruction in language learning. Instruction should focus, therefore, on pro-For example, at one end of the spectrum viding a rich variety of comprehensiblewe have Krashen (see Ellis: 1994), who input and opportunities for learners to useconsiders formal instruction fragile and language in spontaneous and meaningfulperipheral, in the belief that conscious interaction. The factthat learners canlearningdoesnotbecomeacquired, develop greater L2 communicative abilitieswhereasWhite,Spada,Rantaand through instruction that closely resemblesLightbown (1991) claim that direct instruc- the characteristics of a 'natural' environ-tion in second language classes has real ment, supports this view. Krashen alsoeffects, and maintain in their study that argued (1982; 1985) that such approachesknowledge gained through directin- can lead eventually to mastery of the targetstruction was not peripheral, but was inte- language in the same way that a child's L1grated into their subjects' acquired sys- gradually matches that of the environment,tem. These studies are based on the provided there is enough exposure to thecomparisons of the relativeeffectsof language. formal instruction and exposure. Many There is some evidence to suggest thatlearners, however, including some of communicative language teaching doesthose in the studies which Long reviewed, indeed lead to the development of a higherexperienced both together. It is conceiv- level of fluency and communicative confi-able, therefore, that what works best is dence in the language learner in compari-some form of combination of the two. son with approaches based exclusively onThere are some studies that have exam- form-focused instruction. One study byinedthispossibility.Savignon (1972) Lightbown (1987), where the programmesuggests that a combination of formal and was audiolingual, provides evidence that an informal instruction aids the development exclusive emphasis on accuracy and dril- ofcommunicativelanguageskillsin ling of particular grammatical forms doesforeign language learners. not ensure that the learners are capable Spada (1986, 1990), in two studies, one of using these forms, and this kind of in-on the effects of formal instruction on lan- struction does not help the development ofguage proficiency, and the other on pro- fluency and communicative ability. Thereduction accuracy, commented that 'atten- is some concern among researchers, how-tion to both form and meaning works best ever, that a higher level of accuracy orfor learners'. native-like language cannot be achieved by This conclusion is also given support second language adult learners whose solebyanotherstudy(Montgomeryand experience in the L2 is limited to 'natural'Eisenstein: 1985). They propose that a com- contexts. bination of form-orientated and meaning- The Canadian French immersion pro-orientated language teaching was more gramme, which has been defined bybeneficial than form-orientated alone. These Krashen as 'communicative par excellence',resultssupporttheclaimthatformal since the emphasis is exclusively on mean-instruction helps learners to develop higher ing through instruction rather than thelevels of linguistic knowledge and perfor- form of the language itself, provides themance in a communicative context.

20 Tuttitalia, No. 12, December 1995 Second Language Pedagogy: tical structures and elements in question within a broader discoursal context. CR is should we teach grammar? an attempt to equip the learner with an The studies we have considered thus farunderstanding of a specific grammatical have looked at whether formal instructionfeature developing declarative rather than results in acquisition and supports theprocedural knowledge of it (see Rutherford: claim that form-focused instruction and 1987; and Sharwood-Smith: 1988). corrective feedback, provided within the The main characteristics of CR activities context of a communicative programme, are: are more effective in promoting second lan- (1)The isolation of a particular linguistic guage learning than a programme limited feature to be focused; to an exclusive emphasis on accuracy or (2)Providing the learners with some data fluency. which is in a way an illustration of the Therefore, the question of whether we target feature. Through this data, CR should teach grammar is answered posi- will eventually supply the learners tively by those researchers despite the neg- with an explicit rule so that it explains ative view of some theorists like Krashen the linguistic feature targeted; and Terrell(1983). Assuming that we (3) CR requires an effort from the learners should teach grammar in a communicative to understand the features; context, I will turn my attention to the way (4)Use of further data to be described and we should go about doing this. Specifically, explained in case of learner misunder- I want to consider one approach which I standing; will refer to as 'consciousness raising' (CR) and in the attempt to describe some general (5)Learners might be required to articu- characteristics of this approach in language late the rule in the attempt to explain teaching and to give some examples of a the grammatical structure. CR task. There is a clear distinction between prac- There are certainly very important peda-tice and CR, as noted by Ellis (1991). He gogical reasons that can be advanced formaintains that whereas practice is behavi- grammar teaching as CR. It contributes tooural, CR is essentially concept-forming in the acquisition of implicit knowledge andorientation. The two types of grammar, results in explicit knowledge as suggested however, are not exclusive. Even if practice by Ellis (1991) and Fotos (1993). Thereforeis directed at the implicit learning of the the goal of CR is not limited to teachinggrammar structure and no formal explana- explicit knowledge, but ratheritcon-tion is provided, learners construct some tributes to the learner's abilities to commu-kind of explicit representation of the rule. nicate. CR is an important aid for the acqui- The teachers, also, recognise the import- sition of the grammatical knowledge thatance and use, in language teaching, a for- learners need for communication. mal explanation of the structure. Nevertheless, the distinction is real. CR can occur without practice, whereas the How should we teach grammar? opposite is not always the case. There are Consciousness raising rejects the splitways of raising consciousness without nec- between conscious learning and subcon-essarily incurring the techniques of the scious acquisition. It also contrasts, how-grammar-translation method. ever, with traditional grammatical instruction in a number of important respects. The first of these is the greater attention paid to Some possible routes for a the form-function relationship. Learning grammar is not learning the roles untiedconsciousness-raising task from its use, learnt by heart; rather it is a The purpose of this section is to give reflection of linguistic rules and discourse.some examples of CR tasks based on cer- Secondly, it attempts to situate the gramma-tain requirements which should be kept in

Tuttitalia, No. 12, December 1995 "4.1) 1. 21 , mind when we prepare and design theseferent grammar points. activities. In Table 3 there is a visual example of the CR tasks can be deductive or inductive.use of prepositions, whilst Table 4 offers In the case of the deductive task, the learn-the present tense conjugation of a regular er is provided with a rule and his /her taskverb without using any technical terminol- is to use this rule to complete certain activi-ogy. Both of these examples have been ties. The inductive is based on supplyingderived and adapted from materials devel- the learner with some data and then askingoped for the teaching of English in sec- him/her to construct an explicit rule to ondary schools. explain the grammatical feature illustrated by the data. We do not yet know whether the CR approach is the more efficient wayConclusion to promote learning. CR, however, should In this contribution I have tried to argue meet the following requirements: the case for the role of formal instruction in - personalisation:activities with affectivelanguage teaching, presenting some empiri- and cognitive value for the learners shouldcal evidence and considering some points be included, e.g. problem-solving tasks orof second language acquisition theory. An games; endeavour has also been made to support authenticity: activities and tasks should be theconsciousness-raisingapproachin relevant and directly linked to the linguis-grammar teaching. The need to provide tic feature targeted; formalinstruction and explanationof visualisation: charts, tables and diagramsgrammatical features does not of itself rep- should be used as aids to introduce diffi-resent anything new in teaching methods cult grammar rules; - teachershavealwaysadoptedthis and approach. What constitutes an alternative activities of reinforcement: tasks assigned to is the removal of the need to provide learn- the learners should be in keeping with their ers with repeated opportunities to practise. capabilities. CR is an approach which is very much in Tables 1 and 2 provide examples ofaccordance with new views about educa- inductive tasks designed to raise awareness tion as a process of discovery through about the singular adjectival endings inproblem-solving tasks. This approach to Italian and their agreement with the noun,grammar teaching does not conflict with and the use of c'e and dov'e?. These tasksthe methodology based on providing learn- have been designed with a number ofers with opportunities for meaning-focused points in mind. Firstly, they focus on alanguage use for communicative purposes. source of difficulty for English-speakingCR is not an alternative to communicative learners, given that gender and agreementactivities, but a supplement to them. are two extremely important grammatical points where English speakers frequently make mistakes in Italian. Secondly, theReferences data provided must be adequate to make Ellis,R.(1990)InstructedSecondLanguage the learners discover the rule. Thirdly, Acquisition, Oxford, Basil Blackwell. these tasks require minimal production on Ellis,R. (1991) 'Grammar Teaching. Practice the part of the learners. Rather, the empha- or Consciousness Raising?', in R. Phillipson, sis is placed on developing the idea of a E. Kellermann, L. Selinker, M. Sharwood-Smith particular linguistic feature and its role (see and M. Swain (eds), Foreign-Second Language Tables 1 and 2). Finally, there is an oppor- Pedagogy Research: A Commemorative Volume for Claus Faerch, Clevedon, Multilingual Matters. tunity for applying the rule to construct a Ellis, R. (ed.) (1994) Implicit and Explicit Learning personal statement in order to promote its of Languages, San Diego, Academic Press. storage as explicit knowledge. The task is Fotos,S.(1993) 'Consciousness Raising and restricted and there is not insistence on Noticing through Focus on Form: Grammar Task automatisation. Tasks of these kinds can be Performance versusFormalInstruction ,in designed in different formats and for dif- Applied Linguistics, 14:4.

22 6 2 Tuttitalia, No. 12, December 1995 Giunchi, P. (1990), Grammatica esplicita e gram-Rutherford, W. and Sharwood-Smith, M. (eds) matica implicita, Bologna, Zanichelli. (1987) Grammar and Second Language Teaching. A Hammerly, H. (1991) Fluency and Accuracy: Book of Readings,Rowley, Mass., Newbury Towards a Balancein Language Teaching and House. Learning, Clevedon, Multilingual Matters. Savignon, S. (1972) Communicative Competence. Krashen, S. (1982) Principles and Practice in Second An Experimentin Foreign Language Teaching, Language Acquisition, Oxford, Pergamon. Philadelphia, Centre for Curriculum Krashen, S. (1985) The Input Hypothesis: Issues and Development. Implications, London, Pergamon. Savignon, S. (1983) Communicative Competence: Krashen, S. and Terrel, T. (1983) The Natural Theory and Classroom Practice, Reading, Mass., Approach, New York, Pergamon. Addison-Wesley. Lightbown, P. M. (1985) 'Great Expectations: Schmidt, R. (1991) 'The role of consciousness in Second Language Acquisition and Classroom Second LanguageLearning', in Applied Teaching', in Applied Linguistics, 6:2, 173 -89. Linguistics, 11: 129-58. Lightbown, P. M. (1987) 'Classroom language as Schmidt, R. and Frota, S. (1986) 'Developing input to second language acquisition', in Paff, C. basic conversational ability in a second lan- (ed.),First and Second Language Acquisition guage. A case study of an adult learner of Processes, Cambridge, Newbury House. Portuguese',inDay,R.,Talkingtolearn. Lightbown, P. M. (1991), 'What have we here? ConversationinSecondLanguageAcquisition, Some observations on the role of instruction in Rowley, Mass., Newbury House. second language acquisition', in Phillipson et al Spada, N. (1987) 'Relationship between instruc- (eds), op. cit. tional differences and learning outcomes: A Lightbown, P. M. and Spada, N. (1990) 'Focus on process product study of communicative lan- form and corrective feedback in communicative guage teaching', in Applied Linguistics,8:2, language teaching', in Studies in Second Language 137-62. Acquisition, 12: 429-48. Spada, N. (1990) 'Observing classroom behavi- Littlewood, W. T. (1981) Communicative Language ours and learning outcomes in different second Teaching: an Introduction, Cambridge, Cambridge language programs', in Richards, J. and Nunam, University Press. D.(eds),Secondlanguageteachereducation: Long, M. (1983) 'Does second language instruc- Content and Process, Cambridge, Cambridge tion make a difference? A review of research', in University Press. TESOL Quarterly, 17: 359-82. Spada, N. and Lightbown, P. M. (1990) 'Focus Long, M. (1991) 'Focus on form: a design feature on Formand Corrective Feedbackin in language teaching methodology', in De Bot, Communicative Language Teaching', in Studies K., Ginsberg, R. and Kramsch, C. (eds), Foreign in Second Language Acquisition, 12. Language Research in Cross-Cultural Perspective, Spada,N.andLightbown,P.M.(1993) Amsterdam, Benjamins. 'Instruction and the development of question in Montgomery, C. and Eisenstein, M. (1985) the classroom', in Studies in Second Language 'Reality revisited: an experimental communica- Acquisition, 15:2. tive course in ESL', in TESOL Quarterly, 19: Spada, N. and Lightbown, P. M. (1993) How 317-34. Languages are learned, Oxford, Handbooks for Rutherford, W. (1987) Second Language Grammar. Language Teachers. Learning and Teaching, London, Longman. White, L., Spada, N., Lightbown, P. M. and Rutherford, W. (1987) 'The Meaning of gram- Ranta, L. (1991) 'Input enhancement and syntac- maticalconsciousnessraising',in World ticaccuracyinL2 acquisition',inApplied Englishes, 6: 209-16. Linguistics, 12: 416-32. Language Poster Sets Common phrases for the communicative classroom Available in French, German, Spanish, Italian, Russian and Portuguese £4.50 per set of 10 cards To order send a cheque to the address below made payable to ALL stating the quantity and language required ALL, 150 Railway Terrace, Rugby CV21 3HN

I Tuttitalia, No. 12, December 1995 23 Table 1 An Example of CR problem-solving task (1) Here is some information about the names of these people and their nationality. NOMI

Maria Diane

Philippe Karl AGGETTIVI DI NAZIONALITA John Kate

Marco Ingrid italiano francese italiana

tedesco

tedesca inglese

(2) Study these sentences about the nationality of these people. Whenis the adjective ending in o used, the one ending in a and in e? (a) Maria 6 italiana (b) Ingrid 6 tedesca (c) Marco 6 italiano (d) Karl 6 tedesco (e) John 6 inglese (f) Kate 6 inglese (g) Diane 6 francese (h) Philippe 6 francese (3) Which of the following sentences are ungrammatical and why? Franca 6 italiano Mark 6 inglese Francoise a francese Alessandro 6 italiana Karl 6 tedesco Ingrid 6 tedesca (4) Try to make the rule of adjectives with different endings.

AGGETTIVI: 1. ,is the ending for masculine nouns 2. ,is the ending for feminine nouns 3. ,is a form of adjectives with only one form for masculine and feminine nouns.

(5) Now it's your turn to make up one sentence giving your nationality and ask your pair his/her nationality.

24 Tuttitalia, No. 12, December 1995 Table 2 An Example of CR problem-solving task. (a) This is a dialogue between a passerby and a tourist in an Italian town. The tourist is trying to find some places.

T: Scusi, c'e un bar qui vicino?

P: Si, c'e un bar qui in Via Verdi.

T: Grazie, e scusi mi puo dire dov'e l'albergo Paradiso?

P: L'albergo Paradiso e in via Doninzetti.

T: Tante grazie, arrivederci.

P: Arrivederci.

(b) Study these sentences. When is c'e used and when is dov'e used?

(1) C'e un ristorante qui vicino?

(2) Dov'e la Farmacia Salvioni?

(3) c'e una edicola qui vicino?

(5) Dov'e la Trattoria da Gianni? (c) Which of the following sentences are ungrammatical and why?

(a) Dove c'e it Teatro Comunale? (b) e un tram qui vicino? (c) Dov'e la fermata dell'autobus? (d) c'e un parcheggio? (d) Try to explain the use of c'e and dovie?

(e) Make up two sentences asking for some places. Use c'e and dov'e?

Tuttitalia, No. 12, December 1995 25 Table 3. Visualisation of the prepositions.

Table 4. Visualisation of the present tense.

Che cosa fai? y ti Io Tu Lui-LeiNoi Voi Loro Lavoro Lavori LavoraLavoriamoLavorate Lavorano

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26 66 Tuttitalia, Na. 12, December 1995 Reviews

Reviews editor Carole Shepherd

Collins Italian Concise Dictionary. let, nice, people, wholwhom) are certainly no Catherine E. Love, Glasgow, Harper Collins, less well treated than one could expect from 1993, xvii + 517 pp., £13.99, ISBN 0 -00- a dictionary of this size, and indeed in some 470503-3. The Oxford Paperback Italiancases show a range of examples of usage Dictionary, ItalianEnglish, Englishwhich rivals larger works. At the same time, Italian.Joyce Andrews, Oxford,Oxford there are several instances where just a University Press, 1994, xiii + 475 pp., £4.99, singleexampleof usage would have ISBN 0-19-282-184-9. brought greater clarity (e.g. to get in the senses of dare ai nervi a and toccare) and a All shapes and sizes of Italian dictionarysmall number of points which could puzzle are now available. This cannot be a bad or mislead (e.g. non va trascurato it fatto to thing. It must be borne in mind, however,illustrate the use of andare as a synonym for that the range and therefore usefulness of aessere; the use of le quali in an example illus- bilingual dictionary will depend to a largetrating the use of whom where only the and extent on its bulk. So those studying a lan- cui are actually given as equivalents of whom). guage seriously will need to have a decent- The ten words and expressions I looked sized volume in order to find the help theyup for the prose translation all seemed to need; they cannot reasonably expect as me to represent things a student might rea- much of a smaller dictionary as of a largersonably want to find or check up on. Only one. Taking this into account, what canin two cases did I not find appropriate help be said of these two recently published(in sympathy in the expression to cry in sym- dictionaries? pathy; and I told him the whole story). The Collins Concise is somewhat less than My selection of 30 words and expressions half the size (and only half the price) of itsfrom the press (15 examples from each lan- in-house competitor, the Collins-Sansoni,guage) yielded 16 inclusions (seven English, which is still probably the best of the largernine Italian) and 14 absences. Eight of these one-volume bilingual works available. To 14 absences, however, are not to be found in subject it to the full range of tests to which Ithe Collins-Sansoni either. The other six subjected the Collins-Sansoni and other dic- absences are: chappie, disaffected, multimedia, tionaries for previous reviews would prob-to rack up (of monetary advances); Aids ably be inappropriate, since it could lead to (Italian), test (Italian). Some of these terms unfair comparison. Instead, I have limitedare of course relatively recent and their myself to looking at the following threeabsence can perhaps be explained by the aspects of this work: its coverage of afact that, though the format of this diction- sample of 'important' individual items; itsary is new, its content dates back to 1985 usefulness in doing a moderately difficultand has remained unchanged since. prose translation; and itsinclusion (or Nonetheless, in terms of what can be otherwise) of a random sample of 'difficult'expected of a dictionary of this size, the words and expressions, including neolo-Collins Concise is on the whole an impres- gisms, taken from the British and Italiansive achievement. It contains a good deal of press. what Italianists at most levels would want The tenindividual itemsIsampled to find and offers very good facilities for (andare, brutto, esercizio, piano, salire; to get, to finding it with its large, clear typeface,

Tuttitalia, No. 12, December 1995 27 sy,;4Y31. clarity and simplicity in layout of entries ones. On the other hand, it does have a use- and much useful grammatical and otherful guide to stress for each Italian head- information integrated into entries (noun word. What we have overall, therefore, is a genders, irregular noun plurals, verbs con-dictionary which will be useful (and good jugated with essere, and phonetic tran-value) for certain limited purposes, but scription for headwords). An expandedwhich cannot be recommended to serious version of this dictionary, the Collins Italianstudents of Italian. Dictionary (published 1995 at £19.99), which HOWARD MOSS has just landed on my desk, seems to be a University of Wales Swansea compromise in size between the Concise and the Collins-Sansoni. It looks to have interest- Oxford-Duden PictorialItalianand ingly improved layout features and will beEnglish Dictionary, Oxford, Oxford the subject of a future review. University Press, 1995, £12.99, ISBN 0 -19- With its small format, The Oxford Paper- 864517-1 (also available in hardback). back Italian Dictionary works out at less than half the size of the Collins Concise, and there- The Oxford-Duden PictorialItalian and fore suffers by comparison. It has littleEnglish Dictionary is a new addition to the space for examples of usage, mainly going Oxford-Duden Pictorial range and was pro- in for straight lexical equivalents. While this duced 'with the assistance of numerous does not mean that it is not useful for con- Italian and British companies, institutions sultation on a simple level, I cannot agreeand technical experts'.It identifies over with its claim to provide 'a comprehensive 28,000 numbered objects, ranging from the treatment of the most useful words andfamiliar to the highly specialised and gives expressions in circulation today in thetheir names in both languages. The vocabu- English and Italian languages', since it is alary is listed under the following major treatment that rarely illustrates usage andheadings: The Atom, the Universe and the contains only six of the 30 words from theEarth; Man and his Social Environment; press sample mentioned above. SurprisingNature as environment, agriculture and absences from the 30, even for a dictionaryforestry;Trades,craftsandindustry; of this small size, include road block, safetyPrinting Industry; Transport, communica- belt, cantautore, impennata, schiarita and scu-tions and information technology; Office, detto. It scores better on the prose transla-Bank and Stock Exchange; Community; tion test, with six inclusions out of ten, butRecreation, games and sport; Entertain- gives no help in Italian on he got cross. ment, culture and art; Animals and plants. It is often said that a work like this, if Each double page contains a single illus- nothing else, is good for quick reference. But tration or two illustrations with numbered it does not always work like that. Lookingitems which are then related to words in through the entry under to get, for example,Italian and English. Detailed alphabeti- we find to get s.o. to do translated as far farecal indexes give relevant page references with no accompanying explanation or illus-and allow the dictionary to be used as tration. It would clearly be impossible foran Italian-English or English-Italian the user, who did not already know howdictionary. that construction worked, to make any sense As I have a number of students who enjoy of such information. In this case 'quick refer- learning vocabulary by topic area, I was ence' means no reference at all and it is by interested in looking at the dictionary more no means the only such instance to be foundclosely. I found that the main problem for in this volume. serious students of Italian would be that LiketheCollinsConcise,theOxford single lexical equivalents are given, and that Paperback reprints an older work, in thisthere are very few examples or explanations case dating back to 1989. It may also origi- of other uses of the words. Thus it would be nally have been conceived for Italian learn-possible for a serious student of Italian to ers of English, since pronunciations are misinterpret certain information given. given for English headwords but not Italian By way of example, I looked up the word

28 Tuttitalia, No. 12, December 1995 la pasticceria. In the Italian-English index the The flow of Italian materials from BBC references 97 17-47, 67-70, and 265 1-26Books continues apace! Readers of Tuttitalia were given. I turned to illustration 97 andwill have noticed, from reviews in recent attempted to view the page through theissues of this journal, just how many high- eyes of a serious student of Italian. Thequality items have emerged from the BBC word la pasticceria appeared three timesproduction line. Some of these products with illustration 97. At the beginning, with- havebeenupdatededitionsofold out the definite article: 1-54 'la panetteriafavourites, others have been brand new (negozio di pane in e pasticceria)baker'smaterials, and others again have displayed shop.' Then again without the definitethe attractive aggregation of previously dis- article, before 17-57 'pasticceriacakes (con-crete items. fectionery).' Finally, with the definite article, The BBC Italian Travel Pack falls into this 67-70 'la pasticceriaconfectionery unit.' Onlast category, and brings together the BBC the same double-page spread there wereItalian Phrase Book (ISBN 0-563-39994-5), other examples of definitions which couldcompiled by Carol Stanley and Philippa prove difficult for the serious student: 'laGoodrich, and first published in 1991, and commessa (la fornaia)shop assistant (Am.the 60-minute BBC Italian Phrase Cassette salesgirl, saleslady).' A good student may (ISBN 0-563-40006-4 PTT500), which was well be forgiven for assuming that la fornaiafirst copyrighted in 1990, with Carol Stanley is synonymous with la commessa, which and Philippa Goodrich as scriptwriters, and could lead to problems in another context. Denise De Rome and Enrico Verdecchia as On the same page, the proof-readers havethe presenters. These two items are now obviously missed the English ol-au-ent [sic]brought together as part of the BBC's 1995 for the Italian il vol-au-vent. Illustration 265,re-launch, with 'eye-catching new jackets', 1-31 gives us more details of my chosenof their Phrase Book /Travel Pack series, word 'il caffe con pasticceria; sim. il bar, la salabacked up by a major advertising campaign da to (m), la gelateria - café, serving cakes and which highlights the following features: pastries; sim. espresso bar, tea room, ice'The books are arranged by topic, with key cream parlour (Am. parlor).' On the samewords and phrases, a 5000-word mini-dic- page the definition 'il giornale (il quotidiano) tionary and useful background information newspaper' gives no indication to the readerabout the country. Each cassette enables that quotidiano is in fact a daily newspaper. listeners to learn the correct pronunciation I then looked up the word tappezziere, from native speakers and to practise at their which is given in the dictionary as being aown pace. The complete survival kit for the 'paperhanger'. I could find no reference toholidaymaker or business traveller, BBC an upholsterer. On the same page I noticedPhrase Books add up to a bestselling package the word I know as 'skirting board', il batti- in any language!'. scopa, defined only as 'picture rail'. The intended market pitch and the scope The Oxford-Duden Pictorial Italian andof the materials are thus firmly declared, English Dictionary will appeal to many stu-and perhaps, in view of these, it would be dents of Italian because of the illustrationsprudent for the intended end-users to take and the consequent visual clues to vocabu-note of the 'How to use this book' preface lary. Without clear guidance on its correctin the Phrase Book: 'Communicating in a use, however, it could be difficult for theforeign language doesn't have to be difficult autonomous learner to make immediate use you can convey a lot with just a few of the lists of words in other contexts. words (plus a few gestures and a bit of CAROLE SHEPHERD mime). Just remember: keep it simple.' That St Mary's Comprehensive School is precisely what this little book (little in Newcastle-upon-Tyne dimensions, but it has 288 pages!) doesit keeps things simple. It has no pretensions BBC Travel Pack: Italian. London, BBCabout aiming at the previously educated Books, 1995, £8.99 (inc. VAT), ISBN 0 -563-learner/ speaker of Italian, so each section 39995-3. features: useful tips and information; a

Tuttitalia, No. 12, December 1995 29 selection of words to be seen on signs or inThis section concentrates on the use of print; phrases one is likely to need to say;verbs in the Italian language, though trans- and things that people may say to you. lations are given throughout these explana- I promise not to say anything about writ- tions and sample sentences. ten accents, but there are some printing Section B is the largest and is entitled errors which should have been picked up'Model Verbs'. Around 100 verbs are listed for this re-launched text. Among these areand conjugated in the main tenses and (and I mention just a few at random): infir- moods, a double page being used for each. mierelinfirmiera should of course read infer-At the bottom of each page special char- mierelinfermiera; nella Scozia should be inacteristics are noted, for example, for man- Scozia, and in Galles should be nel Galles; CEgiare, 'verbs ending in -ciare/ giare drop i = EC should have been updated to UE =before another i or an e'. Sample sentences EU; it quattrocento = it Quattrocento; tree [sic] are given in Italian and in English too. Also quarti d'ora = tre quarti d'ora; puncuale [sic] = given is a small list of similar verbs follow- puntuale; Cecoslovachia, cecoslovaco, cecoslova- ing the same pattern as the main verb on ca = Cecoslovacchia, cecoslovacco, cecoslovacca that page. This I found particularly relevant and should in any case have been updatedfor students wishing to expand their gram- to Czech and Slovak respectively, with amar and vocabulary. Once again transla- similar updating needed for Yugoslavia; a tions are given. normi di legge = a norma di legge; and e stato The three main verb groups are conjug- un incidente should in context be c'e stato un ated across all the tenses and moods, while incidente.I think the point is made: anthe remainder of the verbs in this section opportunity appears to have been missed toare only conjugated in all six persons when bring this little text up to the quality levelthe verb is irregular in that particular tense evinced in other recent BBC productions.(usually present or past definite). Otherwise The audio-cassette is, by contrast, of thethe first person singular is used as an ex- usual very high BBC standard. It allows theample, thus avoiding long lists of unneces- user to practise at his /her own paceatsary information, and keeping the page home, in the car or on a personal stereo. It clear of complicated lists. will be reassuring for the end-user to be Section C is literally one page long and encouraged by the declaration that 'Italianis the subject index relevant to Section A, isn't a difficult language to pronounce, andlisting all the tenses, moods and grammar the more you practise saying things outcovered in that section. loud, the easier you'll find it becomes.' The final section, Section D, is a verb ANDREW WILKIN index of the 2500 verbs used in the book, University of Strathclyde with relevant page references and addi- Italian Verb Handbook. Carole Shepherd, tional information, for example, whether it Oxford, Berlitz Publishing Company Ltd, 1994, is a transitive, intransitive or reflexive verb. vii + 312 pp., £4.95, ISBN 2-8315-1364-2. This is a well-planned modern book and covers more or less every tense and mood a This Italian Verb Handbook begins with a student of Italian may ever need. It is a very brief introduction on how to use it, which is straightforward and uncomplicated book, essential in order to gain its full benefits.yet comprehensive and practical. While it This is then followed by four sections. may be a little daunting for absolute begin- Section A deals with the Italian verb sys- ners, it is excellent for GCSE, A Level and tem, beginning with a simple introductionbeyond. It could be used in a business or to what verbs are and what they do, etc.,academic situation, in a formal lesson or thus making it suitable for linguists andprivate study. I would have no hesitation in non-linguists alike, though perhaps toorecommending this to my students, espe- advanced for absolute beginners. Each cially as it is so competitively priced. tense and mood is then explained and con- STEFANIA NUTTALL jugated fully in the three main verb groups. Macclesfield College of Further Education

30 1 7 0 Tuttitalia, No. 12, December 1995 Italian False Friends. R. Ferguson, Toronto,teachers, will find it the most difficult dic- University of Toronto Press, 1995,xiii +tionary to put down! 123 pp., £15.00, ISBN 0-8020-6948-7 (distri- CLELIA BOSCOLO buted in the UK by International Book Distri- University of Birmingham butors Ltd). LaGioventti.CaroleShepherdand In his preface to Italian False Friends, SimonettaManfredi,Victoria,Australia, Ronnie Ferguson states that his intentionCIS Educational, 1993, v + 50 pp., £6.95, was 'to provide clear, readable guidance ISBN 1-86391-1103. Cassette: £9.95 + VAT. backed by helpful examples with accompa- (Distributedin the UK by European nying translations' through the curious, Schoolbooks Ltd). interesting, challenging, infuriating maze ofdeceptivecognatesinItalianand La Gioventu is part of the series of books English. CollanaAttualita Italiana designed specific- I would say that he has fulfilled his aims ally for students continuing their Italian stud- admirably: Italian False Friends is an excellent ies to an advanced level. It is full of up-to-the- book, which all Italianists will find useful. minute articles, discussion topics and realia Do not be put off by the format: althoughwhich are of particular interest to young it appears as an alphabetical list of words,people. All instructions are given in Italian you will soon find how difficult it is to stopand there is a glossary after each article and a reading on from one entry to the next. Themain glossary at the end of the book. alphabetical listing has two major advan- There are six main topics: Young people tages: it considers the cognates from theand Adults; Love; Free time; Problems; The starting point of Italian, rather than English, Past; and The Future. Chapter 5,'Passato', and it makes the book extremely easy to includes an article about the student move- consult. The addition of comprehensivement of 1968, and small excerpts of Italian cross-referencing, up-to-date and relevantliterature by Domenico Giordano, Italo examples and extremely interesting culturalCalvino and Lorenzo de' Medici. Every notes, which range from survival informa-articleis followed by a comprehension tion to literature, cinema, institutions, soci-exercise, discussion topics, grammar and ety and even history of the language, meanother exercises. The accompanying tape that it will be virtually impossible to put theincludes conversations, radio broadcasts book down, once you have started lookingand music which extend the topics covered. through it! The additional cultural notesA transcript of the tape is included at the and the Italian-based approach set this end of the book. work apart from previous publications This is a very well set out book and could dealing with the same topic. be used as a resource for a variety of activi- On the negative side, I could find veryties. La Gioventii would be a good basis for few flaws: a few misprints and a few puz-topic work, or it could be an extra resource zling statements. For example, on page 15,of authentic material for reading, grammar bravery is given as a possible translation ofwork, listening or discussion. It is a very bravura; on page 28, tappeto is rendered withwelcome source of material for teachers of carpet, rather than rug; on page 53, fluente ismore advanced classes. considered acceptable as fluent; on page 55,PAM GREGG compulsory schooling is said to be from 6 toNew College, Durham 15, rather than 14; finally, on page 119, the pass mark in the maturita exam is given asGrammar: A Student'sGuide.J.R. 31, while it is in fact 36. My only other reser- Hurford, Cambridge, Cambridge University vation is the rather low-budget appearancePress, 1994, reprinted 1995, xiii + 271 pp., of the book, but the affordable price should £9.95 pbk, ISBN 0-521-45627-4 (also available make up for that. in hardback, £30.00, ISBN 0-521-45409-3). An excellent and thoroughly enjoyable book. All Italianists, whether students or No, this is not a new guide to Italian

Tuttitalia, No. 12, December 1995 31 grammar which has found its way quietlyone is curious to know the potential iden- into the market-place: this a major introduc-tity, on pages 65-66, of 'a patois spoken in a tory guide to grammar in general which isvillage high in the Alps which it is hard to 'clearly written and easy to use' and whichidentify as either Italian or French, being 'will be an essential source of informationsomething between the French spoken in for students of language and linguistics'.Lyon and the Italian spoken in Turin'); Indeed it will be! This volume, which isDirect Object (although I can find no cross- 'designed for the student with little or noreference to Italian on the page suggested by previous knowledge of grammar', will findtheindex);Gender(wherethereis a warm welcome among students andsubstantial cross-reference to Italianbut, teachers of foreign languages, not onlysadly, not all of it accurateit uomo [sic] because it'offers explanations, examplesscreams at us on page 79!); the Imperative; and exercises, not brief, cut-and-dried defi-Impersonal Sentences (where, not entirely nitions', but also because the foreign lan-jocularly, one could observe that the ex- guages we teach and learn are perforceample To dislike London is to dislike life is fac- directly correlated in their acquisition andtually unfounded!); the Infinitive (where practice to the learner's native tongue. we are advised that 'Italian infinitives, for This text, with its 'clear, accessible, user-example, all end in -are, -ire or -ere'; Pro- friendly style and format', plugs the gap fessor Hurford clearly has not progressed to so evident in the early stages of foreign lan-verbs in -rre, but I can recommend an excel- guage learning (be that at secondary or ter-lentItalianVerbs book tohim!);the tiary level)of learner lack of awareness ofNegative (where a whole string of accents is the structures of English, andnot by anymissing from the Italian cross-references, means least (in this age of non-formal teach- witness especially Non e ne nero ne grigio for ing of English)of the terminology ofNon e ne nero ne grigio); Ordinal Numerals grammar. Thankfully, and very helpfully,(where Professor Hurford records his own this volume 'provides explanations of basiccreation settesimo on page 148; of course it terms and vocabulary crucial for an under- should be settimo); Person (where the Italian standing of the structure and function ofcourtesy pronouns Lei and Loro are recorded language'. on page 167 with lower case initial letters); Precisely because Grammar: A Student'sPossessive forms (where we find mama on Guide is directed at all students of language page 184 for mamma); Pronoun forms; not just the English languageProfessorSentences (but note the missing accent on E Hurford can legitimately claim,inhis venuta [sic] on page 223); and Words. Introduction, that this book is intended to In short, a thoroughly solid volume be useful to: marredforItalianistsbyweaknesses * College (and perhaps high school) stu-and errors in the cross-references to Italian. dents of languages who find clear state- ANDREW WILKIN ments about grammar helpful totheir University of Strathclyde language-learning efforts; * Students of English making systematicCome leggere. L. Oriolo, D. Aust and studies of texts and language in use; M. Galasso, Perugia, Edizioni Guerra, 1995, * English and foreign-language teachers; 144 pp., £11.50, ISBN 887715-151-X (distrib- * Beginning students of linguistics. uted in the UK by European Schoolbooks Ltd). Within the body of the text we find quite a number of cross-references to Italian Come leggere is the first of a series of books (more than there are to Russian or Spanish,aimed at students of Italian at Intermediate but fewer than there are to either French or or Advanced level. No specific age range is German!). Topics which attract contrastivegiven, but the book would seem to be comment for Italian are Agreement; theappropriate for post-GCSE candidates in Auxiliary Verb; Demonstrative Adjectivesschools and colleges. Although the main (but please note, on page 61, that questaaim of the book is to develop the student's means only this, not this/ that); Dialect (andreading skills, activities cover a wide range

32 472 Tuttitalia, No. 12, December 1995 of topics (e.g. free time, work, the environ-ways in which to present imaginative activi- ment, holidays, food and drink, school,ties which are based on reading material. health), and also lend themselves to practiceThe authors are to be congratulated for their with the skills of writing, listening and,well-considered contribution to the ever- speaking. Teachers are offered a variety ofincreasing number of teachers of Italian. exercises at varying degrees of difficulty. CAROLE SHEPHERD The index lists nineteen Units ranging St Mary's Comprehensive School from `Gli Italiani e la TV' to 'Non abbando- Newcastle-upon-Tyne niamoli.Each of these nineteen Units is based on an article in Italian. It is left to theLegal and Commercial Italian. Corso di teacher to decide which texts to use anditaliano giuridico e commerciale. Simonetta when, as they do not have to be used inManfredi and Leonardo Oriolo, Victoria, sequence. Australia, CIS Publishers, 1993, x + 166 pp., Most Units are divided into the following £29.95, ISBN 1-86391-106-5 (distributed in the sections: Prelettura, which contains exercises UK by European Schoolbooks Ltd). designed to stimulate the students' interest in the passage; Lettura, which includes the Compared to previous courses of this actual text itself and related comprehensionkind, Legal and Commercial Italian has several activities; Lessico, which draws the students'advantages. Firstly, it is current and up-to- attention to new expressions used withindate (at least for the moment) as far as the the text; II dubbio, which contains exercises'technical' information is concerned, and based on common errors, particularly insecondly, it looks extremely professional. grammatical structures; Strutture, which Other similar courses in the past had a offers the student the chance to consolidatetendency to be too general and did not con- grammatical structures found within thecentrate enough on 'real' legal language, text; Postlettura, which often takes the formafraid perhaps to frighten the prospective of a role play or discussion in order to allowlearner with a register which is uncomfort- wider discussion of the subject; Scrittura,able even for a large number of native which includes a number of different writ-speakers. ing activities to sum up the points learned Legal and Commercial Italian is excellent in the Unit; and Attivitasupplementari, proof that it is perfectly possible to teach a which give further practice in either thelanguage ab initio using a very high register topic or the grammatical structures. and a complex linguistic area. The book is in black and white, but there The course deals with three basic topics: is an effective use of visual material. TheProperty Law, Contract Law and Company page layout is clear and not too cluttered,Law. Theory and practice are given an although some exercises do require you toequal share: the former provides the appro- look back at a previous page. priate means for the comprehension of con- Come leggere is user-friendly and provides cepts and technical vocabulary, the latter an integral teacher's guide and key to theconsists of practical tasks based on authen- grammatical exercises.It offers teacherstic documents, such as notarial deeds, con- valuable professional advice on how totracts, minutes and formal letters, from develop the student's reading and diction-which the main language forms and func- ary skills, use of the target language, and tions are selected. knowledge of structures as well as useful The activities, designed to practise the words and expressions. variouslexicalor grammatical notions The book is written entirely in Italian.introduced, are always relevant and chal- This builds upon the requirements of thelenging without being demoralising. National Curriculum and most Examination The essentially communicative approach Boards and Universities, as well as theof this course is skilfully combined with needs of the majority of students. grammar charts and vocabulary lists, which Come leggere would be a useful resourcewill both help learners and encourage them for any teacher of Italian searching for newto serious, methodical study.

Tuttitalia, No. 12, December 1995 33 The overall professionality of Legal andthis is inconsistent with the statement on Commercial Italian is a credit to the authors, p. 150. both competent language teachers, and There are gaps, too. For instance, the obviously extremely knowledgeable aboutdatabase onlylists,for Manzoni's The Italian and English law. Betrothed, Penman's translation (1983, in CLELIA BOSCOLO print),omitting Colquhoun's (1951, no University of Birmingham longer in print but available from some libraries). The Babel Guide to Italian Fiction in And why omit from the reviews Our Translation. Ray Keenoy, Fiorenza ConteAncestors for Calvino, or Family Sayings for and Others, London, Boulevard Books, 1995,Ginzburg? Personal choices? The authors' 183 pp., £7.95, ISBN 1-899460-00-4. are as valid as mine but personal choices, while appropriate for an anthology, are not This is the first in a new series of booksso for a Guide. If it is to be serious, it has which aim to inform prospective readersto be comprehensive. Some of the space of what is available in foreign fiction inneeded for this could be gained by omitting translation. the illustrations, which add little to the The first part of this Guide (pp. 11-141)book, and even the quotations: one can consists of short reviews (from seven con- hardly give 'a taste' of a work in a few lines tributors) of some 130 works by 69 Italian and in translation! And if, in the end, the authors, concentrating on 'books that arebook has to be bigger, it is worth paying currently in print' (p. 150). Most of the sec- more for an exhaustive reference work. ond part (pp. 145-83) is a database of 'all It would also be useful to indicate the contemporary [..] fiction [the compi-or suggestthe respective merits of differ- lers] could trace'. In the first part, almostenttranslations(Penman's closer than every review is followed by a quotationColquhoun's to the original I Promessi from the work in question, to give readers aSposi?). And it would have been most use- taste of the writing. ful to me last term to know not to choose the Who will be interested in such a book? Dedalus translation of Verga's House by the Lovers of things Italian unable to read theMedlar Tree for my students, because it is original texts and those, such as myself, full of typographical errors! wishing to teach some European literature 'A brilliant idea' proclaims the front in translation. For us all, this Guide seems an cover. Yes ...but still in need of some 'fine excellent idea: a welcome short-cut to hap- tuning'. hazard searches in catalogues and foreign ANNETTE BARKER bookshops. Many of the reviews, consider- New England College ing the little space they have, give helpful Arundel information:story-line,historicalback- ground and stylistic characteristics. So theAll'uscita. Luigi Pirandello, with introduc- Guide goes some way towards making ourtion and facing translation by Emanuela choice easier. Cervato and Doug Thompson, Market Only some way, however, for it containsHarborough, University Texts (in association inconsistencies. For instance, Umberto Ecowith Hull Italian Texts), 1995, viii + 66 pp., is duly mentioned in the database with sixprice not stated, ISBN 1-899293-00-0. works listed, including The Name of the Rose and Foucault's Pendulum; however, these The translator-editors of this slim vol- (key works, surely!) are not included in theume admit to 'self-indulgent pleasure in reviewswhich would suggest that Eco'stranslating and writing about this particu- two most famous novels are out of print.lar play'. In their view, All'uscita is 'worth This is not so. preserving and handing on, and it is for Conversely, Svevo's book Confessions ofthis reason that we have presented it in this Zeno is reviewed, whereas the database indi- dual-language format, making it accessible cates (rightly) that it is out of print. Again, to [..] Italianists and their students, [and]

34 Tuttitalia, No. 12, December 1995 also to others, not least to amateur and pro- Rarely does one have the opportunity fessional theatre groups.' and privilege to 'live' the gestation of a All'uscita is a little-known one-act play ofscholarly text at one remove. Such was the the First World War period (it was firstfortune of the undersigned, who witnessed published in 1916 in the literary journalthe many public, university and conference Nuova Antologia). The significance of thepapers which signalled the progressive timing of its appearance has little to doevolution of this text. And that is without with world events, but much to do withcounting the radio broadcasts, reviews, and Pirandello's shift, from being essentially apublished articles which bear testimony poet and prose-writer, to becoming one ofto the long-standing scholarlyand, yes, the principal figures of twentieth-centurycreative-artisticconcern with and interest theatre. Already in germe are to be seenin the life and works of Leonardo Sciascia, some of the elements which will becomewhich Joe Farrell has consistently and hallmarks of Pirandello's theatrical produc- cogently displayed. To have had access to tion: little in the way of physical move-a pre-publication copy of the text added ment; plot development through conversa-further pleasure to the privilege. tion; reflections on life; and the demar- This major critical study on Sciascia is cation between reality and appearances.the first to have appeared in English since The product of this, as the editors observe, the writer's death in 1989. It appears in the is that: '(as we find notoriously in the laterauthoritative Edinburgh University Press Sei personaggi in cerca d'autore) one lives'Writers of Italy' series, volumes which are most of one's life feeling misunderstood,written by specialists, but are declaredly judged unfairly, labelled in the most inap-'aimed at the general reader as well as propriate ways.' the student'. To facilitate that end, all pas- Unlike most of his early plays, we learnsages in Italian are followed by English that All'uscita 'seems not to have its origins translations. in one of his earlier short stories.' For its It is one of those inexplicable oddities trama, suffice it to note with the editorsthat a writer so forceful and wide-ranging that:'It centres on the reminiscences ofin his compass should have remained their time in life by two ghosts, only verylargely unknown and unsuccesful in the recently dead, who are eventually joinedEnglish-speaking literary world (and that, by the ghost of the wife of one of them, theone might observe, despite the fact that a Fat Man, newly murdered by her loveras goodly proportion of his works are avail- her husband had just predicted': a 'littleable in paperback translation). Does one gem' as the editors describe it. approach Sciascia as novelist (principally This slim volume is also a 'little gem': of detective fiction and historically-found- with an Introduction extending to some 19ed works), staunch opponent of the Mafia, pages, the dual-language text occupies justessayist, political commentator, journalist, 44 pages (and it is not vacuous to note the literary critic, Sicilian, as a man of tradition perfect use of graphic accents in the Italianor of innovation? In this masterly study text). The service done by making this playwritten in a style which evinces his lengthy available in Italian/English may of itselfnovitiate in both the scholarly and journ- lead to a minor renaissance in the staging alisticregistersJoeFarrellconfronts of one-act plays, not least in UniversitySciascia (whom he had the opportunity to Italian Departments. It deserves a heartymeet on various occasions in his native reception. islandthe author was notoriously not one ANDREW WILKIN to travel far from home) from all of these University of Strathclyde angles 'to show how the historical and cultural complexities of Sicily shaped his Leonardo Sciascia. Joseph Farrell,wider vision of life'. Edinburgh,Edinburgh UniversityPress The volume is divided into seven chap- ('Writers of Italy'), 1995, ix + 181 pp., £40.00ters, which interweave chronological pro- hardback, ISBN 0-7486-0620-3. gression with artistic evolution, thematic

Tuttitalia, No. 12, December 1995 35 prominence with the development of polit-scholarly journals in the past twenty years ical thought. The reader is carried alongor so, there has inevitably been some jock- with the flow of the text, and is botheying to carve out niches. The Italianist was informed and guided page-by-page as thisnever conceived to be in direct competition assessment of a complex figure unfolds.with the highly academic Italian Studies, The pleasure lies in the scholarship and thenor with the professional niche occupied reading thereof, and not least in Farrell'sbyTuttitalia,but rathertoencourage rich command and deployment of theyounger scholars and researchers in their English language (the occasional technical- aspirationtolaunchtheirpublishing philosophical term may even send thecareers and to be prepared to 'break new reader scuttling for a substantial Englishground', particularly in the treatment of dictionary!). modern and /or lesser-known authors. The seven chapters are as follows: (1) Issue number 14 of The Italianist main- Civic Humanism and the Body Politic; (2) tains its appeal across a wide topic-range, De Rebus Siculis; (3) The Detective Story; and it is proper that Tuttitalia should record (4) History and the Historical Novel; (5)for the wider spectrum of Italianists at all Inquisitions and Inquisitors; (6) Candourlevels and in all sectors the contents of this and Candido; and (7) The Last Works edition. The fourteen contributionsfrom Sciascia's Myths. A full Bibliography ofscholars operating in a diversity of institu- Sciascia's works (to which are added fulltionsin this substantial volume are as fol- referencetoavailabletranslationsinlows: English, as well as anthologies of criticalLauro Martines (University of California, writings and critical monographs, andLos Angeles): 'Loveandhatein other articles and chapters on Sciascia), isRenaissance patronage: Italy'; followed by a detailed index of names and Barbara Garvin(UniversityCollege, topics. With a price-tag of £40 this volume London): 'Belli e it mondo alla rovescia'; is costly in cash terms, but invaluable inSharon Wood (University of Strathclyde): scholarly terms. It will find an essential'Gender and autobiography: The double place on all library shelves, and will be vision of Sibilla Aleramo'; eagerly sought by specialistItalianistsGiuliana Adamo (University of Reading): acrosstheeducational spectrum.This '«E lasciatemi divertire»: Palazzeschi e la study is to be marked out as an essentialsua poesia giovanile'; acquisition, and has every right to be so. CristinaDellaColetta(Universityof ANDREW WILKIN Virginia): 'Historical reconfigurations and University of Strathclyde the ideology of desire: Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa's Il Gattopardo'; TheItalianist,no. 14,1994,editor Rossella Riccobono (University of Zygmunt G. Bara riski,together with aEdinburgh): 'Lettura in limine di La canna Supplement, 'Culture and Societyinthe dispiuma e di Fuscello teso dal muro di Southern Italy: past and present', editedEugenio Montale'; by Anna Cento Bull and Adalgisa Giorgio, Philip Cooke (University of Strathclyde): 1994, £10.00, 320 + 142 pp., ISSN 0261-4340. 'Fenoglio'sbinoculars,Johnny'seyes'; Guido Bonsaver(UniversityofKent): The Department of Italian Studies of the 'IICalvino «semiotico»: dallacrisidel University of Reading has for many years romanzonaturalisticoall' operacome been identified as one of the pivotal centres macrotesto'; of Italian Studies in the UK. That it has not Donald McGrady (University of Virginia): merely sustained but actively developed'Textual revisions in Eco's Il nome della the annual journal The Italianist over four- rosa'; teen issues, is a clear token of the scholarlyUrsulaFanning(UniversityCollege, esteem in which its Editor and AdvisoryDublin): 'Mother in the text, mothering the Board are held. In a discipline where there text:FrancescaSanvitale and Fabrizia has been a burgeoning market-place inRamondino';

36 1 7 6 Tuttitalia, No. 12, December 1995 Luciano Cheles (University of Lancaster):tana del dopoguerra'; 'PierodellaFrancescainnineteenth-Ernest Hampson (UniversityofBath): century Britain'; Gattopardo reconsidered'; John Dickie (University College, London):Mary Wood(UniversityofLondon, 'Lamacchinadascrivere:TheVictor BirkbeckCollege):'Imagesfromthe Emmanuel Monument in Rome and Italian Southern front: The Mezzogiorno in the nationalism'; cinema of Francesco Rosi'; and Mary P. Wood (University of London,John Dickie (University College, London): Birkbeck College): 'Simple stories: 'The South as Other: From Liberal Italy to Adapting Sciascia for the screen'; the Lega Nord'. and the Writer's Desktop feature: ANDREW WILKIN Eanna oCeallachain(Universityof University of Strathclyde Glasgow): '«L'origine della parola»: An interview with Piero Bigongiari'. Critical discourses on teacher develop- Published with The Italianist, number 14,ment. John Smyth (ed.), London, Cassell, is a thematic Supplement (part-financed by 1995, viii + 231 pp., £12.99 pbk, ISBN 0 -304- the Association for Language Learning), on33402-2; A different kind of teacher. Tony 'Culture and Society in Southern Italy: pastHumphreys, London, Cassell, 1995, x + and present'. For this, the Supplement178 pp., £9.99 pbk, ISBN 0-304-33090-6; Editors (Anna Cento Bull and AdalgisaChildren's Mathematical Thinking in the Giorgio) have brought together a set ofPrimaryYears.JuliaAnghileri(ed.), papers first presented at a day conference London, Cassell, 1995, xviii + 174 pp., £12.99 underthesametitleheldatthepbk, ISBN 0-304-33260-7; Maths Alive! University of Bath in May 1994, with addi-INSET Mathematics for the National tional contributions which flowed fromCurriculum (Key Stages 1, 2 and 3). Edith that day's deliberations. It is of substantialBiggs and Kathleen Shaw, London, Cassell, credit to the Supplement Editors, as well as 1995, xiv + 210 pp., £12.99 pbk, ISBN 0 -304- to Editorial Board of The Italianist, that this 32990-8. additionalthematic volume hasbeen produced and brought to the world of From time to time, publishing houses Italian Studies so swiftly. The dedicatorywhich have direct interests in the discipline wish says much for the spirit in which thefield represented by Tuttitalia, also forward volumewasconceived:«Dedichiamofor notice texts from other fields in which questo libro a coloro the si sforzano dithey have strong representation. This is capire it Sud con 'simpatia'». The featuredovertly the case with the four titles from essays are as follows: Cassell detailed above. Anna Cento Bull (University of Bath): Whilstat least superficiallyone might 'Introduction: The South: Society and cul-be tempted to the notion that such texts can tural representations'; only be of marginal concern to readers of Fabrizia Ramondino (novelist): 'Letteraturathis journal, it must be borne in mind that napoletana e letteratura nazionale'; much cross-curricular and inter-dependent Adalgisa Giorgio (University of Bath):discipline work lies at the heart of the 'Conversazione con Fabrizia Ramondino,National Curriculum programmes. That 8 maggio 1994'; being the case, it is indeed appropriate that Adalgisa Giorgio (University of Bath):just occasionally we should step outside 'Narrativa napoletana e napoletanita'; our routine discipline boundaries to take Adalgisa Giorgio (University of Bath):cognisance of what is happening elsewhere 'Bibliografia della letteratura napoletana';in the cognate curriculum. Paolo Varvaro (UniversityofNaples): Not the least of related concerns to lin- 'Napoli: it passato come guida possibile perguists is what is evolving in mathematics it futuro?'; the two discipline fields both draw upon Percy Allum (UniversityofReading): step-function learning and both operate 'Alcune osservazioni sulla politica napole-with related mental syntaxand perhaps

Tuttitalia, No. 12, December 1995 37 markedly in the early years of learning,Books received for where special endeavours are also currently being made in the teaching of modernforthcoming review foreign languages across the ability range. The volumes, respectively edited andLanguage authored, by Anghileri (surely that is an Italian name!) and Biggs and Shaw, set out, Italian Vocabulary Handbook. Rossana in the first case inter alia to find ways 'to Mc Keane, Oxford, Berlitz Publishing encourage children to generate their own Company Ltd, 1994, £4.95. knowledge and understanding' (a wholly similar process to that used in languageBBC Italian Grammar. Alwena Lamping, teaching), and in the second case (and in London, BBC Books, 1995, £5.99. parallel) to place 'the emphasis on problem-solving to enable teachers to under-A Linguistic History of Italian. Martin stand concepts and subsequently to help Maiden, London, Longman, 1995, £14.99. their pupils to do so, instead of relying on memorisation alone' (again analogous toAbsoluteBeginners'BusinessItalian the language process). (Book + Support Book +2audio- The main thrust of the Humphreys vol-cassettes). Margaret Powell and Rossana ume is that 'teachers with high self-esteemMcKeane, London, Hodder & Stoughton, foster high self-esteem in their pupils, and 1995. Book, £10.99; Support Book + Cassette demonstrates that teachers who establish Pack, £20.00 + £2.63 VAT. close relationships with students are often the most effective teachers' (is this not, inBBC Italian Master De Luxe Course. large measure, the case with the language London, BBC Books, 1994, £185.00 plus £4.95 teaching and learning process?). The text delivery. sets out, therefore, to present 'a blueprint for personal development based on goodMondo Italiano Magazine, vol. 1, no. 2. communication,effectiveinterpersonal Market Harborough, University Texts, 1995, relationships, and the avoidance of stress' £6.00 (includes accompanying audio-cassette). (this last, surely, is of critical significance to all of us who operate daily at the chalkface). Smyth (ed.) takes the consideration a stepLiterature and Culture further and 'looks critically at issues in the international debate on teacher develop-Ricordi diSicilia. Concetto La Malfa, ment'. It brings together in a single volume aMarket Harborough, University Texts, 1995, 'collection of articles by well-known authors price (£5.00) not indicated. and theorists and presents new directions for teacher development'. Of a more 'political' character is the concern that 'teachers Pedagogy must create a language within which dialogue about schooling can occur if they areFlexible Learning Strategies in Higher to reclaim teaching from the attempts to har-and Further Education. Diana Thomas ness education to the economy'. (ed.), London, Cassell Education, 1995, £13.99. These are volumes which could comfortably and indeed quite appropriately find TeachingandLearningArgument. their place in staff resource rooms, andRichard Andrews, London, Cassell may provefor more personal reasonsto Education, 1995, £12.99. have a particular appeal to individual teachers of our discipline. ANDREW WILKIN University of Strathclyde

38 Tuttitalia, No. 12, December 1995 News and views

Italian A Level Study Day: introdotte e commentate da Abele Longo e corredate da un'interessante bibliografia University of North London, sull'argomento. 11 March 1995 Brillante come sempre, l'intervento di Simonetta Manfredi che, relatrice ormai Con una lusinghiera partecipazione dicollaudata, ha saputo coinvolgere it suo pubblico, si e svolta sabato, 11 marzo 1995, pubblico con stimoli talvolta provocatori presso la University of North London, lama sostanzialmente solidali con l'universo seconda edizione dell'A Level Italian Studygiovanile. Day. Ugualmente efficace it rapido ma mirato Promotrice dell' iniziativa e stataexcursus di Nia Griffith, Chief Examiner Mariolina Freeth che, ancora una volta, hadell'UODLE,sui«puntideboli»della dato prova non solo di professionalita mapreparazionelinguisticadeicandidati anche di notevoli capacita organizzative.all'esame di A Level e sui relativi accorgi- Destinata principalmente agli studentimenti da prendere per utilizzare, con it dei corsi A Level, la giornata ha offertomassimo profitto, le competenze acquisite. interessanti spunti di riflessione ed indi- Nel pomeriggio, ancora interventi didat- cazioni didattiche anche ai numerosi inse-tici sui livelli di competenza linguistica gnanti presenti. richiesta per le abilita del «parlare, leggere I lavori si sono aperti con tre relazioni,e scrivere» e suggerimenti pratici per va- svolte contemporaneamente in aulelorizzare al meglio le proprie risorse. diverse, su contenuti selezionati dal pro- Pino Chirico (UODLE-ELEAC), Laura gramma d'esame per gli A Level: Gioia (UODLE) e Derek Aust (South Devon Sciascia e la Mafia (Guya Rossi, King'sCollege), con la loro ormai pluriennale College, University of London); esperienza, hanno fornito non solo mate- II fascismo attraverso it cinema (Abeleriali ma soprattutto indicazioni strategiche Longo); per accostarsi all'esame in modo corretto I giovani nell'Italia di oggi (Simonettaed affrontarlo con successo. Manfredi, Oxford Brookes University). Decisamente positivo, dunque, it bilancio Gli interventi, finalizzati alle esigenze deldi una giornata che, fra gli altri e non ulti- pubblico, hanno rappresentato un interes-mo, ha avuto it merito di offrire a studenti e sante momento di arricchimento culturaleinsegnanti un'opportunita di incontro e di che e andato ben al di la dell'obiettivoarricchimento non solo professionale e cul- immediato dell'esame. Con notevole abili-turale ma anche umano. ta, i relatori sono riusciti ad estrapolare, da ANTONIA PAGLIARULO contenuti di indubbia vastita e complessita, London NW11 le linee tematiche essenziali ed a renderle accessibili anche ad un pubblico di «non esperti» grazie anche all'impiego di mate-Conference News riale audiovisivo. The AssociazioneInternazionaledei Estremamente attenta ed efficace e stata Professori d'Italiano (AIPI) will be hold- la scelta di sequenze di film sul Fascismoingitsnext conference in Regensburg

Tuttitalia, No. 12, December 1995 39 (Germany)in August 1996. We haveCulturali,ViaAlessandria13,35100 received the following information: Padova; tel: 00-39-49-8755297; fax: 00- 39 -49- 650973. XII Congresso: RATISBONA (Germania) Exchanges would take place for a period 29-31 agosto 1996 of 7-10 days, normally between February Stato e frontiera: dalla Mitteleuropa and May, and would involve approxi- all'Europa unita? mately 20 students aged between 15 and Tenendo conto della sede del convegno,18. The Italian students in the exchange con i due termini si vuole indicare l'impat-would have studied English for 5-8 years, to dei concetti di stato e di frontiera sulbut in return would be willing to accept divenire di eventi culturali, politici e sociali British students who have just one year of come l'affermarsi dell'ideale di nazione e diItalian. A successful exchange would lead Europa unita: fenomeni the hanno con-to a continuing programme of annual dizionato e condizionano it divenire dellaexchanges. The Italian enquirers have not cultura italiana. had a great deal of encouragement from Conference fee: 20.000 lire other more 'formal' channels, and are keen Accommodation to bring this opportunity to the notice of Single room: 50.000 lire per person Italianists more directly by making this per night offer through the columns of Tuttitalia. Double room: 40.000 lire per person One school particularly interested in per night such an exchange programme is the Liceo Linguistico Dante Alighieri in Padova. What is AIPI? AIPI is an internationalTheir request is made by their principal association of teachers of Italian which has teacher of English, prof.ssa Carla worked, since1975,to encourage theCappellato. The school is a private liceo spread of the teaching of Italian as a foreignwith some 200 pupils, evenly divided language at all educational levels and in allbetween boys and girls, with an age range parts of the world. between 13 and 18. The pupils' parents are Who can join AIPI? All those interested, mostly from the professional or commer- directly or indirectly, in the teaching ofcial ranks of society, and some have small Italian as a foreign language. The member-industries. They live either in apartments ship fee is 700 Belgian francsapproxi-in the centro storico of Padova, or in houses mately £15 sterling. in the suburbs. The school would be For further information contact Juliepleased to start with exchanges of letters, Beverly, Centre for Modern Languages,then exchanges of books and tapes, and Plymouth Business School, University ofeventually exchanges of students.Full Plymouth, Drake Circus, Plymouth PL4detailsof appropriateItalianstudents 8AA. Tel: 01752-232878; Fax: 01752-232885; would be forwarded, in order to facilitate e-mail:[email protected] matching process. congratulations to Dr Luisa Quartermaine Initial contact should be made through (University of Exeter) who was recently.MB Associazione Scambi Culturali (details elected President of AIPI. above). JULIE BEVERLY KATHY WICKSTEED University of Plymouth Gosport P012

School exchanges Women in Switzerland

ALL regularly receives requests for inter- 25 Years Emancipation? Women in school exchanges from potential partnerSwitzerland 1971-1996 is the name of a schools in Italy. A typical example is themajorConference,sponsoredbyPro one summarised below, and channelled toHelvetia (the Arts Council of Switzerland), ALL through MB Associazione Scambito be held, as part of the Bicentenary 40 ,.:180 Tuttitalia, No. 12, December 7995 Celebrations of the University of teaching units, by. Universities, for teachers Strathclyde, from 29-31 March 1996. of intermediate and advanced level stu- 1996 marks the 25th anniversary of thedents. The first package for Italian, com- introduction of women's suffrage at federalpleted in 1990, was called 0I Trasporti» and levelinSwitzerlandandalsothewas produced by Gabriella Brigo from the BicentenaryofthefoundingoftheUniversity of Kent at Canterbury (others on University of Strathclyde. The Conferencedifferent themes were later made by the 25 Years Emancipation? will seek to assessLanguage Centre at Oxford University, the changes experienced by women inwho had pioneered the idea for French). Switzerland over a quarter of a century. The package included a one-hour video- All three principal cultural dimensionscassette and a book of transcriptions, ex- of Switzerland (German-Swiss, French-ercises and newspaper articles on the same Swiss, and Italian-Swiss) will be accorded theme. appropriate treatment. The Conference lan- The success of the Olympus experiment guage will be English and the followingcan be measured in terms of the number of themes will be addressed: hours of transmission throughout Europe * The Women's Movement in Switzerland,via the Olympus satellite (The European the fight for the vote, and developments Space Agency), which took place at regular since 1971; intervals between 1990 and 1993, and any * Women's writing today in Switzerland;Institution/University able to receive it * Women in the political process in Switz-could use it free of charge. In addition, erland: past, present and future. many national schools and Universities Featured in the Conference programmeobtained free copies directly from the will be a round table discussion with threeUniversity which produced them, and Swiss writersMaja Beutler, Anne Cuneo, commentedenthusiastically,welcoming and Annelle Plume. the initiative. The package, compiled with The keynote speaker will be Rosemarieauthentic material taken from Italian TV Simmen (Senatorinthe Swiss Uppernews, was introduced by an informative House), and other participating speakerspresentation to facilitate comprehension, willinclude:YvetteJaggi(Mayorof and the book, with the transcription of the Lausanne),Thanh-HuyenBallmer-Caonews broadcasts, was indispensable for (Zurich), Anne lies Debrunner (Weinfeld-non-native teachers of Italian and for stu- en), Beatrice von Matt (Zurich), Brigittedents' private study. The success of this Studer (Lausanne), and Regina Weckerproduct, aimed at teachers of intermediate (Basel). and advanced levels, was assured by the For further details, please contact: Drfact that it filled a gap in the commercial Malcolm Pender, Department of Modernavailability of materialbooks, audio or Languages,UniversityofStrathclyde,videoat this level, which, for Italian, is Glasgow G1 1XH; tel: 0141-552-4400 extvery limited. 3322; fax: 0141-552-4979. Four Universities took part in the origi- MALCOLM PENDER nal Olympus project for Italian: one in Italy University of Strathclyde (Siena), and three in the UK (Cambridge, Kent and Oxfordalthough only Kent and Oxford produced usable material). The From Olympus to Lingua 2000: authentic TV news material was recorded more authentic material on video in the UK, via satellite, and many hours of transmission were scanned in order to find for teachers and students of Italianitems suitable for each specific theme. Afterwards, the various pieces of news Olympus: At the beginning there waswere put together and linked by a presen- Olympus, and although this was tentativetation on camera which introduced and and not completely professional, it was theexplained each section. Permission to use first experiment in the production of TVthe TV material was granted by RAI

Tuttitalia, No. 12, December 1995 41 Radiotelevisione Italiana, Rome, provided skills in Italian, both written and spoken, it was used in a non-profit, academic con- improved noticeably and the end product text. This was also the case with newspaperwas very pleasing and useful, inasmuch as articles, for which permission was grantedit indicated what the students wanted in readily by the Italian press. the way of language exercises. It must be The Olympus packages were not adver-noted, however, that the work involved for tised widely, but whenever they were seenthe tutor is very demanding, and requires and tested they were received enthusiasti-many more hours than conventional lan- cally. The BBC also asked to view eachguage teaching at this level. of them, and schools and Universities These initial experiments were essential expressed the wish that more of themin gaining experience both in production could be produced. methods and in understanding the needs Satellite Kent: A further advantage in pro-of teachers and students. Furthermore, it ducing this material, which is all in Italian,became clear that everyone teaching Italian came to light when a project was set up beyond the ab initio stage felt that there was involving the students themselves. This an urgent need for Italian teaching material meant that students could also attempt toat these levels. produce a video, possibly shorter, as part LINGUA 2000: The end of the Olympus of a course project. In fact, it became clearexperiment came about when the satellite that this exercise would enable them tofor transmission throughout Europe was learn a great deal about the language aslost in space, and other attempts to trans- well as about the specific topics. At themit proved too costly, as no financial help University of Kent, three groups of second-had been obtained for this project. It was year students (ex-beginners and first-year then, in 1993-94, that the LINGUA 2000 pro- advanced) took on the task. With financial ject, with financial help (50% of the budget) help from Enterprise Kent, we were able tofrom the Bureau of the Commission of the put this idea into practice and during theEuropean Communities, was set up. Other academic year 1992-93 two (a third was notUniversities, in addition to the first four, completed) half-hour video programmeswere invited to participate, not only for the and booklets, with transcriptions, exercises production of the teaching material, but and articles, were produced by the second-also to set up workshops for the identifica- year studentsone on Gastronomia and onetion of needs, to organise working confer- on Le Arti (La Pubblicita was not completedences for testing the material, and to give through lack of time). professional technical assistance. There are In order to fulfil the task students viewednow 13partner UniversitiesinItaly, various recordings of Italian news to selectSpain, Wales, and England. the pieces suitable for their theme (this is The LINGUA 2000 project is governed by a good way to practise comprehensioncontracts of agreement and the first year of skills), learned how to edit the video mater-operation, which started officially in July ial, produce graphics, and use a camera1994, concluded at the end of June 1995. (Enterprise Kent had a particular interest inDuring this first year of operation six mul- the technical aspects). They also tran-timedia packages of teaching material on scribed the content of the broadcasts, wrotedifferent themes have been completed. All exercises and typed everything in a suitableof these include a video-cassette, a booklet format, produced texts to be used in theof exercises (intermediate and advanced introduction of each item, and presented thelevels), transcriptions and printed articles, whole project in front of the camera. Sincea computer disc with exercises, an audio- the technical aspects were also part of thecassette for private study, and a booklet of experiment, the students were given adviceinstructions. by the University technicians. The activities undertaken by the partners The students enjoyed the course, mostlyduring this period commenced officially in for the exciting part of appearing in a film,September-October 1994 with a three-day but in addition and more importantly, theirworking conferencein Oxford, during

42 zsz Tuttitalia, No. 12, December 1995 which all the basic information and instruc- secondary school and University teachers tions were agreed and the various taskswould test, assess and give feedback on the were distributed to all partners. Among thework. partners there are also two Italian tele- The workshops are essential stages of vision companies: RAI Radiotelevisionethe project, as they allow the potential Italiana /Lombardia, Milan (Italian Stateusers, such as colleagues in schools and Television) and TELETNA, Catania (anUniversities, and their students, to indicate Italian commercial television company),their specific needs whilst the packages are who are the main suppliers of televisionin production. material. The fact that these two companies Back from the workshop, ideas were supply all the television material relating toclearer and, as more material arrived from the various themes is of great help, inas-RAI, the finished product started to take a much as we no longer need to scan hoursdefinite shape. The work of transcription of and hours of Italian television in order toall the transmissions was typed and much find suitable items. thought was devoted to the production of After the Oxford meeting, Gabriellathe exercises. Again the second-year stu- Brigo (University of Kent) decided to make dents of the University of Kent were of aprogramme aboutItaliancinema great assistance as they acted as guinea- Cinema, Teatro e Letteratura (other partnerspigs both in testing the material and in sug- chose to undertake Moda e Design; Mondo e gesting the exercises they thought would Mercato del Lavoro; Citta e Territorio; Scuola e help them. There are exercises for interme- University; and Europa, Italia e Regioni), and diate and for advanced level students, exer- the work of research and planning com-cises to be used before viewing, during menced. In fact, some work on the Cinema viewing, and after viewing, exercises based theme had already started in the Septemberon the newspaper articles, on the synopses when, at the Venice Film Festival, cata-of films, and on interviews with actors. logues, posters and video-clips of new The next stage was the three-day work- films had been obtained in preparation foring conference held in Sicily at the end of this work. The outline of the programmeMarch 1995, for which all possible material on Cinema was clear and very exciting, sowas to be made ready by all the partners, the next step was that of preparing a list ofespeciallyfor thefirstthree packages TV itemsalready recorded by UKC tech-which were: Cinema, Teatro e Letteratura; nicians from RAI programmes via satelliteModa e Design; and Mondo e Mercato del televisionwhich RAI could supply in Lavoro. This conference proved very useful Betacam format for a more professionalbecause at last all partners could compare product. Unfortunately, RAI Lombardia in and view other partners' videos and ex- Milan has no say in what is produced byercises, discuss problems and difficulties RAI Rome, and therefore they could not encountered, and it also meant that clearer send any of the items that had been instructions could be agreed about the final requested. This meant that the whole pro- appearance of the package. Some problems gramme had to be re-written and adjusted(there were quite a fewfinancial, dead- in line with the material which RAI Milanline dates, production of computer pro- was in a position to supply. The materialgrammes, and the actual ideas that the only arrived in January 1995 and, whilstdifferent partnersespecially from Italy some of it seemed inappropriate, some washad about the final appearance of the video interesting, but the items received wereunit) were ironed out, whilst others needed very different from the originalplan. a compromise solution, but we were all Therefore, a great deal of imagination anddetermined to finish the task successfully. flexibility became necessary to plan the As the programme on Cinema, Teatro e programme. Time was running out in viewLetteratura had to be completed first, this of the fact that by 18 March samples ofmeant that for the final version of both video work and exercises were needed forvideo and book I could rely on past experi- the two-day workshop in Lancaster, whereence and the suggestions put forward by

Tuttitalia, No. 12, December 1995 `,q 18 3 43 the students at UKC. Other partners wouldcommercial companies. Every partner had be able to improve on this first example. Ato complete the package by the end of July sample video programme was produced at 1995, and BBC Select is showing the pro- Kent in SVHS format, with the help of thegrammes on BBC2 from September to University technicians and of a colleague December 1995. who presented the items in front of the It is believed that many teachers will find camera. Time was passing very quicklythese multimedia packages very useful and and it was necessary to spend many lateexciting, as they will be very effective tools nights working in order to prepare every-in teaching the language as well as the cul- thing for final recording in Betacam formatture of Italy in a very interesting and highly in Oxford at the beginning of April 1995.innovative way. The authentic materials, Two days of intensive work and one morewhich use different registers of the Italian day for completion later in April were nec- language, will be invaluable for intermedi- essary for recording this programme. ate/advanced students who will spend or The video of Cinema, Teatro e Letteratura have spent time in Italy. The imaginative is now complete, and the book100 pages selection of themes means that project in which all the exercises have beenwork on the different items will satisfy checked by a colleague, all the transcrip-many different tastes and needs. The vari- tions and newspaper articles added in theety of exercises based on the visual part of correct order, keys for the exercises worked the package will assistallteachers to out, and all possible additional informationexploitefficientlythe TV news pro- supplied, is also finished. Once ready, thegrammes, whilst the computer disc and book was sent to an Italian proof-reader for audio-cassette will allow students much the final check. This is the first book beingscope for private study. completed and therefore many things in it There are already plans for next year's will form the basis for all the other booksproduction, with a meeting in October 1995 being prepared, and improvements will beand a working conference in January 1996 made where necessary. being the first new dates for the partners. The next stage, presently in operation, isWe all look forward to further very pro- the reproduction (50 copies each) of book,ductiveandenlighteninginternational video-cassette, audio-cassette, and com-collaboration, which will be enriched by the puter disc. These will be used as samples toresponse to these first multimedia packages. be assessed by the usersteachers in GABRIELLA BRIGO schools and Universities, students, and University of Kent at Canterbury

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44 Tuttitalia, No. 12, December 1995 ALL Italian Essay Competition Book; 2nd prize: Marie-Claire Armstrong (Essex) 1995 £10. Category 2: There were 78 entrants in four categories1st prize: Caroline Davey (London)Borsa for the 1995 ALL Italian Essay Compe-di studio + £50; tition. Our thanks go to all the entrants for1st prize: Ceri Mills (Somerset) - Borsa di having competed, to the judges, and to the studio + £50; donors of this year's prizes. 1st prize: Sinead Keenan (Newry, Northern The judgesfor1995 were: Mrs B.Ireland)£50; SleemanofGloucester;Mrs Gemma2ndprize:KathrynSmith(Newry, Momigliano of London W6; and Mrs LinaNorthern Ireland)Book. Carrier of Hampton, Middlesex. Category 3: The donors of the prizes were as follows: 1st prize: Eric Cross (Hampshire)Borsa di Cash prizes to a total of £200, plus book studio + £50; prizes, were generously donated by the1st prize: Jean Mary Biggs (Staffordshire) Italian Cultural Institute in London; Borsa di studio + £50; Thomas Nelson Publishers donated £2001st prize: Susan Field (Radlett, Herts) for cash prizes; Borsa di studio + £50; the British-Italian Society donated £50 to1st prize: Terrence Barnett (Dorset)Borsa go towards winners' prizes and travellingdi studio; expenses to Italian Universities and other1st prize: Gillian Brear (Glasgow)£50; Institutes; 2nd prize: J. A. Knaggs (Herts)Book. the University Italiana per Stranieri di Category 4: Perugia donated a borsa di studio; 1st prize: Valeria Bertali (Somerset)£50; the British Institute of Florence donated a2nd prize: Carmen de Rosas (Shropshire) borsa di studio; Book. the Associazione Culturale Italiaidea of Below, we publish the texts (only partially Rome donated a borsa di studio; 'retouched' for the purposes of publication) the Language Center of Todi donated aof a selection of the winning entries. borsa di studio; the Accademia Lingua Italiana of Assisi donated a borsa di studio; and Un viaggio straordinario the Istituto Europeo of Florence donated a borsa di studio. Era mercoledi 16 febbraio, it giorno in cui [It should be noted that the boxedio andavo in Galles per andare a vedere acknowledgments published on page 45 ofmia sorella. Io non vedevo Fora di vederla Tuttitalia11 were incomplete. We areperche non la vedevo da molte settimane. pleased to take this opportunity to record Sono partita presto la mattina con mia our thanks to the full list of donors ofmadre, the mi accompagnava alla stazione prizes. Ed.] di Paddington, dove io avrei preso un treno The judges were most impressed by theper Cardiff. Comunque niente andava secon- general standard of the entries, and senddo le previsioni. Fino a Paddington, tutto e warm congratulations to the winners, asandato bene. Noi siamo arrivate alla stazione well as thanks to all participants for theiralle nove e mezza per prendere it treno alle excellent contribution to the Competition.dieci. Quando mi sono seduta, dopo aver The list of winners and prizes is as salutato mia madre, it treno e partito. follows: Durante it viaggio, ho deciso di ascoltare Category 1: un po' di musica, ma it mio walkman non 1st prize: Jessica Carroll (Romford, Essex) funzionava, cosi ho letto delleriviste. £50; Avevo fame, cosi sono andata al buffet per 2nd prize: Eva L. Pyrah Barragan (Essex) comprare del cibo e qualcosa da bere.

Tuttitalia, No. 12, December 1995 45 ti, vO, to *(0) teo) Tornando al mio posto, ho notato che tutto La famiglia moderna non riesce ad edu- era cambiato. La gente sembrava diversa ecare la proleeducazione nel senso piu lato. povera, e portava vestiti fuori moda, e poiLa causa immediata consiste nella mancan- non potevo trovare it mio posto. Ho chiesto za di tempo. I genitori, spesso in orari diver- ad un uomo che leggeva un giornale e hosi, sono costretti a trascorrere gran parte notato che la data sul giornale era it 16 feb- della loro giornata fuori casa e quelli che braio 1951. Non potevo crederci e non stanno in casa sono presi da mile faccende e sapevo che cosafare,cosi ho chiestosono troppo stanchi per potersi dedicare ai all'uomo: problemi piccoli e grandi dei loro figli. «Qual e la data oggi?» Non e vero che tra le mura domestiche Lui mi ha guardato come se fossi pazza espesso liberiamo la parte peggiore di noi, mi ha detto la stessa data. Sul treno, hoquella che «fuori» durante la giornata te- notato che tutti mi guardavano in un modoniamo accuratamente nascosta: fuori bisogna che mi metteva in imbarazzo. curare la propria immagine, somdere spesso, Dopo aver trovato it mio posto, ho vistosembrare gentili e disponibili, gioviali e fuori la scritta «Cardiff». Cosi ho pensatocomunicativi, socievoli insomma. Ma defitro che fosse tutto frutto della mia immagi- la casa, in pantofole e maniche di camicia, si nazione quel 1951. Sono scesa dal treno e ho pub finalmente smettere di «recitare», ci si pensato di aver visto mia sorella. Cosi mirilassa e cosi,sia per stanchezza o per sono diretta verso questa persona che si ereazione si e scorbutici, nevrotici, aggressivi, girata e mi ha chiesto «Chi sei?». Le ho dettotediosi, insopportabili insomma. che avevo fatto un errore e che pensavo che E la comunita familiaredialogo !'affet- lei fosse mia sorella. Ho cominciato adta? Ahime, resta ben poca cosa e spesso si avere paura e io correvo lungo it binario. finisce per dar ragione a quell'umorista che Subito dopo ho sentito una voce chediceva: «E molto importante per ognuno di diceva: noi avere una famiglia, una casa, non «Arriveremo a Cardiff fra pochi minuti.» foss'altro per avere un luogo dal quale ... Ho aperto gli occhi e ho scoperto che erascapparepill presto e. lontarto possi- stato tutto un sogno, perche ho visto una bile!» rivista sul sedile dal titolo I treni nel 1951. Ogni famiglia ha dei problemi ma 6 ne- Sono arrivata a Cardiff e c'era mia sorellacessario superareiproblemi perche la ad aspettarmi al binario giusto. E stato unfamiglia a molto importante. La famiglia viaggio straordinario. nucleare e la comunita di coloro che si uni- scono stabilmente e della loro prole. (Jessica Carroll) Essa si caratterizza per l'intenso vincolo di solidarieta che lega i suoi componenti e che si traduce in diritti ed obblighi di assistenza, di collaborazione, di mantenimento. La famiglia e i suoi problemi E vero: ogni famiglia in ogni comunita ha nelle diverse comunita dei problemi, ma ogni famiglia ha bisogno di superare i propri problemi. La famiglia ha gli stessi problemi dap- pertutto it mondo. I problemi sono gli stessi (Sinead Keenan) per ogni famiglia nel mondo. Non cam- biano nelle diverse comunita. Oggidi leggiamo e vediamo chela famiglia e in crisi«in crisi» vuol dire forse Meglio tardi che mai in trasformazione in peggio, nel senso che lo stato della famiglia nella societa attuale Il turista inglese si stiracchia le membra. caratterizzata da una costellazione di pro-II treno sta rallentando; sara fra poco it blemi gravi e di varia natura, tanto chemomento discendere.Che delusione rende tutt'altro che tranquillo it presente, el'aspetta? Voleva sempre visitare !'Italia, fa temere ancor piu per it futuro. ma tra le preoccupazioni del lavoro e le

46 Tuttitali a, No. 12, December 1995 responsabilita della famiglia, non trovava itaspetti della nostra vita. Il programma tele- tempo. Ora, secondo it medico, non glivisivo dal vivo deve cominciare tutto pron- rimangono che tre mesi. E troppo tardi?to: perdere lo «slot» e perdere l'opportu- Esce dalla stazione e subito gli esplodononita. Allo stesso modo e una cremazione; intorno le bellezze di Venezia: l'aria limpi- cosi ho scoperto alle esequie del mio cugino da, lo splendore della luce,icolori deiquando sono arrivata troppo in ritardo. In palazzi. Non c'e nessuna delusione. Haquesti casi l'essere in ritardo e finale; niente realizzatoleproprie ambizionimegliodi utile ne risulta. tardi che mai. E vero che ha preso it treno Comunque, per fortuna non bisogna per un pelo, tuffandosi nella carrozzametterci sempre sotto tanta pressione. Se all'ultimo momento ma meglio t a r d i... perdiamo l'autobus oil treno, diventiamo E sorprendente che questa frase si usi siaansiosi, arrabbiati. Poi ci ricordiamo che ne in Italia sia in Inghilterra? Spesso si rinviaverra un altro. Diciamo: «Meglio tardi che un compito o un dovere; a consolante mor-mai». Troviamo forse qualche ricompensa. morare un adagio cosi utile. Certo, non si Me ne ricordo due esempi. Perduto it puo gestire la vita coi proverbi. Dopo ses-traghetto del pomeriggio, abbiamo preso la santotto anni di buona salute, it turista etraversata di notte e siamo arrivati, sembra- stato colpito da un male inguaribile. Megliova, soli soli, a prima luce di domenica a tardi che mai? E se la Serenissima, nel seco-Dublino. Bellissimo! lo prossimo, affondera nel mare, vinta alla Ricordo anche un giorno feriale a Londra fine dal proprio sposo, diremo «Meglioquando l'allarmeperchesisospettava tardi...»? No, e ancora no. Meglio mai! una bomba aveva causato la chiusura E banale; puo darsi, ma c'e un'altradell'Underground e i cittadini cammina- obiezione, meno frivola, a questo luogovano a casa come se facessero la passeg- comune. Pub diventare un abito mentale, giata. una scusa. Se uno dimentica un complean- L'aforismo del titolo e greco, ma i greci no, o rimanda una visita, c'e un biglietto diantichi non usavano gli orari. Mentre, let- auguri adatto, stampato «Meglio tardi cheteralmente, l'essere in ritardo puo dare dei mai»! Sembra che non importi it ritardo. guai, pill profondamente l'espressione si Pero, c'e un campo in cui e vero che nonriferisce ad esperienze aspettate a lungo. e mai troppo tardi: quello degli anziani, iUn'amica, che ha 42 anni, ha appena par- pensionati,che possono interessarsia torito una figliala primogenita. Oggi la nuovi mondi di esperienza: it lavoro volon-sua vita e tutta cambiata:it futuro le tario, i diletti dello svago o dell'istruzione.promette molta gioia. Meglio tardi che mai Scrivo con sentimento. Andato pochi anni ... elo so bene perche la nascita di mia fa inpensione, mi sono messo a studiarefiglia, quando avevo quasi 39 anni,per me l'italiano, trovandoci i piaceri di imparare itha fatto senso della mia vita sia precedente suono, it lessico, anche la grammatica diche successiva. una bellissima lingua, per non parlare della Siamo andati per la prima volta insieme conoscenza dello stile di vita e della culturainItaliapercheleiera studentessa a di un paese affascinante. Per me e un inizioBologna. Due anni dopo, senza nostra nuovo. figlia, abbiamo passato un mesea Roma. Dunque, quando visiterb Venezia, usciroL'ambiente di Piazza S. M. Liberatricea anch'io dalla stazione gridando «MeglioTestaccio, la passeggiata lungo it Tevere, i tardi che mai». burattini del Gianicolo,itgiorno dello scioperogeneraletutte le cose dome- (Eric Cross) sticherimangono in mente insieme alle grandi glorie della Citta Eterna. Per noi, quest'esperienza valeva la pena di aspet- tarla. Meglio tardi che mai Mentre cercavo del materiale per questo tema, mi e venuto in mente che la fine della L'orariocontrolla strettamente alcuniricerca avrebbe dovuto dimostrare it signi- ., Tuttitalia, No. 12,December 1995 I,7 47 ficato del titolo. La scrittura e stata finitaprova scrittapoisaltai di gioia! Non oggi, it 12 marzo, e deve arrivare a Londra potevo credere ai miei occhi! II titolo era ... entro i115. Eccola! «Meglio tardi che mai!» ... escrissi ininter- rottamente. (Jean Mary Biggs) (Susan Field)

Meglio tardi che mai Meglio tardi che mai Che giornata! L'esame di inglese! Mi ero appena svegliata quando squillo Al vedere it titolo del saggio, sentivo it telefono: immediatamente un'affinita con l'argo- «Buon giorno. E tutto a posto? In bocca al mento. Sembrava un riassunto della mia lupo! Ma, senti, perche non to ne sei giavita! Avendo accumulato anni di esperien- andata via? Non dai l'esame di inglese sta-za per essere sempre in ritardo, mi con- mane?» sidero gia un'esperta. Fu la mia mamma ansiosa come al soli- Dal momento in cui sono natacon pill to! Guardai ii mio orologio. Dio mio! Ledi due settimane di ritardo(causando dei nove meno dieci!Diediun'occhiatinaproblemi per i miei genitori)e continuan- intorno a me. Niente elettricita! do anche fino ad oggi, non sono quasi mai «Crepi ii lupo! Grazie, mamma! Ciao!».riuscita ad essere puntuale. Spesso ho cer- Che fare? cato di analizzare percheso che non 6 per Telefonai al Collegio per spiegare ciopigrizia o cattiva volontaforse e perche che mi era successo e sistemai tutto. Dov-ho bisogno di un'ondata di adrenalina che rei arrivare giusto in tempo per l'inizioquesta ansia produce in me. Oppure it dell'es ame! Feci la doccia con acqua fredda. ritardo e nato con me. Feci la colazione fredda. Scesi a piedi non Riflettendo ancora su questo argomento, funzionava l'ascensore!Corsi finoalla mi sono ricordata di qualcosa che e succes- metropolitana. Quanta gente! La stazione so ad un mio trisnonno all'inizio del secolo era piena zeppa. Nessun treno. Presi l'auto-e probabilmente conferma l'ipotesi che bus, ma la folla rallentava tutta la circola-io abbia ereditato questa tendenza. Co- zione. Ne scesi e continuai it mio viaggio amunque sia, a mio parere, non esiste storia piedi. chepillconfermiitsenso dellafrase Un rumoremolti lampila pioggia «meglio tardi che mai»! non avevo preso it mio impermeabile! Si tratta del nonno del mio nonno, Robert «Ma, perche continuare cosi?pensai fra Baxter,che abitavanellevicinanzedi me In ritardo, bagnata fradicia!» Glasgow. Un giorno e partito da casa con Mi dissi: «Devi farti forza, e l'ultimol'intenzione di visitare un amico che abitava esame, devi laurearti!» a Greenock, un paese sul mare. Doveva Al lora, corsi come un lampo. Vidi unritornare quello stesso giorno. Comunque, tassi, vi salii a bordo. Ripresi fiato. La folla vicino al porto di Greenock, 6 stato «shang- circolava per le strade e it mio tassi comin- haied»cioe assalitoda due uomini,i cib lentamente a sfilare per le strade. Duequail lo hanno costretto ad imbarcarsi su minuti dopo vidi it problema un inci-una nave ed a lavorare per loro. (La parola dente stradale. Strada bloccata! inglese «shanghaied» ha origine dal porto Pagai ii tassista, scesi in fretta, cominciai cinese, dove i lavoratori venivano presi e a correre tra la folla. Giunsi sana e salva alcostretti a lavorare sulle navi.) Una volta che Collegio. Ero bagnata fino alle ossa, l'acquala nave era salpata, non c'era niente da fare. mi faceva cic ciac nelle scarpe. Cosi, per un periodo di tre anni, Robert Mi rimaneva solamente una mezz'orettaBaxter ha viaggiato per it mondo, dopo di per scrivere it tema. Sempre inzuppata,che e tomato finalmente in Scozia dalla trovai ii mio posto, voltai la pagina dellamoglie. Non so che cosa avra pensato lei al 48 68 Tuttitalia, No. 12, December 1995 rivederlo. Certo, nel campo delle scuse, nonPenso che i vestiti italiani siano di una qua- ne esiste una migliore! ilia migliore di quelli inglesi, ma questo L'unica cosa che non ho potuto verificareperche gli Italiani cercano vestiti che dura- e se la reazione della Signora Baxter e statano per molto tempo mentre gli Inglesi non la sopraccitata omeglio tardi che mai»,pretendono la durata dagli abbigliamenti. oppure qualcosa di phi sostanzioso! In Italia io ho frequentato la scuola per pochi mesi, per cui non posso fare paragoni (Gillian Brear) con quella inglese. Quando sono arrivata in Inghilterra non parlavo inglese, per() dopo un paio d'anni sono riuscita a mettermi nei guai perche parlavo troppo. Penso che se Esperienze di un Italiano all'estero non fossi venuta qui forse non sarebbe stato cosi facile fare tutte le attivita extra- Anche se non ho vissuto in Italia perscolastiche che ho fatto, come it pattinaggio molto tempo, ho sentito la mancanza dellasu ghiaccio, la ginnastica, suonare la chitar- cultura italiana. ra, it pianoforte e cantare e, phi importante Dopo nove settimane dalla mia nascitadi tutto, non sarei riuscita a giocare al ten- sono andata in Turchia. Sono rimasta li pernis. Se non avessi giocato al tennis, non due anni e sono rientrata in Italia per dueavrei visitato tutta l'Inghilterra, non sarei anni e mezzo prima di traslocare ancora, riuscitaa vincereittorneo oNational questa volta in Inghilterra. Sono arrivata inRatings»; phi importante ancora, non sarei Inghilterra all'eta di quattro anni e mezzo.venuta qui a Millfield, dove sono riuscita a Alla mia famiglia mancava molto it ciboconoscere persone di diverse nazionalita e italiano, per cui quando andavamo in cultura. Italia, ritornavamo in Inghilterra con it Le abitudini italiane sono diverse da doppio del bagaglio permesso. Ogni voltaquelle inglesi, per esempio i genitori italiani che si partiva dall'Italia mio fratello ed io sono molto protettivi verso i propri figli. piangevamo come delle fontane. Il nostro Io sono molto felice di essere venuta in nonno ci salutava piangendo. Milano, che Inghilterra, anche se mi mancano molto i la mia citta d'origine, e famosa per la neb-miei parenti, e certe volte non voglio essere bia, e allora mio fratello, mia cugina ed io qui. pregavamo per la nebbiacosi l'aereo non sarebbe potuto partire! (Valeria Bertali) Io sono cresciuta vestendomi in stile italiano e ancora adesso la maggioranza dei GIOVANNA MUSZYNSKA miei vestiti sono di una marca italiana. Essay Competition Organiser

FIRST of a new series of illustrated guides to world fiction in English translation The Babel Guide to Italian Fiction will be of special interest to all teachers of Italian language and literature by providingan acces sible entrée to the world of Italian writers in English. ¶Special offerto readers of `Tuttitalia' a free copy of Sandra Petrignani's enchanting collection TheToy Catalogue (rrp £5.95) with orders mentioning this magazine. Alternatively request a 30-day inspectioncopy; yours to keep where 3 or more guides (any language)are ordered. The Babel Guide is meticulously put together, intelligently written and abounds with invaluable insights' Times Literary Supplement Babel Guide to Italian Fiction in TranslationR.Keenoy & F.Conte ISBN 18994600047.95/$12.00 Babel/Boulevard 8 Aldbourne Rd London W12 OLN tel/fax 0181 7435278 Tuttitalia, No. 12, December 1995 -189 49 wise specified), or to Italy in comparison La famiglia italiana with certain other named countries. Ed.] contemporanea [In the next issue of this journal, Tuttitalia Matrimoni secondo it rito (1931-1987) 13, we plan to publish a substantial article by Carmela Avella Kellaway on the themeAnni Totale Civili % of 'La famiglia italiana contemporanea fra 276.035 7.215 2,6 continuity e cambiamento'. Apart from the 1931 1941 273.695 4.045 1,5 importance of this sociological theme in its 328.225 7.977 2,4 own right, it is anticipated that this subject 1951 1961 397.461 6.199 1,6 will be of interest and concern to those who 1966 384.802 4.780 1,2 are teaching and studying contemporary 1967 380.178 4.642 1,2 Italian society as a feature element for the A 1971 404.464 15.591 3,9 Level syllabus and other examinations. In 316.953 40.428 12,7 this issue of Tuttitalia, and to set some of the 1981 1983 300.855 42.826 14,2 statistical parameters, we are priming read- 1987 305.328 44.753 14.7 ers for this forthcoming area of discussiondi cui by publishing now some tabulated material Nord-centro 176.905 31.059 17,6 supplied by Dott.ssa Avella Kellaway.Mezzogiorno 128.423 13.694 10,7 Readers will find this material self-explanatory. Data refers to Italy (where not other-

I, I I MODERN LANGUAGES PUBLICATIONS ASSOCIATION for for your in-service training LANGUAGE Co.".....,. LEARNING ssmentin Mocienrrinating,r ed Asse m 0e orn-bas cages TerryLanguorlies pa c1/- it, Class° Modernmoue Langlhoroas Atkinson Dorothy Differentiation and Progression in Modern Languages Dorothy Thomas

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Post your requirements with a cheque to:Association for Language Learning, 150 Railway Terrace, RugbyCV21 3HN Tel: 01788 546443 Fax: 01788544149

50 Tuttitalia, Na. 12, December 1995 110.0

100.0

90.0

80.0 Italia

Ingh. e Galles 70.0 Francia R.F.T. 60.0

Svezia 50.0

Italia 1950 1955 1960 1965 1970 1975 1980

Indice sintetico di nuzialita in alcuni paesi europei, 1950-81.

Fonte: Santini [1986, 125].

Tuttitalia, No. 12, December 1995 51 I I 1 I

3.0

- ....;.11

2.5

Francia "N. 2.0

1 1 Regno Unito 1

1 Belgio 1 1 Olanda Italia 1.5 Danimarca R.F.T.

I I I I I I I I 1 I I I I I 1 I I I I 1 I I I I I 1 I I 1950 1955 1960 1965 1970 1975 1980

Indice sintetico di fecondita in alcuni paesi europei, 1950-1981

Fonte: Santini [1986, 135].

X92

52 Tuttitalia, No. 12, December 1995 Inghilterra Divorzi ridotti per 100 matrimoni in alcuni paesi europei (somma dei tassi di divorzio per anno di matrimonio) Anno19611960 e Galles 7,1 Austria 13,9 Belgio 6,7 Danim. 18,819,0 Francia 9,79,5 Italia Norvegia 9,79,3 Olanda 6,9 Svezia 16,116,5 Svizzera 12,712,6 1965196419631962 9,89,08,1 14,414,013.8 8,16,97,6 18,3 10,4 9,59,6 10,1 9,6 7,36,9 17,115,816,5 12,612,412,5 196819671966 12,912,211,010,7 16,815,414,914,5 9,19,08,78,2 20,318,918,618,2 11,011,411,310,7 12,011,410,610,2 9,08,47,87,2 20,419,719,017,8 13,713,012,512,7 .4969t1970 9711972 32,820,716,314,4 17,717,718,217,3 11,710,69,69,7 34,835,525,123,8 14,212,011,3 9,85,2 15,414,413,412,3 15,712,111,0 9,8 28,124,723,422,0 -16,8 18,015,514,6 1976197519741973 33,532,230,628,9 20,819,719,317,9 18,316,115,012,5 36,536,735,833,9 17,717,216,714,7 3,53,15,15,3 21,720,819,317,6 20,720,019,418,5 43,449,952,130,2 22,620,919,218,8 1980197919781977 39,336,537,934,0 26,225,323,622,0 20,819,418,5 39,337,637,337,8 24,724,322,620,4 3,13,3 25,124,823,322,8 25,723,521,921,2 42,242,341,741,3 27,325,725,524,7 u,c)..) Fonte: Santini [1986,129]. 1981 38,8 26,6 22,0 43,1 3,3 27,3 28,5 43,5 28,5 Persone soddisfatte della famiglia Per zone geografiche, sesso, eta, livello di istruzione

% molto e % molto abbastanza

totale intero campione 61,5 95,7

nord-ovest 64,1 96,1 nord-est 61,5 94,2 centro 61,9 95,7 sud e isole 59,4 96,1

maschi 61,2 96,5 femmine 61,9 94,9

18-24 43,5 94,7 25-34 70,3 97,4 35-44 66,5 96,2 45-54 62,5 96,2 55-64 59,0 94,6 65-74 63,0 93,9

elementare 62,8 95,3 media inferiore 67,2 98,1 media superiore 58,0 94,8 universitaria 54,6 93,7

CARMELA AVELLA KELLAWAY London E3

1996 INSET training

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54 Tuttitalia, No. 12, December 1995 From the Editor's desk problema da Ord (= this is a pig of a problem)! Following the standard practice in this I am grateful to Professor Orelli for this section of Tuttitalia, I report below on itemsfurther elucidation of a knotty problem. of news, correspondence and other matters of interest to ALL Italianists. Didyou see? In its edition of 28 July 1995, the weekly Of pigs and problems current affairs journal Panorama carried an Following the publication of my articleinformative 20-page insert called Speciale on the use of written accents in Italian ('Ma Universita: una guida esclusiva per trovare la queimaledettiaccenti:datheparte laurea del futuro in Italia e all'estero, edited by vanno?', Tuttitalia 10), I had anticipated aSandro Mangiaterra. This special supple- flow of mixed comment from readers inment looks at the rediscovery in Italy of the response to my comment that 'the presentvalue of a University degree; the strong writer will not be in the least surprised ifand weak points of Italian Universities; the otherpotentiallycontraryviewsareprofessions of the future; the choice of forthcoming!'. In the event, I have onlyFaculty; a 'league table' of the best Italian received reactions that must be described as Universities;theoptionsforstudying expressionsofgratitudeforhavingabroad rather than in Italy; and the top- attempted to clear up an often messyrated American and European Universities. linguistic problem: for this I am humbly grateful. I also received one much appreciatedDid you see (2)? piece of commentary and elucidation from The National Geographic magazine, vol. my dear friend, the noted Swiss-Italian188, no. 2, of August 1995, carried an novelist and poet,Professor Giovanniextensive illustrated lead article on Sicily Orelli. Aged 67 and retired from the worldby Jane Vessels (pp. 2-35). Beautifully illus- of teaching, Orelli now devotes his time totratedwithhigh-qualityphotographic the worlds of literature and politics. Twomaterial, the article sets out the view that: more of his works have just been pub-'Haunted by its reputation as poor, rural, lished: a novel, Il treno delle italiane, Roma,and beholden to the Mafia, Sicily insists Donzelli Editore, 1995; and a charmingthat change has arrived. True, one Sicilian volume of sonnets, Ne timo ne maggiorana,in five is out of work. And true, the island Milano, Marcos y Marcos, 1995; whilst aremains Italy's most agricultural region, third, a volume of correspondence between where pastori still graze their flocks. But the Brenno Bertoni and Francesco Chiesa,torch of law has singed the Mafia's empire. Carteggio 1900-1940, jointly edited withAnd just as a veiled actress awaits her cue Diana Rilesch, Lugano, Giampiero Casa-in a classical Greek tragedy, so Sicily looks grande Editore, 1994, has just been awarded toward the resolution of a bitter drama the Premio Lago Maggiore for 1995. generations in the making.' Having read my article on graphic accents, and having noted my observation that 'closed stressed vowel 0 is effectivelyJust in non-existent', and that 'we can safely write I am pleased to have this opportunity, in accented 0 as O', Professor Orellirecall- this concluding part of Tuttitalia 12, to ing his classroom daysbrought to myacknowledge recent receipt of two more attention one of the very few instancesvolumes which I look forward to reviewing where the graphic accented distinctionin a future issue of this journal. These are: between O and 0 is important: Giovanni Boccaccio, The Decameron, trans- Questo e un problema da Ord (= this is alated with an Introduction and Notes by G. problem which we must set ourselves) isH. McWilliam, 2nd edition, London, Penguin clearly quite different from Questo e un ('Penguin Classics'), 1995, cli + 909 pp., £7.99, Tuttitalia, No. 12,December 1995 465 55 ISBN 0-14-044629-X; and Chris Lloyd andcurrent areas of coverage are generally well Jeff Beard, Managing Classroom Collaboration,appreciated.Itemsforwhichreaders London, Cassell Education ('Cassell Practical would like to have more are: Handbooks'), 1995, viii + 128 pp., £15.99, ISBN correspondence; 0-304-32988-6. Also just received, following politics / economics; request, is my Editorial sample copy of the articles in the target language; Journal of Modern Italian Studies, vol. 1, num- classroom methodology; ber 1, Fall 1995, London, Routledge, ISSN photocopiable teaching material; 1354-571X. This too will be the subject of teaching material in the target language; future review. and vocational ideas for teaching adults. Items for which readers would like to Book exchanges with Italy maintain the current extent of coverage are: Noticehas been receivedthatthe editorial; Ministero per i Beni Culturali e Ambientali literature; has opened an Ufficio Scambi Internaz- pronunciation; ionali based at the Biblioteca Nazionale language learning theory; Centrale in Rome. The latest exchange the use of IT; leafletlisting some 120 titles which areand available for exchange was received at material produced by pupils. the ALL Office in August 1995. Further Areas which readers said they would details may be had on application to the like to see included are: Ufficio Scambi Internazionali, c/o Biblioteca a book search network; Nazionale Centrale, Via Osoppo 2, 00185 a contents index about every two years; Roma (Tel. and Fax: 00-39-6-491046). Many literary analysis of short passages/poems; of the materials available deal with 'heavy' and topics such as library history, conservation profiles of up-and-coming authors. lists of works of art, philosophy, theology, political discourses, etc. European Cooperation in Education Journals questionnaire The 17th UK Centrefor European In May 1995 ALL conducted a pilot ques-Education (UK CEE) Annual Conference tionnaire survey to ascertain membership took place in London on 7 November 1995. views on the standing of the various jour-The conference, whose aim is to give those nals published by the Association, and toin education the chance to look at current ensure that the journals meet the needs ofapproaches to European Cooperation in ALL members. Education, also launched Eurodesk's new Whilst the total responses in respect ofsubscription service for schools and pro- Tuttitalia were limited in number, they arevided an opportunity to preview the new indicative of readership views in terms oftraining video 'Preparing for SOCRATES', what readers would like to see more of, lesswhich looks at examples of developing of, or the same quantity of, as well as a sig-Multilateral School Partnerships. nal of some areas of coverage readers Eurodeskoffersinformation on the would like to see included. European Commission's policies and pro- Your Editor would be pleased to heargrammes to professional workers in the further views on this matter, as thesefield of education, training and youth. would clearly help to guide the content list-Eurodesk is launching a new subscription ings of future issues. Please feel free toservice specifically tailored for schools. It write to me in this connection. aims to keep them up-to-date with an ever- Nobody said they wanted to see less ofincreasing range of opportunities through any topic area in Tuttitaliawhich itself isaccurate and accessible information via its highly encouraging asitsuggests thattermly Bulletin, Factcard and Focus sheets.

56 Tuttitalia, No. 12,December 1995 The 'Preparing for SOCRATES' video isthe National Language Standards can be designed to offer an effective resource for obtained from the same address at a cover teacher training relating to the European price of £15. dimension across the curriculum of schools in all countries of the EU. The video shows six innovative school projects supported in Not Italian, but... the European Commission's Multilateral Italianists will know better than most that School Partnerships Pilot Action between until relatively recent timesmaterials for 1992 and 1994, and is being produced bythe less-commonly-taught languages were theCentral Bureau on behalf ofthehard to come by. Partly as a result of this, European Commission. but also out of a sense of professional com- For further information, please contactmon cause, as well as the fact that Italian is Nicola Davis or Caroline Beevers at thejustly regarded as a 'community language' Central Bureau (Tel: 0171-389-4736 /4744; (with both a large and small initial C), Fax: 0171-389-4426). Italianists have always been ready to defend teaching provision for other such languages and to take pleasure at the appearance of Implementing the National additional materials for them. As Editor of the leading professional Language Standards journal for Italianists, I am thus grateful to The Languages Lead Body has publishedpublishing houses for keeping me apprised a Guide to Best Practice in language training of new materials in our sister less-common- a reference handbook for language training ly-taught languages. Among those materi- providers and employers using the Nationalals which I have recently been privileged to Language Standards. Entitled Implementingsample are: the National Language Standards, the GuideHugh Baker and P. K. Ho, Teach Yourself offers advice to all those involved in the Cantonese, London, Hodder & Stoughton, 1995, delivery of the Standards and gives general xv + 319 pp., £9.99, ISBN 0-340-62091-9; information about the NVQ system in aVera Croghan,TeachYourselfSwedish, linguistic context. London, Hodder & Stoughton, 1995, 310 pp., The Guide was compiled after consulta- £8.99, ISBN 0-340-61860-4; tions with a wide cross-section of BritishRachel Dwyer, TeachYourself Gujarati, industry, training providers and represen-London, Hodder & Stoughton, 1995, 376 pp., tatives from awarding bodies and has beenwith90-minuteaudio cassette,£19.99 endorsed by the National Council for (inc. VAT), ISBN 0-340-59220-6; Vocational Qualifications (NCVQ) and theAlison Shaw, Get by in Hindi & Urdu, ScottishVocationalEducationCouncil London, BBC Books, new edition 1995, 96 pp., (SCOTVEC). The Guide focuses on assess-£3.99, ISBN 0-563-39965-1; ment procedures andtechniques andSalah El-Ghobashy and Hilary Wise, Get by shows examples of best practice in organi-in Arabic, London, BBC Books, new edition sations where the Standards are now in 1995, 94 pp., £3.99, ISBN 0-563-39948-1; use. By using case studies, it illustratesDavid Hardy, Get by in Greek, London, BBC ways in which the Standards can be Books, new edition 1995, 80 pp., £3.99, ISBN applied to suit various situations, for exam- 0-563-39962-7; ple, employers using the Standards to aidPenny Newman, Get byinPortuguese, recruitment or appraisal, language trainers London, BBC Books, new edition 1995, 80 pp., using them to design language courses, or£3.99, ISBN 0-563-39975-9; individuals trying to evaluate their ownNicholasJ.Brown, Get by inRussian, foreign language competencies. London, BBC Books, new edition 1995, 96 pp., The Guide to Best Practice is available £3.99, ISBN 0-563-39978-3; free of charge from the Languages Lead Katherine Flower, Get by in Chinese, London, Body, c/o CILT, 20 Bedfordbury, LondonBBC Books, new edition 1995, 95 pp., £3.99, WC2N 4LB (Tel: 0171-379-5134). Copies ofISBN 0-563-39951-1;

TuttitalM, No. 12, December 1995 57 and ALL Journal Editors Bengisu Rona, Get by in Turkish, London, The timing of the page-setting of this sec- BBC Books, new edition 1995, 96 pp., £3.99, tion of Tuttitalia permits me to reportthat ISBN 0-563-39985-6. all the ALL journal Editors held a joint meeting with thePastPresident,the SecretaryGeneralandtheHonorary Modern Foreign Languages in Secretary at the Office in Rugby on 7 yourSchool October 1995. This thoroughgoing meeting ALL has produced (1995) an informationconsidered the best ways to take the jour- leafletModern Foreign Languages in yournals forward, particularly in the light of the Schoolfor School Governors. The leaflet is 1995 readershipsurvey.Readersof designed to assist governing bodies inTuttitalia can anticipate the incorporation developing their awareness of the place ofof these new 'best ways' in future issues of modern foreign languages in the Nationalthisjournal, and your Editor will be Curriculum and beyond. pleased to receive direct readership com- The headings in this gatefold leaflet are:ment on any feature which might be sus- - The StatutoryRequirements; ceptible of uprating. Ahead of the publica- Why are Languages important?; tion of the approved Minutes, I can report Language Classrooms Today; that we will (as ever!) be seeking to Teaching and Learning Issues; increase the direct participation of class- - How canGovernors promote Modernroom practitioners in thepreparation of Languages?; materials for publication in Tuttitalia. - The Languages of the National Curriculum; Do you eat pasta? and - Useful Contacts. If so, you could well be interested in the Copies of the leaflet are obtainable onNewsletter published by the Casa Buitoni request from the ALL Office in Rugby. Club. This charming 8-pagequarterly newsletter provides expert coverage of matters pertaining to Italian food and drink Did you know...? (excellent material for extension classroom Highlighted in the above-mentioned leafletpractice), and each issue focuses on a paris the following item of factual information: ticular city, region or season (again ideal Provided that one language of the Europeanfor classroom ideas), as well as featuring a Community is available to all those wishing range of special offers ofItalian interest not to learn it, any of the following maybeotherwise publicly available. For details offered by schools: Arabic, Bengali, Chinese write to Casa Buitoni Club, Freepost, c/o (Cantonese or Mandarin), Danish, Dutch, PO Box 123, Uckfield X, TN22 5BR. French, German, Greek (modern), Gujarati, Hebrew (modern), Hindi, Italian, Japanese,ALL Italian Committee Panjabi,Portuguese,Russian,Spanish, One of the recommendations which will Turkish, Urdu. emerge from the formal record ofthe recent journal Editors' meeting is that early notice should be given to readers of the subjects ALL Italian Weekend, September discussed by the individual Language 1995 Committees. The ALL organised an Italian in-service In pursuance of this, I am pleased to sig- training weekend for teachers of Italian innal the key topics of Italian interest which allsectors,heldatthe Universityof were discussed at the meetingof the Italian Durham, 15-17 September 1995.Itis Committee which tookplaceon16 planned to publish a full report on thisSeptember 1995 during theItalian Italian Weekend in Tuttitalia 13. Weekend at the University of Durham:

58 Tuttitalia, No. 12, December 1995 Alessandro Nigro, the new representa- A limited range of publishing houses tive of the Italian Institute, and Carolewill be invited to make special presentation Shepherd, our Reviews Editor, of St Mary's spots for Italian for Language World 1996; Comprehensive School, Newcastle upon It is planned that the Italian Day 1996 Tyne, were welcomed to the Committee;should take place at the Italian Institute in AllreadersofTuttitaliashould beLondon, provisionally on 15 June, and that encouraged to think in terms of contribut-the theme for the Day would be the A Level ing material for publicationin order to syllabuses; ensure the widest possible spectrum of The Italian Weekend 1996 is likely to be coverageand not to be unnecessarilyheld in Oxford either in early October or deterred by format requirements; late September (dates to be confirmed) and, There had been a good response to a pleafor reasons of efficiency and economy, may for additional reviewers to offer their ser- be organised in parallel with a Spanish vices, and readers will notice this in theWeekend; wider range of reviewers now making con- The Italian Weekend 1997 is likely to be tributions to Tuttitalia; held in Dublinsomething special to look Derek Aust, Chairman of the Italian forward to!; Committee, would attend the ALL Officers Your Italian Committee is discussing the training weekend on 22-24 September; possibility of mounting a one-day 'Brush The number of presentations for Italianup your Italian' course, to be held in at GCSE and A Level are increasing, partic- Lancaster; ularly so at GCSE; A Symposium on Italian would be held Your Editor reported on the plannedat CILT in London on 22 November 1995 contents of the present issue of Tuttitalia;under the auspices of the recently-insti- Reports for publication would be invited tuted Italian Language Support Network, from local meetings of Italian interest, and to which both ALL and CILT are giving from ALL branch meetings; encouragementandsupport;further Contributions toTuttitalia would bedetails may be had from Ernesto Macaro at invited from those who had made presen-the University of Reading; tations at the Durham Italian Weekend; The next meeting of the ALL Italian ChristineWilding, ALL Secretary Committee will be held at the Italian General, reported on plans for the publica-Institute, London, on 3 February 1996; top- tion of an ALL leaflet specific to Italian. ics and other concerns may be communi- January 1997 is the likely target date; cated to the Chairman, Derek Aust. ThroughtheagencyoftheItalian Institute, a list would be compiled of news- papersandperiodicalswhich wouldJournals received permit copyright clearance for the use of I gratefully acknowledge receipt of edi- their materials in a classroom context; torial desk copies of the following journals: The Italian Day held in June 1995 had Bites, 3, 1995, 16 pp.a catalogue of top- once again been both successful and pro- sellingsoftware and hardware [Koch ductive; Hilary Reeves and Ernesto Macaro Media Ltd, East Street, Farnham, Surrey were thanked for having performed theGU9 7XX; Tel: 01252-714340; Fax: 01252- organisation; the post-course survey had 711121]; been very positive; STABIS Directory, 1995, 40 pp.an infor- Suggestions were made for a range ofmative listing of the 40 schools which are speakers on Italian topics for the ALL membersofSTABIS(StateBoarding Language World 1996 Conference to takeInformation Service)[Frank Bickerstaff, place at the University of Exeter; it is pos- Secretary, Boarding Schools Association, 43 sible that speakers on Italian topics will beRaglan Road, Reigate, Surrey RH2 ODU; clustered on one day of the Conference Tel: 01737-226450; Fax: 01737-226775]; specifically to make attendance affordable SEC Membership Directory, 1995/96, 68 pp. for non-funded Italianists; the directory of members of the Society of

Tuttitalia, No. 12, December 1995 59 Education Consultants [Philippa Italia Contemporanea, 199, giugno 1995, Cording ley, Secretary, Society of Educationpp. 205-390featuring a set of 'Studi sul Consultants,178BeechwoodAvenue,Fascismo italiano' [Istituto Nazionale per la Coventry CV5 6FW; Tel: 01203-673765; Fax: Storia del Movimento di Liberazione in 01203-717576]; Italia, Piazza Duomo 14, 20122 Milano]. Accademie e Biblioteche d'Italia, anno LXII, 45° Nuova Serie, nn. 3-4, luglio-dicembre Preparing materials for 1994,180 pp., Roma, Fratelli Palombi Editori, ISSN 0393-4451 [Ministero per i publication in Tuttitalia Beni Culturali e Ambientali]; Intending contributors to Tuttitalia will Notiziario/Newsletter,3, December 1994,find a set of Notes for Contributors on 24 pp.News, Welfare, Workers' Health, page 64. Emigration-Immigration,Papers[INCA/ The Editorial Board and more especial- CGIL, 124 Canonbury Road, London N1 ly your Editorencourages contributors to 2UT; Tel: 0171-359-3701; Fax: 0171-354-4471]; read these Notes attentively and to submit Notiziario /Newsletter, 1, March 1995, 24 pp. materials in conformity with the recom- News, Welfare, Workers' Health, Emi-mended format. At the same time, we wish gration and Immigration [INCA / CGIL, 124to be as 'elastic' as possible in this matter, Canonbury Road, London N1 2UT; Tel:so as not to dissuade those who may not 0171-359-3701; Fax: 0171-354-4471]; have ready access to appropriate word- Lettera dall'Italia, anno X, numero 37, gen- processing equipment. naio-marzo 1995, 82 pp., ISSN 0393-6457 The key presentation features sought are: periodico trimestrale che intende offrire set your typewriter or processor to a line I...] un quadro complessivo dell'attuale length of 44 characters; realta italiana nei suoi aspetti pin rilevanti double-space your text; [Istituto della Enciclopedia Italiana, Piazza submit two hard copies of your text, one della Enciclopedia Italiana 4, 00186 Roma]; of which should be 'clean'; Letteradall'Italia, anno X, numero 38,and aprile-giugno 1995, 82 pp., ISSN 0393-6457 if possible, use justified margins. periodico trimestrale che intende offrire [. . .] These basic features will help the Editor un quadro complessivo dell'attuale realta to prepare your text swiftly and accurately italiananeisuoiaspettipinrilevantifor the printer. [Istituto della Enciclopedia Italiana, Piazza If you have access to a word-processor, della Enciclopedia Italiana 4, 00186 Roma]; you are asked to submit two hard copies Italia Contemporanea, 197, dicembre 1994, and your text file on disc, in any of the major pp. 653-886con indice dell'annata 1994processing packages, together withplease [IstitutoNazionaleperlaStoriadel an ASCII plain text file version of it. This Movimento di Liberazione in Italia, Piazzawill permit the Editor to save considerable Duomo 14, 20122 Milano]; time by performing on-screen editing. Italia Contemporanea, 198, marzo 1995, pp. Readers of this issue of Tuttitalia may 1-198 + 84see especially pp. 63-76, Philipwish to know that every word of the jour- Cooke, 'II partigiano Johnny: Resistenza enal (some 256 pages of processed text in mondo contadino nelle Langhe' [Istitutototal!) has been keyed in by the under- Nazionale per la Storia del Movimento disigned. Liberazione in Italia, Piazza Duomo 14, ANDREW WILKIN 20122 Milano]; University of Strathclyde

200

60 Tuttitalia, No. 12, December 1995 New Titles for Spring 1996 Introductions to Italian Literary Texts The Memory of the Offence: PrimoLevi's 'If this is a Man' Judith Woolf, ISBN 1 899293 15 9

Fortunes of the Firefly: Sciascia's Art ofDetection* Gillian Ania, ISBN 1 899293 50 7

An Introduction to Leopardi's Canti(2nd ed.) * Pamela Williams, ISBN 1 899293 70 1 I Writer, I Reader: The Concept of Selfin the Fiction of Italo Calvino* Stephen Chubb, ISBN 1 899293 75 2

Other titles Giacomo Debenedetti's 'The Sixteenth ofOctober 1943 and Other Wartime Essays' (English translation)* Judith Woolf, ISBN 1 899293 65 6 Unwillingly to War: Italy 1941-45* Joe Berry, ISBN 1 899293 80 9 (£7.99) Ricordi di Sicilia Concetto La Malfa, ISBN 1 899293 30 2 `..issimo!' student guide to Rome Rosemary Plum, ISBN 1 899293 60 4 (£7.99)

All books priced at £5.99 each unless otherwisestated.. Books marked * qualify for a 15% discount if ordered priorto publication in March. A full list of titles published by UniversityTexts is also available.

: . I: . I:: I.

Tuttitalia, No. 12, December 1995 20i 61 Annual student Italian

ASSOCIATION for Essay Competition 1996 LANGUAGE LEARNING Studying Italian? Enter the essay competition.Great Prizes! Categories: Category 1:Pupils in Secondary Education up to 16 yearsof age Category 2:Sixth formers and ab initio first year universitystudents Category 3:Adults in further education and evening classes Category 4:Italian mother tongue and parentage Titles: Category 1:La descrizione di un amico/un'amica d'infanzia Category 2: Un'esperienza che ha cambiato la mia vita distudente Category 3:I giovani di una volta e i giovani d'oggi Category 4:Un oggetto che mi e caro Rules: The story or essay should not exeed 350 words.Each candicate may submit one entry only. Essays will be judged oncontent, imagination and fluency in Italian, range of vocabulary and syntax.The prizes will be awarded to the winners according to the discretionof the three judges. Prizes: In each category there will be a first prize of£50 and second prizes of books provided by the Italian Cultural Institute.In addition, winners over 18 years of age may be awarded a studybursary for a course in Italy.

The winners will be notified as soon as thejudging is completed. Teachers are requested to reproduce theenclosed entry form overleaf for all entrants. Complete and sendto Mrs Giovanna Muszynska, 14 Lilyville Road, London SW6 5DWTel: 0171 736 3710

For further details and entry form see greeninsert

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Tuttitalia, No. 12, December 1995 63 Notes for contributors

Contributions The Editorial Boardb) Disk: Most word welcomes previously unpublished processing packages articles are acceptable but if which will further thecause of the learning you have any query and teaching of Italian. contact the ALL office. Alsosend in one hard copy of the article Contributions are expectedto fall into with the disk, one of these categories: and keep one for yourself. a) Articles of about 3000words. b) Brief (up to 1000 Give your articleone short title (not a title words) items of infor-and a subtitle), anddivide it up with brief mation, notes on innovativepractice,subheadings. discussion points (includingthose arising from previous articles). Give full references forall sources quoted. c) Reviews usually ofabout 300 to 400Journal policy is to words (longer reviews put these at the end of or articles may bethe article and notat the bottom of the accepted). page. The guidelines beloware intended to help contributors: Illustrations Photographs are particularlywelcome, as Presentation are charts, diagrams and tableswhere relevant. Please send theseat the same timeas Articles should be submittedeither type-your typescript. written or on computer disk(plus hard copy) Timing a) Typewritten: Typewith double spacing. In order to be consideredfor inclusion in Typewriters or wordprocessors shouldthe be set at 44 characters followingissue,articlesshould (the equivalent ofnormally be sent in by the line length),as this will help the 1st February and Editor plan the 1st August. Wheretopicality isof the arrangement of the jour-essence, shorter deadlines nal. Please send two copies are possible by of the articlenegotiation with the Editor. and keep one for yourself.One copy of the article should be 'clean'(with no cor- Copyright rections) to enable theprinter to scan it. IfAuthors are reminded there are any changes that the Association or corrections theseholds the copyright forall articles pub- should be madeon the second copy. lished in its journals.

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December 1995 No. 12

Contents Page

Editorial 2.

Dorothy Glenn Time in Montale's La Farfalla di Dinard 3

Emilio Sciotti II Sasso Olino misterioso 8 Salvatore Coluccello Understanding the Mafia 10 Pierangela Le relazioni di spazio nell'italiano Diadori contemporaneo: II 13 Alessandro. BenatiThe role of formal instruction: theoretical-empirical and pedagogical considerations 19

Reviews 27

News and views 39

Notes for contributors 64

1111.1=11111111111=1.111MIIM.111.,.....i .10,11.11.1.4.1.011,101..pele01111111.4.111.1111011.7111.11110.0...IMS11.1WilallikaWAIFINanN*111.011.

150 Railway Terrace, Rugby CV21 3HN. Tel: (01788) 546443 Fax: (01788) 544149

42,06 BESTCOPYAVAILAPP,E AssoornoN,for.- L: U L. E, :A- R.

The Italian Journal of th soiiationjor Lan edge Learnng

resthig oral proficiency in eltalian

Ataly on the Inteene

La fcimiglia iraliana

JUNE 1996, No 13 );) BE 'COPY-AVAILABLE ASSOCIATION for LANGUAGE LEARNING

President: Madeleine Bedford, Further Education Teaching Council Secretary General: Christine Wilding Chevalier des Pa lmes Academiques Italian Committee Derek Aust (Chair), South Devon College Anna Bartrum, St Martin's College, Lancaster Julie Beverly, Plymouth Business School Mariolina Freeth, Islington VI Form Centre Jenny Jackson, Bedfordshire Upper Schools Teresa Lorusso-Gibson, Trinity School, Leamington Spa Ernesto Macaro, University of Reading Giovanna Muszynska, London Alessandro Nigro, Italian Institute Hilary Reeves, John Mansfield School, Peterborough Carole Shepherd, St Mary's Comprehensive School, Newcastle upon Tyne Andrew Wilkin (Editor), University of Strathclyde Jocelyn Wyburd, University of Humberside Tuttitalia is published twice a year, in June and December. It is supplied to ALL members who choose it as one of their two specialist language journals in addition to Language Learning Journal and Language World, and is available on subscription to libraries and individuals. Other journals published by the Association for Language Learning Language Learning Journal, German Teaching, Vida Hispdnica, Francophonie, Rusistika, Dutch Crossing (published by the Centre for Low Countries Studies), Language World Quarterly Newsletter Advertising: All enquiries should be addressed to the Advertising Manager at the address below Contributors: See page 64 Official address: Association for Language Learning, 150 Railway Terrace, Rugby CV21 3HN. Telephone: 01788 546443. Fax: 01788 544149 TUTTITALIA

ISSN 0957-1752 June 1996 No. 13

Editor Andrew Wilkin Department of Modern Contents Page Languages Editorial 2 Univ. of Strathclyde Glasgow G1 1XH Flavia Laviosa How to test and evaluate oral Editorial Board proficiency in Italian 3 Derek Aust Anna Bartrum Antonio Italiano Interattivo 16 Julie Beverly Mariolina Freeth Borraccino Jenny Jackson Ernesto Macaro Julie Beverly Travels with a mouse Giovanna Muszynska Italy on the Internet 20 Hilary Reeves Carole Shepherd Sara Laviosa- Lexicalisation and syntacticisation Reviews Editor Braithwaite of the verb piacere: a study of the Carole Shepherd interlanguage of learners of Italian 27 58 Beatty Avenue Jesmond Newcastle-upon-Tyne Carmela Ave lla La famiglia italiana contemporanea NE2 3QN Kellaway fra continuity e cambiamento 39 News Editor Reviews 47 Julie Beverly 29 Cedarcroft Road Beacon Park News and views 51 Plymouth PL2 3JX Notes for Contributors 64 Published by Association for Language Learning Printed by Stephen Austin and Sons Ltd Caxton Hill Ware Road Hertford SG13 7LU

Tuttitalia, No. 13, June 1996 1 Editorial

This issue of Tuttitalia will reach readers (University of Plymouth) which is likely to before the summer holidays, but with a cer-become the standard initial catalogue for tain delay. For this, I as Editor take fullInternet matters for Italianists. responsibility. An exceptional round of Maintaining our pattern of attempting to bothUniversityandexternalduties,feature a special item on Italian language in together with the death of my father, haveeach issue of Tuttitalia, we are pleased to greatly affected my normal pattern of edi-welcome yet another newcomer to this torial production. I would ask readers tojournal, Sara Laviosa-Braithwaite on the accept my apologies for the delay, and trustproblems and pitfalls presented in the it will not detract from the pleasure to belearning of uses of the verb piacere. Sara is had in reading this issue. the sister of Flavia mentioned above, and Having afforded considerable space tothisas far as is knownis the first time an extensive range of book reviews insisters have been featured in the same issue Tuttitalia12, your Editorial Board hasof this journal. thought it proper to give greater space to Already foreshadowed in Tuttitalia 12 mainstream articles and to the News andwith charts and statistical tables is our art- views section for the present issue, whilsticle here by Carmela Avella Kellaway on again attempting to balance the materials 'La famiglia italiana contemporanea'. in English with those in Italian. We hope A short Reviews Section, brought tothat this approach will bring a variety ofgether by our Reviews Editor, Carole interest and pleasure to our wide reader-Shepherd,precedesan extended and ship. certainly very varied News and views We welcome to our columns Dr Flaviasection. LaviosaofWellesleyCollege,Massa- The Editor and Editorial Board trust that chusetts, USA, who has been conductingthe range, variety and qualityof the research in Edinburgh during the academicmaterials will once again appeal to the year 1995-96. Dr Laviosa invites us to con-readership of Tuttitalia, to whom we send sider ways of testing and evaluating oralour best wishes for Buone vacanze and proficiency in Italian. Buona lettura! Readers will detect a certain emphasis in this issue of Tuttitalia on matters technologi- ANDREW WILKIN cal. Among such features are a contribution on'ItalianoInterattivo'from Antonio Borraccino (University of Westminster), TUTTITALIA IS A REFEREED and another on 'Travels with a mouse ACADEMIC / PROFESSIONAL JOURNAL Italy on the Internet' by Julie Beverly FOR ITALIANISTS

in1) 1 2 Tuttitalia, No. 13, June 1996 How to test and evaluate oral proficiency in Italian

Flavia Laviosa Wellesley College Mass., USA

[Dr Flavia Laviosa is Lecturer in Italian atChomsky's view (1965), but also the knowl- Wellesley College, Massachusetts, USA, where edge of why, where, when, how, and to she co-ordinates and teaches courses in Italian whom it is correct to use these forms. language and culture. During the academic year As a result of the pedagogical effects of 1995-96 she has been undertaking research in the Department of Applied Linguistics at the the proficiency movement, teachers have University of Edinburgh. Ed.] realised that if they ask their students to participate in speaking activities every day in the classroom, they cannot assess their Introduction progress with traditional discrete point In recent years, oral proficiency hasgrammar tests. They have understood, assumed a high priority in foreign lan- therefore, that proficiency-orientated exer- guage teaching because much of the dis- cises need to be followed by proficiency- cussion relating to proficiency-orientatedorientated testing. instruction and testing has focused on the The need for a communicative testing development of oral skills. The emphasisprogramme has prompted teachersto on speaking proficiency can be traced backinvestigate different possibilities for oral to the audio-lingual methodologies of the assessment. Oral testing is, however, quan- 1960s and to the advent of the proficiency titatively different from other kinds of tests movement in the 1970s. Interest in oraland, generally, little space is devoted to skills continues today essentially becauseoral instruction and testing compared to they are important in all professional fields the teaching and testing of other skills. It is in the 1990s and for future decades. As adifficult for teachers to capture elusive oral result of this continuing widespread inter-performance and evaluate it because oral est in developing speaking ability, foreignlanguage is full of fragments, hesitations, language instructors have started to changefalse starts, and redundancy. Teachers also their teaching styles to a more interactivestruggle with the decision as to what approach designed to develop communica-amount of instructional and practice time tive competence. should be spent on developing speaking Communicative competence has beenability and how the skill should be pro- defined in the literature (Campbell andportionately represented in the grading Wales, 1970; Hymes, 1972) as the ability tosystem. transmit meaning in grammatically correct The testing of speaking is widely regarded forms and socially acceptable ways. Trueas the most challenging of all language communication occurs when language isexaminations to prepare, administer, and used as rich interpersonal and culturallyscore. For this reason, many teachers do not appropriate behaviour, which goes beyondknow how to handle the task of evaluating meaningful and correct manipulation ofspoken language. Boyles (1994; 96) explains: grammar points. In other words, communi- Foreign language teachers are at differ- cation requires that speakers share theent points along the continuum of the para- socio-cultural meaning of the linguisticdigm shift to more creative and real-life forms. Communicative competence, there-testing. Some say that they do not need to fore, includes not only the grammaticallytest the speaking skills formally because accurate use of the language, as stated inthey, already assess the speaking ability of .4. ro' Tuttitalia, No. 13, June 1996 3 their students on a daily basis and do notmal conversations and usenative-like feel that separate tests need to be given. vocabulary and sentence structure. Participation grades, however, are more Knowledge and understanding of these an index of attendance, attitudes andlevels of oral proficiency are crucial in the behaviour than a reflection of oral profi-design of instructional objectives and prac- ciency. As Gonzales (1989; 487) points out: tice activities for the development and test- Those who wish to be pedagogically fairing of speaking skill from the early stages by testing what they teach are incorporat- of language learning. In this regard, Boyles ing the speaking skill into the regular tests (1994; 92) suggests: that their students take. To do otherwise is Even in the first weeks of beginning to to send the wrong message to students. study a language, students need to get The present article is intended for teach-used to the message that they are account- ers of Italian who are interested in develop-able for speaking the language too. Since ing a proficiency-based curriculum. Morethe ACTFL guidelines tell us that novice specifically,itspurposeis:firstly,tolearners can say only a few memorised emphasise the importance of incorporatingwords or phrases in the beginning of lan- a proficiency orientation into regular class-guage use, and that these words cannot yet room teaching and testing for speakingbe used spontaneously, we need to use skills; secondly, to provide teachers with an those guidelines and incorporate them into analysis of the ACTFL Oral Proficiencya novice/ entry level speaking test. descriptors; thirdly, to give a definition of Omaggio (1993; 233) also indicates that the Oral Proficiency Interview, its assess-an examination of the ACTFL Proficiency ment criteria and structure; and finally, toGuidelines can generate ideas for oral offer a practical guide with examples toinstruction appropriate for students at the design testing instruments to assess speak-novice, intermediate, and advanced levels. ing skill in the first and second semesters ofOmaggio, however, takes a different posi- Italian language instruction at college level. tion and states that: it is important to bear in mind that the guidelines are not a set of goal statements The ACTFL Proficiency Guidelines in and of themselves, but are rather Teachers need to be aware of the various descriptions of typical competencies (as levels of competence as defined in the well as patterns of weakness) that lan- American Council on the Teaching of guage users are expected to have at each Foreign Languages (ACTFL) Proficiency of the levels of proficiency. Guidelines (1989) when they develop their On theotherhand, Omaggio also oral proficiency curriculum. These guide-explains that the proficiency descriptions lines indicate that Novice speakers use lim- are useful in the process of planning goals ited, memorised material, communicatewhen designing language curricula. with lists and set phrases, ask and answer with simple statements or questions, and make frequent errors. Intermediate speakers, The oral proficiency curriculum instead, create with the language, partici- Designed for college-levelItalian pate in short conversations, function incourses, the oral proficiency curriculum simple survival situations, and transferhere described utilises a communicative learnedmaterialstonewcontexts.approach tosecond-language teaching. Advanced speakers participate fully in con- More specifically, this curriculum is an versations, narrate and describe in majorattempt to bridge the gap between tradi- tenses, and deal with complications such astional grammar-orientated instruction and one might encounter in the target culture. current methodologies that stress the value Finally, Superior speakers discuss a wideof meaning and context in the communica- range of topics in depth by supportingtive use of the language. opinions and theorising about abstract Communicative competence in second- issues; they can sustain formal and infor-language learning includes both linguistic

4 Tuttitalia, No. 13, June 1996 (grammatical accuracy) and sociolinguistic ative communication in the target lan- competence(socioculturalappropriate-guage, will describe and narrate, and will ness).Successfulcommunicationthusattempt to create with language. Students depends on three elements: will be encouraged to develop awareness 1. the learner's willingness to take a risk of sociocultural values and to initiate social and express him/herself in the foreignacts. They will participate in short conver- language; sations, and will be able to get into, 2. his /her resourcefulness in using thethrough, and out of a simple survival situa- vocabularyandstructuresundertion. They will also be able to transfer his /her control to make him /herselflearned material to new situations and understood; and make enquiries and obtain information 3. his /her ability to make appropriate from others. choices in register and style to fit the Advanced. At thislevel,personalised particular situation in which commu-practice will be promoted and learners will nication occurs. be both grammatically correct and cultur- In the oral proficiency curriculum forally appropriate in specific situations and Italianlanguage courses,opportunitiesrelationships. Learners will be able to pro- need to be provided for students to practisevide descriptions, narrate, support opin- the use of language in a range of contextsions, argue, and persuade. They will be likely to be encountered in the target able to participate fully in casual conversa- language. It is very important to contex- tions, give instructions and simple reports. tualise oral practice activities in order toThey will also be able to deal with compli- strengthen the links between form, mean-cations in such situations as one might ing, sociolinguistic appropriateness, and encounter living in the target culture. sociocultural significance in instruction. It is important to adhere to certain prin- ciplesin designing contextualisedoral Instructional activities practice activities. For example: A proficiency-orientated approach will (a) The situation will be relevant and use-promote active interaction among students. ful to the learner; The use of small-group and paired commu- (b) The content will reflect the level ofnicative practice will make the oral exer- sophistication of students and theircises as natural as possible. The activities knowledge of the world; will involve problem-solving which will (c) The language will be natural and help students develop skills in negotiation, appropriate to specific communicative reducing mis-communication, and using situations; and various levels of directness and indirect- (d) Practice activities will respect sociolin- ness, formality and informality. guistic and cultural-specific norms. Small-group work will also ensure that each student has the greatest opportunity for participation. The activities will be task- Overview and objectives by level orientated, so that the students will focus At each level of instruction in the Italiantheir attention on the task rather than on oral proficiency curriculum, a variety oflanguage alone. This will allow for more activities will be introduced. The difference natural, less self-conscious communication. will be in the degree of emphasis placed onSmall-group work will also give students individual activities. much more class time for the development Beginning. At this level, students will goof oral skills since everyone will produce through structured and heavily monitoredlanguageduringthegroupactivity. practice of the oral language in order toFinally, working with peers takes some of ensure that they use it accurately. They will the pressure off students who often feel conduct short routine conversations. intimidated by the need to perform in front Intermediate. At this level, students will of the whole class. move towards more open-ended and cre- Examples of communicative interaction

Tuttitalia, No. 13, tune 1996 5 011-4wit are: community-orientated tasks, role-play-number of abilities simultaneously as it ing, simulations, and improvisations. In thelooks at them from a global perspective effort to create a comfortable atmosphererather than from the point of view of the and encourage oral practice, extra-curricu- presence or absence of any given linguistic lar activities can be arranged for students, feature. The OPI is not an achievement test such as a conversation over the lunch-assessing a speaker's acquisition of various break, a coffee /tea -hour in the afternoon,aspects of a course; it assesses language or an after-dinner drink hour intheperformance in terms of the ability to use evening once a week. the language effectively and appropriately in real-life situations. Testing oral proficiency Before students can perform well in for-Assessment criteria of the OPI mal testing, they need the assurance that When a speech sample isevaluated they have done extensive and successful(ACTFL, 1989), the following criteria are oral practice in class. That is why a large considered: number and wide rangeofin-class the functions or global tasks the inter- preparatory activities, relating directly to viewee performs, i.e. what the speaker oral performance, are important. Omaggio is able to do with the language; (1993; 233) suggests that in order to provide the social contexts or circumstances in optimal speaking practice in class, teachers which a person uses the language; need to assess what variety of levels they specific content areas or topics of conver- can attain in the course ofinstruction. sation in which the interviewee is able Teachers can then orientate their teaching to perform; towards carefully defined goals and select the accuracy or the precision and qual- activities that: ity of the message conveyed; and correspond to current levels of profi- the type of oral text or discourse, or the ciency and to those in the next highest quantity and organisational aspects of range so that opportunities for progress speech that the interviewee is capable can be maximised. of producing. In order to design a framework for For each level of proficiency, accuracy instruction that is orientated towards profi- includes the following features: ciency goals, Omaggio (1993) also indicates fluency, or rate of speech and the use of that teachers must provide opportunities cohesive devices to bind discourse for students to practise using language in together; a range of contexts and tasks likely to grammar, or usage of the norms of mor- be encounteredinthetargetculture. phology and syntax; Furthermore, oral practice should be inte- pragmatic competence, or the ability to grated with culture-specific content and use various discourse management practice in other skill areas. devices to get the message across and to compensate for imperfect control of the language; pronunciation, or the ability to produce The ACTFL Oral Proficiency segmental and suprasegmental pitch, Interview: Definitional framework stress and intonation features of the The Oral Proficiency Interview (OPI) language; (ACTFL, 1989) is a standardised procedure sociolinguistic competence, or the ability for the global assessment of functional to use the language appropriately in speaking ability. This test gives a global different registers in various situations assessment because it measures language within a particular culture, and to use production holistically by determining pat- cultural references and idioms; and terns of strengths and weaknesses in speak- vocabulary, or the size of lexicon and ing ability. In other words, it addresses a adherence to norms of usage. 40 i4 6 Tuttitalia, No. 13, June 1996 A .41 Structure of the OPI mote the use of various elicitation techniques. Instead of simply reciting memo- The OPI (ACTFL, 1989) is based on therised information, or performing in pairs or elicitation of a speech sample. The elicita-groups what usually turns out to be stu- tion procedure includes a five-stage struc-dents' weak and improvised stage pro- ture: warm-up, level checks, probes, role-play, ductions of loosely structured, culturally and wind-down. The first phase is the warm-inappropriate, thematically unfocused, lin- up which, at a psychological level, puts theguistically poorly-written dramatisations interviewee at ease; from a linguistic point(or tragi-comic skits that are sometimes fun of view it reacquaints the interviewee withto watch, but absolutely unratable as test- the language; and from the evaluativeing samples of oral proficiency), students point of view it gives the tester a prelimin-actually talk with their teacher and engage ary indication of the testee's skill level. The in a naturally flowing and yet very care- second stage are the level checks that, fromfully structured and focused interaction. the psychological point of view, show what The advantages of the oral interview are: the interviewee can do; from a linguistic first, that it can be one of the most commu- perspective they check for functions and nicative and reliable of all language exami- content handled with highest accuracy; andnations; and second, that it is remarkably from an evaluative point of view they findflexible in terms of the item-types that can the highest level (or floor) of sustained per-be included. On the other hand, the oral formance. The next phase consists of theinterview also has a number of limitations. probes that, psychologically, are meant toFirst of all, it is time-consuming, particu- show what the interviewee cannot do; lin-larly if taped and then scored; and then, guistically, they check for functions andscoring the test holistically, so that the content handled with least accuracy; andentire body of student speech is evaluated from an evaluative point of view they findsimultaneously, can be challenging. the first level (or ceiling) at which perfor- Planning oral tests involves several cru- mance can no longer be sustained. The role- cial steps. Teachers should include a wide play has the purpose of checking whether sample of specified_content in the time the interviewee can carry out linguisticavailable, and this may demand the use of functions that cannot easily be elicited bymore than one format. Students should be means of a conversational exchange. Theinformed in advance about the duration, last stage, the wind-down, has the psycho-structure, format, and scheduled time of logical purpose of returning the intervie-the oral test. Before the test, teachers will wee to the level at which he/she functionshave prepared two sets of envelopes with most accurately and gives the interviewee a series of numbers corresponding to a typed feeling of accomplishment; linguistically itlist of activities and selected topics that will gives the interviewer the chance to checkbe given to each student before the test. that the iterative process is complete. Students are advised to come tothe teacher'sofficeten or fifteen minutes before their examination, in order to have Guidelines for oral tests time to pick numbers from the envelopes, The kinds of Italian speaking tests illus-choose topics from the list that they will be trated in this article are inspired by thegiven, and prepare their questions and theoreticalframeworkofthe ACTFLanswers. Ten to fifteen minutes per student Guidelines and are structured followingis generally ample time for an oral test for the procedural stages and assessment crite-most levels and classes. Hughes (1991) sug- ria of the OPI. In a parallel way to thegests carrying out the interview in a quiet organisation and goals of the OPI, the pre-room, to avoid any sort of interruption or sent writer suggests that the design of andistraction such as the telephone ringing or oral test should follow the phases and con-someone knocking at the office-door. tent of an interview. The reason for sug- The oral interview can provide a genuine gesting an interview procedure is to pro- sense of communication and for this reason

Tuttitalia, No. 13, June 1996 7 rapportisimportant.Hughes(1991) with a sense of accomplishment. describes a good interviewer as neither After the oral test, the teacher assigns can- familiar nor intimidating, but as a persondidates to a level holistically, and rates them with sincere, open, and supportive man-on a five-point scale for each of the follow- ners. This interviewing approach is humaning areas: fluency, grammar, pronunciation, and effective. To that effect, Underhillsociolinguistic competence, and vocabulary. (1990; 6) states that: Proficiency descriptions by language areas, Oral tests must treat people as humantogether with the rating scale and scoring beings I...] as well as in the design of thesystem are to be found in Appendix A test procedure in general, we can make tak-below. The ratings are then weighted and ing a test challenging, instructive and eventotalled. The percentage of the resultant sub- an enjoyable experience. scores is then calculated and sub-totals are Therefore, interviewers need to be sym-added to obtain the final grade as illustrated pathetic and flexible, and set only tasks and in the Scoring Sheet in Appendix 13. topics previously practised in class that would not cause candidates any difficulty in the target language. The interviewerOral Tests by Level should also give the student totally dedi-Mid-Term Oral Examination: cated attention. Individual oral tests are always particularlystressfulfor candi-First Semester of Italian dates, so it is important to put them at ease Instructor's general guidelines. This test is by being pleasant and reassuring through- composed of four parts: out the examination. Testers should also(1) a brief warm-up; avoid making notes on the candidates' per-(2) a conversation in which the student formance during the interview. Oral tests answers questions on a given topic; are extremely strenuous for instructors, (3)a situation where the student must ask especially if they have large classes to test the instructor questions and record the twice a semester. To control fatigue, loss responses; and of concentration, or the abilitytotest (4)a brief wind-down to close the exami- and evaluate objectively, instructors are nation. advised to take regular ten-minute breaks Students will first draw two numbers every four oral tests. from an envelope. These numbers will cor- The interviewer deals with a differentrespond to the general conversation topics; person each time, so he/she must takestudents will choose one topic that they great care to show interest and friendlinesswish to discuss. Then students will pick to each interviewee. If the teacher knowstwo numbers which represent two of the something aboutthestudent,he /shesituations on the list; students will then can tailor and personalise the questions.select the situation that they prefer. During the course of the interview it is also Begin the examination by asking stu- crucial to signal very naturally any transi-dents several of the questions in the warm- tion between topics and stages of the exam-up section (which will not be evaluated); ination. The instructor should announcethen ask students six or more questions the end of the warm-up stage and thefrom the Conversazione topic chosen; you beginning of the next section, and so onmay use these questions or appropriate until the end of the test. Teachers shouldvariations of them. Ask each question once; not talk too much and avoid makingstudents may ask you to repeat the ques- lengthy or repeated explanations of some-tion one time without penalty. Finally, role- thing that the candidate has misunder-play the Situazione, having students ask stood. The same question can be asked onlyyou questions. twice and no corrections are allowed dur- Student's general guidelines. The test con- ing the test. The interview should be main-sists of four parts: tained at a level at which the candidate (1)Warm-up (which is not evaluated). This feels comfortable, thus leaving him /her part consists of several easy general

8 Tuttitalia, No. 13, June 1996 questions to help put you at ease and 3. Quali sono? get started. 4. Descrivi l'appartamento (o la casa). (2)Conversazioni. This section consists of 5. Descrivi la tua camera. La tua camera 6 three questions taken from one of the molto grande? Ti piace la tua camera? topics listed below (several sample Perch& o perche no? Quali mobili ci questions are given for each section). sono nella tua camera? Other questions that your instructor 6. Descriviuntipicoappartamento can use will be similar to those in the italiano. textbook and those used in class. You 7. Hai un'automobile, una bicicletta, o will pick two numbers (from 1-8) from una moto? an envelope that your instructor has 8. Come vieni all'universita? prepared. These numbers correspond La tua famiglia to the numbers of the topics in the 1. La tua famiglia e di origine italiana? Se Conversazioni section. From these you si, di dove? Parlate italiano in famiglia? will then choose one topic. Se no, quali sono le origini dei tuoi (3)Situazioni. This section consists of a genitori, nonni, o bisnonni? role-play in which you ask five ques- 2. Quante personecisono nellatua tions based on a given situation; your famiglia? instructor plays the other role and 3. Hai fratelli o sorelle? answers the questions. You will pick 4. Cosa fa tuo padre? (tua madre, tuo two numbers from an envelope that fratello, ecc.)? your instructor has prepared, and then 5. Descrivi tuo padre o tua madre (eta, from these you will choose the situa- professione, qualita, difetti). tion you prefer. These situations are 6. Descrivi tuo fratello o tua sorella (eta, given below. qualita difetti, interessi). (4)Wind-down (which is not evaluated). 7. Dove abita la tua famiglia? This final part consists of easy general 8. Tu hai molti zii, zie e cugini? questions to end the examination. I/ cibo e i pasti 1. Che tipo di frutta preferisci? Oral Test 2. Di solito, fai colazione la mattina? Cosa (A) Warm-up questions prendi a colazione? 1. Come ti chiami? 3. Di solito, the cosa bevi con i pasti? 2. Come stai? 4. Mangi spesso al ristorante? Se si, dove 3. Tu sei americano/ a? e perche? 4. Quanti anni hai? 5. Quale tipo di cucina preferisci? 5. Che ore sono? 6. Cucini a casa qualche volta? Ti piace 6. Che giorno della settimana e oggi? Che cucinare? data e oggi? 7. Cosa prendono gli Italiani a colazione 7. Che tempo fa oggi? la mattina? 8. Quanti corsi segui questo semestre? 8. Descrivi un tipico pranzo italiano. Quali sono? 9. Qual e it tuo piatto italiano preferito, e 9. Di solito, quando studi? Quante ore perche? studi al giorno? La tua citta e it tuo quartiere 10. Ti piace l'universita? Perche? 1. Dove abiti? 11. Lavori? Dove? Quante ore al giorno? 2. Abiti vicino o lontano dall'universita? (B) Conversazioni 3. Chi fa i lavori domestici a casa tua? I Alloggio piatti? La cucina? Abiti in una casa, in un appartamento, o 4. Spiega come vai da casa tua all'univer- nella casa dello studente? Se abiti in un sita. appartamento o in una c a s a ... 5. Quali negozi ci sono nel tuo quartiere? 1. Con chi abiti? 6. Ci sono dei cinema vicino a casa tua? 2. Quante stanze ci sono? Una scuola? Una banca?

Tuttitnlia, No. 13, June 1996 9 7. Descrivi it campusuniversitario 6. Che cosa farai durante le vacanze (negozi, cinema, banche, ecc.). estive o invernali? 8. Descrivi una citta italiana che conosci o 7. Hai visitato l'Italia o qualche altro che hai visitato. paese straniero? Qua le, quando, e quali differenze hai notato? leri 1. A che ora sei andato/a all'universita Giorni, mesi, e stagioni ieri? 1. Qual e la tua stagione preferita e 2. A quali lezioni sei andato/a e a che perche? ora? 2.In' generale, che cosatipiace fare 3. Hai studiato in biblioteca? d' estate? 4. Dove hai pranzato e con chi? Che cosa 3. Qua le giorno della settimana preferisci hai mangiato? e perche? 5. A che ora sei andato/a via dall'univer- 4. Di solito, che cosa fai ii sabato o la sita? domenica? 6. A che ora hai cenato? Che cosa hai 5. In quali giorni hai lezione? mangiato? 6. In quale stagione preferisci viaggiare? 7. Hai guardato la televisione ieri sera? 7. Quando e it tuo compleanno? Che programma hai guardato e a che 8. Come trascorrono di solito i giovani ora? italiani ii fine-settimana? 8. Dimmi tre cose che hai fatto ieri. 9. Immagina di essere in Italia e racconta (C) Situazioni cosa hai fatto ieri; incominciadalla Role-play the following situations. Have students ask you questions. mattina. 1. You are planning to spend a year in AttiviM e abitudini Italy and would like to rent a small 1. Pratichi uno sport? Dove, quando, e apartment. Ask the real-estate agent con chi? five questions about the apartment you 2. Tipiaceguardarelatelevisione? areinterestedin(e.g. how many Quando, e perche? rooms, what rooms, large or small, bal- 3. Qua li programmi guardi? cony, rent, neighbourhood). 4. Hai guardato la televisione ieri sera? Se 2. You are a travel agent and are asking a si, che cosa hai guardato? Se no, perche client about his/her travel preferences. no? Ask five questions to find out what 5. In generale, quali attivita ti piacciono? kind of trip the individual likes (e.g. 6. Che cosa fai di solito durante it fine- where he/she wants to go on vacation, settimana? how he/she wants to travel). 7. Durante la settimana, che cosa ti piace 3. You are working for a computer- fare? dating service and have been asked 8. Da quanto tempo studil'italiano? to interview a potential client. Ask Perche hai scelto questa lingua? five questions to find out about the 9. Par li altre lingue straniere? individual's interests, activities, and 10. Descrivi le attivita e abitudini di uno/a personality. studente/studentessa italiano/a. 4. You are having a conversation with Le vacanze your friend who has met an Italian stu- 1. Ti piace viaggiare? Perche o perche no? dent in the cafeteria. Ask your friend 2. Come preferisci viaggiare? In quale five questions to find out about the stagione preferisci viaggiare? Perche? physical characteristics of this student 3. Preferisci viaggiare negli Stati Uniti o and his/her personality. all'estero? Spiega la tua risposta. 5. You're having lunch with a friend and 4. Dove sei andato/a in vacanza l'estate cannot decide where to eat. Ask your scorsa? friend to suggest a restaurant and find 5. Con chi hai viaggiato, quando e come out as much as you can about the hai viaggiato? Racconta it tuo viaggio. restaurant (e.g. name of the restaurant,

10 Tuttitalia, No. 13, June 1996 .,..a.A, ..,..,,.....:,,,...t, where itis, the type of food eaten these you will choose the situation you there, if the meals are good or not, and prefer.Thesesituationsaregiven why your friend recommends this below. restaurant). Ask five questions. 4. Wind-down (which is not evaluated). 6. Imagine that you are talking with an This final part consists of easy general Italian-speaking friend and want to ask questions to end the examination. about his/her home town and neigh- Note. It is important that you use new bourhood. Ask five questions to findmaterial studied in your current course in out about thisplace (whereitis your answers. You must also use a variety located, what the population is, whatof vocabulary and structuresin your shops, restaurants, etc., are found inanswers. Full credit will not be given to the town). answers that repeat the same structures 7. A friend has just come back from a(e.g. c'e una farmacia, c'e una libreria, ecc.). wonderful vacation in Italy. Ask five questionstofind out about your Conversazioni friend's trip. 1.Cosa porti? Descrivi gli abiti che porti di solito nelle seguenti situazioni: per (D) Wind-down questions venire all'universita, quando sei a casa 1. Cosa fai/farai dopo questo esame? lasera, per andare al cinema, per 2. Cosa fai/farai durante le prossime andare a cena in un ristorante elegante, vacanze? quando sei in piscina. Cosa ti piaceva 3. Qua li sono i tuoi programmi per it indossare quando eri al liceo? futuro? 2.Descrivi. Descrivi un/una componente dellatuafamigliao un/a tuo /a Final Oral Examination: amico/a. Descrivi questa persona fisicamente e parla anche della sua per- First Semester of Italian sonalita, interessi, professione, qualita, Student's copy. The test will consist of difetti, ecc. four parts: 3. Giorno di festa. Oggi e it compleanno di 1. Warm-up (which is not evaluated). This un /a tuo/a amico/a o componente part consists of several easy general della tua famiglia. Indica cosa compre- questions to help put you at ease and rai per questa persona e perch& Tu get started. darai una festa a casa tua per questa 2. Conversazioni. In this section, you will be persona. Chi inviterai e perche? Che asked to talk about one of the topics list- cosa preparerai da mangiare e cosa ed below for a short period of time. You farete to e gli invitati durante la festa? will pick two numbers from an enve- 4. Che tempo fa. Descrivi it tempo che fa lope that your instructor has prepared. qui (o nella tua citta) e cosa possono These numbers correspond to the num- fare le persone durante questa stagione bers of the topics in the conversation dell'anno. section below. You will then choose one 5.Il migliore e it peggiore. Alcuni amici of these topics and will speak at least six italiani vogliono trascorrere un anno or seven sentences. After you have fin- accademico presso la tua universita. ished, your instructor will ask you Descrivi i diversi aspetti della vita uni- questions asking for further informa- versitaria e di questa citta, e paragonali tion on what you have said. con quelli di una universita e di una 3.Situazioni. This section consists of a cittaitaliana.Parla soprattutto dei role-play in which you ask five or more corsi, professori, residenze, ristoranti questions based on a given situation; migliori e peggiori, ecc. your instructor plays the other role and 6. Paragoni. Parla della vita nel dormi- answers the questions. You will pick torioefuoridell'universita.Sono two numbers from an envelope that migliori le camere del dormitorio o your instructor has prepared and from quelle degli appartamenti? I servizi nel

Tuttitalia, No. 13, June 1996 dormitorio sono piu efficienti di quelli Fa' cinque domande per sapere come negli appartamenti oppure no? In era la sua vita quando era giovane, generale, passi phi tempo nel dormi- dove viveva, che lavoro faceva, ecc. torio, nel campus o fuori dell'univer- 4. Vita nel dormitorio. Sei un/ a nuovo /a sita? Perche? studente/ssa che non conosce bene le 7.Scelta di una professione. In quale profes- regole della vita nel dormitorio. Fa' sione ti piacerebbe lavorare? Spiega cinque domande per sapere cosa puoi perch& citando i vantaggi e gli svan- o non devi fare nel dormitorio. taggi di questa professione, e le qualita 5. Intervista con un personaggio famoso. Tu necessarie per avere successo e perche lavori per una rete televisiva e hai it pensi di riuscire in questa professione. compito di intervistare un famoso per- 8.II mattino. Parla di cosa fai ogni matti- sonaggio dello spettacolo. Fa' cinque na. Indica a che ora ti alzi, esci di casa, domande per sapere perche ha scelto se devi fare tutto in fretta, cosa prendi questa professione, quando ha inco- a colazione, ecc. Confronta cie che fai minciato la sua carriera, ecc. di mattina dal lunedi al venerdi con 6. Ad una festa. Tu sei il/la padrone/ a di cie che fai di mattina durante it fine- casa e stai dando una festa a cui hai settimana. invitato anche il/la tuo /a professore/ 9. Ieri sera. Che cosa hai fatto ieri sera? ssa. Offrigli /le qualcosa da bere e da Indica a che ora sei tornato /a a casa, mangiare e incomincia una conver- cosa hai mangiato a cena, se tisei sazione con delle domande sulla sua riposato /a un po', a che ora sei anda- professione. to /a a letto, ecc. 7. Assenza scolastica. Ieri to non sei pot- 10. Regali. Vai a comprare dei regali per uto /a andare alla lezione di italiano diversi compagni di scuola (o per it perche avevi un colloquio di lavoro. professore/la professoressa). Descrivi Fa' cinque domande al/la tuo /a pro- cosa comprerai per ogni persona e fessore/ssa per sapere cosa ha fatto perche, e spiega in quale negozio l'insegnante, quali compiti ci sono per andrai a comprarli. it giorno dopo, ecc. 11. Per essere in forma. Cosa fai per essere in forma? Indica se fai ginnastica, sollevi Mid-term Oral Examination: pesi, nuoti, cavalchi, se fai attenzione a ciO che mangi, ecc. Se preferisci, puoiSecond Semester of Italian parlare degli studenti in generale. Student's copy. The test will consist of four parts: Situazioni 1. Warm-up (which is not evaluated). This In ogni situazione devi fare almeno 5 part consists of several easy general domande. questions to help put you at ease and 1.Descrizione. Una persona italiana che get you started. non hai mai visto viene a studiare pres- 2. Conversazioni. You will be asked to talk so la tua universita. Vai a prenderla for a short time on one topic: one from all'aeroporto. Fa' cinque domande per the Argomenti personali; the other from poterla riconoscere (capelli, occhi, cor- the Argomenti generali. You will pick poratura, abiti). three numbers from an envelope that 2. Un viaggio di studio in Italia. Un/a your instructor has prepared. You can tuo /a amico /apartiraprestoper thenselectwhichofthesetwo trascorrere un semestre in un program- Argomenti personali you want to dis- ma accademico in Italia. Fa' cinque cuss. Repeat the process with the domande per sapere dove andra, Argomenti generali. Plan and organise quando, cosa studiera, ecc. what you are going to say, using 3. Racconti di gioventil. Mentre aspetti vocabulary and ideas presented in the it /la tuo /a amico /a per andare a chapters you are currently studying as teatro, parli con it /la suo /a nonno /a. well as material learned in previous

12 Tuttitalia, No. 13, June 1996 courses. After you have finished, your quali osservazioni farebbe sul tipo di instructor will ask you questions for vita degli Americani? elaboration of ideas. 5. Descrivi la vita di uno/a studente/ 3.Situazioni complicate. This section con- ssa americano/ a (abitudini, priorita, sists of a situation that you will act out doveri, ecc.). with your instructor. In these situa- 6. Par la delle spese tipiche di uno/a tions, the other person (your instruc- studente/ssa americano/a. tor) will be difficult to deal with, or 7. Par la del valore dello sport nella vita will be reluctant to do something but universitaria americana. not impossible to persuade. You will Situazioni complicate pick two numbers from an envelope 1. Vuoi visitare la citta di Venezia e vuoi that your instructor has prepared, and che uno dei tuoi amici ti accompagni. then you will choose the situation you Questo amico preferisce passare le prefer.These situationsaregiven vacanze in un altro paese europeo. below. Convinci ii tuo amico che Venezia 6 il 4. Wind-down (which is not evaluated). posto ideale per le vostre vacanze. This final part consists of easy general 2. Hai voglia di andare ad uno spettacolo questions to end the examination. del/latuo/aattore/attrice/cantante Note. It is important that you use new preferito/a. Sfortunatamente, il/la tuo/ material studied on your current course in a amico/a ha deciso all'ultimo momen- your answers. Full credit will not be given to di non venire con te. Convincilo /la for answers that repeat the same structures ad accompagnarti. Insisti soprattutto (e.g. ho un corso di italiano, ho un corso di sulle qualita dell'artista. matematica, ecc.). 3. Tu cerchi di convincere un amico ad andare al cinema con te. Gli parli dei Conversazioni diversi film che sono in visione e delle Argomenti personali qualita di un film in particolare (intrec- 1. Descrivi la tua vita universitaria: abitu- cio, attori, scenografia), ma il tuo amico dini, priorita, corsi che segui e che e difficile da convincere. seguirai, fa' un confronto tra ituoi 4. Sei in Italia e sei malato/ a. Hai i tipici corsi universitari e i corsi del liceo. sintomi dell'influenza. Cerca di spie- 2. Che cosa faresti se fossi un/un'artista o gare ad un farmacista (che e molto un personaggio politico? occupato e che non fa troppa atten- 3. Che cosa faresti se abitassi in Italia? zione a cie che dici) quali sono i tuoi 4. L'importanza dello sport nella tua vita. problemi e di che cosa hai bisogno. 5. Tu e la musica: preferenze, gruppi 5. Due amici vogliono che to esca con musicali, strumenti che suoni, ecc. loro venerdi sera. Tu spieghi loro che 6. Tu e il cinema: genere di film che sei occupato/a e che hai bisogno di preferisci, attori e attrici preferiti/e, lavorare molto a casa e che non puoi ecc. andare con loro. Loro insistono e to 7. Quando avrai finito gli studi, cosa farai? devi spiegare perch& 8. Come sarebbe stata la tua vita se to non fossi venuto/a all'universita? Final Oral Examination: Argomenti generali 1. L'importanza della musica nella vitaSecond Semester of Italian degli studenti americani. Instructor's copy. The test consists of four 2. L'importanza delle attivita artisticheparts: nella vita degli Americani. 1. Warm-up (which is not evaluated). This 3. Qua li sono le caratteristiche principali part consists of several easy general degli Americani? Par la anche degli questions to help put students at ease Italiani e fa' un confronto. and get started. 4. Se un Italiano visitasse gli Stati Uniti, 2. Picture sequence #1. This section con-

Tuttitalin, No. 13, June 1996 13 sists of the analysis and description of 6. Racconta cio che tu avresti o non a sequence of pictures. avresti fatto in modo diverso durante 3. Picture #2. In this section you will ask gli anni del liceo. Parla dei tuoi corsi open-ended questions on a picture. scolastici, divertimenti e vita sociale. 4. Open-ended questions. This section con- 7. Spiega cosa faresti in queste situazioni: sists of open-ended questions on cur- se avessi pill tempo libero; se vincessi rent issues. un biglietto per un viaggio in un paese 5. Wind-down (which is not evaluated). straniero; se potessi essere un'altra per- This final part consists of easy general sona; se potessi vivere in un altro questions to end the examination. paese. Picture sequence #1. Select a sequence of pictures that make a complete story. TellConclusion students: 'Guarda questa serie di scenette per un minuto. Dopo racconta una storia In this article a planning guide has been descrivendo queste vignette. Incominciapresented for the purposes of illustrating la storia con "un giorno della settimanahow to design instruction with an orientation towards oral proficiency in the first and scorsa ..." Do not point to any of the photos. If theresecond semesters of Italian language in- is no response from the student, use the fol-struction at college level. An analysis of the lowing questions as prompts: ACTFL Oral Proficiency descriptors, with a 1. Quante persone ci sono nella figura?definition of the OPI assessment structures, 2. Cosa hanno fatto ieri? has been provided, and a detailed guide, 3. Dove sono andate? with practical examples of four oral tests, 4. Che ore erano? has been offered. The present writer has 5. Che stagione era? indicated that a proficiency-based approach 6. Cos'e successo nella figura 2, 3, ecc.? to oral skills should provide a wide range of Picture #2: Open-ended. Select a pictureinstructional techniques and activity for- showing a problematic situation. Tell themats, and has also addressed the issue that student: 'Guarda la figura 2 per un minutocommunicative activities should be encour- e preparati a rispondere alle seguentiaged from the beginning of instruction, domande': although they need to be planned carefully 1. Dove 6 avvenuta questa scena? (15 se- so that they come within the range of the condi) students' competence. 2. Che cos'e successo? (15 secondi) The discussion in this article and the 3. Checosafara /farannoprobabil- emphasis on oral proficiency does not skillareas would be mente ...? (15 secondi) mean that other 4. Come avrebbe/ avrebbero potuto evi-neglectedinthe language curriculum. tare la situazione? (15 secondi) _Since, however, the ability to function ade- Open-ended questions. Ask students two of quately in speaking is an important goal for the following questions: second-language learners, it is crucial to 1. Elenca gli impegni che avrai completa- identify effective ways of teaching and test- to prima della fine di questo semestre.ing oral skills that will maximise opportu- 2. Che cosa bisognerebbe cambiare nel/lanities for the development of proficient tuo / apaese/universita / dormitorio? levels of language performance. 3. Se to fossiiipresidente della tua nazione, cosa faresti per promuovere laWorks cited pace nel mondo? Buck, Kathryn; Byrnes, Heidi; and Thompson, 4. Se potessi ritornare indietro nel tempo, Irene, eds, ACTFL Oral Proficiency Interview. che cosa faresti di diverso durante gli Tester Training Manual, Yonkers, New York, anni del liceo? Spiega perche. ACTFL, 1989. 5. Racconta cio che i tuoi genitori non Boyles, Peggy, 'Assessing the Speaking Skill in volevano o volevano che tu facessithe Classroom: New Solutions to an Ongoing quando eri al liceo. Problem', in Teaching Testing and Assessment, ed.

14 Tuttitalia, No. 13, June 1996 Charles Hancock, Lincolnwood, Illinois, stress and intonation patterns that cause the National Textbook Company, 1994. speaker to be occasionally unintelligible. Campbell, R. and Wales, R., 'The Study of 4.Some consistent phonemic errors and for- Language Acquisition',in New Horizonsin eign stress and intonation patterns, but Linguistics,ed. J.Lyons,Harmondsworth, speaker is generally intelligible. Penguin Books, 1970. 5.Occasional non-native pronunciation errors, Chomsky, Noam, Aspects of the Theory of Syntax, but speaker is always intelligible. MIT Press, Cambridge, Mass., 1965. Gonzales, Pino B., 'Proachievement Testing ofSociolinguistic competence Speaking', in Foreign Language Annals, 1987, 22, (5), 487-97. 1.Markers of social relations limited to a few Hughes, Arthur, Testing for Language Teachers, memorised formulae. Cambridge, Cambridge University Press, 1991. 2.Ability to use a few of the most frequent Hymes, Dell, 'On Communicative Competence', markers of social relations. in Sociolinguistics, ed. J. B. Pride and J. Holmes, 3.Ability to use some major registers and a Harmondsworth, Penguin Books, 1972. few common cultural references and idioms. Omaggio Hadley, Alice, Teaching Language in 4.Ability to use a number of major registers Context, Boston, Mass., Heinle & Heinle, 1993. and some cultural references. Underhill,Nic, Testing Spoken Language, 5.Appropriate use of the major registers and Cambridge, Cambridge University Press, 1990. ability to use some cultural references and idioms. Appendix A Vocabulary Proficiency descriptions 1.Lacks basic vocabulary. Language areas and scoring 2.Has some vocabulary, but uses it inaccu- rately. system 3.Often lacks basic vocabulary, but makes self understood. Fluency 4.Generally accurate usage of vocabulary 1.Speechhaltingandfragmentary;long with minor problems. unnatural pauses. 5.Has good command of vocabulary and uses 2.Speech frequently hesitant and jerky; sen- words appropriately. tences often incomplete. 3.Some stumbling, but manages to rephrase or continue. Appendix B 4.Speech generally natural and continuous; only slight pauses. Scoring Sheet Language Areas Scoring System 5.Speech natural and continuous without unnatural pauses. (1)Warm-up not evaluated Lowest-Highest Grammar (2)Part 150% 1. No utterance structurally correct. Fluency 1 2 3 4 5 x 1 = 2.Few utterances structurally correct. Grammar 12345_x3= 3.Some utterances correct, but major struc- Pronunciation 1 2 3 4 5 x 2 = tural problems remain. Sociolinguistic 4. Many correct utterances, but some struc- Competence 1 2 3 4 5 x 2 = tural problems remain. Vocabulary 1 2 3 4 5 x 3 = 5.Utterances almost always correct. (3)Part 250% Fluency 1 2 3 4 5 x 2 = Pronunciation/Intonation/ Grammar 1 2 3 4 5 x 2 = Stress Pronunciation 1 2 3 4 5 x 2 = Sociolinguistic 1.Frequent phonemic errors and foreign stress and intonation patterns that cause the Competence 12345_x2= speaker to be unintelligible. Vocabulary 1 2 3 4 5 x 2 = 2.Frequent gross pronunciation errors and (4)Wind-down not evaluated stress/intonation patterns that cause the Total Part 1 speaker to be frequently unintelligible. Total Part 2 3.Frequent phonemic errors and foreign Oral Test Total

Tuttitalia, No. 13, June 1996 15 Italiano Interattivo

Antonio Borraccino University of Westminster

larga flessibilita e varieta di apprendimento Introduzione facilitando quindi la possibility di raggiun- La creazione di Italiano Interattivo e co-gere unsoddisfacente livello di conoscenza minciata non appena l'avvento del multi-attiva nel minor tempo possibile. mediale per it PC ha reso possibili l'adattamento e la diffusione di materiale linguistico in ambiente informatico, con it chiaroCD-ROM vantaggio che questo offre rispetto al libro II corso su CD-ROM, affrancandosicorn- stampato e al relativo supporto audio, inpletamente da qualsiasi supporto cartaceo, termini di integrazione di testo, immagini eha come obiettivo principale quello di suono e, naturalmente, perl'interattivita.fornirematerialelinguisticodilivello Dopo alcuni mesi di lavoro e stato creato unmedio-avanzato per l'insegnamento del- prototipo che alcuni ricorderanno ful'italiano ai madre-linguisti inglesi, e di anche presentatoall'Italian Day pressorenderlo accessibile attraverso un program- l'Istituto Italiano di Cultura di Londra it 7ma multimediale la cui operativitae resa giugno 1993 (Tuttitalia, 8, dicembre 1993).estremamente semplice. Italiano Interattivo Con una certa dose di ottimismo it team di6, infatti, programmato per essere usato programmatori della SIAC di Imperia, giacon facility, intuitivamente,anche da chi affermata nel campo del Computer-Basedcon i computer non ha mai avutoniente a Training, sperava di poter interessare unoche fare. Tuttavia, neanche gli utenti ii cui sponsor commerciale nel breve termine.Ci6coefficiente d'intuitivita in campo multime- non 6 avvenuto immediatamente eit diale misura vicino allo zero, avranno ti- progetto e stato temporaneamente sospesomore di fare errori di navigazioneperche it per poi essere ripreso grazie alfinanzia- programma pub opzionalmente mostrare mento ottenuto dal Bureau LINGUA delladei piccoli messaggi per informare quale CommissionedellaComunita Europeaazione puo essere eseguita in ogni partico- tramite l'Universita di Westminsterlare momento. Questi messaggi (tre o quat- (Londra) che ha agito da partner coordina-tro parole al massimo) appaiono sullo tore. schermo al momento opportuno e danno le informazioni riguardo alla possibile ese- cuzione di un'azione (ascoltare, scrivere, La base registrare, voltare pagina, eccetera). Un Italiano Interattivo ha per base i tre testi di aiuto piu dettagliato e con supporto grafico Leonardo Oriolo The Handbook, A newpub essere anche comunque ottenuto on- style Italian grammar e Pronti via! (London,line, cioe in qualsiasi momento, facendo Links Publications). All'approccio comu-click sull'icona 'punto interrogativo'. Dalla nicativo e alla scelta del vocabolario e dellepagina di help specifica si pub accedere ad funzionibasatasullafrequenza d'uso, una pagina d'informazionegenerale. Infine Italiano Interattivo aggiunge la divertenteun aiuto sia alla navigazione(ma soprat- creazione di un sistema di ipertesto multi-tutto all'apprendimento della lingua) e for- mediale che, alla luce dell'attuale didatticanito dal supporto in lingua inglese dei di insegnamento delle lingue straniere etitoli, delle istruzioni degli esercizi e del delle aspettative del discente, permette testo dei dialoghi.

16 Tuttitalia, No. 13, June 1996 II corso logiche, di ortografia, eccetera, sia l'uso di funzioni appropriate per adempiere all'obi- II corso (oltre 400 ore di studio) e divisoettivo comunicativo. L'aiuto in forma di in 12 unita/argomento. La struttura di ognispiegazione grammaticale e possibile in units e la stessa con tre sezioni principali:qualsiasi momento, essendo questo stru- Obiettivi, Dialoghi, Attivita. mento on-line. Quando, per?), it contenuto Obiettiviaun elenco di parole /frasidell'esercizio e espressamente legato ad un chiave suddivise per argomenti. Si parteargomento della grammatica, il program- da quello principale dell'unita per arrivarema stabilisce un legame diretto alla relativa attraverso diversi sub-menus alle singolepagina o pagine grammaticali. frasi. Questa sezione 6 in pratica un librici- 'Attivita Supplementari', che e in primo no da viaggio, esteso a tutte le frasi d'usoluogo un'attivita di ascolto, siccome e basa- piC comuni. Con l'aggiunta del supportota anch'essa sui dialoghi dell'unita, e un audio non solo 6 possibile l'ascolto dellaesercizioditiporiempimentolacuna voce campione, ma ancheitconfronto (molto spesso l'intera frase e la lacuna da immediato fra questa e quello che vieneriempire). La novita e che per evitare che molto semplicemente (tramite un click dell'utente immetta una risposta potenzial- mouse) registrato dall'utente. Il supportomente giusta, ma diversa dal modello cam- audio e disponibile in tutto it programmapione contro cui il computer fa la verifica, della grammatica che, essendo in inglese,vengono forniti it numero di parole e la non offre spunti di confronto per la pro-punteggiatura per ogni lacuna, come nei nuncia di parole italiane. Obiettivi forniscecruciverba. In tal modo la risposta, anche se una mappa mentale dell'area linguisticacomplessa, viene guidata al punto da per ogniunita /argomentoemette aevitare ogni equivoco. Anche qui la corn- fuoco appunto gli obiettivi linguistici eprensione quindi e solo un aspetto, ma non d'apprendimento. it maggiore. Un altro aspetto importante Dialoghi fornisce un esempio delle frasiriguarda la manipolazione delle strutture, chiave in un contesto comunicativo sup-come nell'esempio seguente: portato graficamente. Anche qui la mag- Jane : Dove abiti? giore attivita e orale, sia di ascolto che di Roberto :Abito in un appartamento al pratica. II dialogo put) essere ascoltato con terzo piano. o senza testo italiano, o nella traduzione Jane : Quanto paghi d'affitto? inglese. Put) anche essere letto senza essere Roberto : Non ne pago perche ho corn- ascoltato, per esempio durante una veloce prat° l'appartamento l'anno revisione dell'unita o in combinazione con scorso. le funzioni di registrazione, per fare pratica Dove abita Roberto? Roberto nella pronuncia del testo scritto. (4) Attivita, che e divisa in tre sezioni, da A quale piano abita? l'opportunita di praticare e fare una verifi- (3) ca di tutte le abilita linguistiche: Perche non paga l'affitto? 'Comprensione Orale' consiste in do- Perche (3,2,2) mande a scelta multipla in inglese, che da inoltre l'opportunita di mettere a fuoco molto spesso problemi non strettamenteStrumenti di riferimento legatiallacomprensione,comenel Sulla parte destra della tool bar ci sono le seguente esempio: tre icon degli strumenti di riferimento: In che citta vive Roberto? * Le funzioni linguistiche principali che Roberto lives in Lucca. consistono di frasi ad altissima fre- Roberto lives in Lucha. quenza d'uso che non sono per questo Roberto lives in Luccia. specificatamentecollegateaduna 'Esercizi' fornisce una grande varieta di units /argomento, come per esempio stimoli multimediali per autovalutare sia la ringraziareoattirarel'attenzionedi capacita di manipolare strutture morfo- qualcuno;

Tuttitalia, No. 13, June 1996 17 Un dizionario di circa 3.900 parole cheper la prima unity pub essere ottenuta e diviso in argomenti e sottogruppi perattraversoit semplice collegamento alla incoraggiarne una lettura ragionata; ithome page Internet di SIAC MultiMedia dizionario ha anche it supporto audio e(http: / /www.siac.it).SIACstaanche la ricerca automatica sia in italiano cheprogettando un vero e proprio supporto in inglese; per apprendimento a lunga distanza, che e Una sezione grammatica che forniscemirato sia all'autodidatta che a intere classi una spiegazione concisa delle princi-di studenti e ai loro insegnanti. pali strutture grammaticali e del loro uso. La sofisticazione del modo in cui Italiano Livello di partenza: livello di Interattivo presenta gli argomenti e la suauscita facility d'uso nasce dalla necessity di moti- vare l'utente con un tipo di apprendimento Imparare una lingua, al contrario di interattivo. Tale duality di obiettivi, chequanto suggeriscono ben note pubblicita e tipica del multimediale, ha prodottoche promettono l'apprendimento rapido it nuovo termine edutainment, sinonimo (tre settimane e mezzo) di una qualsiasi lin- purtroppo a volte di produzioni commer-gua straniera, e una delle attivita piiz diffi- ciali che spesso hanno poco a che fare con coltose dal punto di vista intellettuale e piil scrupolosi principi didattici. La realty gior-impegnative dal punto di vista dei task naliera dell'insegnamento delle lingue esociali da compiere. Per quanto riguarda it comunque molto complessa e strategiepossibile livello di partenza, nel welcome individuali,oltreall'insegnamentopre- screen del programma viene fatto riferi- confezionato, devono essere pensate sullemento specifico al complete beginner. Per basi della classe, del gruppo, o addiritturaquanto riguarda it livello di uscita invece, dell'individuo. Un corso di lingua prontoquello cioe che si pub raggiungere avendo alI'uso offre certamente vantaggi dal puntocoperto it corso, la definizione comfortable di vista della quantita sostanziale di mate-deve essere intesa in termini molto piu riale (interattivo, che pub essere usato inestesi del livello soglia dei testi a cui il pro- modo flessibile) strutturato entro una datagramma si ispira, specialmente per quanto gamma di livelli linguistici, ma non pubriguarda studenti che seguono corsi inte- contenere tutte le attivita di apprendimentograti dal materiale aggiuntivo dell'inse- desiderate o tutte le categorie di argomentignante o della home page Internet della voluti dai diversi curriculum, eccetera. SIAC MultiMedia. Nessun corso perb tradizionale o multimediale pub garantire un minimo livello di uscita per ogni Una funzione 'authoring' utente in ogni ability linguistica senza una L'aggiunta di una funzione 'authoring'costante applicazione, e tale aspetto viene da la possibility agli insegnanti di produrreanche ricordato nella suddetta videata. esercizi basati sulle esigenze dei loro curriculum e di integrarli facilmente nel programma principale di Italiano Interattivo,I risultati sfruttando gli elementi di supporto in linea Mottospesso,pens),l'entusiasmo dei (grammatica, vocabolario,ecc.). Con laprimi progressi cede il passo davanti alla parte authoring integrata ad un corso, giaquantita di lavoro che deve essere svolta di per se completo, gli insegnanti potrannoper ottenere risultati soddisfacenti. Succede piu facilmente guidare i loro studenti alallora che molti, non trovando gli stimoli lavoro individuale creando dischetti dinecessari, abbandonano l'impresa. Il mate- esercizi per le particolari esigenze del cur-riale multimediale pub aiutare a migliorare riculumodello/ astudente/ssa.Tale questo scenario e Italiano Interattivo lo fa con aggiunta fa del programma un serviziole graziose immagini, studiate per facilitare chiavi in mano per l'insegnante d'ita- al massimo la comprensione del messaggio, liano. Una serie di esercizi aggiuntivicon le chiare voci di attori, con la facile

18 22 6 Tuttitalia, No. 13, June 1996 %PA navigazione, con la flessibile progressionemolta intelligenza e originality dal team di attraverso contenuti ben strutturati, e con itprogrammatori della SIAC. Mi auguro che vocabolario e la grammatica in linea che Italiano Interattivo e it suo supporto Internet rendono l'apprendimento piacevole e scor-possano contribuire alla diffusione del- revole. Inoltre, la variety dei tasks e l'inter-l'italiano come lingua seconda ben al di la attivita, che sono le componenti vincentidei tradizionali ambienti in cui loe stato del multimedia, sono state sfruttate confino ad oggi in Gran Bretagna e nel mondo.

Inservice courses for teachers and lecturers 1996 from the Association for Language Learning

Title Date Venue

Comenius Funding Course 24 June Leicester

German Day 29 June Birmingham

Italian Weekend 4-6 October Oxford

Spanish & Portuguese Weekend 4-6 October Oxford

Russian Day 11-12 October Birmingham

German Day 2 November York

London Language Show 7-9 November London

French Weekend 8-10 November Manchester

Dutch Weekend 15-17 November Rugby

Asian Languages Weekend 15-17 November Rugby

This is a selection of our courses. Other events include courses for other languages, Branch meetings, courses for AE teachers and trainers, membership consultation days on current issues. Please contact ALL for further details: 150 Railway Terrace, Rugby, CV21 3HN. Tel: 01788 546443 Fax: 01788 544149

Tuttitalia, No. 13, June 1996 19 Travels with a mouseItalyonthe Internet

Julie Beverly University of Plymouth

Introduction A. World-Wide Web servers What is the Internet? According to some, Thissiteallowsaccesstoservers itisthe greatest and most significantthroughout the world. Selecting Italy from achievement in the history of mankind. the list of European countries brings up the You may or may not agree with thiscomplete list of Italian World-Wide Web description. What is undoubtedly impres- servers. sive, however, is the ease with which the Internet enables millions of people throughout the world to gain access toB. Italian WWW servers sources of information and to communicate Alternatively, you can go directly to this directly with one another. site and start exploring the possibilities of It began life as the ARPAnet (the USthe more than six hundred servers listed. Department ofDefense's AdvancedThese are some of them: Research Projects Agency Network) and its purpose was to connect military research establishments with academic institutions. 1. FlorenceOnLine (Firenze) Today the Internet is the world's largest The Home Page allows you to choose computer network, an ever-increasing webfirst from Turismo, Cultura, Media, Lavoro, made up of a collection of independentCentro Commerciale, Dada, Firenze Yellow cooperative networks linking millions ofPages, Musica or Novita. Each of these leads public bodies, commercial organisations to a further selection. Turismo, for example, and private individuals. No one person,proposes: In giro per Firenze, I vini in organisation or state owns or runs the Toscana, Percorsi turistici, Vacanze in Toscana Internetand accessto many oftheand Eventi. I vini in Toscana supplies infor- resources available on it is unrestricted andmation about 22 Tuscan wines including free of charge. Brune llo di Montalcino, the Vino Nobile di Using the Internet is very easymuchMontepulciano and, of course, Chianti. A easier than trying to understand it or thedetailed history of each wine is given as technology which makes it possible. Mostwell as a description of its characteristics of the time you simply 'point and click', butand advice on serving. Media, on the other first you need to know where to go and forhand, opens the door to a more interactive that you must have some addresses or, as response. One option allows you to follow they are known on the Internet, some URLs the trial of Giulio Andreotti by means of Uniform Resource Locators. The URLs formonthly updates of the court proceedings, the resources referred to in this articlethe press reports, and the comments made (shown in bold) are listed in the Appendix,by Giulio Andreotti. It also provides pro- after the name of the file server. The follow- files of the pentiti and the defence lawyers, ing are some of the Italian resources avail-and invites you to 'participate' by voting able on the Internet. on Andreotti's innocence or guilt. Another, Reporters online, is produced by a group of journalists who are experimenting with the possibilities of the Internet. All those who

20 Tuttitalia, No. 13, June 1996 share their desire to «liberarsi della carta» page you can move to and perhaps con- and who wish to «reagire, agire o parteci- tribute to DADA. This is una rivista culturale pare» are invited to get in touch, whether telematica of a cultural and non-commercial registered journalists or not. nature whose purpose is to allow the many people who have something to say to do so freely: tutti possono contribuire al migliora- 2. LaScalaWeb (Milano) mento ed alla diffusione della rivista inviando From the Home Page you can move to /1 materiale (testi, immagini, ecc.) a Teatro alla Scala for information about the [email protected]. orchestra and the conductor, Riccardo Muti, as well as the history of the theatre. Two visite virtuali are available, ingressoII Ragno all'Opera and dentro it Teatro, and you also Il Ragno offers an even simpler navigat- have access to the theatre's museum anding service. Just type in a maximum of six archives. La Stagione provides details of the words on a topic of interest to you and wait current season's productions as well as a for the references to appear on your screen. multimedia presentation of La Traviata. Information about La Scala publications, tickets and La Scala Shop is available fromSearch in Italy Notizie. Perhaps the best of all, this is described as un sito catalogatore di web server italiano tutto ITALIANOM Il suo potente e instanca- 3. Zucca Rabarzucca (Milano) bile robot sonda it cyberspazio alla ricerca di The Zucca Home Page, in addition to nuovi siti e di strani server fino a giungere ly information about the company and its dove nessuno e mai giunto prima. products, provides un piccolo glossario per Othernavigatingservicesavailable parlare Internettese and gives access to a include Le pagine gialle del WEB and The large number of other useful and interest- Lycos Home Page. ingsites.Of the16categorieslisted SERVIZI DI NAVIGAZIONE, VIAGGI VIR- (b) VIAGGI VIRTUALIGirare it TUALI, GASTRONOMIA and INFOR- MAZIONI E NOTIZIE are well worthmondo percorrendo solo le investigating: autostrade telematiche:

(a) SERVIZI DI NAVIGAZIONE NETTuno, Citta italiane... e non Siti che permettono di percorrere For the armchair traveller this file server pio facilmente e rapidamente it supplies tutti i servizi che potete trovare sulle Web: variecittad'Italia,cornpreselevariereti civiche. Utilissimo per girare it nostro paese senza muoversi di casa. Choose first the ShinySeek region you wish to explore, then the city or One of the many navigating services,town and from there you can home in on Shiny Seek enables you to ricercare e con-your particular interests. Lanciano in the sultare tutto cio che e presente sui web italiani. Abruzzo, for example, offerssix main All you have to do is select the relevant cat-menus: Da vedere, Manifestazioni, I quartieri egory from a list which includes Arte, di Lanciano, Lanciano: urbanistica e arte, Storia Affari,Informazione,ScienzeSociali and and Ricezione turistica. Society e Cultura. You then type in a title, a URL or a description and Shiny Seek will hunt down a maximum of ten references for you. From Shiny Seek's Informazione

Tuttitalia, No. 13, dune 1996 21 (c) GASTRONOMIAPeccati di available are Dante's Divina Commedia, Manzoni'sIpromessisposi,Verga'sI gola.. Malavoglia and Pirandello's II fu Mattia Pascal. Those interested in contemporary poetry are invited to visit the Caffe Poetel PELLEGRINO ARTUSI: la scienza «un luogo virtuale nato per ospitare incon- in cucina tri telematici di poesia dove si possono realizzare esperimenti di poesie collettive, Food enthusiasts should head for this file server where they will find non solo unascritte a phi mani». guida per golosi, ma anche un consiglio per chi vuole mangiare con un occhio alla salute. The (e) Other sites of possible interest recipes provide very helpful instructions regarding the preparation of the dish andwhich can be reached from the also contain interesting, often humorous,Zucca Rabarzucca file server additionalinformationsuchasthis include: introduction to the recipe for Bistecca alla fiorentina: Da 'beef steak', parola inglese che vale costola INTERNETTutto quanto puo di bue, e derivato it nome della nostra bistecca, la quale non e altro che una braciuola col suoservire per meglio vivere la osso, grosso un dito o un dito e mezzo, tagliata Grande Rete. dalla lombata di vitella. I macellari di Firenze chiamano vitella it sopranno non che le altre Lazzi e bestie bovine di due anni all'incirca; ma, seDIVERTIMENTI potessero parlare, molte di esse vi direbbero non sollazzi... soltanto che non sono phi fanciulle, ma che hanno avuto marito e qualche figliuolo. FINANZA E AFFARI Informazioni finanziarie e cultura (d) INFORMAZIONI E NOTIZIE degli affari. Per essere sempre informati: SCUOLE E UNIVERSITA Le culle della cultura. lonio NetGiornali, Riviste From the Home Page of Ionio Net youMUSICASiti musicali can connect with Italian national news-including The Brain, pagina delle papers such as Corriere della Sera and La Stampa, three regional ones L'Unione canzoni which provides the texts Sarda, II Segno di Parma and La Nuovaof many Italian songs. Venezia aswellasanumberof periodicals. C. Lista delle risorse NIR italiane This site allows you to roam around Italian Literature in HTML l'Italia virtuale cityby city, from On this server there are nine main menus Alessandria to Viterbo. Clicking on Trento, to choose from: Poesia, Narrativa, Narrativa for example, takes you to several servers per ragazzi, Autori contemporanei, Testi reli-including those at the Istituto Trentino di giosi,Filosofia,Saggistica, Teatro and Cultura and the University degli Studi. It also Miscellanea. The latter includes items suchgives access to three on-line library servers: as the Costituzione della Repubblica Italiana or Istituto UniversitarioEuropeo(Firenze), the Legge 23 dicembre 1993 n. 547 sulla crimi- Servizio Bibliotecario Nazionale (Venezia) and nality informatica. Among the literary worksthe Provincia Autonoma di Trento.

22 -423 Tuttitalia, No. 13, June 1996 D. Notiziari, Riviste, Quotidiani ItalianresourcesontheInternet (Gopher). An alternative means of gaining access to Larger Italian-to-English dictionary. newspapers, magazines and other publica- Larger English-to-Italian dictionary. tions is provided by this site. From here Italian Language Resources Gopher. you can go, for example, to Televideo where To find your way to any of these you can obtain brief summaries of the latest resources just type in the URL as shown in news under a range of headings includingthe list below. If you wish to see the latest ULTIM'ORA, PRIMA PAGINA, METEDedition of the Corriere della Sera, for ex- and CURIOSANDO. The latter offers a mis- ample, you type in: http:/ /globnet.rcs.it, cellany of information on events, competi-then click on 'open' and wait for the home- tions and courses. The Agenzia ANSA ON-page to appear. Whenever you find an LINE, on the other hand, provides detailedinteresting site that you intend to 'visit' information «sull'evolversi degli avveni-regularly it is a good idea to add it to your menti the ogni giorno incidono sul nostrolist of 'bookmarks'. A bookmark enables ambiente di vita e di lavoro in Italiayou to go directly to the server you require. e all'estero». Included in the range ofIt means that you do not need to follow the services are: Notiziariinlinguaitaliana, route you originally took, which could be Documentazione elettronica and Servizi tele- quite long and complicated, nor do you matici interattivi. Each week ANSA pub-need to make a note of the server's URL. lishes 7 giorni di vita italiana, a very useful The Internet has been described as the digest covering the events of the previousfirst global forum and the first global week arranged under the headings: Politica,library and as such it provides a powerful Economia, Vaticano, Cultura, Libri, Cinemameansofcommunication andbrings and Varieta. From Buongiorno you canwithin easy reach hitherto undreamed-of receive «20 secondi di buonumore quo-resources. Of the vast number of Italian tidiano per iniziarealmegliolatuaones available the above is but a tiny giornata». Click on each day and along sample. Buoni viaggi! with thousands of others you too can award a mark out of 10 to the Buongiorno of the day. What mark would you give, for example, to this statement by Umberto Eco: Appendix «La superstizione porta sfortuna», or to this 7 giorni di vita italiana: one: «Una buona digestione ci avvicina ai http://www.citinv.it/7giorni/index.html misteri dell' infinito»? Agenzia ANSA ON-LINE: http://www.ansa.it/ E. The Human Languages Page Buongiorno: http: / /maggiore.dsnet.it:80 / -delrio/ Another useful starting-point, this page buongiorno / aims to provide information about the lan- Caffe Poetel: guages of the world and access to resources http: // www.agora .stm. it / poetel. poetel. such as language tutorials and dictionaries. html The languages are listed in alphabetical Corriere della Sera: order and either by scrolling through the http: // globnetscs.it / list or by clicking on I you come to the fol- Florence on Line (Firenze): lowing list for Italian: http://www.dada.it/a-fol/fol-home.html Italian literature: A small collection ofIL RAGNO: Italian literature transcribed into HTML. http://ragno.ats.it Daily News in Italian. II Segno: L'Unione Sarda daily Italian newspaper http://aida.eng.unipr.it/segn/segno.html on-line. Ionio NetGiornali, Riviste: Web Italian Lessons Homepage: lessons http: // www.cineca.it / ionio/www/gio_ by Lucio Chiappetti. www.htm

Tuttitalia, No. 13, June 1996 23 Italian literature in HTML: Notiziari, Riviste, Quotidiani: http://www.crs4.it/HTML/Literature. http:/www.mi.cnr.it:80/IGST/Notiziari. html html Italian WWVV servers: PELLEGRINO ARTUSI: la scienza in cucina: http://www.cilea.it/www-map/ALL- http:/wwwl.iol.it/artusi/default.htm IT.html Search in Italy: La Nuova Venezia: http://www.crs4.it/index/ http://vega.unive.it/fortuna/lanuova. ShinySeek: html http://www.shiny.it:80/sseek/ La ScalaWeb (Milano): Televideo: http://lascala.milano.it/ http://www.teknema.com/televideo.html La Stampa: The Human Languages Page: http://www.lastampa.it/ http://www.willamette.edu/tjones/ Lista delle risorse NIR italiane: Language-Page.html http:/www.cilea.it/WWW-map/NIR- World Wide Web Servers: LIST.html http://www.w3.org/hypertext/ L'Unione Sarda: DataSources/WWW/Servers.html http://www.vol.it/UNIONE/unione.html Zucca Rabarzucca (Milano): NETTuno, Citta italiane... e non: http://www.zucca.it/main/italiano/ http://www.nettuno.it:80/cities/ indice.htmlp

NOTE FOR YOUR DIARY ! Language World ASSOCIATION for LANGUAGEConference and Exhibition LEARNING 1114 April 1997 University of Keele, Keele, Staffs Theme: Languages in Context

For further information contact: Association for Language Learning, 150 Railway Terrace, Rugby CV21 3HN Tel: 01788 546443 Fax: 01788 544149

24 ,,4,0 0 Tuttitalia, No. 13, June 1996 ,,o,4, 4.14, r FileEditView Go Bookmarks OptionsDirectoryHelp 151 .Netscape: Home page del a Firenze On LineSocieta Seruizi Mult.itnedurzEN rm.-7 1:7 V:714477:1 4A IRF"iA80104 Frd Hon' -JRe1.40 lekt,"tv-teZt"Lostattnohttp.//www dada it/a-fot/fol-home htmt Nhat sltiews?'Mitat s-Coolf tINIVAVatikellt:' hlCVt peq4,e4W4 S55555 t '55tS55tSS555555tete,a,,1r24c4. ,5A54jk

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BESTCOPYAVAILABLE 234 Lexicalisation and syntacticisation of the verb piacere: a study of the interlanguage of learners of Italian

Sara Laviosa-Braithwaite Shrewsbury

[Sara Laviosa-Braithwaite is a PhD student in part in a study of the acquisition of the verb Translation Studies at UMIST, Manchester, and piacere. The results suggest that this verb is also lectures in Italian. Ed.] learnt through the interplay of deductive reasoning, based on the knowledge of syn- tacticrules,and analogicalreasoning, Introduction based on the properties of lexis. The tradi- As a teacher of Italian in many differenttionally assumed dichotomy between lexis contexts (adult, higher, further and voca-and syntax in models of language descrip- tional education), I have found that in com-tion and foreign language learning is ques- municative language courses the need fortioned, and the findings have significant conveying likes and dislikes arises at a verypedagogical implications. early stage and in a variety of conversational and compositional tasks. This adequately reflects the way native speakersTheoretical background use language in everyday life as shown by Peters's model of first language acquisi- two major corpora of spoken and writtention: Peters proposes a sequence in L1 Italian: LIP (Lessico di frequenza dell'italiano acquisitioncomposedofthreemain parlato,1992)andtheUniversityofprocesses:extraction, segmentation and Birmingham Italian Corpus (1993). The fusion. Extraction is the process of identify- .spoken corpus reveals that the verb piacereing and remembering recurring chunks (to like) is most frequently used in every-of speech out of the continuous flow of day conversation at home, work, school,language presentintheenvironment. during leisure activities, on the phone, onSegmentation is the semantic and syntactic the radio, and in television programmes.analysis of the extracted chunks of speech. The written corpus shows that it occurs Fusion is the process whereby long units of most frequently in the dialogues reportedlanguage are first created by applying the in novels and in the interviews that formrules of syntax, and then stored in the lexi- part of magazine articles. con as wholes for easy and fast retrieval. I have consistently observed in my teach- Peters (1985) identifies also three groups of ing that, owing to its syntactic complexity,Operating Principles (OPs) which guide the verb piacere is usually mastered bythe child in the perception and analysis of native speakers of English over a long perlanguage. The first group, EX(tract), under- iod of time. I was therefore curious to gainlies the extraction phase and deals with the insights into the processes underlying its early recognition of units of language. The acquisition, hoping that this knowledgesecond group, SG(ment), and the third, would assist me in devising more effectiveFR(ame), underlie the segmentation phase. teaching methods. The SG(ment) OPs deal with the subdivi- sion of the acquired units into sub-units. The FR(ame) OPs deal with the creation of Abstract morpho-syntacticframes. The FR(ame) Sixteen undergraduates of the UniversityOPs are: of Wolverhampton who were learning FR:FRAME. If two (or more) units, after Italian as a foreign language ab initio took segmentation by any of the [segmenta-

Tuttitatin, No. 13, June 1996 27 235 Hon] heuristics, appear to share a com-both 'form-focused and meaning-focused' mon sub-unit, A, followed or preceded (Ellis, 1992), and the knowledge of at least by alternative sub-units, B or C, etc., take one language system. I therefore propose note of this fact, namely that there is athat lexicalisation and syntacticisation are pattern in which A can be followed (ornot characterised by the absence and preceded) by either B or C, etc. the presence of analysis respectively, as FR:SLOT. When you have a list of items,Skehan suggests, but by varying degrees of e.g. B, C, etc., that can co-occur with alexico-syntactic analysis. given unit, A, notice properties common The aim of this study was to test the to the members of the list and assumevalidity of my speculations by investigat- that other items that have those proper-ing the acquisition of the structure of the ties can also occur in that slot. verb piacere in the present tense indicative FR:SEGMENT. Use known frames asby a group of undergraduates studying templates in attempting to segment newItalian as a foreign language ab initio. utterances. (Peters, 1985). Skehan's model of interlanguage development: Skehan (1992) incorporatesThe structure of the verb piacere Peters's insights into a model of adult for- I presented the verb piacere to my stu- eign language learning (FLL) which con-dents as follows. To express likes and dis- sists of three phases: lexicalisation, syntac-likes Italian uses the verb piacere which lit- ticisation, and relexicalisation. According erally means to be pleasing. In order to say, to this model, learners initially rely on thefor example, I like Italian fashion, I must say use of unanalysed chunks of language to Italian fashion is pleasing to me: achieve communicative effectiveness. Later Mi piace la moda italiana = Italian fash- they apply the rules of syntax on this lexi- ion is pleasing to me. cal basis to communicate accurately but In order to say I like going to the disco, I slowly. Finally, under the pressure of real- must say Going to the disco is pleasing to me: time communication, they by-pass the 'syn- Mi piace andare in discoteca = Going to tactic mode' and access the reassembledthe disco is pleasing to me. units of language directly via the parallel In order to say I like jazz concerts, I must 'lexical mode' in order to achieve both say Jazz concerts are pleasing to me: accuracy and fluency. The development of Mi piacciono i concerti jazz = Jazz con- thelearner'sinterlanguageisbroughtcerts are pleasing to me. about by the tension existing between the In these sentences la moda italiana, andare 'analytic tendency' on the one hand, which in discoteca and i concerti jazz are the sub- isresponsiblefor breaking down the jects, that is what is pleasing. Mi is the indi- unanalysed chunks, and the 'synthetic ten-rect object personal pronoun. It means a me dency' on the other, which integrates new(to me) and it refers to the person to whom structures into wholes. The phases pro-something is pleasing. posed by Skehan generally correspond to Piacere is used mainly in the third person Peters's and both models assume that lexissingular (piace), or the third person plural and syntax are two separate notions with(piacciono). Piace is used when the subject, regard both to language description andwhat is pleasing, is a singular noun, e.g. la language learning. moda italiana or an infinitive verb, e.g. I speculate that in the context1 of adultandare in discoteca. Piacciono is used when instructed learning, providing the L2 is notthe subject is a plural noun, e.g. i concerti agglutinated and is minimally inflected, jazz. there are a number of factors which lead, in Here is how the present tense indicative the first stages of learning, to the immedi- of the verb piacere looks in full: ate, though not complete, syntactic analysis (a me) mi piace/piacciono of the lexical units of language. These fac- (a te) ti piace/piacciono tors are: reading and writing in addition to (a Lei) Le piace/piacciono listening and speaking, instruction which is (a lui) gli piace/piacciono

28 2,3 6 Tuttitalia, No. 13, June 1996 (a lei) le piace/piacciono errors made when producing the inexplicit (a noi) ci piace/piacciono and explicit forms of the verb piacere shows (a voi) vi piace/piacciono evidence, throughout the learning period, (a Loro)Glipiace/piacciono of concomitant lexis-driven and syntax- (a loro)gli piace/piacciono. driven reasoning. [Purists, and I include myself among The first two hypotheses test the exis- their number, would much prefer Loro and tence of lexicalisation and syntacticisation. loro respectively, placed after the verb, inThe third one tests their inter-relationship. the last two instances cited above. Ed.] If the person to whom something is pleasing is expressed by a proper noun, for Method example Maria, then the preposition a The Subjects: these were sixteen under- (which means to) must go in front. Forgraduates of the University of Wolver- example: hampton, learning Italian as a foreign A Maria piace la letteratura = Literaturelanguage ab initio. All except one were is pleasing to Mary. native speakers of English. All except one With indefinite pronouns such as tuttihad advanced knowledge of two foreign (everybody), nessuno (nobody), molti (many)languages. The average age of the majority and tanti (so many), a is also needed. Forwas 20, one subject was 30, and another example: was 73. Fourteen were females and two A nessuno piace it rumore = Noise ismales. The language course consisted of pleasing to nobody. twelve sessions each of four hours duration To express dislikes you say: with a break of twenty minutes. a me non piace/piacciono; The Materials: three written tests were a Maria non piace /piacciono; administered in total: the first in week 4, a molti non piace/piacciono. the second in week 8, and the third in week [It is of course equally acceptable to use12. The tests consisted of two types of tasks. the simple indirect personal pronoun for-In the first, designed to test the inexplicit mat in the first instance cited above: non miforms, the subjects were asked to complete piace/piacciono. Ed.] eight sentences with the correct form of the verb piacere and a suitable personal pronoun. In the second, designed to test the Statement of hypotheses explicit forms, the subjects were asked to The following hypotheses were consid- form four complete sentences with the ele- ered to be consistent with my speculationsments indicated, using the correct form of regarding the inter-relationship between the verb piacere (see Appendix I). The sen- lexicalisation and syntacticisation. tences were selected from 262 citations of Hypothesis A: The inexplicit forms of thepiace and 48 citations of piacciono, extracted verb piacerethat is those in which the indi- from the Birmingham University written rect object is realised by an agglutinatedItalian Corpus of 3.5M words. The order of personal pronounare produced with apresentation of the sentences in each test fairly high level of accuracy that remainswas randomised. constant throughout the learning period. Procedure: the tests were administered Hypothesis B: The parallel explicit forms in the third hour of the four-hour session. those in which the indirect object is realised In order to ensure that the students were by personal nouns or by indefinite pro-genuinely motivated to perform to the best nouns (and their accurate productionof their abilities the tests were included in depends on the full analysis of the underly- their continuous in-course assessment. The ing syntactic structure) are initially pro-time allowed to complete each test was duced with a very low level of accuracythirty minutes. The meaning and structure that increases considerably during theof the verb piacere were formally intro- learning period. duced during the third hour of the first ses- Hypothesis C: Analysis of the commonsion of the language course.

.vt Tuttitalia, No. 13, June 1996 29 After the presentation phase, the stu- noun group + indirect personal pronoun dents carried out a series of communicative + verb + subject activities both individually and in pairs inin place of the correct structure: which they had the opportunity to use both indirect object + verb + subject. the inexplicit and the explicit forms. Error Embedded in this error type the substitu- correction was carried out by the teacher at tion of the indirect object personal pronoun the end of each activity and consisted in with either the reflexive or the direct object providing the appropriate complete formpersonal pronoun was the most common of the verb piacere. No further explanation error (which I call category E). of the meaning and structure of the verb In week 8 the majority of errors in the piacere was given until week 5 when thetests of the explicit forms was idiosyncratic. marked tests were distributed and theOne group of errors (23.07%) (which I call errors were discussed in class.In week 3category F) was the use of the following the reflexive verbs were introduced to- structure: gether with the reflexive pronouns and the noun group + verb +subject(see direct object personal pronouns. The syn- Figure 1). tactic differences between these three sets of pronouns, which are lexically similar except for the third person singular andAnalysis of results third person plural (see Appendix II), were Accuracy levels: it is very significant that pointed out. Finally, in week 11 the pastthe level of accuracy for the explicit forms tense of the reflexive verbs was introduced.was in the initial stages solow compared with that for the inexplicit forms. This contrast in accuracy suggests that the vast Results majority of learners (93.75%) used expres- Correct answers: the level of accuracysions the underlying syntactic structure achieved for the inexplicit forms was fairlyof which had not been fully analysed. high and remained constant throughoutThere seems therefore to be evidence for the learning period (55% in week 4, 56% inlexicalisation. week 8, and 55% in week 12). Hypothesis A It is equally very significant that the level was therefore confirmed. of accuracy achieved in the explicit forms The level of accuracy achieved for therose so sharply in the8th week that it explicit forms was very low in week 4 (6%). almost equalled that of the inexplicit forms. This increased considerably and in a non-Such a sharp improvement in performance linear way in the succeeding weeks (50% inseems to suggest that thelearners were at week 8, and 28% in week 12). Hypothesis Bthis stage producing forms which had was therefore confirmed (seeFigure 1). undergone a great deal of syntactic analy- Errorsinexplicit forms: three groups ofsis, possibly as a result of both error correc- common errors were identified inthetion of the previous test and further expla- answers given to the tests of theinexplicitnation of the syntactic rule in the 5th week. forms. Their distribution over the learning There is, therefore, supporting evidence for period remained unchanged. These groups syntacticisation. were: The non-linear increase in accuracy for (A) incorrect subject-verb agreement; the explicit forms can be explained in terms (B) inappropriate indirect object personalof what Kellerman (1985) describes as U- pronoun; shaped growth in FLL. The U-shape refers (C) substitution of the indirect object per- to the graphic representation of learners' sonal pronoun with either the reflexiveaccuracy,whichinseveralstudies or the direct object personal pronoun.(Lightbown, 1983; Hyltenstam, 1977) has Errorsexplicit forms: in weeks 4 and 12been shown to rise at first, then drop for a the most common error in the tests of theperiod before rising to higher levels. It is explicit forms was the use of the following plausible to suggest that for a number of structure (which I call category D): learners the syntacticised structure of the

30 238 Tuttitalia, No. 13, June 1996 verb piacere may have undergone someinexplicit construction of piacere in a posi- restructuring as a result of learning othertion other than that of an independent structures such as the past tense of reflex-clause. ive verbs. Error category B includes those errors Common errorsinexplicit forms: errorwhich show the use of an inappropriate category A includes those errors whichindirect object personal pronoun. An exam- show incorrect subject-verb agreement. The ple is: specific instances of this type of error are: Che cosa vi piace di phi fare insieme? Mi List of infinitives as subject + plural verb: piace fare le spese, cucinare.* Mi piacciono andare aballare;poi It predominantly involves gli, le, ci and nuotare, sciare e baciare i ragazzi.* vi, and may be due to one or both of these List of items as subject + plural verb: factors: Gioco a cricket ma anche al calcio. Mi (1)failure to remember these personal piacciono tutto, la tradizione inglese e lo pronouns because they are less used in sport popolare.* classroom communicative tasks com- Plural relative pronoun as subject + pared with mi and ti; and singular verb: (2) poor understanding of the referent of Scriviamo quali sono le cose che ci piace, these personal pronouns. qualunque cosa, senza paura.* The former suggests a connection be- Nella tua lista hai messo solo persone che tween frequency of use, memorisation and ti piace.* accuracy. The latter could be accounted for The first two instances seem to be thein terms of Peters's mis-application of the result of applying to the construction of the FR:SLOT OP, that is in terms of insufficient verb piacerethe general syntactic ruleanalysis of the sub-units preceding the verb which governs the number agreementslot of the frame. between subject and verb. When the subject Error category C includes those errors is realised, however, by more than onewhich show the substitution of the third item, either noun or infinitive, the verbperson singular indirect object personal piacere remains singular: piace. This type ofpronoun by the corresponding reflexive or error indicates deductive reasoning baseddirect object personal pronoun. Examples on the assumption that the verb piacere are: behaves like any other verb with regard to La mamma 6 contenta, si piace l'idea.* subject-verb agreement. It also reveals that Biagio ha deciso: la montagna lo piace.* the subject-verb relationship in the struc- This type of error involves the blending ture of the verb piacere has been analysed.of three categories of personal pronouns What is in fact causing the error is not lackwhich are lexically similar and occupy the of analysis but lack of knowledge of thesame position in the word order of the sen- specific rule of use of this type of verb. This tence, but are syntactically different. This is usually acquired through exposure toerror can also be explained as the result of authentic written and oral material, and /orthe mis-application of the FR:SLOT OP. direct instruction from the teacher, sinceThe learners have in fact, on the basis of grammars and course-books do not nor-lexical and positional similarities, over- mally refer to this rule. In this particular sit- generalised the class of items that can oc- uation, I decided not to mention it becausecupy the slot preceding the verb. This find- I did not want to overload my beginner ing lends support to the principle that lexis students with yet another grammatical ruledoes not lie inert in the mental lexicon but after my lengthy syntactic presentation offorms the basis of analogical inferences the present indicative of the verb. (Pirelli, 1994). The third instance of error belonging to category A suggests that some learners were unable to identify the plural referent of the relative pronoun. This is probably caused by their inability to produce the

Tuttitalia, No. 13, June 1996 31 Summary of error analysis for the to a large extent) / subject slot (analysed to a large extent). inexplicit forms The element in the sentence which does The FR:FRAME and the FR:SLOT OPsnot fit this frame - and is correctly identi- have been, on the whole, correctly appliedfied as the person who likes or dislikes to the verb forms piace and piacciono andappears to have been added to the frame as the items that follow them, but for thea noun group to which the appropriate items preceding the verb slot there is evi-indirect object personal pronoun is then dence of mis-application of the FR:SLOTreferred. OP. The resulting frame used as template In my view, it is precisely the partial to segment new utterances seems to be: analysis of the indirect object personal pro- indirect object personal pronoun slotnoun that gives rise to error categories D (partially analysed)/ verb slot (analysedand E. Three pieces of evidence support to a large extent) / subject slot (analysedthis view: the non-recognition of the noun to a large extent). group as the indirect object; the reluctance Common errors explicit forms: theto separate the indirect object personal pro- error analysis of the explicit forms confirmsnoun from the verb; and the blending of the above conclusion. The most commonthe three categories of personal pronouns. error in the production of the explicit forms in weeks 4 and 12 is the use of the structure: Summary of error analysis: noun group + indirect object personal pronoun + verb + subject inexplicit and explicit forms instead of the correct structure: The learner seems to use throughout the indirect object + verb + subject. learning period both deductive reasoning, An example is: based on knowledge of abstract syntactic Nessuno gli piace andare a caccia darules, and analogical reasoning, based solo.* on knowledge derived from the lexical, In this structure the subject-verb agree-semantic and positional properties of the ment is correct but what should be the indi-words that form the structure of the rect object is treated as a noun group pre-verb piacere. Hypothesis C was therefore ceded by no preposition and followed byconfirmed. an indirect object personal pronoun which Moreover, with regard to week 8, most of agrees in gender and number with thethe errors do not fall into clearly defined noun group. categories. They are mostly idiosyncratic Moreover, in 44% of the instances of thisapart from a small group which shows the structure, as in error category B of the inex- use of the structure: plicit forms, the third person singular and noun group + verb + subject. plural indirect object personal pronouns An example is: aresubstitutedbythecorresponding I dirigenti del gruppo piace it progetto di reflexive or direct object personal pronoun Sandri.* (error category E). Examples are: This again reveals correct subject-verb I giovanotti si piace vedersi attorno inagreement but lack of analysis of the syn- casa una ragazza.* tactic role of the noun group which should Le aziende le piace it modo in cui tra-have been identified as the indirect object. I duco i problemi tecnologici.* speculate that thelearners may have From these errors it can be plausiblyignored or not noticed the error correction inferred, in line with the analysis put for-of the previous test involving the trans- ward for the inexplicit forms, that theformation of the noun group into an indi- frame used as template to segment newrect object and have inferred this frame utterances is: only from theerrorcorrection which indirect object personal pronoun slotpenalised the use of the indirect object per- (partially analysed) / verb slot (analysedsonal pronoun.

32 Tuttitalia, No. 13, June 1996 ,2 3 0-1- Concluding comments expressed through the co-selection of lexis and syntax. The qualitative results obtained from the analysis of the common errors show that lexicalisation does not appear to be a stagePedagogical implications in which unanalysed lexical chunks are Assuming Pienemann's (1985) notion of extracted from the flow of language, but it'naturalgrading',accordingtowhich appears to be characterised by the creationinstruction can help the learner to speed up of frames which are derived from the par-her /his progress if it conforms to the natu- tial lexico-syntactic analysis of the inex-ral sequence of development of a particular plicit forms. This means that the learner'sstructure, I think that in the initial stages exposure to the forms mi piace la pasta, miwhen learners analyse to a large extent the piace it cinema, mi piace ballare, for example, S + V relationship and use correctly the leads to the creation of the following frame: first and second person singular indirect mi = word preceding the verb, refers toobject personal pronouns (mi and ti) it person who likes, it is a personal pro-would be more effective to concentrate the noun and is the first person singular/teaching on these two personal pronouns. piace = follows person who likes, verbCommunicative tasks may be devised in that expresses 'likes' in the third personwhich these two pronouns are used both in singular, it agrees with the word that fol-their agglutinated form (mi and ti), and in lows/la pasta, it cinema, ballare = wordstheir expanded form (a me and a te). This that follow piace, express what is liked,would be suitable material upon which all singular and agree with piace. inferential reasoning could operate and The same way of reasoning follows thecorrect framing carried out. The subject exposure to forms such as mi piacciono imay be varied to include singular and plur- ragazzi italiani, mi piacciono le canzoni ita-al nouns, single and multiple infinitives, or liane, mi piacciono le tagliatelle. Once created,a combination of the two, in order to enable the frames seem to be used as templates tothe learner to acquire the particular rule of segment new utterances and form the basisuse of this verb according to which if there for L2 production. is more than one singular noun in the sen- The syntacticisation stage appears to betence and /or more than one infinitive as a characterised by further lexico-syntacticsubject, the verb remains singular.2 After analysis of these initial frames possibly as a collectingenough evidencethatthese result of error correction and further expla- forms have been mastered both lexically nation of the syntactic rule. Lexicalisationand syntactically, I would adopt the same and syntacticisation do not appear there-approach for the other personal pronouns fore to be clearly demarcated stages butand finally for the explicit forms. I am rather aspects of a continuum in whichtherefore proposing that for pedagogic the development of lexical competence ispurposes the different forms of the verb inseparable from that of syntax, and pro-piacere may be divided into inexplicit and gress along this continuum is driven byexplicit, and the former be further subdi- varying degrees of lexico-syntactic analysis vided into frequent (in terms of number of based on both analogical and deductiveoccurrences in the Corpus) (i.e. mi, ti) and reasoning. infrequent (i.e. ci, vi, gli, le). This is consistent with Willis's position Since the completion of this study I have according to which 'the ability to lexicaliseadopted this teaching methodology and I is limited by the learner's syntactic ability'am now in the process of evaluating its (Personal communication, 1994). This state- effectiveness. ment is based on the view that language is not a system of structurally related elements for the coding of meaningthe 'slotNotes and filler' model of language (Sinclair, 1. Two main assumptions underlie my specu- 1991)but is a system of meanings that are lations:

Tuttitalia, No. 13, June 1996 33 (a) the students are all equally motivated Second Language Acquisition, Rowley, Mass., and have the same cognitive ability; Newbury House. (b) the effect of differences in learningPeters, A. M. (1983), The Units of Language styles is not taken into account. Acquisition, Cambridge, Cambridge University 2. Only one instance was found in the written Press. corpus in which a list of proper nounsPeters, A. M. (1985), 'Language Segmentation: agreed with the plural form of the verb. Operating Principles for the Perception and Analysis of Language', in Slobin, D. I., ed., The CrosslinguisticStudyof Language Acquisition, vol.2,TheoreticalIssues, London, Lawrence References Erlbaum Associates. De Mauro, T., Mancini, F., Vedovelli, M. and Pienemann, M. (1985), 'Learnability and syllabus Voghera, M. (1993), Lessico di frequenza dell'ita- construction , in Hyltenstam, K. and Pienemann, liano parlato, ricerca a cura dell'Osservatorio lin- M., eds, Modelling and Assessing Second Language guistico e culturale italiano (OLCI) dell'Univer- Acquisition, Cl eyed on, Avon,Multilingual sita di Roma oLa Sapienza», Etaslibri. Matters. Ellis,R.(1992),InstructedSecondLanguage Pirelli, V. (1994), 'Word paradigms in Italian: an Acquisition, Oxford, Blackwell. analogy-based view', Workshop on Computers Kellerman, E. (1985), 'If at first you do succeed', and Romance Languages, UMIST, Manchester. in Gass, S. and Madden, C., eds, Input and Second Sinclair, J. (1992), Corpus Concordance Collocation, Language Acquisition, Rowley, Mass., Newbury Oxford, Oxford University Press. House. Skehan, P. (1992), 'Second Language Acquisition Hyltenstam, K. (1977), 'Implicational Patterns in Strategies and Task-based Learning', Thames Inter language Syntax Variation', in Language ValleyUniversityWorking PapersinEnglish Learning, 27, 2, pp 383-411. Language Teaching. Lightbown, P. (1983), 'Exploring relationships University of Birmingham Written Italian Corpus betweendevelopmentalandinstructional (1993), Department of Italian, Birmingham. sequences in L2 acquisition', in Seliger, H. and Willis, D. (1990), The Lexical Syllabus, London, Long, M., eds, Classroom Oriented Research in Collins Cobuild.

Figure 1. Accuracy Levels 60 56 55 55 C 50 50 r r e 40 c t A 30 28 n w e 20 r

0/0 10 6

0 Week 4 Week 8 Week 12

Inexplicit Forms Explicit Forms

34 Tuttitalia, No. 13, June 1996 Table 1. Common Errors % Wk 4 Wk 8 Wk 12 Inexplicit Forms S + V Agreement 24.5 23.3 14.3 Inappropriate Indirect 0 Per. Pr. 24.5 26.6 17.8 Substitution of Indirect 0 Per. Pr. with corresponding reflexive or Direct 0 Per. Pr. 19.3 11.6 16

Explicit Forms NG + Indirect 0 Per. Pr. + V + S 66 51 NG + Indirect 0 Per. Pr. + V + S together with substitution 28 29 NG + V + S 23

Appendix I Wolverhampton Language Programme Essential Italian for Specialist Linguists Week 4 Complete the following sentences using the correct form of the verb 'piacere' and a suitable personal pronoun. 1. soprattutto i fiori molto profumati, in particolare le rose.

2. 'Quali sono i tuoi hobbies?' andare a ballare; poi nuotare, sciare e baciare i ragazzi.'

3. Biagio ha deciso: la montagna molto e ci sono tante cose da imparare.

4. 'In particolare the cosa vi piace di phi fare insieme?' fare le spese, cucinare.' 5. ' mangiare?' 'Mi piace molto la buona cucina, ma non sono una golosa.'

6. i film tristi, drammatici.'

7. 'Se guidare come piace a me, perche non ve- nite a trovarmi?'

8. Mio padre ha proposto di andare ad abitare a Bienenhof e la mamma 6 contenta, l'idea. Form complete sentences with the elements indicated below using the correct form of the verb 'piacere'.

1. Nessuno/andare a caccia da solo.

Tuttitalia, No. 13, June 1996 35 2. La gente/i dolci, e Pigolino ne ha per tutti i gusti.

3. Puffi e la sua amica/scavare buche vicino agli alberi.

4. Le fiabe di Calvino/i piccoli e grandi; sono un capolavoro della letteratura.

Week 8 Complete the following sentences using the correct form of the verb 'piacere' and a suitable personal pronoun. 1. Gioco a cricket ma anche al calcio tutto, la tradizione inglese e lo sport popolare.

2. Scriviamo quali sono le cose che ,qualunque cosa, senza paura.

3. tanto l'Italia, non volete sapere quello che pensiamo e che diciamo?

4. Umberto Eco e un lavoratore instancabile, interessarsi di tutto.

5. E fortunata, sta dove : a Varese. Ha un fidanzato che ama, una famiglia simpatica, un fratello e una sorella.

6. Biagio spalanca gli occhi affascinato: le farfalle molto e questa e cosi bella, con le sue ali blu!

7. le feste tradizionali?' 'Abbastanza. Mi piace per esempio vivere it Natale in famiglia, in Italia.'

8. ' andare in slitta, o a pattinare?'

Form complete sentences with the elements indicated below using the correct form of the verb 'piacere'.

1. Gente/i nostri dischi, non i nostri vestiti o i nostri filmati.

2. Gli Argentini/dire di se stessi che posseggono la raffinatezza inglese.

3. I Romani/i forestieri, e sono certa che a Roma lei si trovera bene.

4.II progetto di Sandri/i dirigenti del gruppo.

36 -24 2 Tuttitalia, No. 13, June 1996 Week 12 Complete the following sentences using the correct form of the verb 'piacere' and a suitable personal pronoun.

1. Ho voglia di partecipare a vari concerti di beneficenza. Un po' perche aiutare la gente. E poi perche e un modo di far sentire le mie canzoni.

2. Neghiamo la lotta di classe; non gli scioperi.

3. La ginnastica , ma non sopportatel'idea di stare un'ora chiusi dentro una palestra?

4. Nella tua lista hai messo solo persone che

5. 'Che cosa rappresenta per lei questa casa di famiglia?' 'E it luogo della mia infanzia e mi piace passeggiare nel parco soprattutto in autunno. anche le opere d'arte che sono raccolte qui.'

6. Ha ammesso di non voler far parte del mondo del rock. Anzi it rock non proprio: preferisce da sempre it jazz, la musica classica.

7. Negli intervalli dei servizi fotografici la si vede con un libro in mano, essere aggiornata, leggere gli autori pill interessanti.

8. ' stare con me? pill con me che con Antonietta?' 'Molto di pill, molto ma molto di pill.'

Form complete sentences with the elements indicated below using the correct form of the verb 'piacere'.

1. Pochi uomini/crearsi complicazioni, meglio subirle.

2. Le aziende/il modo in cui traduco i problemi tecnologici.

3. I giovanotti/vedersi attorno in casa una ragazza.

4. Quegli altri/fare lo spettacolo, ma a me lo spettacolo non piace.

Tuttitalia, No. 13, June 1996 yew r, 4.4 3 37 Appendix II Italian Personal Pronouns Direct Object Indirect Object Reflexive mi mi mi 1st sing ti ti ti 2nd sing lo gli si 3rd sing masc la le si 3rd sing fern ci ci ci 1st plural vi vi vi 2nd plural li gli si 3rd plural masc le gli si 3rd plural fern

Central Bureau for Educational Visits and Exchanges School and Area Linking Team COMENIUS Action 1 Potential Partners These schools are among those looking to establish a multilateral partnership under COMENIUS Action 1 and wish to make contact with a British partner to work on an EEP. This aspect of the EU SOCRATES programme coversall areas of the curriculum and obviously language couldunderpin the project Schools in Italy EEe Age

1. Scuola Media J.Sansovino Environment, Sciences, Media, 11-14 European Identity 2. IMS "San Giovanni Bosco" Foreign Language Teaching 14-18 3. Mario Pagano Negotiable 14-18 4. Giacomo Leopardi Languages, Social Studies 6-10 5. Scuola Media Statale "Papa Link between school ez the world of 11-14 "Giovanni XXIII" work, Cultural Traditions, Media 6. Liceo Scientifico G. Tarantino Negotiable 14-19 7. IPSSCT Afragola Migration problems, Youth issues, 16 foreigners in Italy 8. ITIS "Galvani" Sciences, Technology 14-18 9. Istituto Magistrale M. Montessori Languages/Negotiable 14-18 10. ITF G Bruno Preservation flt adaption of local 14-18 heritage to the modern world 11. Istituto Statale d'Arte Arts, Cultural Traditions 14-19 For further details contact: Central Bureau School8tArea Linking Team, International Dimension Programmes, 10 Spring Gardens, London SW1A2BN Tel: 0171 389 4419 or 0171 389 4813Fax: 0171 389 4426

38 0_4 Tuttitalia, No. 13, June 1996 La famiglia italiana contemporanea fra continuitaecambiamento

Carmela Avella Kellaway London E5

[Readers are invited to consult pages 50-54 of In Italia l'11,3% della popolazione 6 di- Tuttitalia 12, December 1995, for the graphs and soccupato, all'interno di questa fascia il tables referred to in the body of this article.55% e dato da coloro che sono in cerca di Further details of sources are given at the conclusion of the present article. Ed.] prima occupazione: l'affitto di un appartamento nelle grandicitta6,in media, intorno al milione mensile, l'edilizia popolare non riesce a far fronte alla sempre phi Introduzione numerosa richiesta di alloggi e, date le In questo articolo analizzeremo alcunimodality di accesso ai bandi di assegna- aspetti, dalla legislazione al costume, dellezione, la giovane coppia con un reddito tematiche riguardanti la famiglia italiananon troppo promettente (come 6 nella mag- contemporanea. Con l'aiuto di tabelle e sta- gioranza dei casi) non ha alcuna speranza tistiche tenteremo di cogliere ifatti phidi potervi accedere.3 salienti che negli ultimi decenni hanno Sebbene si contrae matrimonio intorno ai contribuito ai cambiamenti nella sfera dei23-24 anni per le donne e 26-27 per gli valoriindividualiealdiffondersidiuomini, i primi rapporti sessuali si collo- atteggiamenti e comportamenti reali phicano tra i 15 e 17 anni. Leta minima per consoni al resto dei Paesi europei. contrarre matrimonio in Italia e quella della maggiore eta, cioe diciotto anni. La maggiore eta fu stabilita dal nuovo diritto di Matrimoni: ci si sposa di meno famiglia nel 1975. Il tribunale pue ammet- L'aumento del numero di matrimoni tere per motivi gravi al matrimonio chi ha una caratteristica comune ai paesi industria-compiuto sedici anni (art. 84 del Codice lizzati. A partiredaglianniSessanta Civile), per esempio i casi di gravidanza. assistiamo a una inversione di tendenza: iQuesta normativa ha contribuito a ridurre matrimoni diminuiscono dapprima neile percentuali di matrimoni minorili e una Paesi scandinavi e phi tardi negli altri,caduta dei matrimoni nella generazione come indica la tabella 2. In Italia questo successiva. trend si e accentuato maggiormente negli II matrimonio e considerato ancora it ultimi anni ed e visibile anche nell'Italia del modelladirapportodicoppiapiu Sud dove tradizionalmente si effettuavanoapprovato. Questo trova largo riscontro piit matrimoni che nel Nord.1 nell'85,5% delle personeintervistate Molte sono le cause del calo dei matri-dall'Istituto Ricerche Popolari (IRP) nel moni. A quelle phi generali, quali la dimi-1983.4 Nella stessa indagine solo il 15% nuzione dei matrimoni contratti prima deidichiara di preferire la convivenza non venti anni e la diminuzione della popo-matrimoniale e il 4% preferisce vivere da lazione in eta da matrimonio, comuni asolo/a. La concezione del matrimonio degli tutti i paesi industrializzati2 (Fig. 2), se neintervistati non 6 univoca ma si presta a aggiunge un'altra propria della situazionediverse interpretazioni. La dimensione sen- economicaitaliana.Glistudiosisono timentale a si importante, ma la garanzia di concord i nell' evidenziarel'importanzastabilita e serieta del rapporto e data dalla dell'aspetto economico nel decidere sedimensione istituzionale.Perquestiii sposarsi o meno. rapporto di coppia e subordinato alla

Tuttitalin, No. 13, lune 1996 39 Aarit procreazione e alla dedizione ai figli; per marito, e stato abrogato. Il marito esercita- altri invece la dimensione istituzionale va la potesta maritale e obbligava lamoglie esprime stability ed impegno reciproco maa prenderneitcognome ea seguirlo senza costrizioni. Per il 15% che dichiara diovunque. preferire la convivenza non matrimoniale, la dimensione istituzionale 6 la negazione del rapporto d'amore. Ulteriori indagini,Cambiamenti dei ruoli sessuali effettuate di recente, sugli atteggiamenti Altri dati mettono in discussione gli degli/delleitaliani/e,mostranocome, stereotipi dei modelli maschili e femminili nell'arco di poco phi di un decennio, essidegli/delleitaliani/e.Questivengono siano cambia ti. dalla stessa ricerca menzionata nel para- Oggi ad esempio, 1'80% dei giovanigrafo precedente. Quasi la meta degli inter- dichiarachesia«ammissibileviverevistati (46%) e favorevole a ruoli totalmente insieme senza essere sposati» e il 43% sisimmetrici e paritari in cui marito e moglie dichiara disponibile.5 hanno le stesse responsabilita familiari. Quasi un terzo (30%) e invece a favore di ruoli asimmetrici in cui la donna mantiene Chiesa o Municipio? siun'attivitaprofessionale ma lacui Negli ultimi decennisie avuto unresponsabilitaprimariaelafunzione aumento di matrimoni con solo rito civiledomestica. Infine it 23% 6 favorevole ad soprattutto nelle grandi citta del Centro-una vision tradizionale di chiara divisione Nord. II fenomeno interessa in misura cre-di sfere e responsabilita. scente i primi matrimoni. Questi rappre- sentavano i12,4% nel 1951, il 3,9% nel 1971, e il 14,7% nel 1987 (tabella 8). II fascinoVerso una famiglia con due figli dell'abito bianco, dell'Ave Maria, delle mac- «Mettere su famiglia», espressione tipica- chine d'epoca, che caratterizza it matrimo- mente italiana, si riferisce al fatto di sposar- nio religioso, fa ancora presa sugli/sullesi e dar corso ad una catena generazionale. italiani/e, sebbene in contrasto con altriSecondoindaginieffettuatenel1983 indicatori quali l'andare a messa. Nel 1983,dall'IRP, una percentuale consistente (38%) questa pratica interessavail 30% dellaha dichiarato che lo scopo del matrimonio e popolazione, mentre si celebravano 1'85%la procreazione (anche se ridotta a due di riti matrimoniali religiosi. Nel 1991,figli). In Italia la riduzione della fecondita l'andare a messa interessa il 15% della avviene piu lentamente che negli altri Paesi popolazione di Milano e Roma, i17% quellaeuropei. La perduranza e la predominanza di Firenze, e il 5% di Bologna. di una popolazione rurale, in cui i figli sono Questa discrepanza tra la bassa pratica considerati una risorsa familiare, mantiene religiosa (randare a messa) e l'alto tasso di phi a lungo it modello di famiglia produtti- matrimonio religioso mostra come la reli-va e feconda. Nei secoli scorsi, pur conle gion rappresenti un aspetto della tradi-diverse variability geografiche di modelli zione. Sulla stessa scia si pongono altri datidi famiglia, it numero di figli era relativa- dell'IRPdel1983sugliatteggiamenti mente contenuto: 5-6 per famiglia. La degli/delle italiani/e. La stragrande mag-denatalita ha visto in testa le citta rispetto gioranza delle persone intervistate, circaalla campagna e il Nord rispetto al Sud. E 1'85%, si schiera a favore della dissolubility cominciata all'inizio del secolo col processo piu o meno controllata del matrimonio, con-di industrializzazione ed e continuata si- tro un 10,6% a favore dell'indissolubilita. stematicamentetantodapreoccupare II diritto di famiglia introdotto nel 1975seriamente il regime fascista. La Figura 3 rispecchia la nuova importanza data allamostra come dal 1950 il fenomeno della coppia, e allo scioglimento del vincolo ma-riduzione di natality a andato omogeneiz- trimoniale. I rapporti fra i coniugi sono piuzandosi: tutte le nazioni europee, ad esem- simmetrici che in quello emanato nel 1942.pio con fecondita alta quali l'Olanda o rela- Per esempio, la figura del capofamiglia, ittivamentebassacomelaRepubblica

Tuttitalia, No. 13, June 1996 40 91,74 6 Federale Tedesca, registrano dapprima unasottoposta a referendum nel 1981, uno piu crescita e poi dal 1964-65 una caduta inten-permissivo e l'altro piu restrittivo, essa non sa della fecondita. In Italia la caduta dellasubi alcuna modifica. La scorsa estate essa fecondita si realizza in due fasi, dal '65 ale stata oggetto di ulteriori accese discus- '74 con un declino relativamente lento, consioni quando in Parlamento a stata decisa un indice di 2,5 a 2,3 figli per donna, ad unala Linea ufficiale del governo italiano alla piu rapida caduta che non sembra inter-Conferenza del Cairo riguardante it con- rompersi, contrariamente a quanto accadetrollo demografico. Le discussioni hanno negli altri Paesi europei dove, a partire dalinteressato solamente i parlamentari dal 1975, si registra una stasi che sembra per-momento che pill della meta dell'opinione durare.Il numero medio dei figli per pubblica, secondo un sondaggio effettuato famiglia per le donne nate fino al 1940 erada Radio RAI1 ha confermato quello che grosso modo di 2-3, per generazioni suc- eragiastato un risultatodiun'altra cessive si colloca intorno a 1,8. Se questoindagine effettuata nel 1988, 6 favorevole al tasso di crescita della popolazione si ferma mantenimento della legge 194.7 o si abbassa «nel 2025 sulla nostra penisola Come 6 stato detto poc'anzi, sebbene si dovremmo essere un milione in menofaccia ancora ricorso all' aborto, le stati- rispetto ai 57,8 milioni di oggi».6 stiche a disposizione dal 1982 ad oggi evi- Ricerche effettuate concludono che c'edenziano un calo del tasso di abortivita, una sostanziale omogeneita tra modellocioe del numero di aborti per ogni mille ideale e comportamenti effettivi a partire donne dai 15 ai 49 anni. Esso e sceso at 10,4 dalla fine degli anni Sessanta: prevale itrispetto al 12,5 del 1991. Lo stesso anno, modello di famiglia con due figli. Il model-l'Italia si classificava al quarto posto nella lo di famiglia con 3 figli e preferito dai cat- lista dei Paesi con minor numero di aborti tolici praticanti, tra le persone in eta avan- (Olanda,Germania,Finlandia,Italia, zata e tra coloro che vivono at Sud. Infatti Francia, Norvegia, Inghilterra).8 le famiglie con 3 o piu figli sono piu numerose e non viste come eccezionali at Sud, mentre sono ridotte nel Centro-Nord.Consultori Familian Nell'opinione corrente si parla di famiglie Laleggen.405«Istituzionedei numerose dove c'e la presenza di 3 figli. Consultori Familiari», approvata nel 1975, Il calo della natalita e avvenuto in Italiaaveva fra i molti suoi scopi la diffusione dei prima che si diffondessero i metodi con-mezzi contraccettivi e l'educazione ses- traccettivi. Ricordiamo che solo nel '71 suale. L'approvazione di questa legge vide viene dichiarata l'illegittimita costituzion-un acceso dibattito fra le diverse compo- ale dell'art. 553 del Codice Pena le, it quale nenti politiche presenti in Parlamento. Gia prevedeva it reato «incitamento a pratiche allora esistevano i consultori (AIED, AED) contro la procreazione». La diffusione diper it controllo demografico e i consultori informazioni e la vendita di strumenti con-femministi. Gli anni che precedettero l'isti- traccettivi risale at 1975. Tuttora essi nontuzione dei consultori avevano visto vaste sono molto utilizzati. Si fa ancora ricorsocampagne per la legalizzazione dell'aborto9 all'aborto come metodo contraccettivo. e per it mantenimento della legge ,sul L'aborto viene legalizzato nel 1978.7 Ladivorzio (di cui parleremo avanti).Edi Leggen.194sull'abolizionevolontariaquesti anni la nascita del movimento delle dell'interruzione di gravidanza fu, comedonne come soggetto politico.Ilclima altre leggi emanate negli anni Settanta, unapolitico e caratterizzato da lotte e manife- legge di «compromesso» frale diversestazioni che scuotono le anacronistiche forze politiche. Di qui t'inserimento della posizioni dei partiti al governo. La legge n. clausola sull'obiezione di coscienza che405 nasce frettolosamente per dare una permetteva, e permette tuttora, at perso-risposta ai profondi cambiamenti che it nale medico e paramedico l'astenzione dalPaese attraversava. Anch'essa si presenta praticare interventi abortivi per motivi come un compromesso fra i diversi blocchi morali e religiosi. Sebbene la legge 194 fupolitici. Per la DC (l'allora Democrazia

Tuttitalia, No. 13, June 1996 41 Cristiana, it piu grande partito italiano diAppena it 3,5% delle donne non nubili ispirazione cattolica, oggi diviso fra diversiintervistate inun'indaginecondotta piccoli partiti) esso e un servizio rivoltodall'Istat nel 1983, ammette di aver vissuto all'unita della famiglia, orientato alla suacol futuro marito prima del matrimonio. Lo stability e di sostegno alla maturazione distesso anno solo l'1,3% delle coppie non una coscienza etica, sociale,giuridica esposate convivevano e queste eranodiffuse sanitaria prematrimoniale e matrimonialesoprattutto nei grandi comuni dell'Italia anche in ordine alla procreazione respon-Nord-Occidentale. Nel giro di pochi anni sabile. La legge accoglie anche le istanzeatteggiamentiecomportamenti hanno laiche relative alla contraccezione e allevisto mutamenti notevoli. Come si e detto tematiche relative all'emancipazione fern-all'inizio di questo articolo, i giovani oggi minile. Il servizio veniva emanato dallesono piu disponibili per questotipo di con- strutture e personale dell'ONMI (Operavivenza (quasi la meta degli intervistati). I Nazionale Maternity e Infanzia). Oggi, idati piu recenti evidenziano come le con- consultori risultano coprire una quota asso-vivenze siano in aumento. Nell'ultimo cen- lutamente minoritaria della popolazione.simento (1991), esse sono state registrate Essi non sono presenti la dove si percepi-soprattutto nel Centro-Nord: a Milano scono bisognisociali,per esempio in26.648 coppie, a Roma 26.056, a Napoli Campania, una delle regioni con alto tasso 7.086.12 Trattasi soprattutto di uomini e di natality, o come a Palermo, dove sidonne al di sotto dei 35 anni senza figli la assiste al pill alto tasso di mortality infan-cui convivenza potrebbe trasformarsi in un tile. Questo servizio si presenta carente permatrimonio e che viene vissuta come una quanto riguarda it momento informativo,forma di prova prematrimoniale. Infatti ii cioe la diffusione dei metodi di controllo60% dura meno di un anno. La quota dei della procreazione e l'educazione sessuale.matrimoni preceduti da convivenze e pas- La gestione dei consultori, che rappresenta- sata dal 2% negli anni '60 all'8% negli anni va un'innovazione nel quadrogiuridico'80. Un'ulteriore analisi sembra indicare italiano eittentativodi ravvicinarei che sitratti di convivenze pratiche (le bisogni dell'utenza alle istituzioni, risultavedove che si riservano it diritto alla pen- pressoche inesistente.11 sione di reversibility o separati maschi impossibilitati a contrarre nuovo matrimonio). A queste si aggiungono coloro che sonoimpeditidallalegge(lecoppie Convivenze non matrimoniali o omosessuali). II motivo per cui le conviven- matrimoni di fatto: si convive di piu ze non siano cosi diffuse, come inFrancia Mentre in molti Paesi del Nord Europa e ed Olanda che comunque hanno un negli Stati Uniti le convivenze non matri-retroterra cattolico, non 6 stato accertato da moniali rappresentano sempre meno unaricerche sul fenomeno. Dalla fine degli anni devianza sociale per quanto tollerata, ed in'60 siamo di fronte ad una certa secolariz- Francia dove l'80% al di sotto dei 25 annizazione della society per cui i valori reli- nel 1978 riteneva che it matrimonio fossegiosi vengono- vissuti in maniera meno una semplice formality, in Italiaposizioni dogmatica dagli stessi credenti. favorevoli alla convivenza in alternativa al L'importanza che ha avuto fino a pochi matrimonio sonofinoal1983 menoanni fa la verginita ci aiuta a spiegare le numerose, come abbiamo detto prima, perremore contro questo tipo dilegame. A l'appunto it 15%. Nella stessa indagine itquesto proposito e interessante notareche 60% ritiene che la convivenza non matri-gli uomini conviventi sono collocati quanto moniale sia una scelta legittima anche sea titolo di studio in ognitipologia (dal lau- non la propria preferita. I cattolici pratican-reato al licenziato medio) mentre tra le ti sono quelli piu sfavorevoli alla conviven-donne primeggiano le laureate. Per queste za compresa quella che pueprecedere aldonne, la convivenza rappresenta una matrimonio. I non credenti seguiti dai nonscelta che offre la possibility di rinegoziare i praticanti si dichiarano non ostili ad essa.ruoli tradizionali. L'organizzazione interna

42 Tuttitalia, No. 13, June 1996 della coppia convivente e diversa da quella vorzista predisse «apocalissi e terremotb) sposata. Si hanno conti separati, amiciziese la «indissolubilita» del sacramento ma- diverse, reciproca indipendenza che per-trimoniale fosse stata sancita da una legge mettono alla donna di proseguire interessidello Stato...famiglie distrutte, bambini personali e professionali. costretti a vivere inerrabili odissee. La Un primo riconoscimento giuridico dellacriminality sarebbe aumentata, l'edonismo coppia e della famiglia di fatto era avvenu-avrebbe trionfato.13 Di fatto niente di tutto to nel 1975 con la riforma del diritto diquesto si e verificato; anzi, l'andamento dei famiglia. In esso si riconosceva ai figli natu-divorzi in Italia presenta delle peculiarity rali gli stessi diritti di quelli legittimi, nonrispetto agli altri Paesi europei. Dopo una solo per it mantenimento e l'educazione,prima fase di elevato tasso di divorzi, nei ma anche rispetto all'eredita dei genitori.primi quattro anni dopo l'introduzione Le differenze di trattamento per quantodella legge n. 898 sulla «Regolamentazione riguarda l'eredita dei conviventi, le tasse didei casi di scioglimento del matrimonio» successione e it diritto-dovere dell'assisten-(1971), la frequenza di divorzi si a attestata za oggi negato al convivente non legittimosu un livello compreso tra 30-35 divorzi restavano irrisolte. Due disegni di leggeper mille matrimoni. Le coppie che in Italia sono stati presentati in Parlamento neglihanno divorziato sono in media 1 /10 di ultimi mesi dal titolo «Disposizioni inquelle inglesi, 1 /8 di quelle austriache e materia di unioni civili». Esse rappresen-francesi (paesi con cultura cattolica), per tano un ulteriore passo avanti per lanon dire di quelli danesi e svedesi. In anni legalizzazione delle unioni di fatto eit piu recenti (1990-1991)idivorzi hanno loro scioglimento. avuto una flessionevistosa: meno del 13,3 % .14 Le praticheper divorziare sono lunghe e danarose. La legge richiedeva una Divorzi: si divorzia di meno separazione legale di cinque anni o sette Il divorzio viene istituito in Italia solo nelanni fino al 1987. Oggi, per lo scioglimento 1970, in ritardo rispetto agli altri Paesidefinitivo del matrimonio sono necessari 3 europei (in Francia nel 1972Code Civil). anni di separazione legale. Le separazioni Anche la separazione che era possibile in di fatto, che di per se non costituiscono un altri paesi in cui non si riconosceva itpassaggiosufficienteperottenereit divorzio, in Italia invece non era solo con-divorzio, sono di gran lunga superiori di dannata socialmente ma anche sanzionataquelle legali. La stability della famiglia e dalla legge. I tassi di divorzi fino al secolotutelata dalla legislazione. Infatti ii giudice scorso in Europa e negli Stati Uniti eranoe chiamato ad aiutare la coppia a risolvere relativamente modesti e invariati fin verso inizialmente le loro divergenze e, prima di la meta degli anni Sessanta e inizi annipronunciare lo scioglimento del matrimo- Settanta. nio, deve tentare di «conciliare i coniugi». I I tassi (tabella 5) di divorzi iniziano adivorzi sono maggiormente diffusi nelle salire rapidamente, raddoppiando e anchegrandi citta del Centro Nord-Occidentale. triplicando. La durata media dei matrimoniQuesto non significa che it rapporto coniu- che finiscono in divorzi si accorcia da 4-5gale sia altrove privo di tensioni. Significa anni a 2-3 anni. In Italia si verificava primacha l'abbandono, la separazione di fatto, la della legge sul divorzio un anacronismo fra poligamia piu o meno accettata e cosi comportamenti, modelli culturali e legis-via sono piu diffusi del divorzio. Di fatto lazione. L'istituzione del divorzio aveva leregionidelMezzogiornosvolgono visto in Italia un accesissimo dibattito fra un'azione frenante sui tassi di divorzio che diversi partiti politici e lobby. Il 13 maggioaiuterebbero a spiegare it divario esistente 1974, quasi it 60% degli/delle italiani/etra l'Italia e gli altri Paesi europei. Tra i votarono contro l'abrogazione della leggeconiugi che si sono sposati in municipio, i Fortuna-Baslini cosi come era conosciuta la tassi di divorzi sono cinque volte superiori legge che permetteva lo scioglimento dela quelli delle coppie che hanno contratto matrimonio. Il comitato nazionale antidi- matrimonio in chiesa.

Tuttitalia, No. 13, lune 1996 ..449 43 Molte ricerche fatte in altri paesi mostra-come una possibile alternativa perovviare no the vie uno stretto legame tra aumentoai conflitti familiari. L'indipendenza eco- dei tassi di divorzi e attivita professionalenomica e vista come it primo passo per della donna. Sebbene in Italia non si sianouscire dalle costrizioni familiari. condotte ricerche simili, si pub solo ipotiz- zare che tali conclusioni siano vereanche per it nostro Paese poiche i tassi didivorzioII ruolo della famiglia oggi sono phi alti laddove c'e una maggiore La realta degli anni '80 e '90 ha visto gli occupazione femminile.15 stessi giovani ancorarsi di phi alla famiglia. L'ultimo censimento ha messo in eviden-Inun'indaginecondottadall'Eurisko za it fatto che dopo la separazione sonogli (tabella Eurisko) per misurare la qualita uomini a risposarsi pill facilmente (il 50%dell'esperienza familiare e stato chiesto: «E rispetto al 27%). Sono in aumento le madri-soddisfatto della famiglia?». II 61,5% si single, mentre i padri con i figli sono unadichiarato molto soddisfatto e con gli presenza poco visibile. Nel 1990 le coppieabbastanzasoddisfattisiraggiungeit senza figli cedono it posto inordine di95,7%. Quelli pill soddisfatti sono compresi importanza alle madri sole. nella fascia 25-34 e riguardano le casalinghe. Le punte piit basse di soddisfazione sono state riscontrate fra la fasciadi eta di Conflitti generazionali 18-24, ossia gli studenti, i disoccupati, le Sul finire degli anni Sessanta e agli inizipersone con istruzione e redditielevati.17 degli anni Settanta i conflitti generazionali Alla desiderata autonomia economica si amplificano.I movimenti giovanili e rivendicata dalle precedenti generazioni ha quelli femminili e femministi mettono infatto riscontro un nuovo trend. L'entrata discussione l'autorita della famiglia. I con-dei giovani nel mondo del lavoro avviene tralti fra i propri membri su scelte di vita emolto lentamente e tardi. I tassi di disoccu- nuovi comportamenti si acuiscono. Sono pazione giovanile sono in Italia fra i phi alti soprattutto le giovani donne al centro did'Europa. I/Le ragazzi/e continuano a questi conflitti. La scolarizzazionedi massarimanere nella famiglia fino all'eta adulta e aveva creato in una sola generazione nuovela famiglia, oggi di dimensioni pill piccole aspettative fra i giovani. La cultura hippieche nel passato, si e ristrutturata in modo arriva anche in Italia dopo i movimenti stu-da accomodare i bisogni di tuttii suoi denteschi del '68-'69. L'autorita scolastica e membri. L'inchiesta effettuata nel 1988 evi- familiare a messa in discussione mentredenziava che su cento giovani di 23-24 nuovi valori emergono: l'obiettivo politicoanni, 79 vivevano in casa. Allo stesso e it cambiamento sociale sono alprimotempo i genitori sono phi tolleranti delle posto nella scala di valori. Molti gruppi discelte dei figli e piu aperti al dialogo. Per i sinistra si pongono in rottura con le isti-giovani la famiglia non rappresenta piu tuzioni. Non sono poche le famiglie a doveruna rottura e non e piu vissuta inmodo fronteggiare figli e figlie impegnati nellaconflittuale ma e vista come una delle radicalita dei nuovi gruppi di sinistra erealta pill importanti con cui rapportarsi. soprattutto le giovani figlie impegnate con iLa scala di valori rispetto agli anni Settanta discorsi femministi, sulle tematiche dellarisulta cambiata. Mentre per quella genera- indipendenza economica,sullaparteci- zione l'obiettivo politico e it cambiamento pazione politica, su piu liberi rapporti con i sociale venivano al primo posto, negli anni coetanei, sulla contraccezione, aborto, ecc. Ottanta la famiglia ritrovait suo ruolo Spesso it vivere delle figlie nell' area delprimario. L'ordine di valori e it seguente: comportamento sessuale e delle scelte poli-famiglia,lavoro,fidanzato /aeamici, tiche sembra sfuggire alla contrattazionesvago, studio e interessi culturali, sport familiare.16 Si fa ricorso a mille sotterfugi,e impegno sociale, impegnoreligioso, bugie, cose non dette, ecc., per non venir attivita politica.18 meno almodello voluto daigenitori. La concezione della famiglia di oggi sem- L'andarsene di casa comincia a presentarsibra riflettere meno ruoli autoritari e i suoi

kr, a Tuttitalia, No. 13, June 1996 44 " V membri sembrano essere piu pronti alla Figura 3: Indice sintetico di fecondite in alcuni negoziazione pur mantenendo la propria paesi europei, 1950-1981. Vedere Tuttitalia, 12, individualita. I genitori di oggi sono i gio- p. 52. Fonte: Santini, art. cit., 135. vani della generazione degli anni Settanta Tabella 5: Divorzi ridotti per 100 matrimoni in alcuni paesi europei. Vedere Tuttitalia, 12, p. 53. maturata nell'importanza che aveva avuto Fonte: Santini, art. cit., 129. la partecipazione politica come veicolo di Tabella Eurisko: Vedere Tuttitalia,12, p. 54. cambiamento sociale. Se le lotte e manife- Riportata in P. Danuvola e L. Morgano, Nuovo stazioni che hanno caratterizzato partico- cittadino Duemila, 1992, 49. larmente glianni Settanta non hanno prodotto i cambiamenti politici di cui si facevanoportatrici,esse hanno, dietroNote l'impeto del movimento delle donne, con- 1. «In Italia nel 1993 le coppie che hanno pro- tribuito al cambiamento di atteggiamenti e nunciato it fatidico si sono state 296.632, costumi piu paritari sia fra uomo e donna 11.153 in meno rispetto all'anno precedente che all'interno della famiglia. La famiglia di (meno 3,7%), numero che porta il quoziente oggi appare vivere rapporti pin liberi e di nuzialita a 5,1 matrimoni per 1.000 abi- meno dogmatici. tanti, il phi basso dall'Unita d'Italia (se si escludono gli anni di guerra 1918-19 e 1944-45). II calo 6 phi vistoso al Sud, meno Conclusioni 3,8% rispetto a quello registrato nel centro- Per concludere possiamo affermare che it nord, meno 3,3%. Cosiilquoziente di nuzialita, che tradizionalmente nel processo di secolarizzazione e bene in atto Mezzogiorno 6 sempre stato piu elevato, nella nostra societa. II fatto che calino i differisce,ora,di solo un punto per- matrimoni e le separazioni e che aumentino centuale: 5,8% contro il 4,8% del Centro- le convivenze si presta a due interpreta- Nord.» Marco Romani, «Famiglia: cambia e zioni. La prima riguarda l'aspetto econo- si vede», Liberazione,lo gennaio 1994. mico, sposarsi costa come anche separarsi. 2.Come riportato in C. Saraceno, Sociologia D'altra parte assistiamo a una privatiz- della famiglia, Bologna,II Mulino, 1993, zazione dei legami. II fatto che le conviven- p. 101. ze siano in aumento e che esse sfuggano al 3.Liberazione, op. cit., p. 27. 4.Per ulteriori approfondimenti su queste controllo sociale significa che cambiamenti tematiche si veda R. Palomba (a cura di), e stili di vita sono sempre piu decisi in base Vita di coppia e figli, Firenze, La Nuova a scelte personali. Il fatto che l'Italia sia uno Italia, 1987. deipaesiall' avanguardiaperquanto 5.SecondoidatidelsociologoMarzio riguarda gli interventi per la procreazione Barbagli, riportati in Liberazione, op. cit. artificiale e con un tasso di crescita fra i pin 6.cfr. Guido Santecchi, «Demografia: bomba bassi mostra come non volere un figlio oil sotto casa», Il Corriere della Sera, 6 giugno volerlo a tutti i costi siano processi sempre 1993. pin consapevoli e meno lasciati al caso. 7.Si 6 calcolato che prima della legalizzazione dell'aborto si praticavano 3 milioni di aborti cambiamento avvenuto negli ultimi due clandestini all'anno con circa 20.000 decessi. decenni nella vita domestica, sebbene in 8.Cosi come e stato riportato in Il Corriere ritardo rispetto ad altri paesi, prosegue della Sera, 11 agosto 1994. anche nel nostro Paese. 9.Ricordiamo che nel 1994 furono arrestate 6 persone e denunciate 60 donne in seguito all'irruzione della polizia nella clinica CISA Tabelle e figure di Firenze. Figura 2: Indice sintetico di nuzialita in alcuni 10.cfr. F. Rea, «Dimirtuiscono gli aborti», in La paesi europei, 1950-81. Vedere Tuttitalia,12, Repubblica, 13 agosto 1994. p. 51. Fonte: Santini, «Recenti trasformazioni 11.Si veda i1 capitolo «Famiglia e salute: il con- nella formazione della famiglia e della discen- sultorio»di G.B.Sgritta,in Famiglia, denza in Italia e in Europa», Istat, 1986, 125. Mercato e Stato: Strutture e funzione della Tabella 8: Matrimoni secondo it rito (1931-1987). famiglianellasocietadellacrisi,Milano, Vedere Tuttitalia, 12, p. 50. Fonte: Barberis, La Franco Angeli, 1988. societa italiana, 1992, 244. 12.Liberazione, op. cit.

Tuttitalia, No. 13, June 1996 45 13.Si veda Stefania Giorgi, oWojtyla. Vent'anni 17.Come riportato da Paolo Danuvola e Luigi dopo ritornaitvecchio incubo», in 11 MorganoinNuovocittadinoDuemila, Manifesto, 4 agosto 1994. Brescia, Editrice La Scuola, 1992, p. 49. 14.ibid. 18.cfr.PaulGinsborg,Storiad'Italiadal 15.Chiara Saraceno, op. cit. dopoguerra a oggi, Torino, Einaudi, 1989. 16.Lauro Balbo, Stato di famiglia: bisogni, priva- to, collettivo, Etas Libri, 1979.

INSET training nu for teachers and lecturers All

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Topics will include: Target language testing; Presentations of new A levels; Neologismsin the Italian Media; Contatti 2; Creative writing;The role of women in Italy and the European context; Dictionary skills; Devisingschemes of work from Italian materials on the market; Individual learning styles;Developing reading skills.

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46 Tuttitalia, No. 13, June 1996 Reviews

Reviews editor Carole Shepherd

Managing Classroom Collaboration. Teacher collaboration is important in lan- Chris Lloyd and Jeff Beard, London, Cassellguage teaching. This handbook gives five Education, 1995, 128 pp., £15.99 (paperback), basic criteria for effective collaboration: ISBN 0-304-32988-6. 1. The ability to get on with one another on a personal level. Managing Classroom Collaboration is a new 2. There must be a similar philosophical addition to the Cassell educational range base. and was produced as a practical handbook 3. The ability to create an atmosphere to assist teachers in managing classroom where constructive criticism can flour- collaboration more effectively.Effective ish. classroom teaching and learning depends 4. There must be professional respect. on good management of resources. This 5. Those involved must be committed, handbook identifies strategies to encourage willing and able to spend the necessary group work and considers the benefits of time to plan, evaluate, reflect and spec- collaboration between teachers. It also con- ulate. siders how the integration of pupils with Managing Classroom Collaboration cov- special educational needs can best beers managing classrooms in both primary achieved. and secondary schools and is a useful The materials in the book are designed to handbook for form tutors, teacher trainers be used in team teaching situations. Theand headteachers. authors believe there is a great deal to be CAROLE SHEPHERD gained from planning, evaluating and St Mary's Comprehensive School working closely with a colleague. Newcastle-upon-Tyne The book begins with a discussion about interactive learning and its value, and con-Teaching andLearning Argument. tinues with a description of the setting-upRichard Andrews, London, Cassell of a project to investigate the role of Education, 1995, 192 pp., £12.99 (paperback), collaborationinlearning and teaching ISBN 0-304-33281-X. Also available in hard- Mathematics, English and Technology, as back, £40.00, ISBN 0-304-33279-8. well as the subsequent assessment and evaluation of the project. The second part Teaching and Learning Assessment is a new of the book contains a set of mathematicaladdition to the Cassell educational range investigations, supported by relevant mate-and was produced for teachers and parents rial. There are photocopiable sections forwho wish to help children to debate and class use. argue in a cogent and effective manner. The Although the book is not written for lan-author believes that argument is essential guage teachers, the sections on setting-upto the development of thinking skills and and assessing group work may prove help-important in the expression of emotion. ful. The authors explain that opportunities The book is based on the findings of a num- to listen to children talking in a variety ofber of research projects and analyses the situations alone, in groups, in fantasyfunction of argument from early childhood play and in the structured classroom envi-to university study. The author stresses the ronment are crucial to assessment. importance of argument in a democracy

Tuttitalia, No. 13, June 1996 qz 47 and believes it should be taught from theissues, thus helping the reader appreciate beginning of a child's education. to the full the value of Levi's book, both The book is divided into seven chapters,intrinsic and as part of the literature of the which describe the 'Problems', mainly ofHolocaust. writing English essays; 'Some Solutions; The two main themes which lie at the Spoken and Written Argument; Argument,basis of the book, that of bearing witness 0-11; Argument 11-16; Argument 16-19and that of simply telling his story, are and Beyond; Writing Argument andbrought out very clearly in the second Beyond'. There are Appendices on thechapter. MethodologiesoftheThreeResearch Here the author illustrates Levi's choice Projects and a Questionnaire on argumentof language as a passionate need for clarity, at sixth-form level and a Coda where thea deliberate reaction to the exasperating author attempts to justify his book. lack of communication of the camps, and The author argues that the pre-eminence the characteristic features of Levi's style are of the essay - 'the bastion of argumentation very effectively highlighted by juxtaposing in schools' and universities' humanitiesthem to the style of the other Holocaust courses'has had an impact on the curric-writers. ula. He argues that moving away from the The problem of language in Auschwitz is examination format would open up aalso the main topic of chapter three, but wider range of writing to the student. Thehere the author looks in more detail at the essay would then be joined by the review,nature and purpose of verbal communica- the story, the letter, the written dialoguetion in the camp, as described by Levi in his and the symposium as means for thewritings. expression of knowledge. Chapters four and five are the ones I Although the book is not written for lan-found most interesting and genuinely illu- guage teachers, the sections on differentminating. They deal with narrative tech- forms of writing may prove interesting tonique and with the references to Dante's teachers wishing to introduce the pupils to Infernorespectively. The author'swell the pleasures of coursework as an alterna-substantiatedexplanationsarealways tive to a written examination. extremely persuasive, particularly in the Teaching and Learning Argument puts thecase of Levi's use of Dante's Inferno. In order case for bringing the teaching of the learn-to oppose the lack of reason and negation of ing of argument to the centre of the Englishjustice of the camp, Levi presents it as a par- curriculum. The ability to argue coherentlyody of hell and, as such, invalid. also has a place in the teaching and learn- The final chapter deals with Levi's view ing of foreign languages. of justice and forgiveness, and with the CAROLE SHEPHERD importance of memory. As in all the other St Mary's Comprehensive School chapters, the author draws her examples Newcastle-upon-Tyne from a variety of sources: Levi's life and other works, other Holocaust writers, fic- The Memory of the Offence. Primo Levi'stion writers and philosophers, and Jewish If thisisa Man. Judith Woolf, Markettraditional literature. In doing so, she has Harborough, University Texts, 1995, viii + 93 succeeded in building a complete picture of pp., £5.99, ISBN 1-899293-10-8. the historical and literary context of Levi's book, and has made a real contribution to This accurate and perceptive analysis ofthe full understanding and appreciation of Primo Levi's best-known book is aimedLevi as a writer and as a man. Last, but not primarily at students of Italian, but wouldleast, this book makes its own contribution be of interest to students of modern historyto the renewal and the duration of the and to the general reader. memory of the Holocaust, which was one The author places the book in its histori-of the reasons that prompted Levi's work. cal context, supplying very useful addition- CLELIA BOSCOLO al information on many other relevant University of Birmingham

48 Tuttitalia, No. 13, June 1996 Primo Levi. Bridges of Knowledge. Mirna Throughout this chapter, Levi's intention Cicioni, Oxford, Berg Publishers, 1995, xv + to bridge this gap, to build 'bridges of 222 pp., £29.95, ISBN 1-85973-058-2. knowledge' between people from different backgrounds, is very carefully documented The last few years have seen a renewaland clearly explained. The unifying themes in the interest for the figure and thein Levi's writing become gradually clearer work of Primo Levi, one of Italy's mostas the reader begins to see Levi's entire distinguishedtwentieth-centurywriters.work as expressions of these themes. Principally known outside Italy for his The thematic basis of Levi's work is dealt memoirs of the Nazi death camps, of whichwith in detail in chapter four: using as a he was a survivor, Primo Levi is nowstarting-point A Search for Roots, a collec- beginning to draw attention and furthertion of thirtyliterary and non-literary study as a writer of fiction. In her book, excerpts chosen and commented on by Levi Mirna Cicioni deals with Levi's entire out-as indicative of his intellectual and artistic put, drawing attention both to its intrinsicdevelopment, the author analyses the main literary worth and to its importance in the'pathways' in Levi's writing. I found this a context of Italian society and culture frommost enlightening and original approach to the 1920s to the 1980s. Levi's complex thematic patterns, and an The book is divided into five chapters, effective contribution to their clarification. which covertherelevant biographical In the final chapter, 'Do not call us events in Levi's life, the historical contextTeachers', the author further highlights and, of course, Levi's writings. The way in andexplainsLevi'smain themesas which these three elements are dealt withexpressed in his poetry and in his final in each chapter, striking a careful balanceessays. between them, ultimately gives a compre- Although each chapter deals both with a hensive and effective picture of the person,particular group or type of work and with the times in which he wrote and lived, and aparticularhistoricalperiod,inher his work. detailed analyses the author draws from The first chapter, 'The First Elements',the whole of Levi's production, confirming covers Levi's life and background up to his in this way the common thematic basis of arrest in 1943 and subsequent internmentthe entire production. in Auschwitz in February 1944. The second The accurate and thorough research chapterdealsprimarilywithLevi'swhich must lie behind a book of this nature accounts of his internment, although, quiteis obvious throughout. Explanations are appropriately, the author begins here toalways clear and any claim is substantiated highlight the important themes and fea-by textual references, in the best scholarly tures in Levi's writing which will later betradition. Additionally, being the first com- developed in his other works, prehensive introduction to Levi and his The next chapter deals with Levi's best-work for the English-speaking reader, it known works of fiction, The Periodic Table will soon become a landmark in the subject. and The Wrench, whilst, at the same time,In my opinion, it has two great advantages: covering the historical and political con-firstly, it offers specialists many sugges- text of the 1960s and 1970s. Portrayedtions and opportunities for further detailed against the backdrop of rapid economic study; secondly, and more importantly, it is and social changes, especially the factoryextremely accessible and comprehensive workers' often violent strikes of the earlyenough to satisfy and interest the non-spe- and late '60s in Levi's home town, Turin,cialists, and in this respect it makes an the figure of Faussone, the skilled masterextremely valuable contribution tothe rigger, becomes emblematic both of theknowledge and appreciation of one of intrinsic importance and the worth ofItaly's most innovative writers. industrial skilled workers and of the need CLELIA BOSCOLO to bridge the gap between intellectuals University of Birmingham and workers.

Tuttitalia, No. 13, June 1996 49 Books received for more recently other texts which will also be forthcoming review the subject of review in subsequentissues of this journal. Following theextensive Inadditiontothosetitlesalreadypagination afforded to Reviews in Tuttitalia itemised (see Tuttitalia 12,p. 38) for forth-12, it has been judgedproper to yield space coming review in future issues of Tuttitalia, in this number tocoverage of News and the Italian Committee of ALL hasreceivedViews.Ed.

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50 Z56 Tuttitalia, No. 13, June 1996 ..r.1 News and views

1-Sister Maria Scholastica IBVM Hebrew in her later years, and loved to spend long hours in the library here trans- Itis with sadness that we announce thelating the Psalms from the Hebrew, and death on 2 November 1995 of Sister Maria conferring with a young Hebrew teacher Scholastica IBVM. Sr Scholastica was for living near here. many yearsTreasureroftheformer Now she will be looking after your inter- Association of Teachers of Italian (ATI) andests from her place (we pray) in Heaven. astalwart committee member ofthe Yours sincerely, Association in its early formative years. Sister Francis North IBVM. Tuttitalia gratefully acknowledges receipt from Tom Baldwin,a former Chairman of ATI, of the following letter ofIT day: CALL Italy December 1995 from the Superior of the CommunitytowhichSrScholastica 11 November 1995 belonged in Cambridge. We gladly publish We have two reports on the IT day CALL here the full text of the letter as our memor-Italy, one from a participant and one from a ial to her. contributor: Cambridge, 7 December 1995 Last Saturday I spent a fascinating day at the European Business School in Regent's Dear Mr Baldwin: Park learning about the advantages of I am writing to you as Superior of theusing computers for language teaching. IBVM Community to which Sr Scholastica The event organised by Mariolina belonged herein Cambridge, andin Freeth (City and Islington College/ALL response to the Christmas card you sentItalian London Branch) and by Annalisa her. Evans (European Business School), who I have to tell you the sad news that Sralso made available the IT facilities and Scholastica died on 2 November, of a termi- equipment focused on presenting and nal illness which had declared itself onlydemonstrating the software now available, about two months previously. She was byor soon to be available, in Italian, for CALL. then in our Infirmary house in York, I found the experience exhilirating: I had among Sisters she knew well and with oldseen examples of language computer pro- friends living close by, as we have threegrams (in French, on open days at my IBVM houses up there in Blossom Street. children's schools) but I was not quite pre- Sr Scholastica, whenever we visited herpared for the mind-boggling insight into in York, would insist that she was gratefulthe new exciting possibilities for teachers to be in that place where she could receiveand learners that the multi-media tech- 24 hours a day the care she knew she need- nology can offer; to give an example: sound ed by then. She was cheerful to the end,and colour patterns can be used to check and her wonderful spirit, and her faith,one's pronunciation against a model voice. inspired everyone who knew her. We miss The familiar exercises and activities took on her very much indeed here, where she hada new life of their own and words like lived for so many years. 'interactive' and 'useful' acquired a new Sr Scholastica moved from Greek tomeaning. Tuttitalia, No. 13, June 1996 257 51 But the best part of all was the 'hands-on'gram with a text he had taken from a bul- experience where we tutors could not onlyletin-board service on the Internet. The text try out the professionally made programs,had not been typed but had simply been as demonstrated by Prof. Graham Daviestransferred onto Graham's computer from (Eurocall), but experiment in creating cus-the bulletin-board on the Internet that same tomised and personalised exercises, even morning. All the exercises were created in a with limited computer literacy. matterofminutes.With'Language Conscious of the little voice nagging atAssistant' the focus shifted onto computer the back of my mind ('but what about programs which have not been written pri- money? funding?'), I was pleased to hearmarily to teach languages but could be of Antonio Borraccino (University of West-some benefit to the user for the 'look-up' minster) point out that 'multi-mediality facilities,including inflectionof verbs, (integratingaudio-visualmaterial withgrammar notes and an on-line dictionary. written text, thus involving reading, listen- Graham's contribution to the event was ing and writing skills) does not necessarilyparticularly appreciated for he was able to need the latest computer technology'. Heprove the immediate added advantage of went on to demonstrate how to exploit theusing authoring programs, and in particu- packages to the full to enhance the work oflar 'Fun with Text', to create material easily the students and how a little extra work onand quickly. the part of the teacher goes a long way in For my part, I spent half of my session encouraging autonomous learning. In dueillustrating the main features of 'Italiano course, he will be running workshops Interattivo'(see article in this issue of based on a new program for computerisedTuttitalia), and then proceeded to discuss testing and assessment. If you are interest-ways in which authoring tools such as 'Fun ed, write to him to book your place; Iwith Text', 'Question Mark' or 'Gapmaster' promise you will be infected by the bugcan be used to enhance printed material or too. I can't wait! create exercises from scratch. STEFANIA HALLEY ANTONIO BORRACCINO Richmond Adult and Community College University of Westminster

The day was divided into a morning session, where Graham Davies of ThamesEven more on the Internet Valley University and I did most of the With a certain emphasis on matters relat- talking, and an afternoon hands-on work-ing to the Internet being featured in this shop which provided an opportunity forissue of Tuttitalia, we also report on three those who stayed on to experiment with afurther ways in which the super-highway few of the techniques discussed in thecan be of service to teachers. morning, for the creation of interactive (1) Schools Internetthe UK's largest edu- exercises based on more elements than thecation Internet sitehas launched a new simple text on the screen. The choice of thejob advertising service for teachers. From venue turned out to be an excellent one, notMay 1996 teachers are able to go on-line only for the stunning surroundings in theand view details of the latest job adverts middle of London's Regent's Park, but alsowhich will be updated on a daily basis. In for the good facilities of the Computeraddition, they are able to display their CV Centre at the European Business School on the Internet for just £5.00, with the guar- which ensured that both sessions could runantee that it will be left on-line until they without technical hitches. find their 'ideal' teaching job. A key part of Graham Davies, who has also set up his SchoolsInternet's growth has beenits own software brand Camsoft, introduced'What's Free' site for teachers, which lists software both from Camsoft and other pro- the ever-increasing sponsored materials ducers. He began by demonstrating moreavailable to UK schools. Features on the than half a dozen ways of creating exercis-site, including 'What's Free', will continue. es using 'Fun with Text', a Camsoft pro-The claim is that teachers will find the new

52 Tuttitalia, No. 13, June 1996 Schools Internet site a major benefit in their and to see the Internet home page on: search for educational information. http: / /www. dialnet.co.uk Schools Internet is on view at: http: / / www. schools. co.uk It also has a new e-mail address at: Scambio class! Sicilia-Galles [email protected] We are pleased to have received from For further information, teachers areTeresa Maria Ragazzi Skibinski of Bishop invited tocall Keith Bucky on 01832-Vaughan Roman Catholic Comprehensive 274715. School, Swansea, this exchange report com- (2) Net-Result with Zynet Ltd has vastlyposed by the responsible exchanges teacher extended its coverage of the UK (now overand the headteacher of their partner school 80% of the domestic population), and in Sicily. invites enquiries from professionals in the ScambioClassi:Anno 10, Bishop education arena who are interested in dis-Vaughan Roman Catholic Comprehensive covering the potential of the Internet bothSchool, Swansea; Quarta C, Istituto Tecnico for curriculum materials and as a mediumCommerciale e per Geometri Jacopo Lo for communication. Zynet now provides, Duca, Cefald (Provincia di Palermo), Sicilia. for example, hypertext hot-links to pages of mondo e sempre pill un villaggio genuine educational content and interestglobale» per dirla con McLuhan e la scuola for each curriculum area. For further infor-pub attivare tante possibility per allargare mation, the Marketing Department of Zynetgli orizzonti formativi tramite l'incontro tra Ltd can be contacted on the Internet at: i giovani della Comunita perche le lon- http: / / www.zynet.co.uk / tananze geografiche costituiscono sempre or on e-mail at: meno un impedimento alla conoscenza [email protected] delle altre culture.I mezzi di comuni- or by telephone on: cazione di massa, infatti, danno l'impres- 01392-426160 sione epidermica di conoscere l'altro, visto and by fax on: in televisione, contattato in rete telematica 01392-421762. o attraverso la realty virtuale; un incontro (3) DIALnet aims to become one of thereale pub comportare o armonia o uno choc key Internet providers to education. Theinterculturale perche incontrarsi implica bubble of hype over the Internet has justl'uscire da se, l'accettare it contatto espe- about burst, and people are now looking atrienziale, it ridimensionare le aspettative, the real uses for this technology and how itl'accettare forse di non essere accettato o di will enhance traditional IT tools used in thenon accettare. classroom, such as PCs and CD-ROMs. Lo ScambioClassi,nell'ambitodel DIALnet is already used by nearly half ofprogetto europeo, si colloca in quest'ottica, the secondary schools in the UK, and a keysoddisfa i bisogni dell'adolescente e gli feature of its home page isits Yellowconsente un'esperienza di privilegio che Directory,providingacomprehensivecaratterizza la sua personality, recupera e index of all secondary schools, colleges,ravvivaitsensodell'appartenenzain LEAs, and key UK educational establish-famiglie italiane emigrate all'estero. La ments. It contains names, addresses andricadutadelprogettoelarisultanza contact numbers, and is being expanded todell'integrazione tra scuola e territorio, rin- include e-mail addresses and links to homenovata ed arricchita dalla motivazione che, pages where possible. For further details,attivata nello studente, risulta essere larga- teachersareinvitedtocontact Dawn mente positiva e altamente formativa. Mulholland by telephone on: Gli obiettivi di tipo cognitivo che si rag- 0121-624-505 giungono conducono all'acquisizione e alla or by fax on: moltiplicazione di ability e comportamenti 0121-643-2448 che corrispondono al potenziamento di or by e-mail on: valorinaturali,trans-nazionali,trans- [email protected] razziali,-trans-sta tuali.

Tuttitnlin, No. 13, June 1996 irt 53 .0 .441 Come concordato, via fax, nel progetto Gli elementi per una valutazione sono comune, con la prof.ssa Teresa Ragazzil'autostima, la disponibilita , la capacita di Skibinski della Bishop Vaughan School dilavorare in gruppo e aiutare i meno inseriti, Swansea, abbiamo attivato, sia nella fase inl'elasticita mentale nell'adattamento. Tra i Sicilia presso l'ITCG Jacopo Lo Duca ditanti progressi che si notano sulla persona- Cefahl dal 13.04.96 al 20.04.96, sia nella faselity dello studente vi sono un ritrovato a Swansea, dal 23.04.96 al 01.05.96, compre-amore di se, per la scuola, la soggettivita e senze, lavori di gruppo, visite guidatela comunicazione che si sviluppa al di fuori attornoalpuntofocale:Uomo, Arte,degli stereotipi. Cultura. I phi demotivati verso lo studio, i phi Palermo, Cefahl e l'arte musiva norman-isolati nel contesto della classe e della na, Alia e le grotte della Gurfa, architetturafamiglia, spesso «emarginati», ritrovano rupestre di periodo fenicio, Caltavuturo,motivazione e interesse nel dialogo con i Castelbuonoeleorchideespontaneecoetanei stranieri, con l'ambiente nella sua presentatedalProf. PietroMazzola globalita ecosistematica. dell'Universita di Palermo, una visita sulla Dopo il party di arrivederci che e stato rocca di Cefahl guidata dall'Architetto S.organizzatoneilocali dellaBishop Giardina, curatore dei recenti lavori diVaughan School, un segno di stima va restauro delle mura di cinta, le mete delrivolto al Preside J. H. Stone, Mr D. Perry, soggiorno; una lezione dell'Architetto P.Mr E.Price,alle Professoresse Teresa Culotta, Preside della Facolta diRagazzi Skibinski e Anna Davies, che Architettura dell'Universita di Palermo, suihanno consentito al gruppo di siciliani (12 restauri al Duomo e al Municipio di Cefahl,studenti e 2 accompagnatori) di vivere una ha chiuso, con un riepilogo, l'itinerarioprima esperienza di alta qualita profes- nella nostra regione. sionale che ci condurra versoinuovi Gli studenti gallesi hanno ricambiatoprogetti comunitari Socrates e Leonardo. l'ospitalita presso le famiglie, molte delle Un ringraziamento, infine, per quali di origine italiana; ad esse rivolgiamol'Assessorato Regionale Siciliano, B. B., C. un caloroso ringraziamento. Gli itinerariC. e P.I.,i Comuni di Cefahl, Alia, in Galles sono stati: Swansea MaritimeCaltavuturo, l'ITCG Jacopo Lo Duca, la Museum, visite a Clyne Gardens, Oak-Bishop Vaughan School che, con il loro wood ParknelPembrokeshire,Afancontributo hanno reso possibile Argoed Miners' Museum e Country Park,l'attuazione dell' iniziativa. Swansea City Centre. La vita all'interno Prof.ssa ROSARIA GALLOTTA della scuola ci ha permesso di entrare nello La Responsabile degli Scambi; spirito delle strategie didattiche phi nuoveProf. PAOLO CATALANO per apprendere speditamente la lingua e loIl Preside scambio traledidattiche estata una base per ulteriori approfondimenti che si realizzerannol'annoprossimosuunA single step leads to a progetto che gia adesso viene abbozzato e al quale parteciperanno altri insegnantithousand miles... della Bishop Vaughan School. This is the slogan which invites us to Interpretiamo in qualita di docenti comeponder whether 'we ever wish to dislodge positivoit protagonismo degli studentithe dither of the dumb tourist and have the siciliani e gallesi che hanno dato proveconfidence to step out and get the language adeguate di autogestione, recupero delleright'? We all need 'that essential gateway tradizioni, inventiva, responsabilita, socia-into the country we wish to visit as well as lizzazione, entusiasmo, impegno nei varian attempt to converse with native speak- settori e momenti della vita scolastica nelers with authority'. rispetto della lealta e trasparenza dei rap- The slogan relates to the new Collins porti interpersonali e nell'entita e qualita TravelDictionaries(availablein French, dell'educazione civile e morale. German, Spanish and Italian), and they

54 26O Tuttitalia, No. 13, June 1996 find a mention here as having just beentirava fuori dalla tasca dei pantaloni una published (6 June 1996) at £3.99 each.vecchia chiave di ferro nero. Teachers may well find them helpful not Mentre apriva la porta chiamava le sue only for personal use, but also for students gallinelle. Loro correvano come pazzarelle, in the context of the sort of exchange pro-sembravanocosicontenteavederci gramme reported above. entrare, balbettavano come vecchie zitelle e it nonno che le conosceva tutte per nome chiamandole cosi teneramente che mi face- Lettere sigillate va ridere come un mattarello. Following a number of requests from Il.gallo per() era un'altra cosa, con it petto schools and colleges, the authors and copy-gonfio ci sfidava, come se ci volesse dire right holders of Lettere sigillate, currently «Provate ad entrare!». Temevo tanto che declared out of print, have reprinted thequel gallo mi beccasse che mai osavo book.Itisavailable from The Italianentrare dentro la stalla da solo, ero troppo Bookshop, 7 Cecil Court, London WC2Nfifone! Come al solito, dopo aver dato da 4EZ, or from the authors themselves atmangiare alle galline, ritornavamo a casa. Conferences. Quando ero piccolo facevo sempre i We would like to take this opportunity tocapricci e un giorno a pranzo nonno thank teachers who use the book for theirFrancuccio mi ha detto: «Raimondo, se fai ii continued interest and hope their studentsbravo ti lascio la mia medaglia di bronzo al will be able to use the book in the future.valore militare.» CAROLE SHEPHERD Mi ricordo con grande tristezza la corn- DEREK AUST passione che sentivo prima di andare a letto quando vedevo it nonno levare it suo occhio di vetro dall'orbita destra. ALL Italian Essay Competition Prima di dormire gli chiedevo sempre: «Nonno, raccontami della guerra.» 1996 Lui mi prendeva in grembo e mi raccon- A full report, credits and a selection oftava invece le storie delle sue avventure in winning essays will be featured in Tuttitalia America. Mi diceva scherzando: «You 14. We take this opportunity, however, tospeak English?». E cosi passavo le mie publish the essay Un oggetto che mi e caro by vacanze estive a Corcumello nell'Abruzzo. Raimondo Zavaglia, who is a policeman in Nel suo testamento mi ha veramente la- Cardiff. Mr Zavaglia's essay was awardedsciato la sua medaglia di bronzo e anche it the first prize in Category 4 (a borsa di stu- suo occhio di vetro. dio), but he generously elected to ask the Per me quest' occhio di vetro e un oggetto competition organiser to make the prizeche mi e molto caro perche mi fa ricordare available to a younger contestant. con tantissima nostalgia la buona anima Un oggetto che mi e caro del mio nonno e anche la sua sfortuna di All'alba si sentiva sempre it chicchirichiaver fatto it soldato in guerra, cosa che da delgallo.A quelmomentononnobambino non potevo mai capire. Francuccio bussava sempre alla porta della RAIMONDO ZAVAGLIA mia camera da letto. Mi diceva: «Ancora a letto, forza, sbrigati che dobbiamo andare alla stalla.» Parliamo Geordie? No, italiano Andavo sempre con lui. Report on Italian Weekend for teachers Mi raccomandava: «Prendi ii secchio!» and lecturers, University of Durham, 15-17 Era sempre gia pieno di grano. September 1995. Prima di partire mi faveca bere l'uovo A wonderful journey in the afternoon sbattuto con lo zucchero, me lo preparavasun from Dundee to Durham, via the A68 ogni mattina perche sapeva che mi piacevaand Jedburgh. Nothing nicer or more tanto. romantic! Until I almost hit Durhamand Arrivati allastalla, nonno Francucciowas delayed one hour on the motorway

Tuttitalia, No. 13, June 1996 55 only to find that it was the Durham exitand 2 veg. Was this Durham's answer to an that was blocked! So, nothing to do butItalian weekend? No luckily we were proceed down the motorway to the nextpleasantly surprised thereafter by great exit and back up againtoapproachBritish breakfasts, a superb buffet lunch Durham from the south! As an adoptedand a huge sit-down roast-meat meal in the Scot, no comment! evening with soup and pud, with wine to When I arrived, however, it was certain-wash it down and coffee and mints to ly worth the effort. What a beautiful city infollow. Not for the slimmer or the faint- a delightful setting! We were housed in thehearted! College of St Hild and St Bede, where old We shared our canteen facilities with a buildings and Sixties buildings mingled inladies' keep-fit group, and saw our eating green and leafy grounds. And what a view! companions thereafter working it off in Every time we set off to a lecture or to theshiny tights and leotards while we sat canteen, that magnificent cathedral lay onslowly digesting at various seminars. On the horizon like the background to a paint-Saturday night we couldn't get into the bar ing. for a keep-fit fancy dress session. We did, And what a menu for the hungry Italianhowever, manage to squeeze into the teacher! From Dante's Purgatorio to 'ItaliaTV /snooker room where we shouted our 2000', we were delighted by the talks inconversation over the 'Last Night of the Italian and Englishbut mostly in Italian Proms'. And I fell into a 'language pitfall' and astonished by the exciting ways Italianwhen, finding that my drinking companion is being taught in schools, universities andcame from Lancing College, I remarked:'I colleges all over Britain, Ireland and inbelieve you have a magnificent organ'to America! which he just stared at me ... The company, of course, was superlative, That afternoon, I'd been listening to the consisting of Italian teachers native to Italymagnificent organ in Durham Cathedral, and Great Britain and Ireland. Humourjust wandering round that outstanding was Scottish, Irish, English and Italian, butexample of Norman Romanesque in awe. I unsurpassed was the Welsh humour ofhad been told the cathedral was well worth Derek Aust, when you could understand it!a. visit, but was stilled bowled overby the Derek opened our proceedings on Fridaygrace ofthe arches and sheer size and vari- evening in Italian, saying we'd understandety of the great pillars. I hadn't known the him better in that language and I realisedtombs of both the Venerable Bede and St he was right when I tried to keep up withCuthbert were there. What a find! I tried to the repartee in the bar later that evening!get back for my afternoon seminar, but Unfortunately, the talk on Leonardodidn't make it. So I wished I'd stayed on Sciascia that we'd all been looking forwardbecause a colleague told me that evening to did not take place, as Anne Mullen hadthat she'd attended Sung Evensong, which suddenly been taken ill. We were delightedwas superb. instead, however, by an introduction by I really learned so much that beautiful Derek Aust to his new book Come leggereweekend in Durham. Great experiments (produced with co-authors L. Oriolo and are going on with unscriptedrole-play for M. Galasso) when we actually workedbeginners (Rossella Peressini, University of through Unit 5and had a lesson all readyDurham). So many ways of developing lis- for Monday morning. And, what fun,tening skills as well as reading skills were Purgatorio 'Flames and Lustful Poets' whenexplained to us in an entertaining way by Andrew Wilkin from StrathclydeDerekAust(SouthDevonCollege). University took us through Canto XXVI'Facilitating Learner Autonomy' (Claire making it all come to life, while DanteBleasdale, Kemnay Academy) and 'The reminded us that the Provençal poetscreative use of songs (Dr Flavia Laviosa, weren't all they seemed! Wellesley College, USA) were being talked We were all hungry and dashed to theabout when I got back from the Cathedral. canteen to be met byoh dear!lasagne 'Creativetopic development' (Anna

56 Tuttitalia, No. 13, lune 1996

..1) Bartrum, St Martin's College, Lancaster)countries where Spanish or Portuguese is and 'NEABlooking to the future' (Carole spoken, allowing young people to develop Shepherd,StMary'sComprehensivefluency through immersion in a language School, Newcastle-upon-Tyne) were twopreviously studied at school or college. more I had to miss for lack of time. AFS are now accepting applications for The talks I could manage to get to ondeparture in summer 1997. For further Sunday morning were great. How excitinginformation please contact Adrian Sellers to go to Marina di Stefano's talk on 'Italianat AFS/IEP, Arden House, Wellington in the Media' to find out all about 'Italia Street, Bingley, West Yorkshire BD16 2NB; 2000' being put out on BBC2, albeit at 5am. tel: 01274-560677; fax: 01274-567675. What a find for my A Level class, who find the telegiornale so daunting! I'm looking for- Courses in Italy ward to the pack being on offer once the Lingua project is finished. Lastly, Jocelyn New to your Editor is notice of the Wyburd's(UniversityofHumberside) courses on offer at The Language Center warm talk on 'Teaching the Adult Learner' (why the American spelling?), ViaS. made me feel quite nostalgic about myArcangelo 32, 06059 Todi (Perugia); tel. and adult students. What a great variety we fax: 00-39-75-8948364; and those offered by meet in Further Education! E.STI.VE EuroStudi Veneto, Via Tofana Sad to leave Durham and so many finePrima 5, CP 29, 32032 Feltre (Belluno); tel. colleagues on Sunday afternoon, but soand fax: 00-39-439-81821. glad to have met them and looking forward to the next Italian weekend. Hope to seeSchool Library 2000 you there! Arrivederci! Alla prossima! Written by teachers and librarians, School KATI McHARDY Library 2000 offers balanced reviews and Dundee College comment, and has something for everyone working in primary and secondary schools, including: Intercultural Education * CD-ROM and software reviews; Programmes * the Internet in schools; using CD-ROM in the classroom; AFS is an international, voluntary, non- * library systems. governmental, non-profit organisation that Its reviews are straight and unbiased. Its provides intercultural learning opportuni-style is accessible and non-technical. Its aim ties for young people. AFS /IEP is the UKis to help readers use electronic media to partner in the international AFS network ofteach. One year's subscription (five issues) 55 different countries worldwide. With is free to every secondary school and sixth- departuresinJuly/August/September form college library in the UK. Many read- young people can spend a year living iners, however, like to have a copy of their one of 55 different countries around theown. A sample copy may be obtained by world. Students live with a volunteer hostcontacting the Subscriptions Department family as a member of that family, attend aatLearned Information(Europe)Ltd, local school, and become involved in the Woodside, Hinksey Hill, Oxford OX1 5AU; life of their new local community. It is not tel: 01865-730275; fax: 01865-736354; e-mail: necessary to speak the language before- subs criptions@learned .co .uk. hand. Some people go on this programme between GCSEs and A Levels, some after A Levels, or in Scotland after Highers orFondazione Leonardo Sciascia CSYS. There is a fee which varies accordingand Centro Documentazione to family circumstances, and AFS provides support and advice on fundraising. AFSLeonardo Sciascia arranges placements in France, Germany, Readers of Tuttitalia may be interested in Italy, and a number of Latin Americanthe following report by its Secretary, Dott.

Tuttitalin, No. 13, June 1996 57 Salvatore Restivo, of the functions andDopo la sua costituzione sono state svolte activitiesofthe Fondazione Leonardole seguenti attivita, tendenti a far conoscere Sciascia, Via le della Vittoria 3, Racalmutola figura e l'opera dello scrittore: (Agrigento), Sicilia. 21.06.1992: Manifestazione di presen- They may also be interested in thetazione della Fondazione Leonardo Sciascia Centro Documentazione Leonardocon l'inaugurazione della sede provvisoria Sciascia, Piazza E. De Martino 9, Casellae l'apertura di una mostra fotografica di Postale 59, 71014 San Marco in LamisFerdinando Scianna, e con gli interventi del (Foggia), tel: (0882)-83.18.51, set up by Dott. Prof. Antonio Di Grado, direttore letterario Antonio Motta, author of Ilsereno pes-della Fondazione, e del Prof. Henri Bresc simista. OmaggioaLeonardoSciascia, dell'Universita di Parigi-Nanterre. Manduria, Piero Lacaita Editore, 1991, and Contemporaneamente ha avuto luogo la editorof, and contributorto,Leonardo rappresentazione della Controversia lipari- Sciascia: la verita, l'aspra verita, Manduria,tana, testo teatrale di L. Sciascia, a cura del Piero Lacaita Editore, 1985, now out ofTeatro degli Alchemisti di Catania con la print. regia di Giuseppe Di Pasquale, nella Piazza The first interview of Leonardo SciasciaFontana di Racalmuto. by an Anglo-Saxon (Paris, 20 May 1979), 28.11.1992: Per it 3° anniversario della originally published in the ATI Journal,morte di L. Sciascia e stata inaugurata a number 30, Spring 1980, pp. 30-51, and out Racalmuto la mostra 'La Sicilia, it suo cuore of print for some time, has been re-pub- Omaggio a Leonardo Sciascia' (una com- lished, with a photograph of Leonardopleta rassegna delle edizioni e traduzioni Sciascia and the interviewer by Ferdinandodelle opere dello scrittore); la rassegna Scianna,inpamphletform,bythestata arricchita da una mostra fotografica Fondazione Leonardo Sciascia, 1996. Itscurata da Diego Mormorio e da una title is Leonardo Sciascia: l'uomo, it cittadino e collezione di manifesti editoriali, locandine lo scrittore. A colloquio con Tom Baldwin. Con teatrali e cinematografiche. Per l'occasione Note. e stato presentato it catalogo della mostra. TOM BALDWIN 11.09.1993: Rappresentazione de London L'Onorevole da partedella Compagnia dell' Attodi Roma, diretta da Renato Campese, con relazione introduttiva sul Fondazione Leonardo Sciascia tema adombrato dal testo teatrale di L. Racalmuto Sciascia, e cioe la 'Moralita nella politica'. Relazione sull'attivita svolta 24.09.1994: Preinaugurazione della sede negli anni precedenti dalla definitiva della Fondazione con la presen- Fondazione Leonardo Sciascia tazione dellibroStoriadiSciasciadi La Fondazione Leonardo Sciascia, EnteMassimo Onofri da parte del Prof. Nino morale riconosciuto con DPRS 11.12.1991, 6 Borsellino dell'Universita di Roma. stata cos tituita con la finalita di promuo- 20-21.11.1994: Convegno tenace con- vere gli studi e le ricerche sull'opera dello cetto Leonardo Sciascia, Fra Diego La scrittore e di svolgere attivita di elevazione Matina, l'Inquisizione in Sicilia' con la civile e culturale. La Fondazione e stata isti-partecipazione di Nicola Mineo, Antonio tuita dal Comune di Racalmuto, di intesaDi Grado, Francesco Renda, Vittorio Sciuti conSciascia,cheleha donato unaRussi, Claude Amboise, Natale Tedesco, pregevole collezione di ritratti di scrittoriMaria Messana Virga, Titus Heidenreich, (acqueforti, acquetinte, disegni e dipinti), ConsueloMaquedaAbreu,Marilena tutte le edizioni, italiane e straniere, deiModica, Salvatore Fodale. suoi libri, tutte le lettere ricevute in circa Consegna del premio di laurea ai vinci- mezzo secolo di attivita letteraria e duemilatori del 1° concorso per tesi di laurea sul volumi della sua biblioteca. Si tratta, cioe,pensiero e l'opera di Leonardo Sciascia, di un importante fondo letterario che ladiscusse negli anni accademici 1992-93 e Fondazione dovra catalogare ecurare. 1993-94.

58 6 4 Tuttitalia, No. 13, June 1996 22.12.1995: Convegnosu 'Sciascia names and addresses of teachers who have moralista civilel'opera, it cinema, la crisihad successful exchanges. Teachers are italiana'. Al dibattito hanno partecipato:invited to contact these colleagues who Giovanni D'Angelo, Mario Fusco, Massimohave benefited from the scheme to hear for Onofri,SeverinoSantiapichi,Gaetano themselves what can be achieved. Further Savetteri, Marcel lo Sorgi, Giovannadetails may be obtained from CBEVE, 10 Tinebra,GiuseppeTornatore.Coordi-Spring Gardens, London SW1A 2BN; tel: namento di Roberto And& 0171-389-4004; fax: 0171-389-4426. Nella mattinata e stato proiettato it film LoschermoatrepuntediGiuseppe Tornatore, realizzato dall'Istituto Luce diUniversity per Stranieri, Perugia Roma. Whilst the application arrangements for SALVATORE RESTIVO certain courses held at the University per Segretario della Fondazione Stranieri, Perugia, require relatively long lead-times (and thus the following brief notes are to be read as a forward indicator CILT Information Sheet 67 for 1997 rather than for use in 1996), read- CILTInformationSheet67,dateders of Tuttitalia will be interested in the fol- November 1995, is on A Level teaching lowing: materials: Italian. The Information Sheet * Corsoper Insegnanti d'italiano identifies resources for the teaching of all' es tero Italian courses leading to A /AS level and Corso di lingua italiana contempo- equivalents (e.g. Scottish Higher Grade). ranea Most are available from commercial pub- * Corso di Storia dell'Arte. lishers, but materials produced by institu- Each of these courses is held annually, tional sources are also included. For precise with slight variations in course theme year details on resource components, avail-to year. Further details may be obtained ability, prices, etc., one should consult thefrom: University per Stranieri, Palazzo relevant publisher or distributor. Gallenga, Piazza Fortebraccio4,06122 The Information Sheet gives details ofPerugia; tel: 00-39-75-5746221; fax: 00 -39- materials for: 75- 5746213. * Courses Listening Resources Reading Resources (including refer-Languages Lead Body ence works for topic / coursework, etc.) Issue number 8 of Languages Lead Body Speaking, Writing, GrammarNews was published in January/February Resources 1996. The key article featured an interview Publishers', Booksellers', Distributors'with Hugh Morgan Williams, the newly Telephone Numbers appointed Chairman of the LLB. In one key Sources of further information andpassage the Chairman reiterated the point guidance. that: For further information about the range For any company planning to invest in of services offered by CILT, please contact:language training, developing relevant lan- CentreforInformationonLanguageguage skills, appropriate to the needs of the Teaching and Research, 20 Bedfordbury,business, is crucial. The national language London WC2N 4LB; tel: 0171-379-5110 or standards give practical support from help- 0171-379-5101; fax: 0171-379-5082. ing companies to identify language needs tofindingappropriatelearningpro- Central Bureau for Educational grammes. Elsewhere in this issue of LLB News, the Visits and Exchanges LLB answers some common questions CBEVE is keen to promote the Teacherabout the national language standards and Exchange scheme, and holds on record thequalifications; there is a news update; a

Tuttitalia, No. 13, June 1996 265 59 note of forthcoming events;additionalbe a highly successful day symposium with guidance on the now more 'user-friendly'over 60 people attending from a variety of national language standards; the avail-schools, colleges and relevant agencies. ability of standards and qualifications for Ernesto Macaro and Wasyl Cajkler gave interpreters and translators; and notice ofa breakdown of the results of the question- new staff members at LLB. naire sent out to schools in September 1995. Two specific items of note for teachers: Whilst the picture at key-stage 3 was not an (1) NCVQ has accredited the national lan-encouraging one, the situation at key-stage guage standards in several NVQs and4 was more optimistic, as was the situation as stand-alone units (tel: 0171-387-9898 in the independent sector gernerally. for details); Pat McLagan gave some early indicators (2) SCOTVEC has accredited many of theof the CILT diversification study which national language standards as part ofwas subsequently published in the Times SVQs such as Catering and Educational Supplement on 2 February 1996. Hospitality: Reception levels I and II. It Anna Bartrum and Julia Mulkerrin gave is in the process of accrediting thethe practitioner's perspective of promoting revised language standards (tel: 0141-Italian in the 11-16 phase. 248 -7900 for details). The ILSN was both broadened and strengthened with 'focus groups' being set up around the ILSN 'focus institutions': How to study abroad University of Reading (Ernesto Macaro); Most people have heard that EuropeansUniversity of Leicester (Wasyl Cajkler); St come over to the UK to study English atMartin's College, Lancaster (Anna private colleges and live with local fami-Bartrum); and University of Strathclyde lies. It is less well known that the British(Andrew Wilkin). The focus group based at can go to Italy, France, Spain, Germany,the University of Reading set itself a sched- etc., to study the local language in exactlyule of meetings for early 1996 and a series the same way. There are a wealth of cours-of developments/ideas to pursue as future es in a myriad number of cities and towns objectives. throughout the world where one can enrol on a programme from under a month to over a year, and study the local language.News from SALT CESA Languages Abroad acts as a coun- The Scottish Association for Language sellor and language course broker, advis- Teaching (SALT) Newsletter of January 1996 ing on all aspects of choosing a college, thefeatured two brief reports of interest to course andtheaccommodation. TheyItalianists in their coverage of the seminars ensure that you know where you areheld at the SALT Conference 1995. going, what you can reasonably expect (1) The first of these related to trainee upon arrival (in terms of the languageteachers for Modern Languages in the course, the college, the accommodation andPrimary School (MLPS). Reporting on her the location), and how best to get there.experiences was trainee Italianist Louise CESA Languages Abroad(Cultural &Reid, who was very keen to start the Italian Educational Services Abroad) can be con-SOED (Scottish Office Education Depart- tacted at Western House, Malpas, Truro,ment) course and thoroughly enjoyed it. Cornwall TR1 1SQ (tel: 01872-225300; fax:She benefited from working in class with 01872-225400). visiting Secondary Italian teachers and the Italian Assistant. She also believes that the Italian Language Support more she had the chance to use the language, the more her confidence increased. Network Using the topics of 'parts of the body' and The Italian Language Support Network'physical description' as a focus for teach- (ILSN) held a Symposium at CILT ining allowed Ms Reid of St Gilbert's Primary London on 22 November 1995. It proved toSchool to include many different aspects of

60 Tuttitalia, No. 13, June 1996 the language and grammar points. Shewhich are available for use by language organised a wide range of activities andteachers. Dott. Pecchini is currently in the games in class, for which all instructionsprocess of setting up a new centre, based in were in Italian. A division of the class intoa Glasgow primary school, which will groupsdependingonpupils'abilityhouse materials for teaching Italian, but improved self-confidence, especially forthisisstillinitsearlystages.The those in lower-ability groups. Ms ReidConsulate-General organises courses found that the experience of a foreign lan-throughout the year, free of charge, for guage proved successful and her grasp ofteachers of Italian, and has access as well to Italian definitely improved as a result ofcourses in Italy. These latter provide the the SOED training. She also added that aopportunity for teachers from all over the high level of commitment on the part of theworld to meet in Italy and build up an teacherisrequired,astheseclasses international network of contacts. The most demand a great deal of preparation andrecent took place in Siena in July 1995 and hard work. When questioned about thewas attended by a group of Scottish prim- value of language assistants, Ms Reidary school teachers. The seminar reporter, added that she believed they are of greata student teacher, found the seminar very use and that it would be fabulous to haveinformative and hoped to make use in the one around. It must be taken into accountfuture of the services of both the Italian that although the programme for MLPS isConsulate-General and the Italian Institute. provingsuccessful, no allowancesare made in the early secondary years for pupils with foreign language experience,II certificato DITALS and concern has been expressed about their The following public notice, which first potential demotivation. appeared in Italiano e Oltre, 5, anno X, 1995, (2) The second seminar report of Italianwill be of clear interest to Italianists. interest was entitled 'Risorse per l'insegna- Fralenumeroseiniziativevarate mento dell'italiano' given by Dott. Vittoredall'Universita per Stranieri di Siena negli Pecchini of the Consolato Generale d'Italiaultimi anni, la DITALS (Certificazione di in Scozia. Dott. Pecchini began by acknowl-Competenza in Didattica dell'Italiano a edging the difficulties faced by teachers ofStranieri) riveste un ruolo particolare, sia Italian in Scotland. As Italian is not asper la sua novita, sia per la ricaduta che widely taught in schools as French, forpotra avere in futuro. Si tratta di una certi- example, teachers may have problems inficazione che valuta, sulla base di vane finding suitable teaching materials, partic-provescritte,lapreparazioneteorico- ularly in the more remote parts of Scotland.praticanelcampodell'insegnamento The Italian Consulate-General and thedell'italiano agli stranieri: non un esame di Italian Institute in Edinburgh offer a rangelingua, quindi, ma di didattica della lingua. of services, many of which are available byLa sua validity legale in Italia e all'estero post, and may well be of help to teachers ofdipende dagli ordinamenti dei singoli Stati Italian. The Italian Institute has a lendinge delle singole istituzioni: in mold casi e gia library, containing approximately 5000 vol-considerata un prerequisito per il recluta- umes and is the largest Italian languagementodegliinsegnantidiitalianoa library in Scotland. This contains a widestranieri, mentre alcune university ameri- variety of children's books, particularlycane tengono conto del punteggio riportato useful for teachers. There is also a readingnella DITALS per il conseguimento del room, where the major Italian newspapersMaster in Italiano. and magazines can be found, and a video Le prove, che hanno una durata comp- lending library, with 500 VHS tapes. Therelessiva di cinque ore, si articolano in tre is a satellite television, which shows RAH sezioni: nella prima si valuta la capacity di and RAI2 channels. The Consulate-Generalanalizzare materiali didattici di italiano per has a large collection of slides of Italy andstranieri;la secondasibasasulla various types of materials, such as posters,costruzione di materiali didattici; la terza

Tuttitalia, No. 13, June 1996 - 61 4i,.4 costituita da 20 domande riguardanti leJersey, Washington, Montreal, Vancouver, conoscenze teoriche sui fondamenti ei e Mar del Plata). L'esame pub essere infatti metodi dell'insegnamento dell'italiano a sostenuto da cittadini italiani e stranieri, sia stranieri. presso l'Universita per Stranieri di Siena Sezione A: Analisi di materiali didattici.nelle due sessioni annuali di giugno e Tempo previsto per la prova: 2 ore. Punteggio dicembre, sia presso istituzioni italiane o massimo: 30 punti. straniere convenzionate. Questa sezione e suddivisa in due sot- Informazioni sulla DITALS si possono tosezioni (Al e A2) dedicate all'analisi di avere dal Centro Linguistico dell'Universita alcune pagine tratte da due manuali: unoper Stranieri di Siena, Piazzetta Grassi 2, per i livelli elementari (Al) e uno per quelli 53100 Siena (tel: 00-39-577-24.03.03; fax: 00- intermedi o avanzato o di microlingue set- 39- 577 - 42.112). toriali (A2). Le pagine selezionate sono accompagnate da una serie di domande a sceltamultipla oaperte,che possonoALL Italian Committee richiedere sia una diretta valutazione degli The ALL Italian Committe met at the interventi proposti dal manuale, sia la for-Italian Institute, London, on 3 February mulazione di ipotesi alternative. 1996. Among items discussed were the fol- Sezione B: Costruzione di materiali didattici. lowing: Tempo previsto per la prova: 2 ore. Punteggio Ernesto Macaro presented a report on massimo: 30 punti. activities of the Italian Language Support Sono previste qui tre sottosezioni (B1, B2 Network (ILSN); e B3) che hanno lo scopo di verificare la A Symposium on Diversification had capacitadelcandidatodiprogettarebeen held at CILT on 1 February 1996; it un'unita didattica su un tema dato (B1), di was noted that the diversification project of descrivere l'utilizzo didattico di un testothe late '80s had really led to an increase in dato (B2) e di costruire una prova dithe teaching of German; verifica (B3). Italian Day 1996: 15 June was confirmed SezioneC:Conoscenzeglottodidattiche. as the date and there would be a cultural Tempo previsto per la prova: 1 ora. Punteggiotheme to the programme; massimo: 40 punti. The ALL Italian Weekend 1996 will be Si tratta di un questionario di 20 vociheld from 4-6 October at St Anne's College, relative a fondamenti e metodi della didat-Oxford, and will be held simultaneously tica delle lingue moderne, con particolarewith meetings of the ALL Spanish and riferimento all'italiano a stranieri e ai piuPortuguese groups; recenticontributiscientificidedicatia Italian Language Day: it was suggested questa materia. that two intensive language days should be Per conseguire la Certificazione DITALSrunone in Reading and one in Lancaster occorre superare i 18 punti nella sezione A with a similar format. These would be e B e i 30 punti nella sezione C: i1 totale deiaimed at teachers who wished to brush up punteggi non dovra quindi essere inferiore their Italian, and might also include Adult a 66 punti. Chi ottiene un punteggio da 90 aEducation students and 6th-formers. The 100 punti riceve la Certificazione DITALSsummer term of 1997 was viewed as a con lode. likely date; Ideata e resa operativa nel 1994 da Paolo Language World Conference 1996: Derek Balboni, che dal 1992 al 1995 e stato diret-Aust, Anna Bartrum, Ernesto Macaro and tore del Centro Linguistico dell'UniversitaJocelyn Wyburd would be theItalian per Stranieri di Siena, in poco pill di unCommittee representatives present at the anno la DITALS e stata somministrata a 128Conference; candidati a Siena e a un centinaio di candi- Language World Conference, 10-14 April dati in sedi straniere, a conclusione di vari1997 at Kee le University: preliminary sug- corsi di formazione tenuti negli Stati Uniti, gestions were gathered for Italian contribu- in Canada e in Argentina (New. York, Newtions to the Conference programme;

62 Tuttitalia, No. 13, June 1996 Italian events 1997: 64 of each issue of this journal. (1) The ALL Italian Day would be held at The Editorial Boardand more especial- the Italian Institute on either 14 or 21 ly your Editorencourages contributors to June 1997 to avoid clashing with theread these Notes attentively and to submit London Language Show. The themematerials in conformity with the recom- for the Day will be Italian cinema; mended format. At the same time, we wish (2) The ALL Italian Weekend is plannedto be as 'elastic' as possible in this matter, for Dublin. Our contactis Mauraso as not to dissuade those who may not McCarthy, who is Secretary of ATIhave ready access to the appropriate word- (Ireland), which would co-ordinate the processing equipment. programme. The suggested date is the The key presentation features sought are: first weekend of the autumn half-term 1997; set your processor or typewriter to a line Report on the Durham Weekend: overall length of 44 characters. **This is probably feedback was very good [see report fromthe most important request, because stan- Kati Mc Hardy in this issue. Ed.]; dard line-length permits relatively accurate Production of Italianleaflets:it was calculation of the overall size of a contribu- agreed that the planned ALL leaflet pro- tion in its final printed version.**; moting the teaching of Italian should double-space your text; pick up and add to some of the arguments already highlighted in the CILT submit two hard copies of your text, one and Italian Institute leaflets. The focusof which should be 'clean'; would be teachers, senior management and teams, governors and students in Higher Education. A draft version of the leaflet if possible, use justified margins, both would be prepared ahead of the Sep-right and left. tember ALL Italian Committee meeting; These basic features will help the Editor Committee reports were received from: to prepare your text swiftly and accurately the Editor of Tuttitalia; for the printer. the News Editor; If you have access to a word-processor, the Essay Competition Organiser; you are asked to submit two hard copies the ALL Executive Committee; plus your text file on disc, in a major pro- the ALL Policy Committee; cessing languageWord for Windows 95 the Italian Institute; Alessandro Nigroand Loco Script PC are the preferred forwas thanked for hosting the meetingmats together with, please, an ASCII of the ALL Italian Committee; plain text file version of your contribution. the question of Building for the Future; This will permit the Editor to save consid- The next meeting of the ALL Italianerable time by performing on-screen edit- Committee will be held on 14 Septembering. Discs may be either 3.5" or 5.25" size. 1996 at the Italian Institute, London. Readers of this issue of Tuttitalia may wish to know that yet again every word of Preparing materials for the journal (some 256 pages of processed text in total!about the size of a PhD the- publication in Tuttitalia sis) has been keyed in by the undersigned. Intending contributors to Tuttitalia will ANDREW WILKIN find a set of Notes for Contributors on page University of Strathclyde

Tuttitalia, No. 13, June 1996 63 Notes for contributors

Contributions The Editorial Boardb) Disk: Most word processing packages welcomes previously unpublished articles are acceptable but if you have any query which will further the cause of the learning contact the ALL office. Also send in one and teaching of Italian. hard copy of the article with the disk, Contributions are expected to fall into and keep one for yourself. one of these categories: a)Articles of about 3000 words. Give your article one short title (not a title b) Brief (up to 1000 words) items of infor-and a subtitle), and divide it up with brief mation, notes on innovative practice,subheadings. discussion points (including those arising from previous articles). Give full references for all sources quoted. c)Reviews usually of about 300 to 400Journal policy is to put these at the end of words (longer reviews or articles may bethe article and not at the bottom of the accepted). page. The guidelines below are intended toIllustrations help contributors: Photographs are particularly welcome, as are charts, diagrams and tableswhere rele- Presentation vant. Please send these at the same time as Articles should be submitted either type-your typescript. written or on computer disk (plus hard copy) Timing a) Typewritten: Type with double spacing.In order to be considered for inclusion in Typewriters or word processors shouldthefollowingissue,articlesshould be set at 44 characters (the equivalent ofnormally be sent in by 1st February and the line length), as this will help the1st August. Where topicalityisof the Editor plan the arrangement of the jour-essence, shorter deadlines are possibleby nal. Please send two copies of the articlenegotiation with the Editor. and keep one for yourself. One copy of the article should be 'clean' (with no cor-Copyright rections) to enable the printer to scan it. IfAuthors are reminded that the Association there are any changes or corrections these holds the copyright for all articles pub- should be made on the second copy. lished in its journals.

64 Tuttitalia, No. 13, June 1996 The World'sMost TrustedDictionaries

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Contents Page

Editorial 2 Flavia Laviosa How to test and evaluate oral proficiency in Italian 3

Antonio Italiano Interattivo 16 Borraccino Julie Beverly Travels with a mouse Italy on the Internet 20 Sara Laviosa- Lexicalisation and syntacticisation of the Braithwaite verb piacere: a study of the interlanguage of learners of Italian 27 Carmela Ave lla La famiglia italiana contemporanea Kellaway fra continuity e cambiamento 39 Reviews 47

News and views 51

Notes for Contributors 64

150 Railway Terrace, Rugby CV21 3HN. Tel: (01788) 546443 Fax: (01788) 544149 ,272/

ASSOCIATION for LANGUAGE LEARNING

President: Madeleine Bedford, Further Education Teaching Council Secretary General: Christine Wilding Chevalier des Palmes Academiques Italian Committee Derek Aust (Chair), South Devon College Anna Bartrum, St Martin's College, Lancaster Julie Beverly, Plymouth Business School Mariolina Freeth, Islington VI Form Centre Jenny Jackson, Bedfordshire Upper Schools Teresa Lorusso-Gibson, Trinity School, Leamington Spa Ernesto Macaro, University of Reading Giovanna Muszynska, London Alessandro Nigro, Italian Institute Hilary Reeves, John Mansfield School, Peterborough Andrew Wilkin (Editor) Cavaliere dell'Ordine Al Merito della Repubblica Ita liana,University of Strathclyde Jocelyn Wyburd, University of Humberside Tuttitalia is published twice a year, in June and December. It is supplied to ALL members who choose it as one of their two specialist language journals in addition to Language Learning Journal and Language World, and is available on subscription to libraries and individuals. Other journals published by the Association for Language Learning Language Learning Journal, German Teaching, Vida Hispcinica, Francophonie, Rusistika, Dutch Crossing (published by the Centre for Low Countries Studies), Language World Quarterly Newsletter Advertising: All enquiries should be addressed to the Advertising Manager at the address below Contributors: See page 64 Official address: Association for Language Learning, 150 Railway Terrace, Rugby CV21 3HN. Telephone: 01788 546443. Fax: 01788 544149 TUTTITALIA

No. 14 ISSN 0957-1752 December 1996

Editor Andrew Wilkin Page Department of Modern Contents Languages 2 Univ. of Strathclyde Editorial Glasgow G1 1XH Alessandro BenatiL'insegnamento comunicativo Editorial Board della lingua (ICL) nel corsodi Derek Aust lingua straniera: un modello Anna Bartrum di insegnamento 3 Julie Beverly Mariolina Freeth Francesca GattulloForeign Languages in Italian Jenny Jackson Primary SchoolsThe state of Teresa Lorusso-Gibson 9 Ernesto Macaro the art Giovanna Muszynska Russell King and The Italian community in Hilary Reeves Peterborough Jocelyn Wyburd Mariacaterina 13 Review Editor Tubito Carole Shepherd Salvatore Questione meridionale e 58 Beatty Avenue questione settentrionale 20 Jesmond Coluccello Newcastle-upon-Tyne Marina Orsini- Visibility at a price? NE2 3QN Black Women in Red Bologna Jones and 24 News Editor Francesca Gattullo Julie Beverly 29 Cedarcroft Road Jean Biggs Recreation and Study: Beacon Park a Month inTuscany 39 Plymouth PL2 3JX Lettera commerciale a GestiBambino 44 Published by Emilio Sciotti Association for Review article: Parole 45 Language Learning Tom Baldwin 51 Printed by Reviews Stephen Austin and ALL Italian Essay Sons Ltd Giovanna 56 Caxton Hill Muszynska Competition 1996 Ware Road News and views 59 Hertford SG13 7LU Notes for Contributors 64 © 1996 Association for Language Learning 1 Tuttitalia, No. 14, December 1996 Editorial

It is a matter of considerable regret thatto repeat the fact that Tuttitalia is the most this issue of Tuttitalia will reach readerswidely circulating academic-professional with a marked delay. For this the under-journal of Italian Studies in the UK. signed, as Editor, bears responsibility and We welcome again to our pages several craves your indulgence. The more limitedcolleagues who have contributed on earlier production delay which afflicted Tuttitaliaoccasions Russell King, Jean Biggs, 13 was always likely to impinge in someMarinaOrsini-Jones,EmilioSciotti, measure on the date of publication ofthisFrancesca Gattullo, Alessandro Benati, and issue. What could not have been predictedSalvatore Coluccelloand at the same time were the tardy receipt of portionsof theextend an especially warm welcome to Tom promised materials for Tuttitalia 14 and aBaldwin, now based in Milan, whom many major editorial computer 'crash' at a crucialwill remember not least for his own editor- stage in the text preparation! The fact thatial endeavours with the former ATI Journal. every page of this issue had to be keyedinTom will 're-appear' with further materials directly by the Editornone of the contri-in Tuttitalia 15 which, in the event, will fol- butions having been presented in exactlow in relatively rapid succession! conformity with the house stylesimply Our regular features Reviews and led to an accretion in the overall time-lag.News and Views - are given appropriate Intending contributors are again enjoined space, and we also report on the ALL please-tofollowthe'NotesforItalian Essay Competition 1996. Contributors' (see page 64) to the letter. An appropriate signature line on this Adverse circumstances can lead, howev- occasion is A presto! er, to positive outcomes, and Ibelieve that to be the case with the present issue ofANDREW WILKIN Tuttitalia. It has proved possible to bring together an attractive range of diverse materials with something of appeal to all TUTTITALIA IS A REFEREED sectorsofourextensivereadership. ACADEMIC /PROFESSIONAL JOURNAL Perhaps this also presents the opportunity FOR ITALIANISTS

2 Tuttitalia, Na. 14, December 1996 L'insegnamento comunicativo della lingua (ICL) nelcorso di lingua straniera:un modello di insegnamento

Alessandro Benati Queen Mary and Westfield College, London

modello teorico di competenza comunicati- 1 .0 Introduzione. va. In secondo luogo lo sviluppo del In questo articolo si esamina la possibilitacurriculum' ha evidenziato l'importanza di creare una componente comunicativadelleesigenzecomunicativedichi nell'insegnamento dell'italiano inun corsoapprende una seconda lingua. Terzo, si e per principianti di livello universitario. Ifatto molto3 per elaborare le tecnichee le due obiettivi principali dell'articolosono: attivita in classe, per rispondere allaneces- 1. affermare e dimostrare sul piano teori-sity di realizzare attivita sensate durante la co e pratico the e possibile applicare lalezione di lingua, fornendouna vasta tesi «separazionista» per realizzaregamma di dati linguistici e un uso fun- l'ICL in una classe, e sviluppare le abi-zionale della lingua. Per finire, si a molto lity comunicative (questo tipodiprogredito4 nell'analisi delle vanecompo- approccio e stato impiegato inun corsonenti della competenza comunicativa. Ma di italiano per principianti tenuto alnon si 6 ancora raggiunto l'accordo su cosa Queen Mary and Westfield College); sia l'ICL e su comepossa essere attuato 2. fornire alcuni esempi pratici del modoin classe. in cui questo modello di insegnamento Secondo Mitchell (1988) le interpre- pub essere realizzato in classepertazioni e le descrizioni dell'ICL sarebbero mezzo di attivita che consentono altante quanti sono gli insegnanti di lingua discente di passare dall'impiegomec-straniera. Percib e necessario the i teorici canicodellalinguaad un usoindichino e spieghino checosa si intende contestualizzato appropriato. con it termine ICL sul piano delle procedure e dei metodi utilizzati in classe,se gli insegnanti devono essere addestratie se '1.1ICI: considerazioni teoriche vanno misurati i possibili effetti delle e pratiche diverse caratteristiche di questo approccio sul processo di apprendimento della L2. L'insegnamento comunicativo della lin- Johnson (1982) ha tentato di chiarire it gua (ICL) e una didattica che negli ultimisignificato dell' espressione ICL, indivi- anni ha suscitato interesse considerevole.duando due posizioni in questo tipo di Questo approccio, che si basa sullateoriaapproccio. Le due posizioni sono definite delle competenze comunicativeproposta«separazionista» e «unificazionista». La da Hymes (1972), parte dalpresuppostoteoria separazionista presta attenzione che i programmi di ICL debbano indurrea tanto alla forma come al significato. In altre sviluppare competenze di tipo linguisticoparole, le caratteristiche relative alla lingua (conoscenza delle regole grammaticali)e disono insegnate esplicitamente e poi prati- tipo comunicativo (conoscenza delle regolecate in modo comunicativo. La posizione d'uso della lingua). unificazionista non contempla l'insegna- Nel campo dell'ICL sisono compiutimento delle caratteristiche formali della molti studi, di carattere sia teoricosialingua, partendo invece sin dall'iniziocon applicativo, e in primo luogo si a cercato diesercitazioni comunicative e orientate al delineare' le diverse componenti diunmessaggio. In altre parole, agli studentinon

Tuttitatia,No. 14, December 1996 3 vengono proposte forme linguistiche neappropriato. Per raggiungere questo risul- esercizi su di esse, ma vengono indicatitato,inunapprocciocomunicativo una serie di compiti e attivita che consenti-inizialmente e indispensabile concentrare ranno loro di concentrare l'attenzione sull'attenzione sulla struttura, soprattutto se significato. teniamo conto delle limitazioni poste dal L'approccio ICL ha aspetti positivi e ne-contesto in cui si impara una lingua gativi, come qualsiasialtro.Producestraniera, come la mancanza di tempo di competenza comunicativa secondo it modoesposizione e la varieta dei contesti genera- in cui viene applicato in classe. Nel latori di lingua. In questo si manifesta anche posizione unificazionista l'idea di dare lala differenza fra it processo di apprendi- priorita alla comunicazione pratica put,mento della lingua madre e della seconda indurre a trascurare la conoscenza dellelingua. Percio it modello proposto si basa strutture linguistiche, e pub provocare unasulla realta dell'apprendimento della lin- visione della lingua come insieme digua straniera e presenta un procedimento espressioni preconfezionate che it discenteopposto a quello impiegato per la prima usa nella situazione adatta, a scapito di unlingua. In questa compagine 6 la comuni- impiego creativo della lingua straniera.cazione a divenire obiettivo del processo di Ino ltre, trascurare le strutture e la gram-apprendimento, e lo schema put, essere matica put) indurre a poca precisione. Lerappresentato come segue: ricerche hanno dimostrato che i discentiStrutturaProprietaIntenzione disi- traggono beneficio da un insegnamentognificare. basato sul significato, senza pert. negare La prima fase (struttura) implica l'interi- l'importanzadiun'istruzionebasataorizzazione degli elementi del sistema sulla forma.5 linguistico. Nella seconda fase (proprieta) Sono state effettuate svariate ricerche persi verifica un'espansione della struttura in esaminare l'effetto dell'ICL sull'apprendi-tutta una serie di contesti. Per finire, nel- mento.Glistudiosi sono abbastanzal'ultima fase (intenzione di significare) le concordi sul fatto che concentrarsi esclusi-attivita sono organizzate in modo da vamente sulla precisione e la forma, oindurre l'uso personalizzato degli elementi soltanto sulla scorrevolezza nell'uso orale,proposti. non e efficace per favorire l'apprendimento All'interno di questo schema si possono della lingua. I dati ricavati in classe, esami-realizzare attivita che permettono al di- nati in una serie di studi fra cui Spadascente di superare l'uso meccanico della (1987), confermano la tesi che nel program-lingua, per arrivare ad un impiego appro- ma diICL abbinarel'insegnamentopriatonelcontesto(vediparagrafo incentrato sulla forma e quello basato sulsuccessivo). Solo quando lo studente ha significato facilita l'apprendimento.padronanza della forma ed e in grado di Includere nel programma lezioni incentrateservirsene nel contesto it messaggio diven- sulla forma in un corso di una lingua sem-ta piu importante del «mezzo». Molti dei brerebbe una sceltavalida tantosulproblemi legati alla tesi unificazionista nel- piano teorico come su quello pratico.l'approccio comunicativo dipendono dalla Esamineremo ora un possibile modello ditendenza ad ignorare le fasi del processo di insegnamento della lingua con approccioapprendimento, e dal fatto che si considera comunicativo. la comunicazione un mezzo anziche un obiettivo. Secondo Littlewood (1994) durante it 1.2 Una compagine processo di apprendimento della lingua le attivita si sviluppano in un flusso che va comunicativa nell'insegnamento dal «controllo» alla creativita: della lingua Controllo: impiego di quanto si e memo- Littlewood (1981) sostiene che l'«abilita» rizzato; di comunicare comporta la capacita di uti- dialoghi; lizzare la lingua in modo sistematico e esercitazioni contestualizzate;

4 To titalia, No. 14, December 1996 dialoghi espansi; dare al discente la possibility di riprodurre attivita a ruolo; it modello. Il docente attirera l'attenzione Creativity: improvvisazione. su come 6 costruita la struttura, in partico- Littlewood (1994) ed altri hanno propo-lare sulla differenza nella terminazione sto uno schema a tre fasi che comportadelle prime tre person. attivita precomunicative e comunicative: L'attenzione e concentrata sul «mezzo», it 1. fase di input; cui significato e chiarito ed esemplificato 2. fase di pratica; per mezzo di supporti visivi e «frasi a rap- 3. fase d'uso; porto univoco forma-significato»; percio (adattata da Littlewood, vedi Appendice). l'uso della lingua e impersonale e decontes- Nella prima fase l'attenzione a incentratatualizzato. Nella fase input, dopo le prime sulla lingua come «mezzo», e solo quandoindicazioni da parte dell'insegnante, it di- se ne ha padronanza it discente, nel secon-scentehabisognodiutilizzaree do e ultimo stadio, pub partecipare allemanipolare la struttura. Percio l'insegnante attivita comunicative in cui l'attenzione silo fa esercitare nell'uso della struttura ser- incentra sul messaggio. vendosi di figurine o mimando. Per Come si put) applicare in pratica questoesempio, l'insegnante introduce un terzo modello? Sara dimostrato nel prossimopersonaggio di nome Paolo, e chiede «Che capitolo, quando daremo un esempio dicosa fara questa sera?» mostrando la figuri- realizzazione di questo schema a livellona di un ristorante specializzato in pesce e produttivo. cosi via. L'insegnante potrebbe passare a una fase leggermente phi avanzata della lezionesullaformaverbale«io-tu». 1.3 Insegnare un modello Potrebbe fare affermazioni su che cosa fara (a) Fase di input. Supponiamo che sialui la prossima fine settimana e chiedere nostra intenzione insegnare una data strut-agli studenti che cosa faranno loro. tura, come per esempio l'uso del futuro: Anche se la domanda e basata sull'espe- secondo it modello proposto dovremmorienza degli studenti tanto nella situazione passare da un uso meccanico ad un usodi un rapporto insegnante-discenti, come appropriato. Nella prima fase, cioe la fasenel dialogo fra studenti, si insiste ancora di input, l'insegnante dovrebbe decideresulla forma linguistica, sulla formulazione quale aspetto della struttura introdurre, e itdi ipotesi riguardo alla struttura e la sua contesto in cui proporla, per facilitarne laverifica. Questa e la fase che Widdowson ha comprensione. Per esempio, si put, utiliz-definito «fase d'utilizzo». zare la forma della terza persona singolare, (b) Fase di pratica. La seconda fase nel contesto di una conversazione su chedovrebbe fornire al discente la possibility di cosa si ha intenzione di fare durante leimpratichirsi nell'uso delle forme proposte vacanze estive: verranno poi introdotte laper ricordarle e riconoscerle in modo meno prima e la seconda persona singolare. rigido e meno dipendente dall'insegnante. Si potra procedere con l'aiuto di un sup- Siinsisteancorasullalingua come porto visivo (vedi vignette alla fine del«mezzo», ma la forma pub essere contestu- presente articolo). In questa fase sara l'in-alizzata per mezzo di drammatizzazioni o segnante a segnalare e ad introdurre laattivita ricreative a informazioni. Il discente struttura per mezzo delle immagini. I di-e alla fase utilizzo /uso, e si sposta verso un scenti ascolteranno, tentando di identificareimpiego della lingua phi autentico e mira- le strutture-tipo e producendo ipotesi. to. Le attivita faciliteranno la fase di La successione e la gradazione deglitransizione fra i momenti definiti da Rivers esempi proposti dall'insegnante saranno (1987)«acquisizionedelleabilita»e scelti con precisione in modo da consentire«impiego delle abilita». al discente di identificare la struttura A livello produttivosi passers dai linguistica e riprodurla in attivita doman-dialoghi espansi alle drammatizzazioni, da-risposta che progrediranno concioe da un'attivita sul «mezzo» ad una domande sempre phi aperte, in modo daincentrata sul messaggio. Un esempio tipi-

Tuttitalia, No. 14, December 1996 5 r-± q co di attivita ricreativa a informazioni e it (c) Fase d'uso. Ormai it discente dovrebbe genere descritto dal Littlewood (1982) comeessere pronto ad usare la lingua in modo «drammatizzazione controllata con espan-phi sensato e personalizzato. Usa le strut- sioni e informazioni». Si tratta di un'attivitature con maggior propriety. da realizzare in gruppo o a coppie. Gli stu- Un'attivita tipica a quella che Littlewood denti A e B devono visitare un posto(1981) definiva «drammatizzazione con- all'estero. Lo studente A ha un cartoncinotrollataconsituazioneeobiettivi». su cui 6 scritto o disegnato un oggetto cheDurantre le attivitaitdiscente 6 phi vorrebbe avere come souvenir. Lo studenteindipendente, e concentra l'attenzione sul B ha un cartoncino su cui 6 scritto it postoprocesso di comunicazione e l'impiego di dove sta andando, e altre informazioni suuna lingua «creativa». Un esempio di che cosa fara e su come viaggera. Il numeroquesto genere di attivita potrebbe essere dei luoghi da visitare corrisponde aluna drammatizzazione in cui gli studenti numero dei souvenir, e lo studente A devesiano phi indipendenti: scoprire it nome della destinazione che«In Italia 6 stato compiuto un furto in casa. combacia con il suo souvenir. Tutti gli stu-Sono le dieci di sera. La polizia ha arrestato denti A devono cercare tra i compagni euna serie di sospetti (studenti A). Saranno trovare it possessore del cartoncino cor-interrogati da un investigatore (studente B) rispondente al suo. Quindi verranno posteriguardo a varie questioni»: una serie di domande di questo tipo: identity; A:(ha il cartoncino con l'oggetto che la loro vita; vuole acquistare) le azioni e gli spostamenti da una data B: (ha il cartoncino con il luogo: Parigi, ora ad un'altra; Francia) dove stavano andando al momento A: Che cosa visiterai? dell'arresto; B: Andra in Europa. le opinioni del ladro. A: Andrai in Francia? Uno dei sospetti ha ricevuto un cartoncino B: Si. in cui a segnato che it colpevole a lui; natu- A: Che cosa andrai a vedere? ralmente l'investigatore non lo sa. Gli B: (Lo studente parla delle informazioniinvestigatori devono formulare le loro fornite sul suo cartoncino.) opinioni in base alla propria valutazione. A: Andrai a Parigi? B: Si. A: Allora devi comprare una statua dellaConclusione Torre Eiffel. In questo articolo abbiamo esaminato a B:Certo. livello teorico-pratico la possibility di Questo genere di attivita combina dueinserire una fase di riflessione sulla forma ability (parlare e leggere) e la lingua 6 pinall'interno di un programma di ICL. Siamo autentica dato che i discenti se ne servonofermamente convinti che it potenziamento per scoprire delle informazioni. Si utilizzadelle ability comunicative sia un processo materiale autentico (i cartoncini possonomolto lungo, che comporta una contestua- essere ricavati da locandine di viaggio). Ilizzazionegradualedellestrutture discenti progrediscono verso un use philinguistiche. PerciO it nostro scopo, come appropriato della struttura-tipo, e in questaquello dei ricercatori, 6 di studiare come e fase non danno grande importanza alladove sia possibile inserire un momento di precisione. La lingua 6 phi mirata al mes-riflessione sulla forma in un programma saggio e lo scopo dei discenti 6 didi ICL. comunicare un messaggio.

4r' Or's' 0 6 Tuttitalia, No. 14, December 1996 Bibliografia Appenclice Allen, J. P. B., 'A Three-Level Curriculum Model Modello for Second Language Education', in The Canadian Fase input Fase pratica Fase d'uso Modern Language Review, 40, 1982, pp. 23-43. Precisione Precisione- propriety Proprieta Bachman,I. e Palmer, A., 'The Construct Mezzo- Messaggio Validation of Some Components of Mezzo messaggio Communicative Proficiency', in TESOL Identificazione Ricordo- Selezione- Quarterly, 16, 1982, pp. 449-465. e riproduzione riconoscimento trattazione Breen, M. e Candlin, C., 'The Essentials of a Utilizzo Utilizzo-uso Uso CommunicativeCurriculuminLanguage Formulazione Verifica delle Produzione Teaching', in Applied Linguistics, 1, 1980, pp. 1-47. di ipotesi ipotesi Cana le, M., 'From Communicative Competence to Communicative Language Pedagogy', in Richard,J.eSchmidt,R.,Language and Note Communication (London: Longman, 1983). 1. Vedi Allen,J. P.B.,'A Three-Level Carroll, B. J., Testing Communicative Performance Curriculum Model for Second Language (Oxford: Pergamon Press, 1980). Education',inTheCanadianModern Hymes, D., On Communicative Competence (New Language Review, 40, 1982, pp. 23-43; e York: Pride & Holmes, 1972). Bachman, I. e Palmer A., 'The Construct Johnson, K., Communicative Syllabus Design and ValidationofsomeComponentsof Methodology (Oxford: Pergamon Press, 1982). Communicative Proficiency', in TESOL Quarterly, 16, 1982, pp. 449-465. Munby,J.,CommunicativeSyllabusDesign 2. Vedi Breen, M. e Candlin, C., 'The Essentials (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1978). ofaCommunicativeCurriculumin Littlewood, W., Communicative Language Teaching Language Teaching', in Applied Linguistics, (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1982). 1,1980,pp.1-47;e Yalden,J.,The Littlewood, W., Teaching Oral Communication Communicative Syllabus: Evolution, Design (Oxford: Blackwell, 1994). and Implementation(Oxford: Pergamon Rivers, W., Teaching Foreign Language Skills Press, 1982). (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1968). 3. VediLittlewood, W., Communicative Savignon, S., Communicative Competence: An Language Teaching (Cambridge: Cambridge ExperimentinForeignLanguageTeaching University Press, 1982); e Johnson, K., (Philadelphia: Center for Curriculum Communicative Syllabus Design and Development, 1972). Methodology(Oxford: Pergamon Press, 1982). Spada, N., 'Relations between Instructional 4. Vedi Canale, M., 'From Communicative Differences and Learning Outcomes. A Process- Competence to Communicative Language Product Study of Communicative Language Pedagogy', in Richard, J.e Schmidt, R., Teaching', in Applied Linguistics, 8, 1987, pp. 137- Language andCommunication(London: 161. Longman, 1983); e Carroll, B.J., Testing Widdowson, H.G.,Teaching Languages as Communicative Performance (Oxford: Communication(Oxford:Oxford University Pergamon Press, 1980). Press, 1978). 5. Vedi Savignon, S., Communicative Yalden, J., The Communicative Syllabus: Evolution, Competence: An ExperimentinForeign Design and Implementation (Oxford: Pergamon Language Teaching (Philadelphia: Center for Press, 1982). Curriculum Development, 1972).

Tuttitalia, No. 14, December 1996 7 Le Vacanze Di Paul Nel Mese Di Agosto

ITALIA

Lui andra in Italia. Lui andra in macchina e prendera la nave.

Lui partira nel mese di agosto e stars per due settimane. Lui abitera in una bella villa.

' 74S

Lui andra in spiaggia e fara ii bagno. Ii sabato, lui visitera Firenze.

8 Tuttitalia, No. 14, December 1996 Foreign Languages in Italian Primary SchoolsThe state of the art

Francesca Gattullo University di Roma 'La Sapienza' primary school are the child's cognitive Introduction development and socialisation. As far as In this article I will give an outline of theFLT is concerned, global educational aims teaching of foreign languages in Italian pri-and specific objectives are considered sepa- mary schools, with particular reference torately. The first are stated in the 1985 the teaching of English in Emilia Romagnadocument as: (a region in the North-east of Italy). The 1. The development of communicative information is based partly on official doc- competence; uments, partly on published results of a 2. Intercultural and human enrichment; regional survey, and partly on some pre- 3. Enhancement of cognitive develop- liminary data taken from my own research ment. on primary teachers. The objectives are to be found in a later document which is used by teachers as a guideline for the evaluation of pupils The institutional context (griglia di valutazione). These are set down Compulsory education in Italy lasts for 8as follows: years. Italian children enter primary school At the end of primary school, the child when they are 6 and leave at 11, going on toshould be able to: the so-called 'middle school' (scuola media) a)read and understand a simple passage for a further 3 years. on everyday life; In the last 10 years Italian primaryb)engage in a simple conversation; schools have undergone major changes. Of c)listen to and understand simple mes- particular relevance to our inquiry is the sages. introduction of the teaching of a foreign Such objectives provide a general frame- language in the primary curriculum, pre-work for the design of language syllabuses. sented in the New National Programmes inIndividual teachers usually plan their own, 1985. Together with several innovationsthus enjoying a high degree of freedom as these programmes outlined a general syl-to the choice of more detailed objectives, labus for FLT within an integrated approachteaching content and type of methodology. to language education (educazione linguisti-The 1990 law recommends that language ca). It is thereby envisaged that the motherteachers and teachers of other subjects tongue and the foreign language should beshould develop an inter- and cross-discipli- taught in a closely related manner. nary syllabus. In fact, most FL teachers We had to wait, however, until 1990 for awork on their own and confine their teach- school reform law to enact the 1985 cur-ing to games and role-plays, since they still riculum and it was not until 1992 that thisfind little support from their colleagues. law was implemented. Language provision The organisation of the provision of lan- is now gradually expanding and shouldguage teaching throughout the country has cover the whole country within the next 3-involved different parties: 4 years. the Ministry of Education We should first look at the Italian cur- the provveditorati (Local Education riculum. The general educational goals of Authorities)

Tuttitalia, No. 14, December 1996 0 a 9 national and local inspectors 100-150 hours. Those who needed to 'brush IRRSAE (Regional institutes for train-up' or improve their foreign language ing and research) attended special training (from 200-300 school headteachers, who are responsi-hours) and started teaching in 1993. In the ble for three or more schools groupedsame year more in-service teachers were in circoli didattici recruited and trained as specialists, follow- privatelanguage schools anding the same procedure. They took up University language centres (includingservice in 1994. institutionssuchastheBritish Overall. Emilia Romagna now has 75% of Council). its schools covered, although there are dif- First of all, it is important to know that,ferences between large urban areas and although Italy is divided into 20 regions,small villages. the Italian education system is run at a national level by the Ministry of Education throughitslocal agencies(calledInput from training Provveditorati). These are responsible for It needs to be said here, for those who are local administration and the appointingnot familiar with the Italian education sys- and training of teachers in each of thetem, that primary school teacher training Italian province. For example, the region ofdoes not involve an academic component Emilia Romagna is made up of 7 provincenor any further educational specialisation. (Bologna,Ferrara,Parma,Piacenza,After attending a 4-year secondary school Ravenna, Forli, Modena), each with its owncalled Istituto magistrale, teachers-to-be can local education authority. These have theacquire some experience by standing in for responsibility of making sure that thea colleague (doing supplenze). Tobecome national legislation is applied. Each regionqualified teachers and eventually to get a has its own IRRSAE, some of which havepermanent post, they have to sit a national played an important role in the organisa-competition (concorso magistrale), where tion of training courses and the setting-upthey are asked to display a theoretical of monitoring projects. knowledge of child psychology, primary In 1990 very few qualified teachers wereeducation and school legislation. No class- already teaching a foreign language in theirroom training is therefore done,and it is no classrooms, and many more professionalssurprise that most classrooms are teacher- were needed to implement the new pro-fronted. Despite such a bleak picture, the grammes. The government decided toInternationalEvaluationAssessment recruit all teachers from amongst thoseresearch, carried out in 1990 into reading already working in primary schools andand writing skills, showed that Italian pri- ask them to become 'specialists', that is tomary school children wereperforming teach only the foreign language. A large in-amongst the top 5 countries. service training scheme was then set up. As was outlined in the preceding section, The introduction of the new 'specialist' fig-teachers recruited in 1993 and 1994 were ure was intended as a temporary measurealready qualified with at least 2 years expe- and would be substituted in due course byrience and had to attend courses on FLT the regular classroom teacher covering twomethodology. Most training courses and or more subjects. manuals encourage 'purposeful speaking In 1992 hundreds of primary teachersand listening', 'motivating activities' such were recruited after they had sat a writtenas games and role-plays and the use oflan- and an oral exam. In Emilia Romagna, forguage in context. The sequence of language example, each Provveditorato interviewed aabilities recommended goes from reception large number of teachers willing to teach an(listening and reading) to production FL as specialists. Of these, about 260 teach-(speaking and writing). ers were selected and started teaching in In 1994 the results of a monitoring project that year. At the same time they attended acarried out by the IRRSAE of Emilia training course on LT methodology lastingRomagna were published. 90% of the first

10 Tuttitalia, No. 14, December 1996 batch of teachers had filled a long question- The development of receptive abilities naire regarding several aspects of theirfollowed by production is thus applied, work, from choice of textbook to syllabusconfirming at a more detailed level the design. The results show that they followIRRSAE survey results. Usually steps (a), the sequence of teaching mentioned above.(b) and (c) are carried out by the whole However, since the acquisition of writingclass which is then asked to repeat chorally. abilities is not part of the curriculum, manyFor step (d) some teachers organise the teachers do not include them in their syl-work in pairs and some do only teacher- labus and most of the others leave thempupil work. Step (e) may be carried out by until the last year of school. As to syllabusdividing the class in two competing groups design, many outline a product-orientatedor in small groups, whereas (f) concerns the syllabus based on language functions andpupils' individual performance. Discipline notions, with frequent references to gram-is perceived by teachers as one of the major mar structures. Such recommendations are'obstacles to small group or pair work. It is mirrored in most textbooks, organised inworth noting here that most Italian teachers topics and function/notion lists withindemand that their pupils are very quiet and each topic. As to teaching strategies, theseated in an orderly fashion. Although questions were too vague and led toteachers of FLs may like to try different blurred results. Most teachers said they fol-classroom organisation and management, low a 'notional/communicative method' orthey have to take into account the way their a 'mixed approach', but there was no indi-colleagues work. If the difference is too cation of what was meant by this. great their pupils will not be able to cope with it. Among the 50 subjects interviewed there Teachers' practice were exceptions to this model. Some very The monitoring project did not includeexperienced teachers apply other method- an observational component nor detailedologies, such as story-telling or questions on teachers' own practice.activity-based work. But these are rare. Unfortunately, very little is known yet Furtherinterestingresultsconcern about this and most of it is anecdotal. Asteacher language use, teacher error treat- part of a university project, I have recentlyment and the teacher's role. As to the carried out 50 interviews with primarychoice of language, about 70% of the teach- EnglishteachersworkinginEmiliaers interviewed say they tend to use Romagna. The aim was to find out moreEnglish for classroom management (e.g. to about teachers' perceptions and their class-give permission to go out, to praise a child); room work. Although the data have not yetabout 40% give instructions for activities in been fully analysed, one can outline a firstEnglish; on the other hand, between 60% picture. First of all, there seems to be a typ-and 70% use Italian to explain grammar ical sequence of teaching steps: and to deliver information on various a)presenting new vocabulary/structuresaspects of British culture (the so-called con- with the help of flash cards or realia; tenuti di civilta). Their expectations of b)listening to taped dialogues containingpupils' language use are quite low: whilst the new vocabulary and structures; more than 75% of the subjects said they c)repeating /rehearsing the same dia-expect children to use English for routine logues; functions (e.g. to ask permission to go out d)the same dialogues may then be variedor to say 'good morning'), few of them with personal/ fictional informationactually teach expressions such as 'What and practised again; does.... meanin English?' or 'What is the e)other activities such as games or puz-spelling of ?', let alone more complex zles may be carried out; expressions to talk about themselves and f) assessing the acquisition of new vocab-their feelings. ulary/structure through semi-formal What emerges from the interviews is that testing. pupils make many mistakes and teachers

Tuttitalia, No. 14, December 1996 11 seem to spend a great deal of their time cor- The instruments are presently being recting them. 90% say they will correct onepiloted and will be used on a national sam- of their pupils if s/he produces somethingple during the coming academic year. The like 'Mary go home, she not like an ice-results will be considered for in-service cream' during an oral drill. Almost 50%teacher training, textbooks and the overall will still correct him/her if the same mis-organisation of language provision. takes are made during an activity such as describing a picture or telling a story. Half the subjects said they perceive their job asConclusions teaching the correct language, and added The situation is still quite fluid and will that their aim is to teach accuracy ratherbe changing in the next few years, particu- than fluency. larly when all specialists will turn into or be Finally, a few words about teachers' per-substituted by 'normal' specialised teach- ceptions of their own role. Subjects wereers. Other factors will certainly affect the asked to choose out of five possibilitiespresent situation: firstly, a whole breed of what their role tends to be when carryingnew teachers, who have just won the out steps (d) and (e) above. Half the teach-national competition and have, for the first ers stated that they like to play a primarytime, been recruited as 'specialised' teach- role by conducting the activity, whereas theers; secondly, the outcome of the national other half said they prefer to be monitoringevaluation due to be completed in the next the classroom and intervening only whentwo years. necessary. To conclude this paper, I would like to recall a few important points: 1. The introduction of a foreign language National evaluation project was seen as part of a language-across- In 1994 the Ministry of Education set up the-curriculumpolicy (educazione a committee in order to evaluate FL teach- linguistica); ing. The Department of Education at the 2. A broadly defined communicative University of Rome 'La Sapienza' was com- approach is encouraged by training missioned to carry it out. The evaluation books and courses; would be conducted in four ways: 3.Emphasis on interdisciplinary teaching a)evaluationofchildren's language content is expected but is difficult to achievement by a written and an oral apply as the language teacher feels iso- test; lated; b)evaluation of children's metalanguage 4. A high degree of freedom is left to the achievement by a written test; individual teacherasto syllabus c)evaluation of children's perceptions by design; and a questionnaire; 5. Foreign language teachers are qualified d)evaluation of teachers' perceptions by primary teachers with intermediate a questionnaire. language proficiency.

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12 2 a 6 Tuttitalia, No. 14, December 1996 The Italian community in Peterborough

Russell King University of Sussex Mariacaterina Tubito University of Pescara distribution in Britain was chiefly in the Introduction large cities (London, Manchester, Glasgow, In recent years historians, geographersEdinburgh, etc.) plus seaside towns. and other interested scholars have com- 3. The postwar mass recruitment of piled an impressive amount of research onunemployed or underemployed Italian Italian immigrants in Britain. This is not thelabour destined for employment in certain place for a complete review of this litera-industries (bricks, textiles, iron and steel) ture, so let us just pick out a few highlights.where labour shortages had arisen. These Amongst general surveys pride of placemigrants came from the south of Italy and must go to the books by Umberto Marin,'they settled in those towns where the Lucio Sponza2 and Terri Colpi.3 Also wor-industrieswerelocated Bedford, thy of mention are the recent collection ofPeterborough, Loughborough, Coventry, essays edited by Lucio Sponza and ArturoSouth Wales, etc. This migration petered Tosi4 and the special issue of ATI Journal onout by the end of the 1960s by which time it Italian immigrants inBritain.5Theserepresented 70% of the Italian population sources are effective in their portrayal ofresiding in Britain. the unique history of the Italian presence in 4. A renewed elite immigrationof pro- the British Isles as well as giving some ideafessionals, business persons,teachers, of the variety of experiences of Italians instudents, etc.during the 1980s and 1990s, different parts of the country. Generalisingreflecting European integration, Italy's from these studies, four main historicalincreased wealth and business links to phases of Italian immigration to Britain canBritain, and the cultural attractions of be recorded, each with its own class charac-Britain, especially London, to Italian stu- ter, occupational specialisations in Britain,dents and young persons. and geographical origins in Italy: Whilst many individual studies have 1. An elite phase of immigration lastingexplored various aspects of the place-speci- from the Middle Ages to the 19th centuryficity of these migration waves,6 notable is whose migrants were merchants, bankers,the lack of any research on the Italian com- clerics, artists, scholars, highly-skilled arti-munity in Peterborough, which is the third sans and political refugees. This grouplargest grouping of Italians in England after came almost entirely from northern ItalyLondon and Bedford. Like its sister town of and Tuscany, and settled mainly in London.Bedford, upon which so much research has 2. During the late 19th and early 20thnow been done,' Peterborough represents centuries, an immigration, at first seasonalthe formation of a 'new' Italian community and then more permanent, of peasant-ori-in the 1950s and 1960s. Coming almost gin street-hawkers and street-entertainersentirely from southern Italy, the Italians in who came from the hills and mountains ofPeterborough are an interesting communi- Emilia and northern Tuscany. From itsty due totheirsubstantiallackof humble origins in selling hot chestnuts, iceassimilation into British society. The first- cream and fish and chips, this movementgeneration immigrants have set the tone by evolved intoa more stable businesspreserving their own traditions and ways involvement with the catering industry. Itsof thinking which are typical of their vil-

Tuttitalia, No. 14, December 1996 13 42g7 lages of origin; in Peterborough they have All the evidence points to the Italians spent their lives almost entirely amongbeingacceptedfairlyquicklyinto family, village and regional groups, andPeterborough without any hostility from under the paternal influence of the Romanthe local population who, instead, soon Catholic Church. The purpose of this papercame to admire them for their hard work is to offer a brief description of thisand family loyalty. An important factor in 'unknown' Italian community. The researchtheir successful incorporation was the isbasedonfortyinterviewswithencouragement and help given by the trade 'Peterborough Italians', some of whomunions who insisted that the London Brick have returned to Italy, and with key infor-Company guarantee written, four-year mants in the community such as priestscontracts, the possibility of returning home and consular personnel.' after one year, and working conditions in accordance with the industry's national agreements.1° Settlement of Italians in The peak years of arrival were 1953-56. Over the twenty-year period 1951-71 a total Peterborough of3,000Italianswererecruitedto Peterborough is an industrial town locat-Peterborough by London Brick, only 250 of ed in the Nene Valley, in which are foundwhom returned home within the same the rich clays suitable for brick-making.period. Initially the Italianssingle men Like most British industrial cities it has a(those who were married had to leave their significant presence of ethnic groups: itswives at home) were accommodated in total population of 153,000 (1991) includeshostelsinthebrickfieldssouthof 4,750 Pakistanis, 2,660 Indians, 1,200 Afro-Peterborough, but soon many had saved Caribbeans, 800 other Blacks and 360enough money to rent rooms and buy small Chinese.9 The biggest ethnic community,houses in the town. This enabled those who however, isthe Italian, composed ofwere married to bring their families over. around 6,500 first and second-generationThe area in and around Gladstone Street immigrants, or 4.2% of Peterborough's totalnear the railway station was their main population. focus of settlement for here there was a lot The town's brick industry is the key toof cheap housing; subsequently, in the explaining the presence of such a large1960s, they also spread out to other areas, Italian community in Peterborough. Theespecially Fletton, a residential district recruitment of an Italian workforce was aclose to the brickfields. measure adopted by the British government in collaboration with the Italian authorities in order to respond to the rapidly risingOrigins demand for bricks in the early post-war Peterborough'sItalianscome over- building boom. Because the local popula-whelmingly from the South. According to tion generally preferred less strenuous andthe passport records of the Italian Consular better-paid jobs (this was the post-war eraAgency in Peterborough, 90.7% are from of full employment), the 'Bulk Recruitmentsouthern Italy, 4.6% from the Centre, and Scheme' was instituted in 1951 and contin-4.7% from the North. Table 1 (q.v.) gives a ued for most of the rest of the decade. Thelisting of the most important regions, based specific recruitment mechanism was aon passport files. Unfortunately, this is not series of more or less annual visits to Naplesa complete data source, the total of 926 carried out by London Brick Company per-being an approximate 15% sample of the sonnel officers during 1951-57. By the latecomplete community. Therefore, the per- 1950s and during the 1960s, further Italiancentage data given in Table 1 is based on migration to Peterborough was carried for-the assumption not unreasonable, we ward by chain migration from the samethinkthat the distribution of passports is southern Italian villages whence the earlya fair reflection of the geographical origins arrivals originated. of the community.

14 Tuttitalia, No. 14, December 1996 Withintheregions,onlycertainConsulate at Bedford, both founded with provinces are important: for instance, inthe aim of decentralising and distributing Campania more than half (240) are fromthe administrative work from London. Ave llino province, with 90 from CasertaWhilst the Italians in Peterborough fre- and 50 from Salerno; in Puglia the majorityquently complain of long delays in dealing comes from Foggia province (105). Whenwith their affairs, such opinions do not take the main individual villages of origin areinto account the fact that the Consular mapped (see Figure 1), it is clear that eachAgency has neither its own decision-mak- regional total is composed of a number ofing powers nor an independent budget, but village groupings. These village clustersis merely a small wheel in a complex give the main structure to the Italian com-bureaucratic mechanism centred on the munity in Peterborough. Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Rome. The spatial pattern of the villages in Much more effective as a centripetal Figure 1 shows a predominant cluster,force for the Peterborough Italians is the accounting for well over half the Italians inRoman Catholic Church. Roman Catholic Peterborough, in the densely settled hillmissions were the first Italian institutions country east of Naples. This area of thewhich settled in Britain very soon after the southern Apennines, historically affected'new' Italian immigrants arrived in the by poverty, overcrowding and earthquakes,early post-war years. A mission run by the stretchesacrosstheboundariesofScalabrini fathers has been active in Campania, Molise and Puglia. The threePeterborough since 1956: in 1962 the mis- main source villages are, in order of impor-sion converted a disused Victorian school tance, Montefalcione (AV), Bovino (FG) andinto a church with associated nursery and Prato la Serra (AV); each of these villagessocial centre, and a second Italian church has several hundred Italians inwas established in Fletton in 1966. In the Peterborough, if the passport records are1950s and 1960s the priests fulfilled a wel- grossed up by an appropriate factor.fare and interpreting role as well as their Notable is the complete lack of Italiansreligious function, for the newly-settled originating from the main cities of southernimmigrants needed help with the language Italy. The Peterborough Italians are a rural-and other forms of social assistance. Now origin community. Aside from the principalthe pastoral role is predominant although cluster in the southern Apennines, sub-there is a decreasing tendency to worship sidiary groups are found in southernregularly, especially amongst the second Puglia, northern Calabria and south-and third generations. The Church sur- western Sicily. vives mainly as an institution which offers a kind of moral backbone to the community, and which continues to regulate the Structure and institutions of the main phases of the life-cycle on special occasions such as marriages, christenings, Italian community in confirmations and funerals. The most Peterborough important event which unites virtually the Apart from its village or paesano struc-entirecommunityistheFestadi ture, the Italian community inSant'Antonio held on 19 June. This annual Peterborough isgiven coherence andevent, which takes its name from the expresses itself through a number of insti-patron saint of the Peterborough Italian tutions. The consular structure isthecommunity, combines religious celebration institution with which Italians have mostwith general festivities; it consists of a frequent contactfor matters concerninglarge procession with various statues of property, residency, registration of births,saints and a madonna, followed by fire- deaths and marriages, military serviceworks, music and parties. exemption, return migration, etc. A third important layer in the structure of Peterborough has its own Italian Consularthe Italian community in Peterborough is Agency, directly subordinate to the Vice-made up of clubs and associations.

Tuttitalia, No. 14, December 1996 15 Growing out of welfare bodies linked toSocial and family life Italian trade unions, the most important Interviews with migrants and participant societynowexistingamongsttheobservation in the community revealed the PeterboroughItaliansistheItaliangeneral pattern of life to be strongly orien- Community Association (ICA), with moretated to social contacts amongst family and than 2,000 members. ICA's premises are inco-villagers.VirtuallyallItaliansin a building known as The Fleet, in Fletton,Peterborough live in traditional nuclear where a wide range of social, recreationalfamilies (two spouses with or without chil- and sportingfacilitiesare organised.dren), and are home-owners. Amongst Football takes pride of place amongst thefirst-generation immigrants dialect is the younger Italians;their team is'ICAmain language used within the home and Juventus'. Whilst particular care is taken toamongst paesani; in other settings recourse involve the now-elderly first-generationis made to standard Italian and English. immigrants, the ICA remains a predomi-Knowledge of standard Italian, however, nantly male-centred society: followingmay be limited because of the strength of traditional southern Italian social norms,the home-region dialect and lack of educa- women have only a marginal, supportingtional background, whilst proficiency in role. English may also be surprisingly weak given the immigrants' long presence in Peterborough.This weaknessinthe Employment characteristics English language is largely to be explained The main source of quantitative informa-by the strength of family life, the practice of tion on employment trends is the file ofworking with other Italians, especially in residence permits held for thethe brickyards, and the low educational Peterborough Italians at the Vice-Consulatebasis for learning the correct structure and in Bedford. Like the passport statistics, thispronunciation of a foreign language. In is not a complete data set, being limited topractice, many of the older immigrants 1,045 individuals. Table 2 (q.v.) sets out theemploy a rather shambling, intermingled main categories. speech made up of dialect, standard Italian Bearing in mind that these data are onlyand English in which there is a lot of lin- indicative and probably underestimate cer-guistic cross-interference." tain groups such as housewives, the Most Italians in Peterborough are partici- overall impression is one of a working-pants in specifically Italian associative life, class community focused around unskillednotably the ICA and the so-called patronati and skilled manual workers, reflecting theor trade-union welfare agencies. Very few minimal educational background of theplay an active role in British organisations immigrants and their rural, peasant ori-or participate in 'pub life'. The strength of gins. In fact, more than three-quarters ofthe extended family and paesani groups the employed persons recorded in Table 2reinforces affection for Italian traditions are unskilled and skilled manual workers.and discourages full integration into the Over time the brick industry has absorbedEnglish social environment. The size of the fewer and fewer Italians. This sector wasPeterborough Italian community is a rele- far and away the main employer of Italianvant factor here, for Tosi has shown how workers in the 1950s and 1960sindeed itthe best examples of integration are seen was the very raison d'être of the communi-amongst small groupings of Italians in ty, as we have seen. Today it employs onlyBritish cities." 50 Italians. Most Italians who started Despite the failure of the first generation, work in the brickyards have either retired, and even of many of the second generation, returned to Italy, or in most cases, movedto assimilate to English life, the immigrants to jobs in other industries in the town have a generally positive view of their mainly manufacturing industry (Hotpointexperience of living and working in is a major employer), or the buildingPeterborough, and respect for British insti- sector. tutions such as the National Health Service

16 Tuttitalia, No. 14, December 1996 41' CI 0 and the tradition of upholding the rights ofsuch as aged parents and relatives who individuals. Although Italians do not seemwere left behind in Italy when the original to feel alien to the British way of lifeper-emigration took place. Those who return haps precisely because they are able towith children often do so because of the re-create a version of their home life withindesire to have them educated and brought the specific social setting of Peterborough up in the Italian system, rather than 'lose they are nostalgic for the Italian climatethem'totheBritishsystem.14 Many and food. The most widespread problemsreturneesreturnedwhollyorpartly met by the Italians in Peterborough, then,because of health reasons, which reflected are homesickness, certain aspects of thethe hard nature of their work in the brick- culture gap, and the weather. These feel-yards and other industrial jobs. ings introduce the final topic of this paper, Yet some of these factors prove to be dou- return. ble-edged. Once returned, nostalgia for Peterborough seems to rise up, reflecting a combination of the generally positive expe- Return migration rienceofemigrationthereand the Information on the return migration ofmigrants' strong criticism of many aspects Italians in Peterborough is very scarce: dataof southern Italian village lifethe corrup- provided by the Consular Agency aretion and bureaucracy of local public incomplete, partly because many returneesadministration, the narrow-mindedness fail to report their departure for Italy.and gossip of villagers, etc. Children who Nevertheless, 16 interviews with returnedreturn to their parents' village may have migrants from Peterborough were conduct-difficulty adapting to a different school sys- ed on the basis of names and addressestem and language, since their knowledge of furnished by the Agency and by informalstandard Italian may not be very good.° contacts within the community.13 The biggest problem for those who First, it is clear that only a minority havereturn at an age when they still need to returned. Feelings of nostalgia mentionedwork, is finding employment. In general, above are generally outweighed by morejob possibilities in southern Italian rural pragmatic considerations to do with theareas are very limited, especially for those availability of employment and the com-who have little education and no qualifica- mitment of the younger generations to staytions,aswellas nolocalpolitical in England where they have been educated.connections to gain access to the few open- The solidarity of the family structure meansings available. A return to farming is a that most first-generation migrants preferpossibility, particularly if the returnee has to stay where their children and grandchil-inherited some land, but farming remains a dren are rather than 'abandon' them bytough and low-prestige occupation. returning to Italy. Those who have returned are composed of two groups. First, there are those whoNotes returned upon reaching retirement age. 1. Umberto Marin, Italiani in Gran Bretagna Some of these are childless or widowed; (Roma: Centro Studi Emigrazione, 1975). those who have grown-up children in 2. LucioSponza,ItalianImmigrantsin England retain as much contact with them Nineteenth-CenturyBritain:Realities and as possible (nowadays this is relatively Images (Leicester: Leicester University Press, easy with the availability of low-price char- 1988). ter flights from Luton to Naples). Second, 3. Terri Colpi, The Italian Factor: the Italian there are those who have returned at a Community in Great Britain (Edinburgh: Mainstream, 1993). younger age, often with young children. 4. Lucio Sponza and Arturo Tosi, eds, A The nebulous concept of nostalgia is Century of Italian Emigration to Great Britain, obviously a major pull to return, containing 1880-1980 (Supplement to The Italianist, 13, within it various cultural factors and the 1993). obligation to look after family members 5. ATI Journal, 29 (1979). Tiatitalia, No. 14, December 1996 .Z91 17 6. For a sample of some of the main studies see 8.These interviews were carried out by Bruno Bottignolo, Without a Bell Tower: a Mariacaterina Tubito in 1995. Study of the Italian Immigrants in South-West 9.These figures are from the ethnic self-assess- England (Roma: Centro Studi Emigrazione, ment question in the 1991 Census. 1985); Renato Cavallaro, Stork senza Storia: 10.Terence Bendixon, The Peterborough Effect: Indagine sull'Emigrazione Calabrese in Gran Reshaping a City (Peterborough: Bretagna (Roma: Centro Studi Emigrazione, Peterborough Development Corporation, 1981);Sandra Chistolini, DonneItalo- 1988). Scozzesi: Tradizione e Cambiamento (Roma: 11.This interference has been thoroughly Centro Studi Emigrazione, 1976); Colin analysed by Arturo Tosi in his research on Hughes, Lime, Lemon and Sarsparilla: the the Bedford Italians see his Immigration Italian Community in South Wales, 1881-1945 and Bilingual Education, op.cit., and his (Bridgend, Seren Books, 1991); and Brian L'italiano d'Oltremare: la lingua delle Comunita Reynolds,CasalatticoandtheItalian Italiane nei Paesi Anglofoni (Firenze: Giunti, Community in Ireland (Dublin: University 1991). College Dublin, Foundation for Italian 12.A. Tosi, L'italiano d'Oltremare, op. cit. Studies, 1993). 13.Interviews were carried out in Campobasso, 7. In addition to Cavallaro, op. cit., see John Airola (BN), Montefalcione (AV), Brown, The Linmelting Pot: an English Town Mercogliano (AV), Calvi Risorta (CE), and its Immigrants (London: Macmillan, Bovino (FG), Taurisano (LE), and Fagnano 1970), especially pp. 82-97; Terri Colpi, Castello (CS). 'Origins and campanilismo in Bedford's 14.cf. Russell King, 'Problems of return migra- Italian community', in Sponza and Tosi, op. tion: a case-study of Italians returning from cit., pp. 59-77; Russell King, 'Bedfordthe Britain',Tijdschrift voor Economische en Italian connection: immigrants and their Sociale Geografie, 68, 4 (1977), pp. 241-246. homeland', Geographical Magazine, 49, 7 15.See King, 'Problems of return migration', op. (1977), pp. 442-449; and Arturo Tosi, cit., and Tosi, Immigration and Bilingual Immigration and Bilingual Education (Oxford: Education, op. cit. Pergamon, 1984).

Table 1. Regional origins of Italians in Table 2. Employment of Italians in Peterborough Peterborough

Region No. Employment Category No.

Campania 461 49.8 Unskilled workers 282 27.0 Puglia 172 18.5 Skilled workers 149 14.3 Sicily 78 8.4 Office workers 66 6.3 Calabria 75 8.1 Officials, managers, Molise 36 3.9 professionals 37 3.5 Lazio 32 3.5 Shopkeepers, artisans 15 1.4 Basilicata 12 1.3 Catering, restaurateurs 15 1.4 Abruzzo 7 0.8 Other employed Other regions 53 5.7 (chiefly teachers, priests, health workers etc.) 10 1.0 Total 926 100.0 Unemployed 21 2.0 Source: Italian Consular Agency, Peterborough: records Pensioners 190 18.2 of current passport-holders, 1995. Housewives 90 8.6 Students, school pupils 101 9.7 Pre-school children 69 6.6 Total 1,045 100.0

Source: Italian Vice-Consulate, Bedford: records of residence permits for Peterborough, 1995.

18 Tuttitalia, No. 14, December 1996 Figure 1.

MOLISE

Naples

CAMPANIA

A Bovino BPrato la Sena C Montefalcione

20+ passport-holders (c.150+ migrants) 10-20 passport-holders (c.75-150 migrants) 5-10 passport-holders (c.35-75 migrants)

0 km 100

Titttitalia, No. 14, December 1996 19 Questione meridionale e questione settentrionale

Salvatore Coluccello University of Strathclyde

[The present contribution is an adaptation of ascozzese contro i dominatori inglesi, il pro- paper delivered on 1 June 1996 at the Institute for tagonista del film di Mel Gibson Braveheart, Romance Studies, University of London, as part e it linguaggio usato dal leaderleghista a of the annual Postgraduate Conference organ-proposito di «quei porci inglesi schiavisti, ised by the Society for Italian Studies. The authorpronti a schiacciare i popoli con il maggio- ackriowledges that his approach is both 'person- ritario» sembra probabilmente suggerito al and provocative'. Ed.] dai phi facinorosi sostenitori del SNP (lo Scottish National Party). E sara un Bossi All'indomani delle elezioni politiche delben diverso quello che it prossimo settem- 21 aprile scorso si e cominciato a parlarebre salira in Scozia al congresso del SNP, un con una certa frequenza ed intensita di unBossi diverso non solo perch& come ha problema o meglio di una questione che,promesso ai suoi, in quell'occasione porters storicamente nell'Italia unitaria, non erait gonnellino e non attratto dalla campagna mai stata dibattuta: la questione settentri-scozzese solo perche appassionato di onale. E successo che dopo la vittoria Braveheart. imprevista e clamorosa della Lega Nord Certo, quello spadone di Mel Gibson, nella parte settentrionale della penisolacome ricorda it giornalista Ugo Berton su sono cominciate le prime inchieste, allaLa Stampa del 6 maggio scorso, «associato a ricerca delle ragioni per cui phi di un quar-quello di Alberto da Giussano, stimola la to circa della popolazione del Nord Italiafantasia del leader ma, soprattutto, lo ha votato per un partito che, secondoaffascina un quadro politico ricco di analo- l'opinioneditantiillustripolitologi,gie con la sua Padania. Gli indipendentisti sarebbe dovuto probabilmente scomparire.del SNP (che rivendicano un diritto storico Quello che a successo dopo e risaputo: itall'indipendenza da Londra) contano su un partito di Bossi, forte dei risultati ottenuti,ricco bacino elettorale, pari al 20-25% dei ha cominciato a spingere verso quello chesuffragi. Per la prima volta, nonostante it lui ha chiamato una Padania libera edmaggioritario, rischiano di far da ago della indipendente, con lesolite uscite subilancia tra conservatori e laburisti, e Tony «Roma ladrona», «terroni padroni delBlair ha gia promesso un Parlamento Parlamento», e cose del genere. scozzese e un'ampia autonomia fiscale in Il problema posto dal voto delle elezionicaso di vittoria. Per non dimenticare i cata- nelle regioni del Nord Italia, malgrado itlani che hanno imposto le loro condizioni al linguaggio crudo e volgare di alcunigoverno Aznar per governare: la riscos- leghisti, e comune in questi ultimi anni delsione diretta di un terzo delle imposte con nostro secolo ad altri Paesi all'interno dellala susseguente liberta di impiego dei soldi stessa Comunita Europea. Negli stessiincassati.» giorni ii quotidiano francese Liberation Dopo la caduta del muro di Berlino nel- titolava in prima pagina «Le regioni si ormai lontano 1989 tutti si immaginarono impongono in Europa». Non bisognaun mondo completamente diverso, senza dimenticare infatti che la figura ispiratricephi cortine, ne frontiere, sembrava it di Bossi negli ultimi mesi e stato Williammomento in cui si sarebbe avuto un'unica Wallace,eroesfortunatodellastoriasola, ed in un certo senso pacifica, ammi-

20 ZS 4 Tuttitalia, No. 14, December 1996 nistrazione quasi imperiale. Quello che eressi che ha moltiplicato a non finire il de- successo poi 6 che i muri si sono moltipli-bito pubblico, quel centro che impone leggi, cati, i nazionalismi esasperati, e come indecreti, balzelli che mettono it contribuente maniera opinabile afferma Barbara Spinelliitaliano, e settentrionale soprattutto, di su La Stampa oci si aspettava it trionfo dellafronte all'impossibilita di pagare, uno Stato modernita, e al suo posto sembravanoin cui la res publica, cioe la cosa pubblica, trionfare appetiti ottocenteschi. Ci si aspet-stata per decenni un affare privato di clien- tava la chiusura di tutte le parentesi e,tele e corruzione. A ben poco servono gli invece, it secolo non chiudeva alcunche. Cislanci romantici in nome di una Patria che si aspettava una nuova morale europea, enon e mai esistita come entita presente sul invece regnava la demoralizzazione, tenaceterritorio, 6 a quello Stato che la Lega si in un gran numero di nazioni. Un unicoribella, o come riafferma la Spinelli: «Non destino arcaico sembrava accomunasse lac'e niente di splendido, di affascinante nella secessione slovacca e quella slovena, croata,storia italiana degli ultimi quarant'anni.» bosniaca, it nazionalismo panserbo e il se- Ci sono, pero, due importanti conside- paratismo in Catalogna, in Scozia, o nellarazioni da fare sull'idea di Nazione Padana Padania che Bossi vuole staccare dall'Italiae sull'economia Nord-Sud. In primo luogo allo stesso modo, pacifico, in cui anni fadeve essere chiaro che 'Italia del nord, a divorziarono Praga e Bratislava.» La di-differenza di altri Paesi che rivendicano la samina della Spinelli 6 molto semplificata esecessione o che l'hanno gia ottenuta, come per certi aspetti non ben documentata per-la Slovacchia che i leghisti hanno usato che, se 6 vero che all'indomani della cadutacome termine di paragone per una divi- dei muri molti Stati hanno richiesto it dirit-sione consensuale, a un'entita molto incerta to all'autodeterminazione, a innanzituttoe mai unita sotto un'unica bandiera dalla vero che rappresentava antiche nazioni confine dell'Impero Romano fino all'Unita. culture ben radicate, ed 6 soprattutto diver-Come acutamente afferma Deaglio su La so il nazionalismo della Slovenia o dellaStampa, «se parlano ciascuno nel loro Scozia, che hanno avuto sempre undialetto, un cuneese ed un bergamasco non atteggiamento per cosi dire difensivocapiscono una parola run Yaltro.» La rispetto al nazional-imperialismo serbo oCecoslovacchia a stata unificata con un atto inglese. La caduta dei muri ha dato e dadi forza, voluto dalla comunita inter- voce invece a milioni di persone che pernazionale nel 1918. Prima c'erano la secoli sono staff oppressi da governi cen-Boemia-Moravia e la Slovacchia, due entita trali che hanno cercato di cambiare la lorodiverse con due lingue diverse; il cecoslo- identita. Non dimentichiamo infatti quellovacco come lingua, infatti, non 6 mai the a successo nelle ex repubbliche sovi-esistita. Nel 1993 la Slovacchia (ripeto, la etiche oppresse per secoli prima dagliparte pin povera e storicamente sottomes- zar e poi da una dittattura assurda.sa) ha deciso di dividersi da Praga. L'atteggiamento miope della Spinelli 6 tal- Il discorso per la Scozia a un po' piu corn- volta comune a quello di altri intellettualiplesso ed e difficile semplificarlo in poche italiani di chiusura o spesso di semplifi-righe, ma anche la Scozia era uno Stato cazione nei confronti di fenomeni che sonoindipendente fino al 1707 allorquando alcu- poco chiari. La stessa Spinelli aggiunge poininobili del Parlamento, non eletto che il discorso della Lega per?) a un po'democraticamente, decisero di vendersi diverso; it suo non 6 nazionalismo beceroalla corona inglese, e per oltre duecento come quello dei serbi; la Lega infatti, al con-anni hanno convissuto in una sorta di junior trario della Slovacchia, che lui ha presopartnership. Ed 6 peculiare it fatto che Scozia come modello, vuole negoziare, recintare,e Slovacchia rappresentino, con le dovute isolare; la Lega lo fa partendo da condizionidifferenze, le periferie della ricchezza molto diverse, una posizione di ricchezza eprodotta, laddove la cosiddetta Padania a il di forza e non di poverta. motore dell'economia italiana. Il centro in Italia viene spesso associato al La questione settentrionale o padana governo centrale, a quel coacervo di inte-soprattutto un problema economico-costi-

Tuttitalia, No. 14, December 1996 21 tuzionale. In Italia 6 ancora molto forte ille troppe tasse. Una seconda quota 6 rap- sentimento di appartenenza alla citta, sipresentata dalla componente separatista. tratta quasi di Citta-Stato con relativiconvinta che la secessione possa dimezzare problemi di campanile, phi che di macro-le tasse. Una terza quota rifiuta la scelta regioni. Anche economicamente c'e unabipolare secca, in favore di una terza certa eterogeneita tra le strutture eco-opzione, come esiste in tutte le democrazie nomiche del Nord-Estequelledelmaggioritarie. La terza quota e fisiologica e Nord-Ovest. It Nord-Ovest a molto vicinoballerina, la seconda e irricuperabile, men- alle grandi aree avanzate europee con gran-tre la prima pub essere ricuperata con una di imprese a capitalizzazione, teconologiegrande riforma costituzionale che cambi la alte o medio-alte, un settore terziarioforma dello Stato.» avanzato. Il Nord-Est assomiglia forse di La cosiddetta questione meridionale poi, phi alle «tigri» asiatiche, con impresethe a cominciata all'indomani dell'Unita medio-piccole, una tecnologia non sempred'Italia, e che tuttora a irrisolta, a stata avanzatissima, unaforteeticadellapurtroppo utilizzata negli ultimi decenni famiglia e del lavoro. I suoi prodotti tipicicome capro espiatorio per un gruppo di sono piu leggeri: occhiali, sedie, calze, cin-politici, che hanno vissuto e continuano a turini per orologi e simili, nei qualivivere e ad esistere come tali proprio in ha assunto una posizione di rilevanzavirtu della questione meridionale. Una mondiale. lobby che ne ha fatto della clientela una II flume Po, quindi, non scone omogeneoragione, e della vecchia Cassa per il ne dal punto di vista storico-culturale ne daMezzogiorno una ragione ideologica, ed quello economico. Come afferma Deaglio, itchiaro che quel ceto politico non vuole motivo scatenante 6 espresso molto benecambiare. Anzi, tutto cambia perche nulla dallo slogan «Roma ladrona!». Che cos'ecambi, it vecchio motto gattopardiano resta allora che accomuna le regioni dellaun esempio illuminante. C'e una differenza Padania lino al punto di trasformare unabissale tra it paese reale e quello che fre- concetto geografico piuttosto vago in unquenta it Parlamento. E solare, come del progetto politico? resto afferma il leader leghista, che it fede- II carico fiscale a assai poco uniforme e iralismo sia l'unico e sovrano strumento per processi redistributivi prelevano risorseuscire dalla palude del malgoverno e del finanziarie nette dalle regioni padane perdientelismo. La questione meridionale non ridistribuirle a tutta l'Italia (compresesi risolvera mai se gli interventi a pioggia alcune regioni del Nord). Lo squilibrio tradel governo centrale arriveranno sempre dare e avere c'e, come viene ben analizzatoattraverso le segreterie dei partiti, o le curie nel libro bianco sulle opere pubbliche, scrit-parrocchiali, o attraverso i maneggioni del to nell'agosto 1995 dal governo Dini, chesindacato meridionale. Coloroiquali stimava 9.500 miliardi di lire di spesa per la dovrebbero essere liberati, per usare un Campania, appena 470 per il Veneto, cheeufemismo della Lega, sono soprattutto gli pure ogni anno paga in tasse 32 mila mi-abitanti del Sud che, perb, ancora non liardi, a il quarto contribuente del Paese mariesconoareagireinmanieraforte e terz'ultimo per fondi ricevuti. II Trivenetoall' impasse del sistema. C'e una sorta di lamenta soprattutto una viability decentefatalismo che avvolge, e che e difficile pe- con servizi phi efficienti. L'insofferenza pernetrare con un nuovo modo di agire, di un aumento del carico fiscale, una nuovapensare, ma soprattutto di fare politica. Di sensibility agli sprechi pubblici, e it timoreesempi in materia ne esistono tantissimi: di perdere it benessere tradizionale, dura-alle ultime elezioni nei collegi elettorali del mente conquistato, sono it vero collanteSud i rappresentanti della coalizione del della Padania. 0, come afferma Francocentro-sinistra soprattutto, ma anche del Bassanini, costituzionalista del Pds, analiz-centro-destra, erano espressione della vec- zando it voto leghista: «Una prima quota echia politica clientelare, vecchi burocrati rappresentata dal voto di protesta contro itdella Balena democristiana, padrini del centralismo, l'eccesso di regolamentazione,luogo (non in termini criminali), portatori

22 Tuttitalia, No. 14, December 1996 deivecchimetodidifarepolitica. «sistemati» si ritrovano soli e con le apure e Probabilmente la novita, paradossalmente,le fobie di tutti coloro che han bisogno della stata quella destra che annovera tra le«Mamma-Stato» che ora non c'e phi. suefilesoprattuttopersonaggidel La creazione di servizi, ecco quello che mondo produttivo locale. I risultati sonomanca al Sud per decollare. Un imprendi- stati la vittoria, seppur di misura, deltore meridionale spende it doppio di uno Centro-sinistra, utilizzandolapoliticadel Nord per poter esportare i suoi prodot- sempreverde della vecchia Democraziati, altrimenti a costretto a rivolgersi al Cristiana. mercato interno, alla manodopera pagata I problemi del Sud sono gli stessi delin nero, o a mercati meno appetibili come Nord, anzi probabilmente ancora phiquelli del Maghreb. La posizione geografi- esasperati. Ci sono, peril, degli ostacolica 6 sicuramente svantaggiosa. A tre ore di abbastanza difficili da superare, come lomacchina, l'abitante del Nord-Est si ritrova scrollarsi di dosso quel senso di inferiorityin Austria o in Germania; un palermitano a che it meridionale si porta addosso daMessina, o un pugliese a Tirana. Non 6 pos- secoli e che glifa assumere sempresibile avere dei treni lentissimi e con atteggiamenti subordinati nei confronti dicollegamenti assolutamente insufficienti, chicchessia. E un retaggio della vecchia cul-aeroporti noncollegaticonilresto tura contadina, it sentirsi servi nei confrontidell'Europa, banche che chiedono il 20% di del padrone. Ancora oggi ogni meridionale,interessi passivi e costringono l'imprendi- ogni qualvolta deve rivendicare un suotore a rivolgersi agli usurai. Si vuole uno diritto, o deve esercitare una qualsivogliaStato phi efficiente, phi presente nei servizi, richiesta, lo fa sempre prono. Anche innella difea del territorio. E difficile capire queste diatribe sul secessionismo non si come mai tutte queste istanze, che la Lega mai sentito alcuno capace di sostenere conrivendica con forza, non dovrebbero essere vigore le diversity, o come acutamenteanche del Sud. Meridione phi libero dallo afferma lo scrittore La Capria: «C'e stato unStato-Mamma, significa anche un Sud phi intellettuale napoletano, uno scrittore, cheforte culturalmente, un Sud con una sua abbia risposto nei termini giusti e soprat-precisa identity. tutto nello stile letterario adeguato perche Come si vede, le ragioni e le motivazioni conta molto, in questi casialle critiche diche spingono le forze secessioniste sono Bocca o di Vertone, ai sarcasmi di Ceronettiquasi le stesse, con le sole eccezioni che a o di Arbasino?» Anche questa capacityNord ci si vuol liberare dallo Stato ca- di risposta testimonia della vivacity distrante, a Sud si vorrebbe una sua maggiore una cultura (L'Occhio di Napoli, Milano,presenza ed efficienza sul territorio. Mondadori, 1994, p. 87), e di sottolineare le E ben chiaro che una situazione del sostanziali differenze culturali storiche egenere debba necessariamente essere risol- sociali, ma sempre it solito piagnisteota attraverso strumenti nuovi e per certi sull'Italia povera, ma ricca di risorse, sembraaspetti rivoluzionari, quali it federalismo, e essere una iattura essere nati meridionali. questa 6 sicuramente la forza della Lega La chiemra del posto fisso ha creato quelNord: la capacity di aver capito per prima mostro the a it clientelismo, duro a morire,la diagnosi per curare le deficienze del si- le iniziative di coloro che volevano cresceresterna centralistico con le sue appendici nel mondo produttivo locale sono statepolitico-clientelari, per sconfiggere definiti- fagocitate dall'idra clientelare ed oggivamenteitmalessere settentrionalee tutti coloro che non han potuto essereresponsabilizzare it Meridione.

Tuttitalia, No. 14, December 1996 23 Visibility at a price? Black Women in Red Bologna

Marina Orsini-Jones Coventry University Francesca Gattullo University di Roma 'La Sapienza'

example in Europe of a major western city, Introduction site of the oldest university in the world, Between 1991 and 1993 we carried outrunvery successfully2by the commu- some research into immigrant women innist party since the end of the second world the Italian city of Bologna in particular andwar.3 As underlined in our previous the region of Emilia Romagna in general.research, despite its tradition of progressive Our aim was to ascertain the extent tosocial policies and democracy, even red which European legislation had affectedBologna was put to the test by the arrival of the local dimension and whether blackblack immigrants. The xenophobic message women residing in Bologna had benefitedof the exponents of the two most intolerant from it (Gattullo, Hoskyns and Orsini-Jonesparties in Italy (Lega Nord and Alleanza 1994; Hoskyns and Orsini-Jones, 1995). TheNazionale) struck a chord in the hearts of three areas of gender, race and immigrationmany Italians, Bolognese people included were analysed in relation to European (EU),(Balbo and Manconi,1992;Gattullo, National (Italian) and local legislationHoskyns and Orsini-Jones, 1994). (Region Emilia-RomagnaMunicipality of In our previous paper we came to the Bologna). conclusion that even in the left-wing-run As in our previous paper, our presentBologna black women had to cope with concern is mainly with immigrant womenracism and prejudice. Moreover, although of Third World origin, although we shallthere were quitea few institutional mention other immigrant women as well.attempts to understand the issues that We feel the issues relating to women com-black women had to face and help them to ing from Eastern Europe differ from thosebecome more 'visible', immigrant women of the women we have worked with, thethemselvessometimesresentedsuch most obvious difference being, of course,attempts (Abdel Aziz 1991a, 1991b; Argata the colour of their skin and the implicationSabatini 1993). This was so because they felt this has with regards to racism and xeno-they were not truly represented in the City phobia.' Council as their interests were often guard- We have used the terms 'immigranted by other women, or worse still, men, women' and 'black women' as being thewho were all white, all Bolognese and did most accurate. We have used 'black' in thenot understand their real needs. semantic connotation attached to the term We did point out though that often the in English, i.e. inclusive of Asian immi-City Council and/or some of the associa- grants. This usage is becoming moretions supported by it had made mistakes in widespread in Italy in its translation nero.good faith (Hoskyns and Orsini-Jones 1995, We have furthermore used the termpp. 64-65) and immigrant women them- 'undocumented' rather than 'illegal' orselves were on the whole happy with the 'clandestine' in order to be both more accu-efforts made by the indigenous women in rate and less derogatory. Bologna to meettheirdemands. The title for the present paper derivesNevertheless they did feel strongly that from the situation in 'red' Bologna, the onlythere was a need for real multiculturalism

24 Tuttitalia, No. 14, December 1996 and pluralism as opposed to the Bolognese arrival of the male immigrants only as City Council's search for 'integration'. an 'emergency' and a 'problem' and It became apparent in the course of that dealt with it accordingly. This meant research that there was a discrepancy that in those years men were often pri- between national and international policies oritised in the provision of services and (aimed at controlling migration move- that the Council mainly created ser- ments) and localpolicies(aimedat vices which would only suit a male integration). The provision of services for audience (Hoskyns and Orsini-Jones, immigrant women had been more or less 1995, p. 61). totally devolved to the local dimension of c) It changed the configuration of tradi- each individual region or even municipali- tional female immigration to Italy, as ty, in Italy. This had on the one hand many of the immigrant women were created discrepancies, but on the other now women trying to re-unite with hand been an advantage in a city with a their partners, rather than women who past history of participation, social aware- had come on their own to work as nessandfeministcommitmentlike domestic servants. Bologna. This paper aims at re-assessing the situa- We found that one of the decisive factorstion two years on, to see whether: which helped immigrant women in gaining The decline in the numbers of arrivals visibility and confidence, had been the of male immigrants to Bologna after training/vocationalcoursesorganised 1993 has had an impact on the provi- with money obtained via the European sion of new services for immigrant Social Fund and the EU NOW ('New women; Opportunities for Women') programme. Immigrant women themselves are There was a wealth of initiatives for gaining a visibility of their own, rather immigrant women, which, despite the fact than a 'secondary' kind of visibility, that they were mainly managed by white 'acquired' via their male counterparts; women, had helped black women to gain The council and related institutions are visibility. Unfortunately, new associations tackling the thorny issue of immigra- and initiatives for immigrant women suf- tion in a way different from the one fered a major blow in the years following encountered in our previous research. the mass male immigrationin particular years 1991 (411 immigrant men new arrivals, and 230 women) and 1992 (936Immigration trends immigrant men new arrivals, and 157 Italy became a country of immigration in women) (see Table 1). 1970 (Campani and Cerchedi, 1995), the The arrival of a significant number offirst year since unification (1870) in which new male immigrants within a short spanthere were more arrivals than departures. of time, took Italy, a nation traditionallyEmilia Romagna, the region the capital of associated with emigration (Ascoli, 1979),which is Bologna, is one of the most attrac- by surprise, and had three major effects: tive ones to immigrants, both because of its a)It created an awareness of the presencehealthy job-market and because of its tradi- of immigrants amongst the Italian pop-tion in progressive welfare services and ulation. This had the 'side-effect' ofassociationism. helping women to become more 'visi- According to Osservatorio (Bernardotti, ble' themselves. Capecchi and Pinto, 1994), between 1986 b)It caused a series of ill-judged institu-and 1994, the immigrant population in tional interventions, mainly based onBologna has changed. Statistics indicate prejudices and on the assumption (orthat there is an increase in the flux of wishful thinking) that the immigrantsimmigration from developing third world would eventually go one day. Thecountries and a decrease in arrivals from Local Authorities in Bologna, for exam-highly developed countries. Furthermore, ple, in the years 1985-19924 saw theamongst the immigrants coming from the

Tuttitalia, No. 14, December 1996 25 former, there has been a decline in the num-ing domestic work carried out by immi- bers of asylum seekers (such as immigrantsgrant women. The great demand in the area coming from Iran and Eritrea5). The mostof domestic work' has in fact kept alive the visible increase is in the arrival of citizensincoming flow of single women looking for from Eastern Europe, from the Philippinesa job in this field of work. and from Latin America. The incoming flux Unfortunately, in Italy the implementa- of migrants from Northern Africa has cometion of new laws is not always carried out to a stand-still, with the sole exception ofand in some cases the 'over-protection' of Moroccan women (+34 as against -1 forwomen can act to their disadvantagethis Moroccan men). Immigrant women arehappened for instance after the introduc- prevalent amongst people coming fromtion of the new EU directives on equal Latin America and from the EU. On theopportunities for Italian women in the '80s. other hand, despite the traditional femaleItalian women who work have become so predominance in this group of immigrants,protected by the law that in some cases there is an increase in Filipino immigrantemployers either do not employ them at all, men (they are the second biggest maleor insert illegal 'waiver clauses', mainly group after men arriving from the formerreferring to pregnancy, which can have an Yugoslavia). The Filipino group is probablyintimidating effect on the employees. It will a unique example in European immigra-be interesting to assess whether the new tion in which immigrant men come to alaws protecting documented immigrant foreign country to re-unite with theirwomen carrying out domestic work have a spouses/partners. similar effect. The statistics above point in the direction A further analysis of the age groups of of a slight inversion of trends of immigra-black immigrants in Bologna (see Table 6) tion for Bologna.6 A further analysis of theshows that there is more diversification statistics above shows that in 1986 the num-than in previous years in terms of age ber of male and female immigrants in thegroups. Although the presence of single city was more or less equal (52% maleadult males is still strong, it is counterbal- immigrants and 48% female immigrants);anced by : between 1986 and 1992 male immigrantsa)the presence of immigrant women of increased in numbers (61% was the highest various ages; percentage recorded in 1992). From 1992 tob)the presence of young men below the 1994 the trend reversed: more women age of 25; arrived than men. Women increased from c)the presence of male and female immi- 39% to 41% (see Tables 1, 2, 3 and 4). These grants over 50 (6% of males and 9% of are probably the wives/partners of the men females). who arrived before 1993 who are re-uniting Compared to the situation encountered with them. By virtue of law 943 /1986 inin 1989-1990, the picture which is begin- fact, the male immigrants who came with-ning to emerge is that of much greater out their spouses can now ask for familyfluidity and variety. reunion: Table 5 shows that family reunions Another great difference consists in the increased mainly in 1992-3. approach to the issue of immigration by the In our previous research we found thatpeople working within the City Council: there were not any laws made specificallythe data presented in the Osservatorio men- for women immigrants. The laws on immi-tioned above show that the City Council gration passed in 1986 and 1990 (Hoskynshas now accepted that these immigrants and Orsini-Jones, 1995, pp. 69-72; Cifiello,have come to stay. Furthermore there is an 1992) favoured immigrants in general andunderlying theme of 'political correctness' helped them to become documented. In thetowards immigrants which was totally years 1993-1995, although not much hasmissing from the City Council literature on been done for immigrant women, at leastimmigration previously analysed.8 In the the Italian Government has passed lawsintroduction to the Osservatorio the key which aim at giving status to and protect-words are pluralismo (pluralism) and multi-

26 0 Tuttitalia, No. 14, December 1996 dimensionality(multidimensionality)asthe city and was due to start at the end of opposed to the previous City Council doc-January 1996. uments about immigration (Moruzzi and Fiorenza, 1990; Moruzzi, 1991) where the key words were problema(problem),Immigrant women in Bologna: fenomeno (phenomenon) and integrazione (integration). Moreover there is a real efforta three-stage arrival to analyse both male and female immi- With regard to immigrant women we can grants in terms of their differences: therefore identify three major periods: 1. 1970-1986: These were the 'dawn The focus when dealing with this informa- years' for immigration. Single women tion was to keep a major point of reference arrived to work mainly as domestic ser- in mind: that is to say to document the pres- vants. They came from different countries, ence of immigrant people bearing in mind but mainly from the Philippines and the differences between men and women Eritrea. The drive for the former was eco- and between different nationalities. If we were to have aggregate statistics under the nomic self-improvement, for the latter it 'blanket' of the word extracomunitari,9 with- was a political matter as they were often out specifying anything about sex or asylum seekers. Nevertheless, once they nationality, we would not face these issues arrived in Italy they had a very similar properly and in their complexity in the migratory pattern: they moved to big Bolognese area. (Capecchi and Pinto, 1994, cities first, and then, via friendships and p. 2, our translation) relationships, they moved to smaller town/villages or districts within medi- The headings to the different chaptersum-sized cities like Bologna (Campani, within Osservatorio try to present a picture1989; Moruzzi and Fiorenza 1990, p. 11; of 'differences' and 'equal opportunities'Parmeggiani, 1992). Both these groups of too. On p. 27 we find 'I livelli di istruzioneearly female immigrants shared a condi- degli immigrati e delle immigrate' (our stress) tion of 'invisibility': they were mainly (The literacy levels of immigrant men andworking as domestic helpers and this of immigrant women). meant (and still means) being segregated It would seem therefore that, at least oninto a house with very few hours of free- the theoretical level, women are enjoyingdom. Still, despite their invisibility, they more visibility and recognition than in pre-managed to create solid family networks viousofficialor semi-official counciland to set up associations with the sup- literature examined. Moreover, it wouldport of the Church and the church-related appear that the Council is showing aassociation called Caritas Diocesana, of the greater awareness of the different facetslocal feminist groups within political presented by immigration in Bologna.parties (such as PO, Partito Comunista Whether or not such a strong theoreticalItaliano), of trade unions (such as CGIL, stand will be carried out in practiceConfederazione Generale Italiana del Lavoro) remains to be seen. The political instabilityand of the localauthorities(Centro affecting Italy at present is not a good omenStranieri). and it reinforces the fear of racism and prej- 2. 1986-1993: These were the 'boom udice against immigrants, as Italians braceyears' for immigration. They marked the themselves in the light of political uncer-change in the profile of female immigrants tainty.10 There is however a promisingdescribed in the introduction to this paper. initiative, set up by the Centro Stranieri inThis period can be further divided into the collaboration with an ONG (Organizzazionefollowing two immigration phases: Non Governativanon-governmental body)a)1986-1990: In these years the initiatives operating in Bologna and financed by for immigrant women organised by the EU funds. This initiative consists of a pro- City Council and related associations ject aiming at monitoring the incidence of flourished and proliferated (Hoskyns racist attacks in certain districts within and Orsini-Jones, 1995, p. 67). As a con-

Tuttitalia, No. 14, December 1996 27 sequence, immigrant women gained inImmigrant women in Bologna: visibility within the city;11 where do we go from here? b)1991-1993: These were the male mass- immigration years which coincided Atpresent,immigrant women in with extra pressures on the CityBologna, as in the rest of Italy, can be broad- Council caused by the changes withinly classified as follows (Campani, 1989; the former PCI (1991) and the corrup-Palazzi, 1991; Parmeggiani 1992; Macioti tion scandal known as Tangentopoliand Pugliese, 1994; Hoskyns and Orsini- (1992).12 They marked the temporaryJones, 1995): end of the role of the City Council as 1. Domestic servants/maids: It is mainly leader for initiatives targeted at immi-within this category that we encounter grant women: immigrant men werewomen, particularly Filipino and Eritrean, prioritised in the provision of emer-who have emigrated on their own and have gency services such as housing. Themanaged their own 'emigration project' outcome of this was dissatisfaction andentirely; low morale amongst both white 2. Housewives:i.e. women who have women involved in initiatives forjoined their husbands. They come mainly immigrant women and immigrantfrom the Maghreb area of North Africa women themselves. Many associations(Algeria,Morocco,Egypt) and from disappeared or changed name. ManyPakistan. The migration of these women women despaired that anything couldwas, until recently, seen as 'passive'. More be done with the support of the Cityrecent research has shown that even if these Council. Immigrant women partiallywomen emigrate to join their partners they reverted to the previous situation ofneed a lot of initiative to do so and that they 'invisibility'. themselves do not perceive their 'migration 3. 1993-1995: The new impetusinproject' as passive (de Bernart et al., 1995).13 female immigration to Bologna in conjunc- 3. Professional women (not working as tion with lower numbers of immigrantdomestic servants):14 these can be from any men caused the City Council to focus onof the ethnic minorities, although South- immigrant women again. Although theAmerican, Filipino and Eritrean women are political emergency is not over, Bolognastrongly represented in this group. has a sounder political and social basis to 4. Prostitutes: these come from different its City Council than other cities in Italy.backgrounds. Sometimes they have man- Moreover, immigration is now accepted asaged their own migration project, or other 'normal' rather than perceived as antimes they have been unwittingly coerced 'exceptional phenomenon'. The Cityinto prostitution by international mafias. Council has set up a new series of initia-Most are part of the very sad 'slave trade' tives aimed at providing services for allwhich is flourishing across Europe. In Italy immigrants. At the same time it hassuch 'trade' involves mainly Nigerians and accepted that immigrant women are dif-Eastern European women. In Bologna there ferent from immigrant men and needis a strong presence of women from Ghana, differentservices. Immigrant womenEritrea and Somalia. therefore have acquired a new visibility in Some groups of women present in a pluralist context. Their 'right to differ'Bologna, like the Chinese, are difficult to has officially been acknowledged. EUclassify. They work within their own com- social and NOW funds are being obtainedmunity and migrate mostly as families, to help black women get better serviceswith their husbands. They tend to know (for an example of this see Demartis, Dehow to make the best use of the services Sanctis and Marchesi, 1994). However, aavailable thanks to their closely-knit family lot needs to be done, as basic housing andnetwork. welfare services are still not provided to In comparison with 1990-1992, we have many immigrants, whether men orfound that in 1993-1995 immigrant women women, even if documented. in Bologna have made more regular use of 28 302 Tuttitalia, No. 14, December 1996 services such as the Health Centre forWomen (Primo Incontro Nazionale trale Immigrant Women and their Children andAssociazioni di Donne Immigrate) held in the Centre for Families. Many enrolled forRome on 15/6/1995. the literacy courses organised by various The Bolognese Association of immigrant bodies within the city, such as FILEFwomen Donne in Movimento (Women in (Federazione Italiana Lavoratori Emigrati eMovement) took part, with many other Famiglie Italian Federation of Emigrantassociations from all over Italy, in the meet- Workers and their Families). (Please refer toing above. They provided us with a Appendix B for the major services anddocument, written by all the women who associationsavailableforimmigrantattended, which focuses on the conditions women in Bologna.) of immigrant women in Italy. The docu- Recently (1993-1995) there has been ament aims at raising awareness about the new impetus in associationism amongstproblems these women have to face and black people in Bologna which has beengives a list of recommendations that Italian supportedunlike in the years 1991-1992 institutions should implement. It explains by the City Council. The CD/LEI (Centrethat 44.2% of documented immigrants in forRaceRelationsand ImmigrationItaly are women (according to statistics Studies/Teacher Training Centre),15 whichprovided by the Italian Home Office, 1993) is run jointly by the City Council and theand that it is they who suffer most from the University of Bologna with the support oflack of a consistent and serious immigra- other organisations, such as trade unions,tion policy. has kindly provided us with one of the We have summarised and translated the issues of the bulletin Intercultura a Bolognakey problem areas outlined in the docu- (Interculture in Bologna) (Traversi, 1995)ment in Appendix A. The analysis of the which is all about the local associations fordocument proves that, at the level of immigrants. The 200 pages contain a fullnational law, the picture is not as optimistic overview of what is available in terms ofas that depicted at the local level of Bologna both services and associations for immi-and that not much has changed since 1993. grant men and women living in the city.On a positive note it must be pointed out The first impression, just by skimmingthat for the first time it is the immigrant through the publication, is of an incrediblewomen themselves who are setting the wealth of new initiatives, many of whichagenda. are aimed specifically at women. The document, which reflects the con- The word favoured by the immigrantcernsofthemostliterateamongst women themselves, when referring to thisimmigrant women in Bologna, aims at wealth of new initiatives, many of whichhelping those immigrant women who, have been initiated by them, is progettualitadespite all the efforts by the local authori- (projectuality): this means setting up newties and by the immigrant women's projects and trying to carry out initiativesassociations, are still living in a situation of which should go beyond the theoreticalinvisibility. Many are still not documented debates about immigration in which many most prostitutes, for example. It is in fact Bolognese people have engaged in recentestimated that the proportion of undocu- years, but which have not been of muchmented immigrants to documented ones is practical use to black people in Bologna. 1:1 (Besia, 1992, p. 248). Many others lack Immigrant women do not want assis-the knowledge of Italian necessary to make tance from the City Council any more, theythe most of the facilities available. There are want to participate directly in the creationothers who are living their emigration proof the bodies or associations which willject as a 'new birth' and think they can help them to live in Bologna. This newsolve their problem by refusing their coun- drive and determination amongst immi-try of origin and their traditions.16 This grant women is testified by the Manifestocauses anxieties and identity problems for they wrote on occasion of the First Nationalthem and for their children. Furthermore, Meeting for Associations of Immigrantthere still is a whole submerged world of

Tuttitalia, No. 14, December 1996 29 abuse which has been very eloquentlybridge. There still is a large dose of suspi- described in an article by Massimo Todiscocion on both sides(City Council published in the newspaper II Manifestoimmigrant women) and although collabo- (13/10/1995), the title of which tells us howration beween immigrant women and the much still needs to be done: Nessuno parlaCity Council has increased, there are no delleImmigrate (Nobody Talks aboutimmigrant womenor menoccupying Immigrant Women). key posts within the City Council, not even Moreover, immigrant women, like gyp-in relation to immigration policies. This sies, are a very easy target for racism,means, of course, that they still find it diffi- particularly in Italy at a time whencult to accept that the City Council is truly Parliament is discussing a new Decree" onwilling to understand their needs. immigration which will enable the police to Furthermore, although immigrant expel immediately undocumented immi-women have now gained a 'visibility', this grants caught while committing a crime.is marred by the way they are represented The debate over this Decree has brought toin the press (the focus being on prostitu- light the fact that many Italians are nowtion) and by the fact that they attract more intolerant and racist, but are still finding itracist attacks than before. difficult to admit it.18 Moreover, the present research has It is also true, on the other hand, that theuncovered, more than the previous one, Mancino law, against acts of racism andconflicts of interests which are beginning to intolerance, is trying to address the above-emerge betweendifferentimmigrant mentioned issues and there is evidence inwomen and immigrant women's groups: the recent Italian press that the law is beingwe should not ignore this in order to avoid implemented.'9 throwing a Disney-like Pocahontas blanket over immigrant women.2° Realism and pragmatism will help western white Conclusion women to understand black women's real Some positive data have emerged fromneeds. this research compared to our findings in With reference to the final three points 1992-93. First of all, it would appear thatmentioned in our Introduction we can con- our statement that immigrant womenclude by saying that: 'have very little access to resources and According to statistics for documented thatparticipationisjustbeginning' immigrants, more women than men (Hoskyns and Orsini-Jones, 1995, p. 73) have arrived in the years 1993 and does not hold any more. Moreover, black 1994.21 As the City Council relies upon women have set up many new associations thestatisticsprovidedbythe such as the above-mentioned Donne in Immigration Centre in order to provide Movimento or the Gruppo autogestito di services, the inversion in the immigra- donne Filippine (Filipino Women's Self- tion trends to Bologna has caused the Managed Group). City Council to focus on the provision Secondly, it would appear that the debate of services for immigrant women in the about the right to differ, real pluralism and years 1994-1995. multiculturalism, as opposed to integration Immigrant women have gained in visi- and assimilation, has filtered through to bility, but the price they are paying for official council literature. it is high, as they are now more As in 1989-1993, immigrant women have exposed than before to racism, intoler- greatly benefited from equal opportunities ance and prejudice. initiatives aimed at promoting women in The City Council is definitely showing enterprise, initiatives mainly financed by a deeper understanding of immigra- the EU Social Fund. tion and of immigrant people, both On the other hand, as in our previous men and women. At least at the theo- paper, we found that the gap between the- retical level, there is the will to respect ory and practice often proves difficult to the immigrants' right to differ'. 30 304 Tuttitalia, No. 14, December 1996 Although a lot has been done, a lot still ious kinds: moonlighting for long hours for needs to be done in order to: undocumented women, underpayment, a)create a more tolerant environment for sexual harassment and abuse, physical and immigrant women in Bologna; psychological abuse, prostitution, slave trade both for prostitution and for arranged b)improve basic services such as housing marriages. and welfare; f) Job market: most immigrant women are c) set up opportunities for those immi- forced to accept jobs which are below their grant women who are still left out of qualifications. This causes on the one hand participation. their loss of intellectual life, on the other the Nevertheless, the efforts of the local danger of not getting proper protection at institutionsinBolognawithregard work in terms of pension, national health toanti-racism,multi-culturalism and contributions, etc. acknowledgement of gender-related issues Some of the resolutions to be prioritised: are praiseworthy, as it is not often the case 1. the recognition of a proper legal status for in European cities with recent immigration immigrant women, independent from that patterns that immigrant women enjoy so of their husbands;22 much recognition in terms of policies and 2. the provision of the necessary documents services. for women who meet the Italian immigration laws' requirements ;n 3. the recognition of the immigrant women's qualifications; Appendix A 4. the setting up of courses in the culture and Immigrant Women in Italy: The Migrant Women's language of origin of immigrant women; Network: 5. the provision of the necessary health ser- a) Legal status: women who emigrate either on vices for immigrant women and their their own or to join their partner find it very children; difficult to obtain proper documentation. As 6. the provision of council houses for women a result of this, they risk exploitation, abuse only with guaranteed child care, to prevent and ending up as prostitutes. separation between mothers and children; b) ...Social security: this is already a serious issue 7. the creation of an awareness about different for Italian women. Immigrant women lack cultures amongst Italians via adverts and protection and security even more as they programmes on the mass media and in the are often the victims of triple discrimination schools. they are women, they are immigrants and 8. the recognition and implementation by the they are black. Italian State of the UN resolution about vio- c) Health-careandpregnancy:immigrant lence against immigrant women workers women often cannot choose to keep their (Resolution No. 49/165, 1994). baby. They are forced to have an abortion 9. the setting up of training programmes for because their work and their social status immigrant women which should both meet would not enable them to bring up their the immigrant women's needs and help children. Often not enough support is them to find a job. offered in terms of health-care. Moreover, undocumented women fear hospitals, as, in the event of termination of pregnancy, all details are handed to the local Police sta-Appendix B tions (Questure) and they might lose notMajor services and associations available for only their privacy, but also their freedom. immigrant women in Bologna: d) Family: the immigrant woman's family often Centro Stranieri della Caritas Diocesana di disintegrates under the pressure caused by Bologna (Immigrants' Welfare Centre of the condition of hardship shared by so many Caritas), 1977. Linked to the church, first women. There are mothers who cannot be 'official' body to provide services for immi- re-united with their children and others who grants in Bologna. In March 1993, it was the work too much to see them. Children are first body to provide emergency housing often housed in foster families or in board- (four flats) for immigrant women. ing-schools supported by charities. Local priests and churches in the various dis- e) Violence: Immigrant women and their young tricts link up with Caritas and are usually children are an easy target for abuse of var- preferred, in case of need, by undocument-

Tunitalia, No. 14, December 1996 31 ed immigrants, as they guarantee total con- Regionale per l'Emigrazione e l'Immigrazione, fidentiality. Vol. n. 7), pp. 183-186. CentroStranieri(WelfareCentrefor M. Alamin (1991), Untitled talk given at the con- Foreigners), 1987. Run by the City Council, ferenceabove,L'emigrazionealfemminile... it deals mainly with bureaucracy relating to (op. cit.). residence permits, family reunions, etc. It Z. Argata Sabatini (1993), Untitled talk given at also houses the new Osservatorio Comunale the conference: Prima Conferenza Regionale delle dell'Immigrazione (1994). Part of the Servizio Associazioni degli Immigrati, (Bologna: Regione Immigrazione (Immigration Service), within Emilia-Romagna, 3/04/1993). the City Council. Balbo, L. and Manconi, L. (1992), I razzismi reali, Centro perle famiglie (Family Welfare Milano: Feltrinelli. Centre), 1995, City Council. Bernardotti, A., Capecchi, V. and Pinto, P. (1994), Immigrants' associations: many of these are «L'Osservatorio delle Immigrazioni del Comune di for women only, such as Donne in movimen- Bologna: un servizio per chi vuole documentarsi e to (1995), Gruppo autogestito di donne filippine conoscere», in Osservatorio, Numero 0, 11/1994, (1995), Bambaran." pp. 2-3. Assessorato alle Politiche Sociali del Comune di Besia, F. (1992), «L'immigrazione in Emilia-Romagna Bologna (City Council Social Policy Unit), in una prospettiva storica», in Cifiello, S., Non solo Office within the City Council, which deals immigrato, Bologna: Cappelli, pp. 246-250. with issues such as literacy for immigrant Bonoli, R. (ed.) (1991), L'emigrazione al femminile: people and for gypsies. Atti del convegno, Bologna: Regione Emilia- Centro per la salute delle donne straniere e dei Romagna, Consulta Regionale per l'Emigrazione loro bambini (Health Centre for Immigrant e l'Immigrazione, Vol. n. 7. Women and their Children), 1991. First fam- Campani, G. (1989), «Donne immigrate in Italia», ily planning clinic for immigrant women in in G. Cocchi (a cura di), Stranieri in Italia: caratteri Italy, set up by the local health authority e tendenze dell'immigrazione dai paesi extracomuni- (USL 28) with initial EC funding. It offers a tan, Bologna: Istituto Carlo Cattaneo/Misure, wide range of free services both to docu- pp. 3-16. mented and undocumented women. Campani, G. and Cerchedi, F., 'Seasonal Work in Centro di documentazione CD/LEI (Centre for Italy',unpublishedpapergivenatthe Race Relations and Immigration Conference on Migration in Southern Europe, Studies/Teacher Training Centre), 1993.University of Greenwich and University of City Council and University of Bologna. Dundee, 18-20 Dec. 1995. FILEF (Federation of Italian EmigrantCifiello, S. (ed.) (1992), Non solo immigrato, Workers and Their Families). Although Bologna: Cappelli. FILEF deals mainly with Italian emigrants, Del Mugnaio, A. (1993), Progetto per l'immi- it was also involved, amongst its various grazione,Bologna:ComunediBologna/ activities, in the setting up of literacy cours- Assessorato alle Politiche Sociali. es for immigrant women. Demartis, C., De Sanctis, I., and Marchesi, D. O.N.G. (Non-Government Organisations): (1994), «Una anticipazione deirisultatidella Organise many activities (for example voca- 'Ricerca-azione sulle attivita economiche informali tional ones) for immigrants and are usually delle donne immigrate e analisi di fattibilita di im- EU funded (Demartis, De Sanctis and prese' condotta nell'ambito di un recente intervento Marchesi, 1994). formativo organizzato dal COSPE di Bologna», in Women's Sections within local trade-unions, SocietaMultietnica,Bologna:Provinciadi feminist groups and local branches of polit- Bologna, pp. 37-116. ical parties. De Bernart, M., Di Pietrogiacomo, L. and Michelini,L.(1995),Migrazioni Femminili: Famiglia e reti sociali tra it Marocco e l'Italia, Torino: L'Harmattan. References Gattullo, F., Hoskyns, C. and Orsini-Jones, M. Z. Abdel Aziz (1991a), Untitled talk given at the (1994), «Donne immigrate a Bologna: temi e proble- conference L'immigrazione a Bologna: le politiche mi», Tuttitalia, 10, December, pp 17-34. comunali perit1991 (Bologna: Comune diHoskyns, C. and Orsini-Jones, M. (1995), Bologna), pp. 105-115. 'Immigrant Women in Italy: Perspectives from Z. Abdel Aziz (1991b), Untitled talk given at the Brussels to Bologna' in The European Journal of conference L'emigrazione al femminile, in R. Bonoli Women's Studies (SAGE) 2, pp. 51-76. (ed.), L'emigrazione al femminile: Atti del convegno Macioti, M.I. and Pugliese, E. (1994), Gli immi- (Bologna: Regione Emilia-Romagna, Consulta grati in Italia, Bari: Laterza, 3rd ed.

32 Tuttitalia, No. 14, December 1996 Maher, V. (1989), Il potere della complicit& conflitti 3. Formerly PCI (Partito Comunista Italiano), elegamidelledonnenordafricane,Torino: split into two since 1991: PDS (Partito Rosenberg and Sellier. Democratico della Sinistra) and Rifondazione Moruzzi, M. and Fiorenza, A. (1990), Progetto per Comunista. It is the PDS which is similar to l'Immigrazione, Bologna: Comune di the present-day Labour Party in Britain Bologna / Assessorato alle Politiche Sociali. which has the highest percentage of the Moruzzi, M. (1991), Nota sullo stato di attuazione votes in Bologna. del progetto immigrazione e proposte per it completa- 4. According to the Osservatorio Comunale delle mento della prima fase di intervento, Bologna: Immigrazioni (City Council Observatory for Comune di Bologna. Immigration), which published itsfirst Palazzi, M. (1991), «Donne extracomunitarie in issue of a new publication about immigra- Emilia-Romagna», in R. Bono li (ed.) L'Emigrazione tionOsservatorioin November 1994, the al femminile..., (op. cit), pp. 19-37. number of documented immigrants has not Parmeggiani, L. (1992), «I diritti delle donne increased much since 1993, and represents migranti» in Parita e differenza: tesi del corso opera- roughly 2% of the total population of the trici di parita, Bologna: Bromurodargento, pp. Province of Bologna (Bernadotti, Capecchi 77-102. and Pinto, 1994). Riotta, G. (1995), «Razzisti no, peril...Noi italiani, 5. For Eritrea, this is of course linked to the un popolo di intolleranti», II Corriere della Sera, 24 fact that this country obtained indepen- November. dence from Ethiopia in May 1993. Todisco, M. (1995), «Nessuno parla delle immi- 6. As for any statistic relating to immigration grate», II Manifesto, 13 October. in Italy, we know that the numbers refer to Traversi, M. (ed.) (1995), Intercultura a Bologna, documented immigrants only. This research Bologna: CD/LEI, March, 2. is confined, therefore, to this group, as it is very difficult to assess how many undocumented immigrants are present within the Acknowledgments Municipality of Bologna. We would like to thank the following persons 7. Many factors are in play in the choice of whose help made the writing of this paper employing a domestic servant: (a) the lack possible: of a strong welfare system; (b) the will to In Italy (Bologna): Dott.ssa Caccialupi, Centro per preserve the family unit, by keeping the la salute delle donne straniere e dei loro bambini, USL elderly and the ill at home; (c) the legendary 28; Luisa Granzotto,Servizio Immigrazione, 'house-pride' of Italian womenotherwise Comune diBologna; Adriana Bernardotti, the neighbours will gossip!; (d) the lack of OsservatoriodelleImmigrazioni, Comune di involvement of men in the sharing of the Bologna; Loretta Michelini, Parsec; Zita Argata household chores. Even left-wing Italian Sabatini, Associazione donne filippine; Cecilia women, incidentally, unlike their UK coun- Urritria, Donne in Movimento; Lara Parmeggiani, terparts, have not faced the issue of how Centro per le Famiglie; Marta Murotti, FILEF; Rosa politically correct it is to employ another Caizzi, operatrice In Britain: Catherine woman to do a servant's job at a very cheap Hoskyns and David Jones, Coventry University. rate. 8. The sole exception to this, and probably the 'dawn' of the new trend, can be identified in the document Progetto per l'Immigrazione Notes 1993», drafted by a woman officer, Anna 1. The difference between the way journalists Del Mugnaio. For the first time in this doc- write about black immigrant women and ument there was a real attempt to see white immigrant women in (supposedly) immigrants as Bolognese people and not as quality Italian newspapers and magazines, 'aliens'. such as La Repubblica and L'Espresso, is 9. This is a neologism, the legal Italian transla- rather striking. They tend to be consistent: tion of 'non-EU citizen'. It has acquired a the most patronising and racist attitudes are negative connotation as it tends to be reserved for black women. See, for example, applied only to black people. the article on Nigerian prostitutes, «LIn 10.For a general survey on the Italian situation inferno da trentamila lire», by Jacaranda in recent years see Mark Gilbert, The Italian Falck, L'Espresso, 29.10.1995. Revolution, Oxford: Westview Press, 1995. 2. Onthispointseetheprogramme The Government led by Mr Dini fell on Assignment, broadcast on BBC2 in April 12.01.1996 and early elections were predict- 1993. ed, despite the fact that Italy held the

Tuttitalia, No. 14, December 1996 33 presidency of the European Union between the new consumer society in which they are January and June 1996. now living. 11.On this point, see the proceedings of the 17.Decreto Legge (Decree Law) 409, 18.11.1995, conference L'emigrazione al femminile, held in for approval by 19.01.1996.Fulltitle: Bologna in 1990 (Bono li, 1991). «Disposizioni urgenti in materia di politica del- 12. As pointed out in our previous paper, it l'immigrazioneeperlaregolamentazione must be stressed that the political situation dell'ingressoeitsoggiornonelterritorio in Bologna became rather unstable as a con- nazionale dei cittadini dei paesi non appartenen- sequence of both the fall of the Berlin wall in ti all'Unione Europea». 1989, its effects on the PCI, and the corrup- 18.There is a very touching article by the jour- tion scandal. The issue of immigration was nalist Gianni Riotta on this issue in the marginalised in political terms, despite the newspaper II Corriere della Sera, 24.11.1995: fact that it was a matter which should have «Razzisti no, peril Noi, italiani, un popolo di been dealt with with some urgency. intolleranti». 13. De Bernart, Pietrogiacomo and Michelini 19.See, for example, the case of a racist notice (1994) stressed the importance of Moroccan which was put up in a bar in Padova to pre- women in the role of preserving traditional vent extracomunitari from using it: the bar Moroccan values within Bolognese society, manager was fined and the notice had to be while at the same time acting as 'brokers' removed when a local journalist made the for their husbands and children in the adop- story public («Padova: gli immigrati 'sgraditi' tion of new Western values, necessary for in un caffe» by Albino Salmaso, Il Corriere survival in Bologna (De Berbart et al., 1995, della Sera, 30.01.1996). pp. 45-50). It is a juggling act which requires 20.For those who do not have young children, numerous skills. For further information on we are referring here to the extreme ideali- North African women in relation to family sation of the native Indian-American girl in links, see also Vanessa Maher's Il potere della the 1995 Disney fantasy about the goodness complicita:conflittielegami delle donne of the native Americans against the evil of nordafricane, Torino: Rosenberg & Sellier, the British invaders. 1989. 21.According to Table 1, 161 men and 186 14.Although there have always been Eritrean women arrived in 1993, and 81 men and 147 women in Bologna who had good jobs, they women in 1994. were quite rare until recently. Our fieldwork 22.This refers to the fact that these days most showed that the number of immigrant immigrant women can only emigrate as an women who are now working as translators appendix to their husbands and this, in and teachersjust to give two examples itself, creates problems, as they cannot work has increased considerably in the last three if their husband's situation is not 'regular'. years. This is why we are now adding this For further information on this point see new category to our classification. Hoskyns-Orsini-Jones, 1995. 15.Centro Documentazione /Laboratorio per un'e- 23.Again, this is more difficult than it sounds, ducazione interculturale. due to the various loopholes in the Italian 16. We were told by some of the women that bureaucratic system and to the lack of a con- they do not like to have women friends of sistent national policy on immigration. their own nationality and prefer to watch 24.For a full picture of all associations present television all day, rather than mix with peo- in Bologna please refer to M. Traversi (ed.), ple from their own country. Others spoke Intercultura a Bologna, Bologna:CD/LEI, openly of conflicts and jealousies caused by March 1995, 2.

308 34 Tuttitalia, No. 14, December 1996 Table 1. Persone residenti con cittadinanza straniera nel comune di Bologna. 1986-1994.

tasso crescita Anno maschi femmine % maschi % feminine Totale 1986 = 100

1986 1.189 1.104 51,9% 48,1% 2.293 100 1987 1.454 1.292 52,9% 47,1% 2.746 119,8 1988 1.640 1.444 53,2% 46,8% 3.084 134,5 1989 1.802 1.600 53.0% 47,0% 3.402 148,4 1990 2.176 1.887 53,6% 46,4% 4.063 177,2 1991 2.587 2.117 55,0% 45,0% 4.704 205,1 1992 3.523 2.274 60,8% 39,2% 5.797 252,8 1993 3.684 2.460 60,0% 40,0% 6.144 267,9 1994 3.765 2.607 59,1% 40,9% 6.372 277,9

Fonte: Anagrafe del Comune di Bologna. Elaborazione: Ufficio Statistica del Comune di Bologna. Note: I dati dal 1986 al 1993 sono al 31 dicembre. I dati del 1994 sono al 30 aprile.

Persone residenti straniere nel comune di Bologna

4.000 1986

1990 3.000 1994 2.000

1.000

Maschi Feminine

Table 2. Persone residenti con cittadinanza straniera nella provincia di Bologna. 1990-1992.

Capoluogo Altri comuni Totale

Anno M F T M F T Maschi Femmine Generale

1990 2.176 1.887 4.063 1.979 1.078 3.057 4.155 2.965 7.120 1992 3.523 2.274 5.797 3.462 1.658 5.120 6.985 3.932 10.917 Var.ass. 1.347 387 1.734 1.483 580 2.063 2.830 967 3.797 Var.% 61,9 20,5 42,7 74,9 53,8 67,5 68,1 32,6 53,3

Fonte: Anagrafi dei comuni della provincia di Bologna. Elaborazione: Servizio Statistico della Provincia di Bologna. Note: I dati sono al 31 dicembre di ogni anno. Le elaborazion0 9po e 1992 sono le uniche due disponibili.

Tuttitalia, No. 14, December 1996 35 Table 3. Persone con cittadinanza straniera residenti nel comune di Bologna. Anni 1986, 1990, 1992 e 1994. 1986 Nazionalita Area di provenienza Totale M F Totale M F Maschi Femmine Europa 893 456 437 38,8% 38,4% 39,6% 51,1% 48,9% di cui C.C.E. 657 344 313 28,7% 28,9% 28,4% 52,4% 47,6% di cui Albania 2 2 0 0,1% 0,2% 0,0% 100,0% 0,0% di cui ex Yugoslavia 31 16 15 1,4% 1,3% 1,4% 51,6% 48,4% Asia 744 420 324 32,4% 35,3% 29,3% 56,5% 43,5% di cui Cina 219 120 99 9,6% 10,1% 9,0% 54,8% 45,2% di cui Filippine 93 26 67 4,1% 2,2% 6,1% 28,0% 72,0% di cui Iran 187 126 61 8,2% 10,6% 5,5% 67,4% 32,6% di cui Pakistan 1 1 0 0,0% 0,1% 0,0% 100,0% 0,0% Africa 347 152 195 51,1% 12,8% 17,7% 43,8% 56,2% di cui Etiopia 224 65 .159 9,8% 5,5% 14,4% 29,0% 71,0% di cui Marocco 10 8 2 0,4% 0,7% 0,2% 80,0% 20,0% di cui Senegal 1 1 0 0,0% 0,1% 0,0% 100,0% 0,0% di cui Tunisia 7 6 1 0,3% 0,5% 0,1% 85,7% 14,3% America 294 153 141 12,8% 12,9% 12,8% 52,0% 48,0% di cui Amer. del Nord 154 87 67 6,7% 7,3% 6,1% 56,5% 43,5% di cui Amer. centro-sud 140 66 74 6,1% 5,6% 6,7% 47,1% 52,9% Oceania 7 3 4 0,3% 0,3% 0,4% 42,9% 57,1% Apolidi 8 5 3 0,3% 0,4% 0,3% 62,5% 37,5% Totali 2.293 1.189 1.104 100,0% 100,0% 100,0% 51,9% 48,1%

1990 Nazionalita Area di provenienza Totale M F Totale M F Maschi Femmine Europa 1.330 655 675 32,7% 30,1% 35,8% 49,2% 50,8% di cui C.C.E. 1.001 512 489 24,6% 23,5% 25,9% 51,1% 48,9% di cui Albania 3 3 0 0,1% 0,1% 0,0% 100,0% 0,0% di cui ex . Yugoslavia 49 24 25 1,2% 1,1% 1,3% 49,0% 51,0% Asia 1.471 813 658 36,2% 37,4% 34,9% 55,3% 44,7% di cui Cina 362 199 163 8,9% 9,1% 8,6% 55,0% 45,0% di cui Filippine 363 118 245 8,9% 5,4% 13,0% 32,5% 67,5% di cui Iran 253 173 80 6,2% 8,0% 4,2% 68,4% 31,6% di cui Pakistan 7 7 0 0,2% 0,3% 0,0% 100,0% 0,0% Africa 753 478 275 18,5% 22,0% 14,6% 63,5% 36,5% di cui Etiopia 269 86 183 6,6% 4,0% 9,7% 32,0% 68,0% di cui Marocco 121 102 19 3,0% 4,7% 1,0% 84,3% 15,7% di cui Senegal 21 21 0 0,5% 1,0% 0,0% 100,0% 0,0% di cui Tunisia 90 83 7 2,2% 3,8% 0,4% 92,2% 7,8% America 488 221 267 12,0% 10,2% 14,1% 45,3% 54,7% di cui Amer. del Nord 212 119 93 5,2% 5,5% 4,9% 56,1% 43,9% di cui Amer. centro-sud 276 102 174 6,8% 4,7% 9,2% 37,0% 63,0% Oceania 12 5 7 0,3% 0,2% 0,4% 41,7% 58,3% Apolidi 9 4 5 0,2% 0,2% 0,3% 44,4% 55,6% Totali 4.063 2.176 1.887 100,0% 100,0% 100,0% 53,6% 46,4%

36 Tuttitalia, No. 14, December 1996 Table 4.

1992 Nazionalita Area di provenienza Totale M F Totale M F Maschi Femmine Europa 1.585 800 785 27,3% 22,7% 34,5% 50,5% 49,5% di cui C.C.E. 1.023 515 508 17,6% 14,6% 22,3% 50,3% 49,7% di cui Albania 65 58 7 1,1% 1,6% 0,3% 89,2% 10,8% di cui ex Yugoslavia 172 99 73 3,0% 2,8% 3,2% 57,6% 42,4% Asia 1.942 1.149 793 33,5% 32,6% 34,9% 59,2% 40,8% di cui Cina 466 247 219 8,0% 7,0% 9,6% 53,0% 47,0% di cui Filippine 495 180 315 8,5% 5,1% 13,9% 36,4% 63,6% di cui Iran 233 154 79 4,0% 4,4% 3,5% 66,1% 33,9% di cui Pakistan 208 208 0 3,6% 5,9% 0,0% 100,0% 0,0% Africa 1.719 1.356 363 29,7% 38,5% 16,0% 78,9% 21,1% di cui Etiopia 267 91 176 4,6% 2,6% 7,7% 34,1% 65,9% di cui Marocco 773 700 73 13,3% 19,9% 3,2% 90,6% 9,4% di cui Senegal 70 70 0 1,2% 2,0% 0,0% 100,0% 0,0% di cui Tunisia 295 282 13 5,1% 8,0% 0,6% 95,6% 4,4% America 530 209 321 9,1% 5,9% 14,1% 39,4% 60,6% di cui Amer. del Nord 193 105 88 3,3% 3,0% 3,9% 54,4% 45,6% di cui Amer. centro-sud 337 104 233 5,8% 3,0% 10,2% 30,9% 69,1% Oceania 12 5 7 0,2% 0,1% 0,3% 41,7% 58,3% Apolidi 9 4 5 0,2% 0,1% 0,2% 44,4% 55,6% Totali 5.797 3.523 2.274 100,0% 100,0% 100,0% 60,8% 39,2%

1994 Nazionalita Area di provenienza Totale M F Totale M F Maschi Femmine Europa 1.663 813 850 26,1% 21,6% 32,6% 48,9% 51,1% di cui C.C.E. 923 439 484 14,5% 11.7% 18,6% 47,6% 52,4% di cui Albania 119 89 30 1,9% 2,4% 1,2% 74,8% 25,2% di cui ex Yugoslavia 274 151 123 4,3% 4,0% 4,7% 55,1% 44,9% Asia 2.056 1.182 874 32,3% 31,4% 33,5% 57,5% 42,5% di cui Cina 485 251 234 7,6% 6,7% 9,0% 51,8% 48,2% di cui Filippine 605 222 383 9,5% 5,9% 14,7% 36,7% 63,3% di cui Iran 206 136 70 3,2% 3,6% 2,7% 66,0% 34,0% di cui Pakistan 217 215 2 3,4% 5,7% 0,1% 99,1% 0,9% Africa 2.114 1.575 539 33,2% 41,8% 20,7% 74,5% 25,5% di cui Etiopia 271 82 189 4,3% 2,2% 7,2% 30,3% 69,7% di cui Marocco 1.028 847 181 16,1% 22,5% 6,9% 82,4% 17,6% di cui Senegal 87 82 5 1,4% 2,2% 0,2% 94,3% 5,7% di cui Tunisia 363 334 29 5,7% 8,9% 1,1% 92,0% 8,0% America 524 187 337 8,2% 5,0% 12,9% 35,7% 64,3% di cui Amer. del Nord 164 90 74 2,6% 2,4% 2,8% 54,9% 45,1% di cui Amer. centro-sud 360 97 263 5,6% 2,6% 10,1% 26,9% 73,1% Oceania 9 5 4 0,1% 0,1% 0,2% 55,6% 44,4% Apolidi 6 3 3 0,1% 0,1% 0,1% 50,0% 50,0% Totali 6.372 3.765 2.607 100,0% 100,0% 100,0% 59,1% 40,9%

Fonte: Anagrafe del Comune di Bologna. Elaborazione: Ufficio Statistica del Comune di Bologna. Note: I dati del 1986,1990 e 1992 sono al 31 dicembre. I dati del 1994 sono al 30 aprile.

Tuttitalia, No. 14, December 1996 37 3 1 BEST COPY AVAILABLE Table 5. Ricongiungimenti familiari richiesti e concessi.

Italia Richieste presentate per nazionalita

Sri Totale Visti Anno Cina Lanka Egitto Filippine Ghana India Maghreb Altre richieste concessi

1990 422 531 297 564 120 92 1.099 1.107 4.232 2.013 1991 263 553 465 738 233 173 2.778 2.282 7.485 4.864 1992 278 458 434 236 565 303 4.142 4.567 10.983 8.963 1993 438 641 673 180 193 533 5.009 4.806 12.473 11.376 1994 n.p. n.p. n.p. n.p. n.p. n.p. n.p. n.p. 3.151 2.513

Emilia Totale Romagna richieste

1990 562 1991 942 1992 1.020 1993 1.597 Totali n.p.

Fonte: Ministero dell'Interno e Ministero Affari Esteri. Elaborazione: Ministero del Lavoro e della Previdenza Sociale. Note: I dati relativi ai visti concessi in Italia 1993 sono al 30 novembre. I dati Italiani relativi al 1994 sono al 31 marzo 1994. Non disponiamo delle disaggregazioni per nazionalita relative all'Emilia Romagna per tutti i cinque anni presi in considerazione. I visti concessi non possono essere in relazione diretta con le richieste presentate perche l'anno di presentazione e di accettazione possono essere diversi.

Table 6. Persone residenti con cittadinanza straniera nel comune di Bologna per fasce di eta e sesso.

1994

Sesso

Eta Maschi Femmine Totale

0-4 anni 153 166 319 5-9 anni 114 130 244 10-14 anni 95 89 184 15-19 anni 97 74 171 20-24 anni 246 219 465 25-29 anni 870 489 1.359 30-34 anni 813 488 1.301 35-39 anni 578 371 949 40-44 anni 380 228 608 45-49 anni 201 118 319 50-54 anni 96 81 177 55-59 anni 58 50 108 60-64 anni 16 39 55 65 e oltre 48 65 113 Totale 3.765 2.607 6.372

Fonte: Anagrafe del Comune di Bologna. Elaborazione: Uf-ficio Statistica del Comune di Bologna. Note: I dati sono al 30 aprile 1994.

38 312 Tuttitalia, No. 14, December 1996 Recreation and Study: a Month in Tuscany

Jean Biggs Abbots Bromley

We were so lucky! Lucky to receive themen waiting as their ladies tried on the ALL borsa di studio, lucky to be free to spendshoes whilst we climbed up to another a month in Italy, lucky to find a campsitekind of cosmopolitan world. which would be open until the end of The Segreteria is as multi-lingual and October! Then, after spending the firstbusiness-like as that of any other language Sunday after the clocks had gone back inschool. A lot of English is to be heard, for driving from Lac de Chalain in the Jura,among its principal activities are the teach- through the Mont Blanc tunnel and acrossing of English to Italian students and the the plain to Fig line Valdarno outsideteaching of Italian to students from Britain Florence, we were lucky to be befriendedand elsewhere. Pictures and posters sug- by a local driver who led us through thegest a ceremonial, older England, but they darkness into the hills west of Fig line toare balanced by up-to-date Cambridge Camping Norcenni. There we were toldexamination syllabuses and the presence of first that we would be unable to have theyoung students from many countries who tent that we had booked. Then we wereaim to learn English. We joined the new invited to use instead a luxury staticstudents. I learned that my classes would caravan! take place every morning between 11am The British Institute of Florence hadand 1pm and that my teacher would be informed us that course registration wouldDott. Alessandro Gentili, the Director of take place at any time after 8.30am onItalian Studies, who is himself a contributor Monday, 25 September 1995. After over-to Tuttitalia. Then we were free to go and, coming such snags as car-parking nearhaving had little time in which to establish Fig line station, buying and validating ourourselves at the campsite, we returned to tickets (no reductions or timetables would Fig line. be available before 1 October), and locating We went to see the booking-clerk at the right platform, we got to Florence,Fig line station, in order to avoid queuing walking in brilliant sunshine from the sta-the next day. The round journey was cost- tion to the bank of the Arno and crossing bying us each 8,400 lire (about £4) and we Ponte alla Carraia to Lungarnosystematised it to the extent of buying suf- Guicciardini, home of the British Institute.ficient return tickets for the week. For We reached Palazzo Lanfredini just as theOctober we were promised the new Director, Dr Frank Woodhouse, was settingtimetable and the chance to fare un abbona- off to visit the classrooms. Back we allmento, to buy a monthly ticket with walked over the Arno to a heavy, battle-unrestricted travel. With one of these mented building just to the north of theapiece, costing 74,000 lire, we should break Ponte Santa Trinita called Palazzo Ferroni.even after the ninth day! In fact, we used Here on the third floor, above ground andthem sixteen times. With our minds now at first floors which house the showroomsrest, and an early start planned for the next and offices of Salvatore Ferragamo, is theday, we returned to explore the campsite. student area of the BritishInstitute. As we drove out of the town, we passed Through windows and doorways we couldalongside vineyards and olive groves. A watch the clients of the fashion-housethesign with which we would become very

Tuttitalia, No. 14, December 1996 4-1 / 39 .11 01 f! familiar announced «Siete nel mondo delcating with Carolina and Ulla. Cristina Gallo Nero...Chianti Classico». Our roadspoke fluent Italian, interspersed with her corkscrewed upward and for the first timenative Spanish. Things may have been we actually saw where we were. Bannersmore difficult for Sofia, but she never marked the ntrance to Norcenni Girasolesaid so. Club, our campsite. Inside the perimeter Our first written work was on the topic of fence, the hillside had been terraced to «Prime impressioni di Firenze». Brilliant sun- accommodate and conceal the tents, cara-light, red roofs, the dome of the cathedral vans, mobile homes, etc. From our terrace,seen from the train, a glimpse of the cam- we looked down on the tiled roofs of thepanile from the end of a narrow street, fish permanent buildings. Beyond them was aswimming lazily in the murky Arno all fenced area containing a duckpond fromthese figured in my essay. Yet my dominant which constantly arose the sound of ducksimpression was of a city that was the victim and geese. Sheep and goats grazed theof its own glory. The noise of the traffic and parched ground that surrounded it andthe traffic itself (in particular the lawless from time to time we heard the screams ofmotorini) make Florentine existence very peacocks and of something that soundedunrestful. Meantime, the splendour of the like a donkey. Beyond this area rose thebuildings and the marvels that they contain next hill, crowned with farm buildings. Thedraw in ever greater numbers of tourists to facilities of the site were excellent. If ouroccupy the restricted space. caravan had not already been self-sufficient During our first week, I think we were all in this respect, we could have made use ofattracted by the youth and charm of the showers, washing-up and laundry areas. girls. The person, however, who gave us all There was a well-stocked shop, excellenta sense of serious involvement was restaurant and the staff at the reception-American Jean. Her American husband desk were very helpful. worked for an Italian company and her son We caught an earlier train on Tuesdayhad been born in Milan. They had returned and I joined my class. Alessandro, quietto the States but had since been sent back and diffident, made the introductions.and were now living in Fiesole. Charlie, There were eight of us. Three, the ScotsJean's son, had just started, not at the husband and wife, Willis and Anna, and IAmerican school, but in the scuola ele- were pensionati. American Jean was in hermen tare of his area. He did not speak thirties. The others, Colombian Cristina,Italian, but his parents had taken their deci- German Carolina, Greek Sofia and Austriansion to ensure that he would have friends Ulla were young. Alessandro outlined theand a rooted existence. Since Alessandro course. After revising the use of the imper-had young children also, and the older fect tense,impersonalverbsandmembers of the class were retired teachers, conjunctive pronouns, we would go on toour central concern was to encourage Jean practise the conditional and subjunctive,and assist her to learn the language so that followed by thepassatoremoto. Onshe could help Charlie. Ulla had a similar Tuesdays and Thursdays we would start anneed for she was working as an au pair and hour earlier, taking part in a conversationhelping to look after young children. class with Teresa. Then the work begun theDuring the first week we learned a lot previous day was resumed. about Italian education, in particular about Instruction was for the most part inprovision for primary children. L'asilo nido Italian. As four of us were native speakersprovides care for those aged 3 months to 3 of English, and Alessandro, by the nature ofyears, for a certain period. La scuola materna his employment at the British Institute,takes them from 3 years to 6 years old. must have been Anglophile, there wereAfter that comes compulsory schooling, often explanations in English. The youngfirst in the scuola elementare and then in the students seemed to take this in their stride. scuola media inferiore. Since Alessandro was married to a German On Thursday we met Teresa for the first teacher, he had no difficulty in communi-time. We had to make a very early start,

40 Tuttitalia, No. 14, December 1996 travelling into Florence in company withket. Nothing, she declared, could be done crowds of young Italians who were goinguntil I went back and weighed and priced to the University or to the scuola media infe-them. She pointed to a separate machine riore. The effort was well worthwhile, forwhich required a numbered code. In total her brightness and energy were excitingdisorder, I raced back to the vegetables, and we tried to measure up to herconscious of a queue forming behind us at demands. On Thursdays there was alwaysthe checkout. I could not remember the a discussion of where we would go at theshelf from which I had taken them and so weekend, so I said that we might go tohad no number to feed into the machine. If Siena. a supervisor had not come to help, I might Meanwhile, we had been making dailywell have fouled up both systems! excursions into the city. Depending on the On Saturday, supplied with a merendawe starting-time of my classes, Jack wouldleft the campsite and for the first time took already have spent two or three hoursthe road in the opposite direction from exploring on his own and finding his wayFig line. The way wound westward through about. By the first Friday we had got as farthe hills of Chianti to Greve, where it joined as the duomo. The restored frescoes on the the strada regionale which links Florence and interior of the cupola were clear to the eye,Siena and becomes known as the Via but the Michelangelo Pieta was not. ThenChiantigiana. The thick green of forest trees we realisedthatitmust have beengradually gave way to more open country removed! We left the visit to the museumand barer hills with endless terraces of for another day, when the queue might beolives and vines shimmering in the heat- shorter. When eventually that time came,haze against a background of distant blue and we were on the point of joining thehills. We picnicked at a vantage point, short fila, we were waylaid by two Indiansstrolled round Castellina and then headed in a big car asking us how they could findsouthward towards Siena. To our right we their way out of the labyrinth of streets. Bysaw signposts for the Fattoria Rocca delle the time they were on their way, the queueMack, whose product Jack had already had magically multiplied, and we gave up.determined to buy. Gradually it became clear to usand this When we reached the city, we parked was confirmed by the reports of Willis andoutside the gates. After the crowds in Anna, who were living on the spot, andFlorence, we were astonished at the ease of were more determined than we thatmovement in Siena. We wandered in the queuing would bedevil everything that wegeneral direction of the Piazza del Campo undertook.Inaddition,though weand found it almost empty at this early explained, as our mentors at the Institutehour of the afternoon, and looking more had advised us, that we were pensionati, wemellow in the light of this time of year than gained concessions at the ticket-offices onat the time of the Palio. At the duomo I was only one occasion. So we continued toable to try out my new and improved enjoy daily the open-air delights of the city Italian. «Saprebbe dirmi dove si trovano le scul- the river, the great buildings, the markets,ture di Michelangelo?» I asked, being sure the wonderful fashion-shops, the publicthat I had glimpsed them in the semi-dark- placesbefore returning, quite early, to theness. The lady indicated and there, sure Cooperativa at Fig line and the peace of theenough, in the Piccolomini altar-piece were countryside. the early figures of St Peter and St Paul. The On our first visit to 'our' Cooperativa, wecrowds had grown and we started to go found a handwritten notice telling of a catback. By luck we found a discarded tourist that had been found. This seemed so home-map of Siena, which helped us to find the like, and the shopping experience was socar again. It also emboldened us to take a simple, that we were off our guard. Wecross-country road back towards Fig line. sailed through a checkout, only to beThis was not a good idea, as the metalled hauled back as the assistant got to the looseroad ran out in no time and then we tomatoes and fruit at the bottom of the bas-learned why so many local cars looked as if

e.1 Tuttitalia, No. 14, December 1996 41 1-1 P't o they had passed through a cement-works.by the booking-clerk at Fig line station, we The car juddered over some twelve miles ofrecommended them to consult him about a unmade road, through farms, over drylonged-for expedition to Rome and were stream-beds, and past rockfalls, before weourselves able to offer practical suggestions reached Radda in Chianti and our alternateand maps. The result was that they spent a route home. Jack could never be persuadedSunday achieving numerous delightful to take a strada senza rivestimento again. ambitions before starting back to England. During the second week we seemed toMeantime, we went off on the trail of Piero make better use of our time. We were moredella Francesca. familiar with the trains and with the times We took the Arezzo by-pass much when they were overcrowded (and conse-restoration is being done to Piero's pictures quently unbearably hot). One morningthereand drove through beautiful coun- Alessandro was speaking about Santatry eastward to San Sepolcro. The town is Croce. He spoke of its significance tonamed for Christ's grave, and in its civic Italians and of the sindrome di Stendhal, amuseum are a number of great paintings by condition of stupefaction produced by tooits most illustrious citizen, including the much upward-looking which had beenstartling Resurrezione where Christ is about known to afflict parties of middle-agedto step from his grave and pass beyond the women, leaving them with loss of memorysleeping guards, whose models we feel and in a sad state because no-one knewmust have been Piero's fellow-citizens. who they were. Jack and I found ourselvesFrom San Sepolcro we went to Monterchi, there without deliberately planning it.I his mother's birthplace, where his Madonna watched a family of tourists from the Fardel Parto, in her wonderfully-restored East photographing their children againstcolours, occupies a new location. Adjacent the memorial to Dante whose bones,to her, videos and other material explain Alessandro had reminded us that morning,the restoration processes. were buried at Ravennaand wondered The following day, Sunday, we went to why we were there. We went outside andCastellina again, and then dropped south- found on the buildings of Piazza Santawestward. After buying our wine at the Croce water-marks which show the flood-Fattoria Rocca delle Mack, whose courtyard levels of the Arno in 1557 and 1966. Theis embellished with a huge metal-and-wire waters had reached the first storeys of thesculpture of the Gallo Nero, we drove houses, and the marks spoke powerfully ofbeyond Poggibonsi to Volterra. The land- the spirit of the citizens. The following dayscape westward was of barren, rolling hills. we went up to Piazza le Michelangelo andThe destination was less agreeable than I looked down on their inheritance. remembered it, a very forbidding place That week we had one of those lessonswith horrendous parking problems. We that linger in the memory. Alessandrojoined the citizens, however, in the passeg- introduced us to some poems Natale agiata and spent much time browsing over Caffe Florian by Alfonso Gatto, and Il marethe alabaster ornaments. brucia le maschere by Giorgio Caproni. We As we entered the third week, our stud- were students of different ages and reli-ies were determinedly of the imperfect and gious traditions collaborating and beingpluperfect subjunctive and involved lots of enriched by the insights of a gifted teacher,exercises. In order to fit in Teresa's quota of who was coaxing us to develop our percep-oral work, we began at 9am one morning, tions. It was a rich reward for all our effortswhich involved our being up at about 7am. with the grammar. (This is hard on retired people!) The weath- Back at the campsite we had made a tourer grew ever hotter during the days, and at of the farm and had discovered that the the weekend we took the Autostrada Aurelia creature that sounded like a donkey was into Pisa. fact a llama. We had also made acquain- There we excelled ourselves, buying a tance and shared barbecues with ourmultiple ticket which allowed various neighbours. Having ourselves been helpedoptions. We climbed the stairs of the bap-

42 Tuttitalia, No. 14, December 1996 tistry and went round the duomo, believingtourists. We had studied newspaper articles that we still had one visit in reserve. Weabout drug-taking, the static birth-rate, on- were wrong, so did not get into the Campothe-spot penalties for failing to Santo to see the frescoes. The following day, 'convalidate' your ticket before beginning Sunday, we returned to Florence to attendyour journey, etc. We had talked of art, Harvest Festival at the English Church of Stpoetry, education, food and wine. We had Mark. We were welcomed by Bishop Ericenjoyed a notable off-the-cuff talk when Devenport, to whom we were taking theWillis had beguiled Alessandro into giving greetings of an old friend. The morninga history of Italian politics since the Second was wonderfully sociable, wine beingWorld War. It seemed that he had enjoyed offered in place of our customary coffee.teaching our class. We had certainly The church acts as the meeting-place of aenjoyed being in it. After the farewells, Jack great many English-speaking residents asand I rushed to San Marco, and were well as of visitors passing through. Weallowed concessions on the cost of the tick- enjoyed a long conversation with anets. The visit to the monastery and the American lady, a Professor of Fine Art, whobeautiful paintings of Fra Angelico was a was chaperoning a party of students inwonderful way in which to end our visit. Florence. When you read the account of our month Later that day we went back to the Montiin Italy, you may feel that we did not take del Chianti for our last expedition. It hadbest advantage of our time. Here was the been foggy in the morning. Now the viewsopportunity to see the wonderful things of the countryside were brilliantly sunlit.that we had missed on our previous short During one photo-stop I found porcupinevisit. Flooding and bomb outrages, howev- quills by the roadside. Then we found whater, have affected the way in which Florence all along we had hoped for, the vendemmiaguards her treasures. The Uffizi is now actually in progress, at Radda, the placetreated as if it were a holy place. The trea- where we had arrived by chance from Sienasures in the holy places themselves have two weeks previously. been moved intoadjacent museums. So into the last week we rushed, studyingNothing, however, has altered the layout of the passato remoto in the classroom andthe streets, the conglomeration of the build- making certain that we visited the churchings, or the excitement of catching sight of of S. Maria del Carmine so that we couldfamiliar domes, towers, palaces, and bell- see the restored Masaccio paintings in thetowers at the ends of narrow streets. Brancacci chapel. Your ticket allows you fif- In presenting this report of our stay in teen minutes and every lira is worthwhile.Tuscany to the members of the Association The New Testament stories live again asfor Language Learning, I would like to Masaccio's contemporaries act them out.thank: After yet another additional oral class we the ALL Italian essay competition were ready for the joint conversation class, organiser and judges; at which I enjoyed a tete-a-tete with an the British Institute of Florence for the Italian lady whose daughter was studying borsa di studio; English at a language school near Oxford. the British-Italian Society for their Since our daughter had studied Italian at award of £50; Bologna, we had much in common. By now my first Italian teacher, Dr Renata the members of the class were organising Wildig of Orpington (from Bari); the purchase and inscription of mementoes and my present Italian teacher, Dr for Alessandro and Teresa. We had shared Rodolfo Zambardino of Stafford (from with them our experiences as citizens and Catania).

Tuttitalia, No. 14, December 1996 43 lettera commerciale a Gest:, Bambino

Emilio Sciotti Tagelswangen, Svizzera

[We are again able to feature a piece from Emilio Tu dovrai convincere quella santa donna Sciotti, who notes that «al passo coi tempi, itdi tua madre ad accettare it dono di un no- tradizionale raccontino natalizio prende formastro rappresentante, che arrivera al Presepe di Lettera commerciale a Gesti Bambino», which subito dopo la mezzanotte. Lo riconoscerai loses none of its poignant irony by its somewhat perche invece del pellicciotto pastorale delayed appearance. Ed.] vestira un Barbour scozzese e al posto della formaggella terra in mano la nostra con- Bambinello stimatissimo: fezione standard da trentadue pezzi. Tutto Tanti e tanti anni fa io ti chiedevo ogniquello che la tua mamma dovra fare, appe- Natale la bici da corsa. Ero stato buono, mana si sara accesa la cometa della CNN e le tu non potevi, pazienza. Forse adesso mialtre telecamere della diretta, sara di met- puoi aiutare, in altro modo. Intanto, cometertiii pannolino termico usa-e-getta, stai? Hai freddo, anche quest'anno. Ma itmentre tu dovrai sorridere beato e sgam- it prossimo sara diverso, se darai retta a me. bettare,standoattentoperta non Mi presento: Cavaliere Salvino Prosciu-nascondere l'etichetta CULCAL (culetto gatelli, industriale di Romagnano Treponti.caldo). A questo punto Pippo Baudo in Sono l'inventore del CULCAL (marchioMondovisione annuncera it siparietto dello registrato) che garantisce un caldo e asciut-sponsor. Il coro degli angeli accompagnato tobenessereamilionidineonati.dagli zampognari eseguira la versione pub- Esportiamo in settanta paesi e abbiamoblicitaria della ben nota canzoncina: seminato fabbriche da Buenos Aires a«Tu scendi dalle stelle o re del cielo Bombay. Gli Americani ci fanno la guerra e vieni in una grotta al freddo e al gelo col loro modello unisex, vorrebbero stop-ma it divino sederino questa volta non ci sta pare la nostra espansione planetaria. vuole it caldo pannolino della Ora tu, Bambinello caro, dovresti dare CULCAL spaaa.0 una mano a not Italiani, perche se e vero Dopo di che, vengo io a prendervi in eli- che non sei nato a Roma, e pert) vero che acottero e vi porto all'Hilton di Betlemme, Roma hai messo in piedi una multi-dove alloggerete nella «Suite dei Re Magi» nazionale che gira da duemila anni. Io ho ina spese della ditta. mano un brevetto d'oro, e quel che ti pro- Ciao, ti voglio tanto bene e sento che sta- pongo sarebbe una joint venture per fregarevolta non mi deluderai. gli Americani. In fede, it socio tuo, Cosa dovrai fare? Salvino

318 44 Tuttitalia, No. 14, December 1996 Review article: Parole

Tom Baldwin University degli Studi di Milano Parole: 10 percorsi nel lessico italiano 8. Metafora: it significato figurato che le eserciziguidati.Serena Ambroso & parole possono assumere; Giovanna Stefancich, Roma, Bonacci Editore 9. Derivazione:it meccanismo che con- (Collana 'L'italiano per stranieri'), 1993, 149 sente di formare parole da altre; pp., UK price (1996) (paperback) £11.25, ISBN10. Residui e prestiti: parole ereditate o 88-7573-257-4. UK distributor: European importate da altre lingue. Schoolbooks Limited, Cheltenham. Giovanna Stefancich is responsible for sections 1, 3, 4, 7 and 8, whilst sections 2, 5, 6, 9 and 10 are the work of Serena Ambroso. Until recent years, the specific teaching of Every one of the ten self-contained units lexis per se in courses in Italian as a foreignis preceded by a two-page theoretical intro- language has been one aspect of appliedduction that serves to whet the foreignor linguistics that has been relatively neglect-even, the authors hope, the Italian Llstu- ed: contrast the situation in the teaching ofdent's appetite concerning the linguistic English as a foreign language. Parole setsfacts on which the topic area is based. In out to bridge this gap by making studentsSinonimi we learn, for instance, about aware of the relationships that exist'sinonimi locali' (p. 2)regional usage, or between words (such as synonymy, polyse-what are called (but we are not told this) my, metaphor, etc.), by capitalising on and'geosinonimi': e.g.«tin panino di forma activating pre-existing linguistic knowl-rotonda, che nell'Italia centrale e una 'roset- edge and by offering new lexisforta', e una 'michetta' in Lombardia». One acquisition. can call to mind from one's own linguistic As the sub-title indicates, Parole is divid-experience of Italy myriad examples of this ed into ten different areas of lexicology andbabel. Under the same heading, register is semantics that can be used as the teacher orincluded as a distinguishing factor in the learner sees fit since the exercises are notchoice of 'sinonimi': e.g. «Mi sono fatto una graded in terms of increasing difficulty.macchia/una patacca». 'Sinonimi settoriali' These areas are: are mentioned (p. 25): e.g. «incidente di 1. Antonimia: rapporti di opposizione framacchina --->sinistro», «mal di testa le parole; emicrania», «negoziante esercente», 2. Sinonimia: identity di significato in«casa --> abitazione» and «indirizzo parole diverse; domicilio». 3. Intensity: i diversi gradi di forza seman- In Collocazione (p. 52), we are reminded tica; indeed, have we ever asked ourselves why 4. Collocazione: i modi obbligati in cui leuntil now?«Combinazioni abituali sono: parole si associano; un 'bicchiere di vino' ma un 'boccale di birra', 5. Polisemia: piu significati in una stessaun 'pacchetto di sale' e non una 'scatola' parola; nonostante it sale sia piuttosto venduto in 6.Inclusione: rapporti fra parole gene-scatole e, al contrario, una 'scatoletta di riche e specifiche; tonno' anche se la confezione abituale del 7. Connotazione: le parole possono averetonno all'olio e in lattine e con le scatole ha colorazioni emotive; ben poco a che fare». Prof.ssa Stefancich

Tut-Naha, No. 14, December 1996 45 offers us, however, a word of warningbelong to different word-classes: cf. 'rego- (p. 53): «Numerosissime, e fonte di grosselare'adj., vb.; 'ora'noun, advb.; 'vano' - difficolta per chi impara la lingua italiana,noun, adj.; 'suono'noun, vb.; 'piano' sono le collocazioni proprio fisse: determi-noun, adj., advb. All examples discussed nate parole, e solo quelle, creano gruppiare contextualised. obbligati, idiomi, forme proverbiali, espres- Inclusione deals with hyponymy, the rela- sionicristallizzatedall'usoche nontionship of implicit inclusion. (The reverse ammettono varianti». She quotes as exam-relationshipone of implicit denialis, of ples 'felice come una Pasqua' (rather thancourse, 'incompatibility'). «'Mobile' e 'come un Natale'!), or 'bagnato come uniperonimo ('superordinate') di 'sedia' e pulcino' (not 'come una gallina'!), etc. She'armadio', 'tavolo', etc. [isn't 'ecc.' the usual ends «... l'unica conclusione che la linguaItalian abbreviation? - p. 78] che, di conver- consente e quella codificata in 'non sonoso, sono suoi iponimi ('hyponyms' or tutte rose e fiori'»: a nice touch of irony to'co-hyponyms')» (p. 78). We are reminded, make the point! if we hadn't met the concept before, that Section 5 deals with aspects of semantic«L'insieme degli iponomi di uno stesso ter- ambiguity: multiple meaning or 'polyse-minevieneacostituireun campo my'. Here, Prof.ssa Ambroso rightly pointssemantico omogeneo». out what a glance at any monolingual dic- One of the most interesting features out- tionarywillreveal:thatthesamelined in the theoretical introduction to the morphological word may have a range offollowing section on Connotazione is on suf- different meanings: e.g. «un 'espresso' = unfixation. Professors Anna Laura and Giulio francobollo/un caffe/un treno». She takesLepschy had already regaled us with their her argument a stage further (p. 64): «Nondiscussion of this phenomenon (which is sempre, pero, i diversi significati di parolealso treated in Parole under the section on polisemiche si corrispondono nelle lingue.Derivazione) in their The Italian Language Cio costituisce uno degli scogli maggioriToday (London: Routledge, 19882; monolin- nell' apprendimentodi unalinguagual Italian version, La lingua italiana, straniera». The writer then makes the dis-Milano: Bompiani, 1993-), at VI: Sixteen tinction that «Sono polisemiche anchePoints of Syntax: 3, Evaluative Suffixes, pp. quelle parole che harm() assunto un signifi-176-182. Now Giovanna Stefancich informs cato concreto e uno astratto». She cites, asthe learner that «Per connotare negativa- onesetof two pairsof examples:mente epiuttostoregolarel'usodi «L'appartamento ha la cucina troppo picco-'-accio'/'-accia'» (p. 93) and quotes the folla» and «Mi piace la cucina italiana». We arelowing examples: 'un romanzaccio', 'una also introduced to homographs: «Vi sonogiornataccia' and 'una vitaccia', with poi parole polisemiche che, pur ugualiperiphrastic explanations. She adds: «E nella forma, doe omografe, si differenzianoraro, invece, e poco affidabile l'uso di altri per il genre loro attribuito» (pp. 64-65): e.g.suffissi negativi come '-ucolo' e '-astro'», «il /la radio». Next, 'nipote' is singled out:going on to instruct in further points of 01' italiano infatti, a differenza di altreusage: «Ancora meno sicuri nell'uso sono lingue, non distingue fra 'figlio (o figlia) delsuffissi come '-etto' o '-ino' che, usati d'abi- figlio (o della figlia)' e 'figlio (o figlia) deltudine per fare i diminutivi, concorrono fratello o della sorella'». Interpretation as tosolo in pochi casi a dare connotazioni meaning'lo zio' or 'il nonno'?lies in «ungradevoli e affettuose ('un pranzetto', 'un contesto linguistico pin ampio o di altremaritino', 'una zietta9» (p. 93). conoscenze sui rapporti famigliari ...». Pre- Prof .ssa Stefancich reminds the learner of and post-positioning of adjectives canthe dangers inherent in the use of metaphor change meaning and 'diverso' is the exam-(Metafora) at the end of the introduction to ple chosen to illustrate the point. A specialthe section: «Tanto maggiore e la resistenza case is made for the very many homo-se la metafora la vogliamo trasferire di peso graphs that can have more than onein un'altra lingua. Non sempre infatti, anzi grammatical function and that thereforepiuttosto raramente, le metafore si cor-

46 0 Tuttitalia, No. 14, December 1996

%;* rispondono in lingue diverse, per quantomethods and techniques of word-forma- 'ovvie' e 'logiche' possano sembrare a chi letion. A note of caution, however: «La usa nella sua lingua madre» (p. 105). Ascombinazione di suffissi e prefissi con le Prof. Peter Newmark has pointed out "...basi e un fenomeno solo in parte regolare: it metaphor is at the centre of all problems ofterreno della derivazione e irto di tranelli» translation theory, semantics and linguis-(p. 116). This warning is explained: «Una tics..." (Approaches to Translation, Oxford:prima difficolta risiede nel fatto che una Pergamon, 1982, p. 96). More so perhapsstessa parola di partenza assai spesso pub than in the other areas selected by thedare origine a pill parole derivate che con- authors of Parole, the meaning in the case ofservano solo una parte di significato metaphor has to be interpreted, decoded, incomune». The following examples are the L2 (the target language) first, sincegiven: «'interrogare' /'interrogazione' / metaphor comes within the field of idioms'interrogatorio' /'interrogativo'; `scrittore' / that can range from the semi-transparent to'scrivente'/'scrivano'/'scrittura' / the totally opaque. Only then can transla-'scrittoio' /'scrivania'», with explanations tionadmittedly beyond the avowed scopeprovided as to meaning. Another reason and aims of this book be considered,follows: «Un'altra difficolta e che non tutte although a possible use for some of thele combinazioni sono possibili e accettate exercises, not only in the section onnell'uso». Consequently, we find unpre- metaphor but also in others, could be trans-dictable examples such as «'una ragazza lation from Italian L2 into the motherfortunate' (= che ha 'fortunalf coraggiosa' tongue Ll. Giovanna Stefancich treats the(= che ha 'coraggio'); 'affamata' (< ha learner to the amusing example of what it'fame')/'infreddolita' (< 'freddo')/ means to say that «Una donna e una 'bale-'raffreddata' (< 'raffreddore' < 'freddo')». na'» - an image which, deflated, decoded,Particularly productive, it seems, are the loses so much: «una donna di straordinaria suffixes in -zione, -men to, -aggio, -ura in the grassezza» (p. 104). The richness of lan-caseof nouns derivedfromverbs. guage that produces metaphors connectedSignificantly, some verbs permit combina- with «un nostro passato contadino» is indi-tion with more than one suffix:e.g. cated: wmettere it carro davanti ai buoi' «'inserire' > 'inserimento' (degli handicap- 'darsi la zappa sui piedi/». Another fre-pati)» and «'inserzione' (pubblicitaria); quent stock of metaphors is described (and 'atterrare' > 'atterraggio' (di un aereo)» and the pun, another nice touch of humour in«'atterramento' (di un pugile)». Other suf- this book, will not go unnoticed!): «Anchefixes are illustrated. dal campo marinaro di metafore se ne pe- The final theoretical introduction is on scano parecchie: 'tirare i remi in barca' perResidui e prestiti. A great deal is made of 'ritirarsi', 'avere it vento in poppa' perLatinisms (cf. Cesare Marchi, Siamo tutti 'trovarsi in situazione favorevole', etc.»latinisti, Milano: RCS Rizzoli, 1986), which (p. 105). Many recent metaphors deriveis fair enough. Prof.ssa Ambroso discusses from «la cultura dell'automobile», forexamples of 'parole straniere' which «... in example: «'essere su di giri', 'fare marciaun certo senso vengono 'italianizzate'» indietro','avere una marcia in phi'».(p. 128). The process of Italianisation may Explanations are given. A final word oninvolve ignoring the morphological marker appropriacy in the use of metaphor: «E daof, for instance, the plural form in the lan- sfatare l'opinione abbastanza diffusa che laguage of origin: e.g. «I moon-boot (un tipo di metafora sia proprio dello stile elevato,stivali dopo-sci) sono molto comodi». It della letteratura e della poesia: essa appar-may well cause the arbitrary attribution of tiene invece a tutti i livelli culturali e a tuttia grammatical gender, as in «la 'suspence'» i registri linguistici». and «il 'weekend'». Most significantly, a In Derivazione, Prof.ssa Ambroso dealsnew meaning altogether may be given to with 'Derivation', strictly a branch of mor-the prestito: e.g. 'body', 'slip'. Lastly, in com- phology, involving as it does prefixion,pounds, the final element may be lost: e.g. suffixation or affixation as some of the«'beauty' < 'beauty case' (= 'la valigetta

Tuttitalia, No. 14, December 1996 47 porta cosmetici')» and «'pony' < 'pony It is often said that multi-word (including express' (= ragazzo che in motorino siphrasal) verbs are peculiar to the English sposta da un luogo all'altro della citta perlanguage with its Anglo-Saxon roots. This recapitare la corrispondenza')» (p. 129). Ais, of course, an exaggeration (cf. John word of explanation is offered: «QualcheBlackwood, English phrasal verbs in Italian, prestito entra nell'uso per colmare lacuneLondon: Hodder & Stoughton, 1985, now del lessico italiano». Leaving aside «tutti iout of print). The section in Parole on syn- termini legati all'informatica e alla tecnolo-onymy contains, for example, an exercise gia che denotano oggetti o concetti nuovi»,on 'verbi frasali' (e.g. 'andare avanti/su', Prof.ssa Ambroso cites loan-words assimi-'mettere sotto/su', etc.), inviting the learner lated into Italian from English ('best seller';to substitute phrasal verbs (given in a cf. Ivan Klajn, Influssi inglesi nella lingua ital- group at the head of the exercise) for iana, Firenze: Olschki, 1972, but without astraight infinitives. word-index; also Gaetano Rando, Dizionario In the section on Collocazione, it could be degli anglicismi nell'italiano postunitario,observed that underlying phonemic pat- Firenze: Olschki, 1987), from French ('tourterning is a strong contributory factor in de force'), German ('kitsch'), Spanish'fixing' word order: for example, Exercise 4 ('golpe') and Russian ('glasnost'). «Piti(p. 56) requires pairs of single words to be numerose sono le parole straniere che usi-matched, so that among the answers we amo per una sorta di pigrizia linguistica,have 'testa /croce', 'sale/pepe', `rosso/ per moda, esibizionismo o altro»: hence thenero', 'olio / aceto' and 'acqua/sapone'. The use of 'freezer' for 'congelatore', 'check up'order is 'fixed' collocationally: the reverse for'controllo medico', 'check in'fororder is not permissible (cf. the English 'accettazione' at the airport, 'full time' for 'a'(1) black and (2) white' and the Italian tempo pieno', 'telenovela' for 'teleroman- '(1) bianco e (2) nero'). On a note of levity, it zo' and 'frappe' for 'frullato'. would seem that the collocational order In each of the ten parts, immediately fol-reflected in the triplet that describes the lowing the theoretical introductions, therecolours of the Italian flag is not solely are between eight to seventeen exercises of'fixed' by linguistic rules but also by the varying complexity and difficulty that con-written form of the Costituzione della stitute the bulk of Parole: 10 percorsi nelRepubblica Ita liana (Art. 12): '(1) verde, (2) lessico italianoesercizi guidati. The exercisesbianco e (3) rosso' (cf. the syntactic and exploit all of the linguistic points derivingphonemic patterning that 'fix' collocation- from the introductory descriptions of theally the colours of the Union Jack: '(1) red, areas covered, which is why little space will (2) white and (3) blue')! be given here to accounting for a taxonymy The typography and lay-out exemplify of exercise types. The exercises are not inter-the excellence of Italian publishing house dependent and so can be used by beginnersstandards. I noticed only one refuso (on in the Italian language whilst others take forp. 44, Ex. 6, no. 3 'stempre' and a single granted a more developed knowledge ofquotation mark omitted before '-accia' on the structures of the language. As an aid top. 93, 1.4). Although 'la suspence' (p. 129, comprehension of the mechanism of a par-1.2) is found (rarely), nowadays it is rather ticular exercise, although the instructionsa dubious representation of the etymologi- are consistently in Italian, it has to be saidcal spelling with '-s-' that both Zingarelli that most of the exercises are preceded by a(12th edition) and 'il Ragazzini, terza edi- completed example. The skills involved arezione, 1995' register as the sole one. mainly of recognition (perception?) ratherParticularly helpful as an aid to reference than of actual production. The types of exer-and consultation is the indexing of every cise range from gap-filling to matching,page of every section by means of having from word-transformation/shift of registerprinted all ten topics or areas in a column to the identification of grammatical cate-on the right-hand side but with the specific gories or gender and substitution. Thetopic that is being treated at a given point exercises are varied and stimulating. being typographically highlighted all

48 2 Tuttitalia, No. 14, December 1996 .0, achieved through the use of only threethe end, although the editors admit that colours: black, white and two shades ofthere may be other acceptable variants grey. The fact that, on the left-hand page inwhich can be discussed with a teacher, the margin, there is printed the name of thewhere there is one. In no way can Parole area under consideration, e.g. Connotazione,replace a structured course in Italian L2/3, makes it impossible to forget the topic.etc. It is not intended by the writers to be a Such typographical differentiation ensurescomplete course in the language, nor do the that confusion between the various lexico-ten 'blocks' of esercizi guidati represent a set logical and semantic areas is avoided.order for learning purposes. The learner These are simple but thoughtfully effectiveand teacher can use Parole selectively and, devices from the pedagogical point of view.in this sense, it is an invaluable (re)source The book is not a course book as such norbook. To my knowledge, Parole breaks new is it a manual based on contrastive analysisground in its presentation of lexis of Italian with other languages. Italian is the sole lan-as a foreign language. Its whole approach is guage used throughout and all answers areinnovatory and it represents a significant required in Italian, usually from the optionsand important contribution to the learning provided. The whole of Parole is written inand teaching of Italian, both for foreign and «um lingua neutra, mai marcata» so that,mother-tongue learners. for instance, the model presented is not It may just be worth pointing out two suitable for Italian for Special Purposes.titles of pedagogical interest on how to use The text is not without touches of humour,the dictionary, aimed at native and foreign as has been pointed out. Nor does it shunlearners of Italian: Federico Roncoroni, Fare the realities of life as reflected, for example,italiano con it dizionario. Quaderno didattico in Exercise 3 of Connotazione, where thecon esercizi guidati, Milano: Mondadori, learner is asked to pair words having 'una1987 (now out of print); and, 'in chiave con- connotazione neutra o positiva' with 'unatrastiva', Wanda D'Addio e Giovanna connotazione negativa': answers includeStefancich, Usare bene it dizionario (Collins 'omosessuale' /'frocio', 'meridionale' /'ter- Giunti) inglese-italiano italiano-inglese. rone', lattore'guitto', etc. Peter NewmarkEsercizi guidati, Firenze: Giunti Marzocco, has called these connotations reflecting dif-1986 (see also below). As indicated at the ferentiated grades of register'stylisticbeginning of this review article, there are scales' (A Textbook of Translation, Hemelmany dictionary workbooks available for Hempstead: Prentice Hall, 1988, pp. 14-15).English L2, including at least one published Apart from these words, the language usedin Italy: N. Aresca e B. Schmid, Chi cerca contains examples of real, living Italian:trova. Guida all'uso del dizionario inglese, Section 7, Ex. 7, no. 7 (p. 98), «Ho compratoFirenze: Sansoni, 1989. questi accendini in spiaggia da un ambu- In sum, Parole: 10 percorsi nel lessico ital- lante»wheresubstitutionwith«vu' ianoesercizi guidati is to be recommended cumpra» is invited (from a given list ofthoroughly and enthusiastically to teacher words with a negative connotation); or no. and learner alike. 5, «Ho dato qualche soldo a un mendicante» By way of an addendum and expansion where the answer expected is «accattone».on the above, and staying on the theme of Even the twenty pages of theoretical intro-Words, words, words, students and teachers ductions use everyday rather than arcaneof Italian may find the following publica- literaryconstructions:e.g.«Riccardotions of interest: loportaascuolaEnrico»(p.79); 1. Virginia Browne, Elena Mendes and «Continuamente di metafore se ne formano Gabriele Natali, More and more False ...» (p. 105). FriendsBugs and Bugbears. Dizionario I suggest that Parole is a tool for learn- di ambigue affinitaetranellinella ing/teaching that can be used flexibly, traduzione fra inglese e italiano con Word selectively, with a class or by the individual Games, Bologna: Zanichelli, 1995, 432 working alone, given that the answers to all pp., rilegato, Lit. 48.000, ISBN 88 -08- the exercises are unequivocally provided at 09426-A: a combined edition, with the Tuttitalia, No. 14, December 1996 323 49 addition of 'Word Games', of two sep- ('Didattica viva 216'; 'Quaderni del arate titles which appeared, LENDLingua e Nuova Didattica'), respectively, in 1987 and 1989. 1993, 309 pp., brossura, Lit. 29.000, 2.Wanda D'Addio e Giovanna Stefancich ISBN 88-221-1238-5: Two sections: (a cura di), Ltsare bene it dizionario 'Dizionari: contenuti, tipologia, carat- (Collins Giunti) inglese-italiano italiano- teristiche' by Stefania Nuccorini (three inglese. Eserciziguidati,Firenze: sub-sections, treating examples from GiuntiMarzocco,1986,93pp., English language learner's dictionar- brossura, Lit. 6.000: intended to be ies), and 'Da lla descrizione all'uso' (six used in conjunction with C. Love, essays dealing with, for example, 11 Collins-Giunti. Dizionario Inglese- dizionario nella didattica dell'italiano' Italiano Italiano-Inglese, London- by Maria Emanuela Piemontese). Firenze: Collins-Giunti, 1985 (on sale in 7.Desmond O'Connor, A History of Italian the UK as The Collins Italian Concise and English bilingual dictionaries, Firenze: Dictionary), this Workbook is divided Leo Olschki, 1990, 186 pp., brossura, into two sections: 'Parte prima. Con- Lit. 49.000, ISBN 88-222-3728-5. sultare it dizionario inglese-italiano e 8.Giuseppe Ragazzini, II Ragazzini Terza italiano-inglese' (11 sub-sections) and Edizione. Dizionario inglese-italiano ital- 'Parte seconda. Propriety e use di iano-inglesediGiuseppeRagazzini, parole inglesi' (12 sub-sections). rilegato, Lit. 108.000: the thirdeven 3. Lucia Incerti Caselli (progettazione e bigger, even better!edition of a well- realizzazione dell'opera),Il Nuovo established two-way dictionary. The Dizionario Hazon Garzanti inglese-ital- first edition came out in 1967, the sec- iano italiano-inglese, Milano: Garzanti, ond in 1984 with illustrations ('Tavole 1990 (1993 riveduto), 2,429 pp., rilega- a colori9, as in the present edition to, Lit. 108.000, ISBN 88-11-10321-9: the (1988). third edition of an old favourite whose 9.Gaetano Rando, Dizionario degli angli- first edition appeared in April 1961, cismi nell'italiano postunitario, Firenze: followed by the second edition in Leo Olschki, 1987, 256 pp., rilegato, Lit. August 1962, with many reprints. 70.000, ISBN 88-222-3493-6: the compil- 4. Carla Mare llo, Dizionari bilingui. Con er of this dictionary published some of schede sui dizionari italiani per francese, his first articles on Anglicisms in Italian inglese,spagnolo,tedesco,Bologna: in the former Association of Teachers of Zanichelli, 1989. Italian (ATI) Journal and in Lingua 5. MichaelMcCarthy(ed.)etalii, nostra. traduzione e edizione italiana a cura 10.Sebastiano Vassalli, Il Neoitaliano. Le diMargheritaUlrych,Cambridge parole degli anni Ottanta (scelte e raccon- Word Routes inglese-italiano. Dizionario tate da Sebastiano Vassalli), Bologna: tematicodell'inglesecontemporaneo, Zanichelli, 1989, rilegato, Lit. 24.000: Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, although the original edition of this 1995, 468 pp., ISBN (paperback) 0 -521- work has been rather overtaken by 42223-X; (hardback) 0-521-48025-6. time, the 'versione economica' which 6. Stefania Nuccorini et alii, La parola the appeared in 1991 (brossura, Lit. 12.000) non so. Saggio sui dizionari pedagogici, has an update'Le parole del 1990' Scandicci(FI):La NuovaItalia in appendice.

324 50 Tuttitalia, No. 14, December 1996 AI Reviews

Reviews Editor Carole Shepherd Collins Pocket Italian Dictionary. Newgrateful for a list of cardinal and ordinal edition, Glasgow, Harper Collins, 1996, £7.99,numbers and a list of common irregular ISBN 0-00-4703995. verbs. There are some very good examples and The Collins Pocket Italian Dictionary newexplanations of other uses of words. I edition is a new addition to the Collinslooked up the word la pasticceria in the range and offers 40,000 references andItalian-English section and found: pastic- 70,000 translations. Headwords are in red, ce'ria [pastitte'ria] sf (pasticcini) pastries pl, in order to make it easier to find thecakes pl; (negozio) cake shop; (arte) confec- required word. A clear differentiation oftionery. Lower down the same page I found meanings is given such that the user maya very clear definition for pastina sf small choose the most accurate translation. Extrapasta shapes used in soup. Looking up help is given with the most frequently used caffe, I found caffe sm inv coffee; (locale) café; words such as cosi, molto, volere. The book macchiato coffee with a dash of milk; also includes the vocabulary associatedmacinato ground coffee. with current issues: BSE, New Age, lipo- An extremely valuable addition to the suction, genetic engineering. In additionCollins dictionary range, there is no doubt there is a word game section designed tothat the Collins Pocket Italian Dictionary, new give the user practice in exploring the dic-edition, will appeal to many students of tionary'scontentsandinretrievingItalian.Itwould beeasyforthe information for a variety of purposes.autonomous learner of any age to make Answers are provided at the end of theimmediate use of the book. For the exami- section. nation candidate the extra sections on As all GCSE candidates will be able todictionary use, irregular verbs, numbers, use a dictionary as from 1998, I was inter-fractions, the time and False Friends would ested in looking at the dictionary with theprove a very helpful reference. I feel Collins young student in mind. Although Collinshave included as much information as is have chosen to call this edition a 'Pocket' possible in a small volume. dictionary, its size makes it rather cumber-CAROLE SHEPHERD some for the average jacket pocket! This St Mary's Comprehensive School minor criticism apart, I found much to rec- Newcastle-upon-Tyne ommend this edition to the examination candidates and adults whom I teach. ThereAscoltami! 22 situazioni comunicative. are clear explanations on the correct use ofSabrina Maffei e Maurizio Spagnesi, Roma, a dictionary and the puzzles and wordBonacci Editore ('L'italiano per stranieri'), game section would give students ample 1995, 92 pp., Lit. 18.000 (+2 audiocassette, Lit. opportunity to practise such use. This32.000 + IVA), ISBN 88-7573-305-8. would ensure valuable time was not lost during examinations. I found the section on Una delle maggiori difficolta dell'inseg- words with more than one meaning andnamento comunicativo di una lingua the False Friends section extremely helpful. straniera e quella di sviluppare le capacita Moreover, students are always extremely ,di comprendere e di dialogare dei discenti

TuttitalM, No. 14, December 1996 325 51 anche nella primissima fase dell'apprendi- Il volume pub essere utilizzato sia quale mento. Questo libro agevola it lavoro deisupporto a corsi a struttura non comunica- docenti e, grazie alle due audiocassette,tiva, sia quale libro di testo (manuale) per i consente it consolidamento delle situazionicorsi orali dei primi livelli. Ottimo anche e strutture comunicative attraversoitper quei corsi di italiano per chi conosca gia lavoro individuale nel laboratorioun po' la lingua, ma necessiti prima di linguistico. andare in Italia di esercizi comunicativi. Il volume e organizzato per units didat-ALESSANDRA BERTINI MALGARINI fiche tematiche di 4 pagirte (per un totale di Universities of Strathclyde and Glasgow 22 diverse situazioni comunicative, da 'Alla stazione', a 'Invitare amici', 'Dal parruc-Italian Business Cassette Pack. Berlitz, chiere','In giro per la citta', ecc.), di1996, £10.95, ISBN 2-8315-5157-9. difficolta progressiva, ma con la medesima struttura. La situazione viene introdotta da The Italian Business Cassette Pack is a new illustrazioni delle parole chiave che con-addition to the Berlitz range and was pro- sentono di capire l'argomento. Si passa poiduced to assist people who do business al primo ascolto del dialogo che nel nastrowith Italy. The 75-minute cassette contains e riprodotto rispecchiando la situazione16 dialogues which include 152 key expres- reale (velocity, pause, intonazione, rumori,sionsfora wide range of business ecc.), mentre in un successivo ascolto, itsituations: Introducing yourself; Fixing dialogo viene riproposto con delle pauseappointments; Making and taking calls; pill lunghe, che consentono e un eventualeSocialising; Handling business presenta- ricupero di cib che non si e capito tions; Managing meetings, giving opinions; e una possibile ripetizione delle struttureNegotiating;Managingprojects;and comunicative. Attraverso un breve eser-Evaluating performance. Within the pack cizio a risposta vero/falso viene verificatathere is a helpful audio-acript, which la comprensione. A questo punto it dialogoincludes a transcript of all the recorded put) essere analizzato con la lettura dellaphrases and dialogues. trascrizione (anche in questo caso c'e la Also in the pack is the Berlitz Italian possibility di un approccio attivo perche siBusiness Phrase Book, which is available sep- richiede di riempire degli spazi) e i mede-aratelyatachargeof£4.95(ISBN simi meccanismi comunicativi propri di2-8315-5161-7). This little book contains ogni differente situazione vengono ripro-over 1,400 essential business phrases and posti ancora una volta, in un testosemprean English-Italian dictionary containing in forma dialogicada ricostruire. over 2,500 business terms. The quick Vengono poi introdotte nuove parole,referencesystemiscolour-codedto sempre associate ad immagini e semprefacilitate access to the various sections: nella stessa sfera comunicativa, che sipurple for 'Making contact'; orange for richiede di utilizzare nel creare con un coin-'Communication skills'; green for 'Company pagno un nuovo dialogo. Una serie didepartments'; yellow for 'Industries and conversazioni 'guidate' (anche queste diProfessions'; black for the English-Italian difficolta progressiva), di role play, e didictionary; and blue for the Italian-English ulteriori ascolti di breve battute con-dictionary cludono l'unita. The Italian Business Cassette Pack is clear- La chiarezza dei testi dei dialoghi, laly a very handy reference for anyone going vericita delle situazioni presentate, la vari-on a business trip to Italy, entertaining eta degli esercizi, la possibility di analisi deian Italian visitor, or corresponding by meccanismi comunicativi ma anche delletelephone,faxorletterwithan strutture grammaticali, la ripetizione inItalian-speaking business partner. The forme diverse delle strutture comunicative,autonomous learner is able to select those e la possibility di lavoro individuale, sonosections of the phrase book or cassette solo alcuni dei pregi di questo piccolowhich are most appropriate. There is a quanto utilissimo testo. Contents page at the beginning of the

52 Tuttitalia, No. 14, December 1996 phrase book to help the user find theindicano i curatori, alle ricerche interdisci- required phrases. For instance, practicalplinari e 'will, in particular, provide space guidelines for telephoning are providedfor critical thinking about current develop- in the section 'Making contact'. This sec-ments in different branches and offer tion is further divided into: 'Businessopportunities to engage in sustained inter- communication', 'Arranging appointments',disciplinary debate'. 'Travelling around', and 'Introductions'. Proprio per non perdere questa prospet- All nouns are given with the appropriatetiva e non disperdersi, it JMIS non intende definite article and the gender is givenentrare in campi gia ampiamente coperti da where l' is used. Helpful advice is givenaltre riviste, quali quelli degli studi di let- where necessary, for instance on the use ofteratura o di storia dell'arte, e pone come the article with Signore. limite cronologico l'inizio del XVIII secolo. The Italian Business Cassette Pack is anAmpio spazio e infine riservato alle recen- invaluable resource for the autonomoussioni critiche dei piu recenti studi su learner and the business man/woman whoargomenti affini a quelli che si propone di wishes to commit to memory some impor-discutere la rivista. Un sommario, in ita- tant phrases. I feel it could also be used,liano, degli articoli pubblicati chiude it however, by a skilful teacher during avolume. course for adult students who have some Questo it contenuto del no. 1 del JMIS: R. dealings with their Italian counterparts.Romanelli, 'Urban patricians and "bour- Obviously, in this case it could be used ingeois" society: a study of wealthy elites in conjunction with other language-teachingFlorence, 1862-1904', pp. 3-21; J. Blatt, 'The material. battle of Turin, 1933-1936: Carlo Rosselli, The main value of this small pack lies inGiustizia e Liberta, OVRA and the origins the wide range of business terms and ter-of Mussolini's anti-Semitic campaign', pp. minologyit encompasses. As not all22-57; D. Moss, 'Patronage revisited: the dictionaries include such terminology, thedynamics of information and reputation', Italian Business Cassette Pack will, I am sure,pp. 58-93; H. Stuart Hughes, 'Doing Italian prove extremely helpful. history: pleasure and politics', pp. 94-100; CAROLE SHEPHERD P. Bondanella, 'Recent work on Italian St Mary's Comprehensive School cinema',pp.101-123;e D.Sassoon, Newcastle-upon-Tyne 'Tangentopoli or the democratization of corruption: considerations on the end of Journal of Modern Italian Studies (JMIS).Italy's First Republic', pp. 124-143. Vol. 1, no. 1, Fall 1995, London /New York, Sono previsti numeri monografici su Rout ledge, ISSN 1354-571X. argomenti di grande attualita: la crisi della Prima Repubblica; la famiglia nella societa Fa sempre piacere annunciare la nascitaitaliana; la questione meridionale oggi; e it di una nuova rivista di studi italiani, even-marxismo in Italia dopo la caduta. to che evidenzia vivacita e fecondita deiALESSANDRA BERTINI MALGARINI nostri studi e un sempre phi vasto pubblico Universities of Strathclyde and Glasgow di interessati e specialisti del settore. Ii JMIS si propone, come scrivono nella presen-Voices Off. Texts, Contexts and Readers. tazione i due curatori della rivistaJ. A.Edited by M. Styles, E. Bearne and V. Davis e D. I.Kertzer, di pubblicareWatson, London/New York, Cassell, 1996, ricerche nuove e originali sull'Italia moder- ISBN 0-304-33579-7 (paperback). na e contemporanea. L'approccio, come si evince chiaramente dai contributi di questo II presente volume chiude la trilogia primo numero, e quello comparativo edegli studi dedicati all'insegnamento della multidisciplinare con articoli di storia,letteratura ai ragazzi (After Alice e The Prose politica, economia, cultura, antropologia, eand the Passion). Gli autori dei contributi, sociologia. La parte centrale della rivistatutti esperti delle metodologie dell'insegna- ('Perspectives and debates') verra dedicata,mento linguistico e letterario nei phi

Tuttitalia, No. 14, December 1996 53 giovani, offrono utili suggerimenti e valide At the end of each part there are ques- strategie anche per i docenti di linguations in English which are designed to straniera nelle scuole inferiori. stimulate analysis and further investiga- ALESSANDRA BERTINI MALGARINI tion. Given the current language trends to Universities of Strathclyde and Glasgow have questions in Italian from National Curriculum standard and beyond, it is a Italian journalismA critical anthology.pity that the author did not choose to Robert Lumley, Manchester University Press,devise at least some questions in Italian, 1996, £14.99, ISBN 0-7190-3889-8 (paper-particularly since the media is a topic often back). set by A-Level Examination Boards. This small criticism notwithstanding, there is no Italian journalism is a critical anthology ofdoubt that the book would be a very valu- extracts from Italian newspapers and wasable addition to an Italianteacher's produced as an introduction to the Italianbookshelf. press. The materials in the book are Italian journalism is an extremely useful designed to help the reader identify,book forteachers,lecturers and for describe and analyse a range of texts.teacher-trainers. It is also extremely inter- Cartoons are included as well as in-depthesting for those Italian speakers who are reports, crime stories and coverage ofkeen to follow a career in journalism. Its major political events from the death ofuniqueness lies in the author's obvious Stalin to the scandals which brought downenthusiasm for his task and the way in the First Republic. Each extract is printed inwhich he has painstakingly gathered a var- Italian with notes, glosses and a criticalied collection of texts, which could then be introduction in English. used by the teacher for further discussion The collection is unique in that it pro-in class. vides an informative guide to the ItalianCAROLE SHEPHERD press and a wide range of authentic materi- St Mary's Comprehensive School als for closer study. It also gives the reader Newcastle-upon-Tyne a superb introduction to Italian culture and aims to appeal to the reader's sense ofItalianHomework Activities.Remo curiosity and desire to explore contempo-Nannetti, ALL /Mary Glasgow Publications, rary realities. 1996. The Introduction is divided into two sections: 'The Italian newspaper' and 'Choice Italian Homework Activities is part of a oftexts'. The firstsection gives anseriesof time-saving resource packs overview of the Italian press and any simi-designed by ALL to assist busy classroom larities or differences with respect to theteachers. The pack provides attractively British press. Readers are reminded that:presenteddifferentiated photocopiable 'No equivalent of The Sun exists in Italy.work-cards for Key Stage 3, which may be Equally no daily sporting press, like thefreely copied for classroom use in the pur- Corriere dello Sport, is found in Britain orchasing institution. the United States.' The activity cards cover a variety of lev- The second section introduces the textsels of attainment and a wide range of themselves, useful not only for students ofthemes. They are intended to provide var- Italian language, but also for those study-ied activities and puzzles for homework, ing, or engaged in, journalism. This sectionbut could, of course, also be used in class. is divided into three parts: 'Journalism andThe rubrics are almost exclusively in the journalists' (including the grandi firme),target language and use simple and famil- 'Genres' (further divided into cronaca nera,iar expressions to provide maximum inchiesta and vignette), and 'News events' support for pupils. A list of these instruc- (the death of Stalin in 1953, the Piazzations is given in Italian and English at the Fontana bombing of 1969, and the Mariobeginning of the pack. This can be copied Chiesa scandal of 1992). and given to pupils. Each final activity is

54 *tiA fw $.4 Tuttitalia, No. 14, December 1996 open-ended so that pupils can complete thepoints, which in Italian include the present, task at their own level. Where necessary,the perfect and the comparative. Answers examples are given in Italian to give furtherare in the back to facilitate marking or to guidance to the pupils. allow for self-checking. The activity cards are grouped in topics Each card includes space for name, class, contained in Areas of Experience A, B anddate, and time taken to complete the exer- C, and include the following: cise. Recording progress and assessing A. Numbers; Dates; the Clock; Colours;pupil's homework is thus facilitated. Clothes; School; Home Life; Health; There is no doubt that teachers of Italian Food and Drink; will find Italian Homework Activities a B.Self, Family and Friends; Free Time;valuable addition to their resource bank Special Occasions; Arranging a meet-and that Italian students of all ages will ing or activity; enjoy working with the lively and varied C.Europe; Directions; Transport; Shopping; material. Weather. CAROLE SHEPHERD A final section provides activities to prac- St Mary's Comprehensive School tise dictionary work and specific grammarNewcastle-upon-Tyne

Study Italianonthe BA in Modern Languages

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For further information about Italian, please contact Marina Orsini-Jones, School of International Studies and Law, Coventry University, Priory Street, Coventry CV I SFB. Telephone 01203 838237/838176. Fax 01203 838679. Higher Education for all

UNIVERSITYCOVENTR Y

eff Tuttitalia, No. 14, December 1996 55 ALL Italian Essay Competition 1996

Giovanna Muszynska London

There were eighty entrants in the ALL The judges were most impressed by the Italian Essay Competition 1996, and thegeneral standard of the entries, and warm winners were as follows: congratulations go to the winners as well our thanks to all participants for their excel- Category 1: lent contributions. Sarah Jerejian (Middlesex), 1stPrize, £50; The prizes were generously donated by Rebecca Saponaro (Kent), 2ndPrize,the following organisations: Books; Istituto Italiano di Cultura: £200 and Jessica Wardle (Somerset), 3rdPrize, book prizes; £10. British-Italian Society: £200; Thomas Nelson (Publishers) Ltd: £200; Category 2: The British Institute of Florence: borsa Eva L. Pyrah Barragan (Essex), 1st di studio; Prize, £50; Universita Italiana per Stranieri di Rowina Lewis (Somerset), 1st Prize, Perugia: borsa di studio; Borsa di studio and £60; The Language Center (Todi): borsa di Caroline Lenonian (London), 1st Prize, studio; Borsa di studio and £60; Accademia Lingua Italiana (Assisi): Jessica Carroll (Essex), Runner-up, 50% borsa di studio; tuition fee bursary and £60; Istituto Europeo (Firenze): borsa di Or laMcEvoy(Newry,Northern studio. Ireland), 2nd Prize, Books; Isabelle McNeil (Somerset), 3rd Prize, As is our practice each year, we are pub- £20. lishing (completely unretouched) the texts of a small sample of the winning entries in Category 3: order to give readers of Tuttitalia some idea Peter Batchen (Dorset), 1st Prize, £50; of the standards which are being attained. Ann J.Tollett (West Midlands), 1st Prize, Borsa di studio and £60; Category 2: Deirdre Redfern (Middlesex), Runner- Un'esperienza che ha cambiato up, 50% tuition fee bursary and £60; la mia vita di studentessa Sarah Willatts (Leicester), 2nd Prize, by Books. Eva L. Pyrah Barragan (17 anni) E difficile pensare ad un qualcosa di Category 4: specifico che abbia completamente cambia- Francesca Miotto (Oxford), 1st Prize,to la mia vita di studentessa, ma suppongo £50; che tuttigli scambi culturali che io Elisabetta Viligiardi (Plymouth), 1stho fatto con l'Italia durante gli ultimi Prize, Borsa di studio and £60; tre anni abbiano cambiato it mio modo Melissa Udukawa (Essex), 2nd Prize,di vedere l'Italia, gli Italiani e i miei studi Books. dell'italiano.

56 63® Tuttitalia, No. 14, December 1996 . 0 Studio l'italiano da sette anni ormai, estudiare l'italiano all'universita per appro- dunque mi interesso molto di. tutto ciochefondire la mia conoscenza della lingua, e riguarda it paese. Quando mi si a presenta-della cultura e non vedo l'ora di poter ta l'opportunita di andare a Siena a fareritornare in Italia per un anno al mio terzo uno scambio ero molto emozionata, percheanno di Universita. sarebbe stata la prima volta che io sarei andata in vacanza senza i miei genitori. MaCategory 3: questa non era infatti da considerarsi una I giovani di una volta vacanza con le mie amiche, in realta abbi- e i giovani di oggi amo dovuto frequentare una scuola by italiana e questa e la cosa che mi ha colpito Sarah Willatts di phi perche le differenze fra la scuola «I giovani»: espressione moderna. Infatti, inglese e la scuola italiana sono davveroi giovani come gruppo sociale non esistono sorprendenti. da molto tempo. Viene considerato che la Le differenze pin evidenti sono it fattocultura giovanile sia emersa nella seconda che non si porti l'uniforme e che le lezioniparte del ventesimo secolo. Si dice anche comincino alle otto e finiscono all'ora diche «il Sessantotto» simboleggia l'emergen- pranzo in modo che si possa mangiare inza di questa cultura. Per questo, vorrei casa con tutta la famiglia verso le due. Gliparagonare i giovani degli anni Sessanta studenti italiani hanno un sacco di materiecon quelli di oggi, usando due criteri, la da studiare a paragone dei Toro coetaneifamiglia e it tempo libero, a cui ne aggiun- inglesi che fanno due o tre materie sola-gerei un terzo, forse pin importante e pin mente. In Italia teoricamente non erainteressante, gli ideali. permesso fumare nell'edificio scolastico ma In primo luogo, vediamo come siano in pratica questa norma era ignorata dacambiati i rapporti fra genitori e figli. tutti i professori ed alunni che fumavanoSembra che certe cose non siano cambiate: come ciminiere. Era impossibile andare neiit conflitto fra genitori e figli esisteva negli gabinetti perche it fumo mi bruciava glianni Sessanta ed esiste sempre, anche se e occhi e mi dava fastidio! meno intenso oggi. Ma direi che la situ- Comunque, mi e piaciuto molto it si-azione adesso e diversa; anzi non si parla sterna scolastico italiano perche nonostantephi tanto di conflitto, ma piuttosto dell'iso- ci siano phi materie e si debba studiare dilamento dei giovani. Si puo sostenere che la gli studenti italiani hanno in questocreazione di una cultura giovanile, da un modo una cultura generale pill vasta rispet-lato abbia liberato i giovani, e dall'altro li to a noi, e imparano un po' di tutto. abbia isolati. Gli scambi culturali a Roma, Siena e Per quanto riguarda it tempo libero, mi Napoli non mi sono serviti solamente perpare che la situazione non sia cambiata tan- conoscere come funziona la scuola italiana,tissimo. Si va sempre a ballare, si va sempre ma anche sotto it profilo culturale e per vi-ai concerti, si va sempre al cinema. Quindi sitare it paese e i suoi monumenti. i luoghi sono cambiati, la musica 6 cambia- Vedere Roma e stata per me un'esperien-ta, ma nel complesso, i giovani di oggi si za indimenticabile; sono rimasta folgoratadivertono in maniera simile ai giovani degli dalla sua bellezza, dai tanti stili architet-anni Sessanta. tonici che erano da togliere it respiro, per Dal punto di vista ideologico, queste due esempio Piazza San Pietro, it Vatican, itgenerazioni sono diverse. Gli anni Sessanta Colosseo e i Fori Romani. furono anni di lotta per l'emancipazione Questi scambi culturali sono stati interes-femminile e sessuale. Furono anni di santissimi perche participando ho vistorivoluzionepolitico-socialecon un com'e la vita veramente in diverse particoinvolgimento studentesco importante. dell'Italia la Toscana, la Campania e itOggigiorno, invece, ai giovani e agli stu- Lazio ed inoltre ho fatto molte nuove ami-denti non sembra interessare la politica: si cizie che certamente hanno cambiato la miaparla di una giovenni apatica e senza gran- vita di studentessa tanto che ho deciso didi ideali. Secondo me e vero che i giovani di

Tuttitalia, No. 14, December 1996 57 oggi non hanno phi ideali per cui impe-quel processo altamente intimo e spontaneo gnarsi, e per questo sono disillusi neiche e lo scrivere di se. confronti della politica, e forse con la vita in Verso l'eta di dodici anni per() un'espe- generale. rienza tragica risveglio quel desiderio Infine, bisogna dire che la societa abbiasopito di esprimermi, divenendo bisogno subito un'evoluzione importante duranteirrompente di dar sfogo alle mie emozioni e questi trent'anni. Negli anni Sessanta i gio-di riordinare i miei pensieri in tumulto. vani cambiavano la societa; oggi, invece,Tutte le mie sicurezze erano improvvisa- sembra che i giovani siano cambiati dallamente crollate. Il diario acquisi allora per societa attraverso la televisioneSarebberome il valore di tramite espressivo, di punto capaci i giovani di oggi di fare una rivo-di riferimento per orientarmi nella confu- luzione? sione delle mie emozioni, di mezzo per fronteggiare i miei problemi e risolvere Category 4: incomprensioni e conflitti interiori. Nella Un oggetto che mi e caro confusione alienante e nella scoperta della by solitudine dell'adolescenza dopo la morte Francesca Miotto (17 anni) repentina di mio fratello, l'esercizio quoti- Non phi di un centinaio di pagine, ladiano del diario fu per me terapeutico e copertina sbiadita e sciupata dal tempo edivenne parte integrante della mia vita, dagli spostamenti in valigia: depositario diindispensabile per mettermi in contatto con pensieri, confidenze, scoperte; custodeit mio intimo e per stabilire un dialogo con d'esperienze, sconfitte e vittorie, compagnome stessa in una ricerca della mia identita. di vita. Col tempo ho evoluto un mio linguaggio Pub forse un semplice diario racchiuderefatto di termini che scaturiscono da un'in- tutto cio? terpretazione emotiva delle parole, di Spinta, bambina, dal desiderio di emula-ricordi e di associazioni, che utilizza indi- re prima Judy di «Papa Gambalunga» e poiscrirninatamente parole italiane e inglesi. Anna Frank, ho cercato di tenere un diarioNel mio diario inoltre raccolgo frammenti dove annotare le mie piccole avventuresparsi di vita che per me hanno assunto it quotidiane e al quale confidare i miei se-significato quasi di reliquie di incontri pas- greti infanta L'impresa tuttavia non sisati, di gioie e di esperienze vissute. preannunciava facile: un diario richiedeva In un mondo dove la vita viene spesso fil- costanza e ogni buon proposito spessotrata attraverso glialtrie vissuta in cedeva all'allettamento di attivita funzione degli altri, diamo spazio al silen- amene e meno impegnative. Mi accorgo orazio,allavocedell'iotroppo spesso invece che, imponendomi regole rigide disommessa dai rumori del quotidiano: indi- forma e contenuto e sforzandomi di roman-viduando i nostri confini sapremo tracciare zare la quotidianita, non facevo che inibireanche i nostri traguardi.

Want to practise your foreign languages? If so, why don't you join our lively conversation meetings on various topics, on Saturdays from 1000am to 1300pm. Cost - £30, which includes a home-cooked lunch. For details contact: R Timarco, GTCE, 52 Loampit Hill, Lewisham, SW13 7SW Tel: 0181 659 1980 Fax: 0181 402 6368

58 332 Tuttitalia, No. 14, December 1996 News and views

Accommodation in Italy: a consumer's report Students and teachers, as individuals,Firenze: Casa Regina del Santo Rosario, Via families, or in groups, travelling in Italy mayG. Giusti 35, 50121 Firenze. Tel: 055- be interested in the following publication: 24.77.636.Contact:LaMadreSuor ItinerantibusItalia, by Don GiovanniClementina, Suore Filippine, di San Filippo Munari, 208 pp., brossura, Lit. 20.000 (+ Lit.Neri. Families: yes. Period: VII-IX. Camera 10.000spesepostali).Recapito: Don+ Bagno: Lit. 30.000. Colazione: compresa. Giovanni Munari, Itinerantibus di DonCena: Lit. 10.000. Giovanni Munari, 36070 Fongara (VI).Firenze: I Padri di San Filippo Neri, Via Tel/Fax: 00-39-445-77001. dell'Anguillara 25, 50122 Firenze. Tel: 055- This guide covers the whole of Italy from21.13.31. Contact: Padri Rosario/Carmelo. North to South as well as San Marino, CittaFor men; also for groups. Period: Tutto l'an- del Vaticano and Malta, giving as full a pic-no. Camera + bagno: Lit. 30.000. ture as possible of accommodation offeredPerugia:I Padri di San Filippo Neri, in convents, monasteries and religiousPensionato Studenti, Via della Stella 20, houses in general. Every entry is accompa-06123 Perugia. Tel: 075-57.25.472/57.25.919. nied by explanatory notes indicating, forContact: Padre Franco - Tel: 0336-63.35.91. example, where accommodation is possibleFor men. Camera + bagno: Lit. 23.000 for groups, men or women only, times of(estate), Lit. 30.000 (inverno). Kitchen avail- the year open to visitors and so on. No indi-able for use. cation of cost is given (but see the listingMilano: Casa del Clero San Gregorio, Via below for an idea on this) although soloLudovico Settala 25, 20124 Milano. Tel: 02- pernottamentothat is, no meals provided-29.40.86.79. Contact: Fratel Giorgio. For is included as one of the sigle utilizzate. men. Period: Tutto l'anno. Camera + bagno: Using the information given, I tried toLit. 45.000 (Lit. 400.000 al mese). Colazione: telephone several addresses under theLit. 3.000. Cena: Lit. 10.000. entry for Perugia, but was informed by the TOM BALDWIN telephone operator that the numbers wereMilano either inesistenti or, upon ringing telephone enquiries, that the number had changed. Don Munari particularly requests details that will help to update the guide andNumbers Errata corrige correzioni ed aggiornamenti As a supplement to its issue of 16 January are a feature, printed in a separate 16-page1997, Panorama (in collaboration with The booklet to update the 7th (1995) edition. Economist) published a booklet entitled On the positive side, I stayed in four reli-Tutti i numeri per capire it mondo. This 82- gious houses for periods varying from twopagebookletprovidesallsortsof (separate) months to 15 days, to 2 or 3 days,demographic, geographical, commercial in the period from September 1995 toand financial statistics relating to 170 differ- September 1996, and can thoroughly rec-ent countries of the world. It is presented ommend all of the following Case whichentirely in Italian, and would be well worth are listed in Don Giovanni Munari'sseeking out as a resource for teachers of Itinerantibus Italia. Italian.

k Tuttitalia, No. 14, December 1996 `va 59 ti 411 News from SALT When I was told I was to go to the north- The Scottish Association for Languageeast of Scotland, I thought: 'I'm going to Teaching (SALT) Newsletter of May 1996freeze there!'. This was also the only thing featured a couple of items of interest topeople said to me after the words 'Bella la Italianists generally: Scozia'. So I filled my suitcase with scarves, (1) The last year of Grampian Regionalgloves and woolly jumpers and here I am, Council saw a large amount of ML resourcevery far from Sicily, and just as cold as I materials produced by PTs (Principalthought I'd be! Teachers) on short part-time secondments After my first day in a Scottish school, I and coordinated by the then Adviser forrealised that the education system here is Modern Languages, Rosalind Cant ley.very different from education in Italy. The These materials should be available fromfirst thing that struck me when I entered the relevant new unitary authority, or bythe school was the noise and movement contacting the authors. Of particular inter-between classes. Here the pupils go from est to readers of Tuttitalia will be: one room to another while in Italy, as a Post-16 Italian (Modules 1 and 2): Instrumentspupil, you stay in your classroom and the of Assessment and Modular Documentation,teachers come to you for the lesson. by Claire Bleasdale, PT Modern Languages, As I have seen in Kemnay Academy, the Kemnay Academy, Aberdeenshire AB51way of teaching and the teaching materials 5FW. A number of module 'packs' haveget pupils more involved with the lessons been produced which provide learning andthan in Italy. Eveything in Italian schools is teaching materials as well as assessments.more formal, and the teaching is based on a This pack is more focused in approach andseries of oral tests which frighten the provides instead a model for assessmentpupils. and for SCOTVEC verification. Specimens So which system is better? Although it is of all documents required by SCOTVEC aretoo early to make judgments yet, in my present: opinionacombinationofthetwo proof of internal standardisation (state-approaches would be the best! ment and forms to fill in); instruments of assessment to cover all Outcomes (with essential vocabularyDid you see ...? help); ...the article by Tom Baldwin about what records of achievement (model andteaching English in an Italian University blank); can really be like. It is called The Italy Job: information about activities, assess-Teaching English in an Italian University and ment,remediation andresourceswas published in the Bulletin of theSociety (Module Summary). for Italian Studies, number 29, 1996, pp. 4-11. The only additional paperwork required is the teacher's own course overview and the written responses of the students to theA message from Nancy assessmentactivities.Eachmodular It was heartening to receive, at the requirement is covered by at least twobeginning of the ALL Italian/Spanish/ instruments of assessment, ensuring choicePortuguese Weekend, held at St Anne's and remediation. All materials are clearlyCollege, Oxford, 4-6 October 1996, a writ- labelled to ensure accurate and easy record-ten message from Nancy Scott, a stalwart keeping. This is a resource which couldmember of the former Association of well make SCOTVEC verification a less Teachers of Italian (ATI): daunting process for teachers of Italian, Dear Andrew and other friends of ATI: and, as a model, for teachers of other lan- I just wanted to say how very sad I am guages. that I shall be missing the weekend with (2) Maria Rita Turturici, SOCRATESyou all in Oxford. Not only because I value Italian Assistant, on her first impressions ofvery much my annual 'fix' of ongoing Scotland: Italian teaching, but also because St Anne's r.! 3 60 _go Tuttitalia, No. 14, December 1996 was my college and it would have been fun 2. New and Forthcoming Books: Italian, to revisit it in residence. I do hope that you Spring 1996, List no. 777, 20 pp.a list- have a brilliant weekend and I shall look ing of new and forthcoming Italian forward to any spin-offs which may appear books, and books on Italian matters, in Tuttitalia. available in the UK [Grant & Cutler The reason I can't make it is that we are Ltd, Foreign Language Booksellers, actually off to Italy for a fortnight, so I hope 55-57GreatMarlboroughStreet, that I shall be getting some hands-on Italian London W1V 2AY; Tel:0171 -734- which will stand me in good stead as I 2012 /8766; Fax: 0171-734-9272; e-mail: bumble on with my freelance efforts! [email protected]]. With very best wishes to you all, 3..Lettera dall'Italia, anno X, numero 39, Nancy Scott. luglio-settembre 1995, 82 pp., ISSN 0393-6457 periodico trimestrale the intende offrire [...] un quadro comp- Inspiration for winning music lessivo dell'attuale realta italiana nei Olivia Bonner, an 18-year-old A-Level suoi aspetti piu rilevanti [Istituto della student of Italian at Sherborne School for Enciclopedia Italiana, Piazza della Girls, Dorset, won the 1996 Dorset Young Enciclopedia Italiana 4, 00186 Roma; Composer of the Year award with her Tel:00-39-6-68.98.25.30 /68.98.25.39/ madrigal setting of the prefatory poem to 68.98.25.73; Fax: 00-39-6-68.98.35.601. Primo Levi's novel Se questo e un uomo. 4. Cassell Education 1996, 34 pp. new Olivia is of Jewish origin and several mem- titles for spring/summer 1996 and bers of her family were lost in the completebacklist [Cassell plc, Holocaust. She was so moved by Levi's Wellington House, Strand, London book that she decided to use it as the inspi- WC2R OBB; Tel: 0171-420-5555; ration for her A-Level music composition. Fax: 0171-240-8531]. The prefatory poem has been set to music 5. Notiziario /Newsletter, 2, December 1995, in four parts for female voices and is sung 22 pp., and 1, May 1996, 26 pp.news, unaccompanied. It captures much of the workers' health, emigration and immi- haunting mood typical of Jewish lamenta- gration, and other INCA initiatives tions. Olivia explained: 'The music is a [INCA /CGIL, Via G. Paisiello 43, reflection of my feelings. All I want from it Roma; Tel: 00-39-6-85.56.311. is that it makes people think what hap-6. Journal of Modern Italian Studies, vol- pened.' A full account of Olivia's musical ume 1, number 1, Fall 1995, 196 pp., success can be found in the Bournemouth ISSN 1354-571Xa new journal devot- Evening Echo of 14 May 1996. ed to the study of modern Italian history, society, politics and culture [Routledge Journals, 11 New Fetter Lane, London EC4P 4EE; Tel: 0171 -583- Journals and pamphlets 9855; Fax: 0171-842-2298]. received 7. Civilta Italiana, anno XIX, n. 1, 1995, 395 The Editor gratefully acknowledges pp. atti dell'XI Congresso AIPI, receipt of desk copies of the following jour- Perugia, 25-27 agosto 1994 [Associazione nals and pamphlets: Internazionale Professori d'Italiano, 1. Information World Review, 115, June Place Anneessens 11, 1000 Brussels, 1996, ISSN 0950-9879, 32 pp.a review Belgium]. ofIT,Internet and other related 8. Accademie e Biblioteche d'Italia, anno developments [Learned Information LXIII, 46° Nuova Serie, n. 3, luglio-set- Europe Ltd, Woodside, Hinksey Hill, tembre 1995, 90 pp., anno LXIII, 46° Oxford OX1 5BE; Nuova Serie, n. 4, ottobre-dicembre Tel: 01865-730275; Fax: 01865-736354; 1995, 103 pp., anno LXIV, 47° Nuova e-mail: [email protected]; Internet: Serie, n. 1, gennaio-marzo 1996, 94 pp., http: / /www.learned.co.uk/li]. and anno LXIV, 47° Nuova Serie, n. 2,

Tuttitalia, No. 14, December 1996 61 aprile-giugno 1996, 111 pp., ISSN 0395- 15. BBC Education:LanguageLearning 4451 rivista trimestrale a cura del 199617 complete catalogue of TV, Ministero periBeni Culturalie radio, print, audio, video and CD- Ambientali [Direzione e Redazione, ROM materials for language learning Via Michele Mercati 4, 00197 Roma; 28 pp. [BBC Education Information, Tel: 00-39-6-32.15.636; Fax: 00 -39 -6- Room G420, BBC White City, 201 Wood 32.21.246]. Lane, London W12 7TS; tel: 0181 -746- 9.Italia Contemporanea, 203, giugno 1996, 1111; fax:0181-752-4398;e-mail: pp 213-412, and 204, settembre 1996, [email protected]]. pp 419-619 [Istituto nazionale per la16. Inventario, luglio-dicembre, 1996, n. 2, storia del movimento di liberazione in 20pp.,novitalibrariedall'Italia Italia,Piazza Duomo 14,20122 [Libreria Leggere per, Via degli Alfani Milano]. 16/r, 50121 Firenze; tel/fax: 00- 39 -55- 10.Modern Italy, vol. 1, number 1, Autumn 24.18.07]. 1995, 144 pp., and vol. 1, number 2,17. Modern Foreign LanguageTeaching, Autumn 1996, 141 pp., ISSN 1353-2944 8 pp., materials, advice, seminars [Journal of the Association for the [KiteEducationalPublishersLtd, Study of Modern Italy; General Editor, CravenCourt,GlebelandRoad, ProfessorJohnPollard,Anglia Camberley,Surrey GU15 3BU; Polytechnic University, Cambridge tel:01276-62221;fax:01276-63396; CB1 1PT]. e-mail: kitepubl.demon.co.uk]. 11.Studi d'Italianistica nell' Africa 18. Language and Linguistics: 1996-97 New Australe Malian StudiesinSouthern Books, 26 pp., catalogue [Routledge, 11 Africa, vol. 9, no. 1, 1996, vi + 109 pp., New Fetter Lane, London EC4P 4EE; ISSN 1012-2338 [Associazione tel: 0171-583-9855; fax: 0171-842-2306; Professori d'Italiano /Association of or Molly Hope on e-mail: info.linguis- Professional Italianists, University of [email protected]]. theWitwatersrand,Johannesburg 2050, RSA]. 12.Il Messaggero Italiano, anno III, n. 22, sett./ott. 1996, 12 pp., anno III, n. 23,Preparing materials for nov. 1996, 12 pp., and anno III, n. 24,publication in Tuttitalia dic. 1996, 12 pp. - periodico d'infor- Intending contributors will find a set of mazione indipendente [II MessaggeroNotes for Contributors on page 64 of each Italiano, 111 Piccadilly, Manchesterissue of this journal. Ml 2HY; tel. and fax: 0161-236-1985]. Members of the Editorial Board- and 13. SALT Newsletter, issues of Januaryespecially your Editorencourage contrib- 1996, May 1996, September 1996, andutors to read these Notes attentively and to January 1997 [Scottish Association forsubmit materials as closely as they possibly Language Teaching; contributions tocan in conformity with the recommended Clare Forteath, Lesmahagow Highformat. School, Old School Road, Lesmahagow The key presentation features sought are: ML11 ODL]. set your processor or typewriter to a 14. Lineaerre, anno 2, n.6, novembre- line length of 44 characters; dicembre 1996, 12 pp., bimestrale double-space your text; dell'Universita per Stranieri 'Dante submit two copies of your text, one of Alighieri' di Reggio Calabria [Direzione, which should be 'clean', together with Redazione,Amministrazione,Via (if at all possible) a disc copy; Mortara 41, 89066 Pellaro di Reggio if possible, use justified margins, both Calabria; Tel: 00-39-965-67.54.19; left and right; Fax: 00-39-965-67.54.91; web page: the preferred processing language is http: / /www.calnet.it /ricerca /unis- Word for Windows, version 3.0 or darc; e-mail: [email protected]]. later;

62 pe) Tuttitalia, No. 14, December 1996 a.) 0 if you can present your contribution Readers of this delayed issue of Tuttitalia on disc as well as in duplicate 'hardmay wish to know that once again every copy', please do so. On-screen editingword of the journal (some 256 pages of and formatting is many times fasterprocessed text in total!about the size of than keying-in submitted text, andan average PhD thesis) has been keyed in helps to avoid potential publicationby the undersigned. delays. Discs may be either 3.5" orANDREW WILKIN 5.25" size. University of Strathclyde

1997 Inservice courses for Teachers and lecturers of ASSOCIATION for Italian L ANGUAGE L EARNING

Language World Conference 11-13 April 1997 University of Keele, Staffs

Italian Day 21 June 1997 London

Italian Weekend October Midlands

For programme and booking form, please contact: Association for Language Learning, 150 Railway Terrrace, Rugby, CV21 3BN Tel: 01788 546443 Fax: 01788 544149

Tuttitalia, No. 14, December 1996 63 Notes for contributors

ContributionsTheEditorialBoardb)Disk: Most word processing packages welcomes previously unpublished articles are acceptable but if you have any query which will further the cause of the learning contact the ALL office. Also send in one and teaching of Italian. hard copy of the article with the disk, Contributions are expected to fall into and keep one for yourself. one of these categories: a)Articles of about 3000 words. Give your article one short title (not a title b)Brief (up to 1000 words) items of infor-and a subtitle), and divide it up with brief mation, notes on innovative practice,subheadings. discussion points (including those arising from previous articles). Give full references for all sources quoted. c)Reviews usually of about 300 to 400Journal policy is to put these at the end of words (longer reviews or articles may bethe article and not at the bottom of the accepted). page. The guidelines below are intended toIllustrations help contributors: Photographs are particularly welcome, as are charts, diagrams and tables where rele Presentation vant. Please send these at the same time as Articles should be submitted either type-your typescript. written or on computer disk (plus hard copy) Timing a)Typewritten: Type with double spacing.In order to be considered for inclusion in Typewriters or word processors shouldthefollowingissue,articlesshould be set at 44 characters (the equivalent ofnormally be sent in by 1st February and the line length), as this will help the1st August. Where topicality is of the Editor plan the arrangement of the jour-essence, shorter deadlines are possible by nal. Please send two copies of the articlenegotiation with the Editor. and keep one for yourself. One copy of the article should be 'clean' (with no cor-Copyright rections) to enable the printer to scan it. IfAuthors are reminded that the Association there are any changes or corrections theseholds the copyright for all articles pub- should be made on the second copy. lished in its journals.

Have you booked for the Language World Conference & Exhibition? If not, DO IT NOW!

11-13 April 1997

University of Keele, Staffs For full programme contact: Association for Language Learning, 150 Railway Terrace, Rugby, CV21 3HN Tel: 01788 546443

64 Tuttitalia, No. 14, December 1996 Te..orl 's__ost Truste ictionaries

.- - .e. . -. - .9-. . - ' "' "Al . 555 .5 "I '.- . - . Of . I. .11 . IL NUOVO R AGAZZINIIBIAG I - CONCISE THE POCKET ITALIAN QXFPgP DICTIONARY ENGLISH-ITALIAN ITALIAN ITALIAN-ENGLISH Ott,rt11120 OW OXFORD DICTIONARY nft 1,1 t±. LI,. II NI IS+ AmcOcalcompa0 ITALIAN dictionary with thousands of En01 tu,,W, 1 elu. examples

I he timid 7t resit dThe r10,147/tes

Tilt Mk. SO ". . OXFORDDUDEN OXFO "' -. iPtes;xe-r 11.41-ck, . .5" ". ITIAN .11 55 " ANL) ENGLISH DICTIONARY DICTIONARY ""

Italian - English ).4k OS" . r;',Z9f English-Italian ." IS

S. 4LI Ideal r travel \V", bustftaiw:,.,

0 I ISO 1 11'00 ' December 1996 No. 14

Contents .Page, Editorial Alessandro Benati L'insegnamento comunicativo della lingua (ICL) nel ^airs() di lingua straniera: un modello di.inseanamento

Francesca Gattullo Foreign Languages in Italian Primary SchoolsThe state of the art 9 Russell King and The Italian community in Mariacaterina TubitoPeterborough 13 Salvatore Coluccello Questione meridionale e questione settentrionale 20 Marina Orsini-Jones Visibility at a price?. Black Women in. and Francesca GattulloRed Bologna 24' Jean Biggs Recreation and Study: a Manth in Tuscany 39

Emilio Sciotti Lettera commerciale a Gesd Bambino 44 Tom Baldwin Review article: Parole 45 Reviews 51 Giovanna MuszynskaALL Italian Essay Competition 1996 56 News and views 59 Notes for. Contributors 64

41.104111.V.1(.15V

150 Railway Terrace, Rugby CV21 3HN.Tel: (01788) 546443 Fax: (01788) 544149

LfrO SOCIATIONA

he Italian IOW al of the sticiationior Lang ate Learning

ovimentodelle Dopneja,,,Italia

:Bossi: the lanue. ofasecessio Ab initio

JUNE 1997 No 15 BEST COPAVAI ASSOCIATION for LANGUAGE LEARNING

Officers of the Association

President Margaret Tumber Past President Madeleine Bedford President Elect Peter Downes Honorary Membership Services Officer Eileen Holly Honorary Finance Officer Alan Jones, University of Hertfordshire Coopted Officer Kathy Wicksteed, Hampshire Inspection and Advisory Support Service

Staff

Director Christine Wilding Deputy Director John Fergusson

Italian Committee

Derek Aust (Chair), South Devon College Anna Bartrum, St. Martin's College, Lancaster Julie Beverly, Plymouth Business School Mariolina Freeth, Islington Vlth Form Centre Jenny Jackson, Bedfordshire Upper Schools Teresa-Lorusso-Gibson, Trinity School, Leamington Spa Ernesto Macaro, University of Reading Giovanna Muszynska, London Alessandro Nigro, Italian Institute Hilary Reeves, John Mansfield School, Peterborough Carole Shepherd, St. Mary's Comprehensive School, Newcastle-upon-Tyne Andrew Wilkin, University of Strathclyde Jocelyn Wyburd, University of Humberside

Tuttitalia is published twice a year, in June and December. It is supplied free tothose who choose it as one of their two specialist language journals in addition to Language Learning Journal, and is available on subscription tolibraries and individuals. For subscription details, see ALL address below.

Other journals published by the Association for Language Learning Language Learning Journal, German Teaching, Vida Hispanica, Francophonie,Rusistika, Dutch Crossing (published by the Centre for Low Countries Studies), Language World Quarterly Newsletter.

Advertising All enquiries should be addressed to the Advertising Manager at the addressbelow.

Contributors Contributions to the journal are welcome. For details, see page 34.

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Tuttitalia June 1997 No. 15

Editor Contents Anna Bartrum 16A Lake Road Editorial 2 Keswick II movimento delle donne in Italia: sfide passate e presenti Cumbria CA12 5BX Sara Laviosa Braithwaite 3

Umberto Bossi: the language of secession Reviews Editor Eric Beverly 13 Carole Shepherd 58 Beatty Avenue The strategic development of ab initio Italian Jesmond on modular programmes of study Newcastle-upon-Tyne NE2 3QN Salvatore Coluccello 17

News Editor Harold Acton was my Hero Julie Beverly Gay Marks 23 29 Cedarcroft Road Beacon Park Teaching English in Italya review Plymouth PL2 3JX Tom Baldwin 26

Homework Pack sample 19 Editorial Board Derek Aust Reviews 31 Anna Bartrum Notes for Contributors 34 Julie Beverly Mario lina Freeth News and Views 35 Jenny Jackson Ernesto Macaro Giovanna Muszynska Hilary Reeves Carole Shepherd

Published by Association for Language Learning

Design and Typesetting FREE CLASSROOM RESOURCE MATERIALS Troubador Publishing Ltd PO Box 31, Market Harborough One of the reasons for changing over to an A4 format is to permit the inclusion in the Leics LE16 7DT journals of materials that can be used immediately for teaching purposes. Email: [email protected] For this first edition in the new format we have included some sample pages from the ALL Classroom Resource series (available also in German, French and Spanish). Printed by For future issues, readers are invited to send in pages of resource material (any level, any sector) Stephen Austin & Sons Ltd which they are willing to share with colleagues. They must be in A4 format, typed / word processed, Caxton,Hill, Hertford and free of any copyright restrictions (this includes graphics). Hens SG13 7LU DON'T BE SHY! SHARE AND SHARE ALIKE!! EVERYTHING IS GRIST TO THE MILL!!

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W4No 15 June 1997 341 Tuttitalia, June 1997, No 15, 2-3

Editorial Anna Bartrum University College of St. Martin, Lancaster

Firstly may we apologise once again for the late ReviewsEditor,CaroleShepherd,andby publication of Tuttitalia 15. As many of you will Alessandra Bertini Malgarini, and the usual News now be aware, Andrew Wilkin, who has edited and Views section with details of the forthcoming Tuttitalia for a number of years, was suddenly 1998 AIPI Conference, a review of the Italian taken very seriously ill. We are delighted that he is Weekend held in Oxford last October, news of now making a steady recovery. Italian teaching in primary schools and an update In temporarily taking over Andrew's task of on the Italian Language Support Network. We hope editing this journal, I am acutely aware that I have that you will find these interesting and useful. neither his expertise nor his knowledge to do such a The next edition of Tuttitalia will include a thorough and professional job. I would therefore number of papers from contributors to the Italian ask for your patience and tolerance. Days held at the University of Warwick during the We are grateful to the contributors who sent in last two years. However, we always welcome articles and reviews of such high quality and which articles, papers, examples of classroom practice, therefore requiredlittleeditorialrevision or tips for teachers, good ideas, reviews and news amendment.These includeSaraLaviosa- particularly from teachers in schools who, we Braithwaite's 'II Movimento delle Donne in Italia' know, are very pressed for time, but who have a a fascinating piece on the changing role of wealth of ideas to share. If you would like to talk women during the last two to three decades; Eric through writing something on an informal basis, Beverly's'UmbertoBossi:thelanguage of please contact one of the Editorial Board members. secession'an interesting and informative analysis We look forward to hearing from you. of Bossi's use of language; Salvatore Coluccello's On behalf of the ALL Italian Committee, the useful article on the development of ab initio Italian Editorial Board and, I am sure, on behalf of all of on modular programmes of study; and Tom you, I would like to thank Andrew for his sterling Baldwin's lively and detailed review article of work as editor during the last few years, for his Martin Penner's book Teaching English in Italy. professionalism and dedication to producing a first There are also several reviews provided by the class publication. He is a hard act to follow.

Wanted-Editor! Tuttitalia

Andrew Wilkin has formally intimated his wish to retire in view of his illness. This issue has been edited by Anna Bartrum, with help from the Italian Committee, and we are grateful to her for stepping into the breach amid all her other commitments. However, we shall need to appoint a new editor for future issues of the journal.

Editors are appointed for a three year term of office and may be reappointed for a further three years. The position is honorary and will begin in 1998. Further details of the work involved are available from the ALL office. Members should apply by letter by 30 September with CV indicating relevant experience and ideas for the future of the journal.

Tuttitalia 2 0"4 4 Tuttitalia, June 1997, No 15, 3-12

II movimento delle donne in Italia: sfide passate e presenti Sara Laviosa Braithwaite University of Birmingham

INTRODUZIONE L'aumentodella domanda d'istruzione da parte delle donne 6 rivelato dai dati statistici secondo i In questo articolo intendo seguire it percorso delle quali, l'indice di scolarita femminile in Italia, cio6 sfide principali che la donna italiana ha affrontato la percentuale di ragazze che frequentano la media nel campo legislativo, sociale e lavoristico a partire superiore sul totale della popolazione tra i 14 e i 18 dagli anni 70, lino ai giomi nostri. II mio obiettivo anni, a passato dal 46% nel 1972 al 56,8% nel quello di analizzare la donna italiana in lotta a 1985. La stessa tendenza si registra nel numero di quattro livelli interdipendenti: quello ideologico, iscritte all'universita. Nel 1960 su 100 iscritti le sociologico, legislativo e individuale. donne erano infatti it 26,9%, nel 1972 questa percentuale sale al 38,2% e continua a crescere negli anni ottanta quando raggiunge i valori di GLI ANNI 70: IL MOVIMENTO 45,9% nel 1985 e 48,4 nel 1987 (Piazza, 1994). FEMMINISTA Inoltre, mentre nelle generazioni precedenti le donne raggiungevano le fasce superiori del sistema II femminismo degli anni 70 rappresenta un formativo meno frequentemente degli uomini, a momento di rottura, di scontro frontale in tutte le partire dalla seconda meta degli anni settanta si sfere di vita: i rapporti individuali, i registra un'inversione di tendenza. Trainati comportamenti, gli stili di vita, la societa, it lavoro, durante it periodo che va dal 1952 al 1967, la la scuola, la politica e la legge. proporzione di donne laureate 6 infatti superiore, Per meglio capire le tematiche e la ragione di anche se leggermente, (5.4%) a quella degli uomini essere del movimento dare uno sguardo al quadro (5.2%). Lo stesso fenomeno si verifica trai sociale ed economico in cui si inserisce it discorso diplomati (34,3% tra le donne e 30,2% tra gli femminista. In esso si possono individuare quattro uomini) (Schizzerotto, 1994). elementi essenziali di trasformazione: l'aumento Sembra quindi che in questi anni cada it vecchio della scolarizzazione femminile, la riduzione delle pregiudizio secondo it quale era normale per una nascite, i cambiamenti che interessano la tipologia donna abbandonare glistudi dopo la scuola della famiglia italiana e l'espansione dello stato dell'obbligo dal momento che la sua realizzazione sociale. si esplicava nell' ambito del matrimonio e nella crescita dei figli.Apartire dagli anni settanta it "le tappe della primo obiettivo per le ragazze diventa sempre di pia generazione degli L'AUMENTO DELLA quello di studiare e di costruirsi una carriera. Come attuali trentenni, SCOLARIZZAZIONE ha detto recentemente la trentaquattrenne Maria De sia donne che Filippi, conduttrice della trasmissione televisiva uomini, erano Questo fenomeno, che ha interessato anche la "Amici", le tappe della generazione degli attuali "la laurea, II lavoro, popolazione femminile, a iniziato nella meta degli trentenni, sia donne che uomini, erano "la laurea, it le nozze" " anni sessanta ed 6 poi esploso negli anni settanta e lavoro, le nozze"(Repubblica,4 febbraio, 1996, 7). ottanta. E' collegato all'espansione economica degli anni sessantala quale ha comportato una richiesta di una forza lavoro pia qualificataed RIDUZIONE DELLE NASCITE stato incoraggiato da due riforme: quella del 1962 che istitui la Scuola Media Unica e quella del 1969 Un altro fatto innovativo di questi anni a l'inizio del che liberalizzo l'accesso all'universita a tutti i processo di riduzione delle nascite. II numero diplomati (Schizzerotto, 1994). medio di figli per donna passa infatti da 2,7 nel 444No 15 June 1997 345 3 LAVIOSA BRAITHWAITE

1964 a 2,4 nel 1971. Queste medie poi scendono a matrimonio e la maternita. 1,3 nel 1987 e ancor di pia nel 1991 quando si 3. II ritiro dal mercato "forte" del lavoro durante attestano a 1,1, la pia bassa media nel mondo gli anni prescolari dei figli. (Piazza, 1994). Bisogna puntualizzare, pero, che ci 4. II rientro nel mercato "debole" o marginale del sono delle notevoli differenze regionali, essendo it lavoro a part-time quando ifigli iniziano ad Piemonte, la Liguria e la Valle d' Aosta le regioni a andare a scuola (Piazza, 1994; Sassoon, 1986). fecondita pia bassa, mentre la Puglia, la Campania, la Basilicata e la Calabria sono le regioni a Questi nuovi ruoli facilitano lo sviluppo di una feconditapia alta(Saraceno, 1981). In nuova identity personale che non si riconosce pia concomitanza con le riduzioni delle nascite e esclusivamente nella vita coniugale e familiare, ma l'aumentodellascolarizzazionefemminile, siallargaal mondo intellettuale,dellavoro s'incomincia a partire da questi anni a rimandare retribuito, della cultura in senso lato, della politica, l'eta della prima maternita. dell'economia,edellalegge. Ed 6 proprio attraverso la partecipazione a queste nuove sfere della vita sociale che la donna diventa sempre pia NUMERO DELLE FAMIGLIE consapevole delle loro carenze e contraddizioni. A questi due ultimi elementi si aggiunge la diminuzione nel numero sia delle famiglie estese o LA SITUAZIONE ALLE SOGLIE DEL allargate che comprendono cioeoltreal FEMMINISMO capofamiglia, it coniuge e figli, anche altri parenti e sia delle famiglie composte da marito, moglie e La situazione che si presenta alla vigilia della figli. Contemporaneamente aumentano le famiglie nascitadelmovimentofemministasipito composte da una sola persona e quelle costituite riassumere in questi termini: solo da marito e moglie. Questo fenomeno inizia negli anni cinquanta, continua dal sessanta al da una parte i vecchi modelli basati sul sistema settanta (Saraceno, 1981) e si acuisce negli anni patriarcale, dominato dall'ideale cattolico di ottanta e novanta allorchela tipologia della figlia, moglie e madre o di angelo della casa, non famiglia in Italia diventa ancora pia varia e rispecchiano pia la nuova realty che la donna complessa, comprendendo un numero sempre pia italiana vive quotidianamente;dall' altrale alto di famiglie senza matrimonio, le cosiddette tradizionali organizzazioni politiche e sindacale famiglie di fatto o unioni libere (Barbagli, 1994, si rivelano incapaci di rispondere alle specifiche 294). esigenze delle donne, le quali diventano sempre piacoscientisiadelvalore della propria diversity sia dell' importanza di raggiungere una ESPANSIONE DELLO STATO reale uguaglianza, non attraverso la semplice SOCIALE emancipazione che comporta l'omologazione alla logica del mondo maschile, ma attraverso l'affermazione di una "politicita" femminile La crescita economica degli anni sessanta porta con diversa (Rossanda, 1989). "La crescita se l'espansione dello stato sociale. Questo ha economica degli comportato la creazione di vari servizi territoriali, E' proprio questa contraddizione di fondo uno dei anni sessanta per esempio I'istituzione degli asili nido e delle fattori principali che porta alla formazione del porta conse scuole materne, come anche l'introduzione del movimento femminista inItalia,ilquale,a l'espansione dello tempo pieno nelle scuole elementari e medie. differenza di quello di altri Paesi, ha rifiutato l' idea stato sociale" Questiquattrofondamentalielementidi di creare una subcultura femminile e di dare vita ad trasformazione hanno contribuito a liberare la un mondo separato delle donne. Invece esso ha donna dai vecchi compiti di cura della famiglia ed proposto di dare origine ad una forza politica hanno concorso a determinare la sua entrata indipendente che trascenda le divisioni di classe e massiccia nel mercato del lavoro, in particolare nel di affiliazione partitica e porti avanti un programma settore terziario dei servizi pubblici e privati che a di trasformazione a diversi livelli: quello politico, sua volta era in questi stessi anni in via di lavoristico, dei comportamenti, degli stili di vita e espansione. del modo di rapportarsi agli altri. Inoltre questa trasformazione viene ideata ed attuata in un'ottica didiversity femminile incuiitconcetto di I NUOVI RUOLI DELLA DONNA uguaglianza tra uomo e donna viene ridefinito in base alla differenza dei sessi (Doria, 1994). Tale Il ruolo della donna nella society si fa quindi pia prospettiva a strettamente legata alla presa di complesso. Questo siarticola in quattro fasi coscienza che la condizione individuale di donna 6 principali: inscindibile dalle forze che determinano la sua posizione nel sociale. Quest'ultimo concetto 1. II conseguimento di un diploma o una laurea. espresso da uno dei motti del movimento i1 quale 2. L'occupazionea tempo pienoprimadel dice: "il privato e politico". 4 6 Tuttitalia IL MOVIMENTO DELLE DONNE IN ITALIA: SFIDE PASSATE E PRESENT!

La forza rivoluzionaria insita in questo principio denuncia it tradizionale rapporto di coppia: chiuso, sta nel riconoscere che qualsiasi tipo di lotta o di egoista,esclusivo,possessivoesoffocante, rivendicazione femminista non pue prescindere imposto dall'uomo per isolare la propria donna, e dall'analisi delle dinamiche familiari e dei rapport propone come alternativa un nuovo tipodi personali, ad esempio: it rapporto padre-figlia, relazione che sia aperto agli altri e riconosca e madre-figlia, fratello-sorella, marito-moglie, rispettil'uguaglianzael'autonomiadidue fidanzato-fidanzato donna-donna ecc. Tale analisi individui che si amano. porta a rendersiconto,quindi,che la discriminazionesulpostodilavoroela discriminazione a casa hanno un'unica origine: la Noi siamo stufe prevaricazione maschilista, patriarcale e Noi siamo stufedi fare bambini, autoritaria. La implicazione sul piano della pratica lavare i piatti, stirare i pannolini, politica 6 che la lotta per essere efficace, deve avere un uoino che ci fa da padrone essere necessariamente condotta su due piani: it e ci proibisce la contraccezione "Ia discriminaz- personale editcollettivo. Al fine dipoter ione sul posto di Noi siamo stufe di far quadrare analizzare a fondo questo legame tra lavoro e Ia ogni mese il bilancio familiare, persona/individuo e mondo esterno e nello stesso lavare, cucire, pulire cucinare discriminazione a tempo sviluppare ed attuare it principio del partire per chi sostiene che ci mantiene casa hanno da se come fondamento della propria politica, il un'unica origine: movimento femminista si organizza in Noi siamo stufe della pubblicita Ia prevaricazione COLLETTIVI all'interno dei quali si formano i che deforma la nostra realta. maschilista, GRUPPI DI AUTOCOSCIENZA dove le donne Questa moderna schiavite patriarcale e senza essere inibite dalla presenza di uomini da oggi in poi noinonl'accettiamo pie autoritaria" possono parlare in piena liberta delle proprie esperienze di vita e discutere sui vari piani di Noi siamo stufe di essere sfruttate, azione politica. Nei gruppi di autocoscienza si puttane o sante venir classificate. analizzava e si metteva in discussione tutto: la Basta con la storia della verginite, vogliamo la nostra sessualita propria infanzia, it rapporto con il ragazzo, la sessualita, la contraccezione, l'aborto, gli scontri Ci han diviso fra brutte e belle generazionali con igenitori, le contraddizioni ma fra noi siamo tutte sorelle. vissute nel mondo del lavoro e del "sistema", come Fra di noi non c'e distinzione, veniva chiamato allora. L' autocoscienza a quindi all'uomo serve la divisione una forma di pratica politica attraverso la quale la donna si racconta, si mette in parole e attraverso it Noi siamo stufe di abortire racconto della propria storia, riflette, pensa a se ogni volta col rischio di morire. stessa, si definisce, si autorappresenta, si da un II nostro corpo ci appartiene. significato, una direzione storica nuova, alternativa Per tutto questo lottiamo insieme. a quella imposta dall'uomo. Ci dicon sempre di sopportare ma da oggi noi vogliamo lottare. Per la nostra liberazione LE CANZONI DEL MOVIMENTO facciamo donne LA RIVOLUZIONEII!IIfIIIII Ritengo che forse una delle pie dirette ed efficaci forme di espressione del movimento sia stato it Amore canto, il quale, attraverso l'ironia, la poesia, ed it sarcasmo, ha trasmesso messaggi forti diretti a Me l'hanno sempre chiamato amore, ma tutte le donne. Riporto qui sotto il testo di due che amore e? canzoni femministe che colgono, secondo me, il Me l'hanno sempre insegnato amore, ma senso dell' intreccio fra politico e privato di cui che amore parlavo prima e colpiscono in maniera pungente e Amo solo te, tu sei solo mia penetrante it sistema maschilista e patriarcale. 6 cosi che spiego la mia gelosia La prima canzone s'intitola NOI SIAMO e se poi soffro di sentirti bene STUFE. E' una canzone che denuncia con forza ed perche ad un altro tu stai insieme. in maniera diretta ed esplicita gli aspetti pie Vorrei fare un mondo su misura tua evidenti della discriminazione contro la donna: per fartici entrare e tener la chiave. l'oppressione del marito-padrone all'interno della famiglia, il peso del lavoro domestico, la divisione Questo me l'hanno chiamato amore, ma tradonne,lafalsaimmagine della donna che amore e? pubblicitaria, la negazione della propria sessualita, Questo me l'hanno insegnato amore, ma edell' autodeterrminazione nella decisione di che amore abortire. Voglio amare te, dobbiamo stare soli La seconda s'intitola AMORE. Questa canzone

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gli altri ruberanno la felicity. Gli aspetti pia innovative della Riforma del No, sai none vero, non lego le tue mani DirittodiFamiglia sono:it ma ti prego ancora, finche non 6 domani. riconoscimento Ora piu non t'amo, voglio la tua fortezza. dell'uguaglianza morale e giuridica della donnae Ti prego ancora, dammi una carezza. dell'uomo, la sostituzione della "patria potesta" che dava pieni poteri al marito, con il principio della Questo me l'hanno chiamato amore, ma "potesta parentale", it quale riconosce l'autorita di the amore entrambi i coniugi in quanto genitori. Inoltre Questo me l'hanno insegnato amore, ma l'adulterio non 6 pia considerato un crimine ed i che amore e? figli naturali e riconosciuti godono degli stessi diritti dei figli nati all'interno del matrimonio, sia Voglio aprirmi in mule, dare il sangue al sole, per quanto riguarda l'educazione, che l'eredita respirar la luce che non ha parole, (Barbagli, 1994). paura e solitudine non mi fanno amare, Grazie alla legge che istituisce i consultori it grigio della pelle mi voglio bruciare. Stringiamoci le mani e amiamoci adesso, familiari le donne hanno informazioni sui vari cerchiamo un mondo nuovo, dove non c'e possesso. aspetti della loro salute, inclusa la contraccezione. L'approvazione della legge sulla parita sul lavoro Forse potremo chiamarlo amore, se amore e. proibisce qualsiasi discriminazione traisessi Forse potremo insegnarlo amore, se amore e. riguardoall' assunzione,la promozione ela formazione professionale. lnfine, il 22 maggio Ese inventi un nuovo amore di color turchino, 1978, dopo ben otto anni di accesi dibattitie lotte io voglio darti un fiore come fa il bambino. che hanno portato persino all'incarceramento di La morte delle cose non mi de piu angoscia numerosefemministe,vengonoabrogati i se dove lascio it seme so the la pianta cresce. regolamenti del codice penale fascista (il Codice lo ti carezzo it viso e proverb uguaglianza. Rocco) che includevano l'aborto tra i delitti Dove non c'e it potere, nasce la speranza contro la sanity e l'integrita della stirpe e vieneapprovata la legge che legalizza l'interruzione di gravidanza Questo potremo chiamarlo amore, percheamore e. Questo potremo insegnarlo amore, percheamore 6. entro i primi novanta giorni nei casi in cui ci siano seri pericoli per la salute psicho-fisica della donna, Noi siamo stale: (testo del Movimento Femminista Romanosu condizioni di poverty. casi di violenza sessualee motivo noto). Canti di donne in lotta, 11 Canzoniere femminista, malformazioni del feto (Pitch, 1994). La legge da ai 1972 medici ii diritto dell'obiezione di coscienza, 6°6 il Amore: (testo di F. Sonnino) Movimento femministaromano, rifiuto di amministrare l'aborto per motivi morali. Canti delle donne in lotta N.2, 1975 Una maggioranza del 67,9% appoggioquesta legge, allorche la Democrazia Cristiana tento di L' impatto del movimento femminista fuenorme sul abrogarla con un referendum (Sassoon, 1986). piano individuale, politico, sociale, lavoristicoe Si chiude cost con l'approvazione della legge culturale. sull'aborto, un decennio di lotte lunghe,aspre, Riassumo qui le riforme legislative principali controverse iniziate dal movimento femminista ed che vennero realizzate in quegli annie che si appoggiate da vastistratidella popolazione possono considerare vere e proprie conquiste del femminile di ogni credo politico. movimento femminista.

1970 Legge N. 898: Legalizzazione del divorzio IL MOVIMENTO FEMMINISTA 1971 Legge N. 1204: Protezione della maternity NEGLI ANNI 80 Legge N. 1004: Istituzione degli asili nido 1974 Ratifica della legge 898 sul divorzio Gli inizi degli anni 80 vedono it frammentarsi del 1975 Legge N. 151: Riforma del Diritto di Famiglia movimento in una gamma di opinioni e di pratiche Legge N. 405: Istituzione dei consultori politiche diverse. Parte del movimento confluisce familiari nei partiti di sinistra come il partito comunista ed it 1977 Legge N. 903: Legge sulla parita tra "difendendo la uomo e partito radicale. Un' altra parte si organizza in donna sul lavoro liberty delle donne piccoli gruppi all'interno di varie istituzionie fuori. 1978 Legge N. 194: Legalizzazione di riflettere su se 11 movimento sceglie in questi anni laseparatezza, dell' interruzione volontaria della gravidanza stesse e sul la differenziazione, difendendo la liberty delle femminismo e di donne di riflettere su se stesse e sul femminismoe Per quanto riguarda la ratifica della legge elaborare una sul di elaborare una propria visione del mondo in piena divorzio a importante notare che questa seguf propria visione del la autonomia. Tuttavia questo non ha significato sconfitta del referendum abrogativo mondo in plena promosso dal secondo me la disgregazione e l'isolamento delle partito della Democrazia Cristiana autonomia" e che it ruolo donne o come ritiene la Mottalini (1995) "la decisivo delle donne 6 stato rivelato dalle indagini frantumazione del movimento", quando parla degli d' opinione, secondo le quali, persino ledonne anni 80 come gli anni oscuri e della "rimozione del democristiane votarono contro ilreferendum desiderio di rivoluzione", ma 6 stato piuttostoun (Sassoon, 1986). periodo di riflessione e di mutamento di strategiee 6 Tuttitalia 348 IL MOVIMENTO DELLE DONNE IN ITALIA: SFIDE PASSATE E PRESENT] strumenti di espressione. Infatti le donne, operando (Pitch, 1994). Oltre a queste argomentazioni, si in diverse aree professionali, lavorative, sindacali, fanno strada due nuove idee. La prima 6 l'idea di amministrative, giuridiche, universitarie, hanno la decriminalizzare l'aborto di contro al principio possibility non solo di farsi portavoce del pensiero della legalizzazione che considera l'aborto ancora femminista ma anche di analizzarlo, confrontarlo un reato, al di fuori delle categoric previste dalla con altri pensieri, svilupparlo, e applicarlo in legge. La seconda a la prevision di un principio situazioni concrete. Ad esempio nelle university costituzionale che sancisca "l'inviolabilita del nascono i Women studies, nei tribunali le donne corpo femminile"(Pitch,1994).Per quanto magistrato creano gruppi nei quali si discute se il riguarda gli argomenti anti-abortisti, c'e quello diritto sia sessuato o no. E cost pure nelle redazioni della difesa della vita in tutte le sue forme, il quale dei giornali, delle radio e delle tv,si creano viene sostenuto soprattutto dal Movimento per la associazioni che esprimono itpunto di vista Vita. Infine ci sono coloro che pongono l'enfasi fenuninile. Nei sindacati si formano i centri donna. sull'aspetto doloroso di questa esperienza e sono Nei consultori si discutono i problemi della salute pronti a ridiscutere la legislazione presente al fine femminile, della procreazione e della sessualita, di rivederla ed aggiornarla. Recentemente Dacia avendo come punto centrale di riferimento sempre Maraini ha espresso questi pensieri sull' argomento le esigenze specifiche della donna (Del Bo Boffin, "... l'aborto sembra essere it luogo maledetto 1995). dell'impotenza storica femminile l'aborto Da questeesperienzecollettivenascono dolore e impotenza fatta azione" (Maraini, in La iniziative nuove come ad esempio l'Associazione Repubblica, 12.1.96, p. 10). per una Libera University delle donne di Milano nel 1987 e la creazione della rivista "Lapis" nel 1988 (Melandri, 1995), che come tema principale di ISTRUZIONE, TASSO DI ricerca sceglie l'esplorazione dell'inconscio ed it NATALITA', COMPOSIZIONE rapporto politico tra psicanalisi e femminismo. DELLA FAMIGLIA Inoltre si costituisce l'Osservatorio sul lavoro delle donne (Campari,1995) dovesianalizzala Dal punto di vista dell' andamento dell' istruzione, it mancanza di una giustizia sociale femminile nei tasso di natality, e la composizione della famiglia, luoghi di lavoro. E poi in questi anni si assiste alla gli anni 80 vedono intensificare le tendenze iniziate creazione dei coordinamenti femminili all'interno gia verso la meta degli anni 70, che sono: la dei sindacati (Oriani, 1995) per la promozione di femminizzazionedelsistemaformativo,la una politica delle donne per le donne attraverso it riduzione delle nascite e la scomparsa della collegamento ed it dialogo tra le lavoratrici che famiglia estesa. operano ai van livelli dell' azienda.

OCCUPAZIONE FEMMINILE LEGISLAZIONE L'occupazione femminile continua ad aumentare. 11 Dal punto divistalegislativo,itmovimento tasso di attivita femminile, cio6 it rapporto tra forza femminista 6 ancora una volta vittorioso nel lavoro femminile e totale della popolazione, dopo difendere la legge 194 sull'aborto. Questa infatti fu una piccola flessione nel 1972 rispetto al 1961 (che ancora una volta oggetto di accese polemiche e era allora del 22%) aumenta passando dal 21,3 del dibattiti agli inizi degli anni 80, allorche venne 1972 al 30% del 1991 (Orienta Lavoro, 1991); indetto il referendum del 17 Maggio 1981 per (Perulli, 1994). Il lavoro femminile, concentrandosi abrogarla. II dibattito sull'aborto si rivitalizza in nel terziariopubblico e privatocresce questi anni e gli argomenti a favore sono i seguenti: parallelamente a questo settore che negli 80 6 in (1) l'aborto non 6 un obbligo per nessuno ma una espansione. Di contro la base occupazionale scelta che ogni donna fa in maniera sofferta; una maschile, concentrandosi nei settori industriali, si scelta che rientra nel diritto all' autodetenninazione; riduce dal 61% del 1951 al 54% del 1991 (Piazza, (2) la legalizzazione dell'aborto pone fine alla 1994). In questo caso la segregazione settoriale ha piaga sociale dell'aborto clandestino che colpisce operato, almeno in senso quantitativo, a favore le classi meno privilegiate e le emargina ancora di della donna. costringendole ad abortirein condizioni Nonostante questi considerevoli cambiamenti, i precarie e pericolose per la vita stessa della donna; percorsi professionali delle donne non sempre (3) un altro argomento, sostanziato dalle statistiche corrispondono ai titoli di studio ottenuti. Inoltre le italiane e di altri paesi, e che it numero degli aborti donne raramente occupano posizioni direttive, le diminuisce li dove c'e una legge che lo legalizza loro funzioni sono prevalentemente esecutive. Nel vedi per esempio it caso dei Paesi Bassi con la settore pubblico le donne che occupano posizioni legge piu liberale d'Europa, dove si registrano solo manageriali rappresentano infatti solo il 10%, 5 aborti su 1000 donnee vedi l'Italia stessa dove mentre nel settore privato non raggiungono il 6% e it rapporto di abortivita (cio6 it quoziente per 1000 nellebanchee nelleaziendepingrandi nati vivi) a sceso da 342 nel 1980 a 286 nel 1990 rappresentano solo il 2% (Grecchi, 1995). Questo

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dovuto sia ai maggiori impegni familiari, sia alla "cancellare le discriminazioni nel mondo del minore disponibilita alla mobilitazione territoriale. lavoro, favorire l'occupazione femminile e le Questa situazione di disuguaglianza ha un effetto condizioni affinche i due sessi godano realmente demotivante sulla donna che finisce col perseguire di una eguaglianza sostanziale nel mondo del una "strategia del lavoro", mentre l'uomo, favorito lavoro". (Orienta Lavoro Vol 8 1991). dalla sua posizione di superiority, persegue una "strategia di carriera" (Mottalini, 1994). Il termine "azioni positive" deriva da "affermative action".Con questadenominazione vennero indicate negli anni 50 quelle politiche mirate a IL LAVORO DI CUBA garantire parita di diritti alle minoranze razziali e alle donne negli Stati Uniti. Successivamente it termine a stato traslato nei programmi europei dove Vorrei a questo punto soffermarmi a considerare la venivano attuate iniziative per rimuovere situazioni trasformazione che riguarda it lavoro di cura svolto di discriminazioni indirette nei confronti della forza soprattutto dalla donna nell'ambito della famiglia, lavoro femminile. Che cosa sono le azioni positive? un lavoro che in questi anni a reso visibile sia dalle Sono misure volontarie, temporanee, consistenti in donne stesse sia dalla society (Piazza, 1994). E mi progetti ed interventi che tendono a correggere spiego: it lavoro della gestione della casa, della pratiche, comportamenti, norme, procedure e forme cura dei figli e degli anziani non 6 piu considerato, come nelle generazioni precedenti, una prassi organizzative che impediscono le pan opportunity e la valorizzazione delle risorse umane femminili. naturale che richiede delle quality minime che si Un programma di azione positiva si sviluppa in acquisiscono con l'esperienza, ma si a tramutato in 4 fasi: un' attivita che richiede delle specifiche ability organizzativecomeancheunaparticolare o La programmazione, che viene svolta da un sensibilitypsicologicaedellecapacitydi gruppo generalmente costituito da rappresentanti mediazione. Tutto questo significa che it lavoro di dell'azienda, dei sindacati e delle donne. cura, it quale ricade ancora solo o prevalentemente o L'analisi, durante la quale si raccolgono e si sulle spalle della donna, incomincia a pesare di proprio perche ha assunto un' importanza elaborano i dati relativi a tutto it personale. o La realizzazione dove si sceglie it tipo di azione simbolica pari a quella della carriera. Se da una e si definiscono i costi ed i tempi di attuazione parte questo nuovo ruolo pub essere una fonte di o 11controllo ela valutazione, che consiste arricchimento e di gratificazione ed un aspetto nell'effettuare interviste ai soggetti coinvolti per importante della "differenza da salvaguardare" e da difendere per le donne stesse e per gli altri verificareiloro atteggiamenti e raccogliere osservazioni e suggerimenti (Maccani, 1994). "Ia donna, Ia quale (Zincone, 1993), dall'altra, se non 6 sostenuta da si trova a dover un'adeguata organizzazione del sistema sociale ed aziendale, pue costituire un elemento frenante, dividersi ancora VERIFICA DELL'APPLICAZIONE una volta tra due paralizzante nella crescita della donna, la quale si sfere non sempre trova a dover dividersi ancora una volta tra due DELLE AZIONI POSITIVE conciliabili: quella sfere non sempre conciliabili: quella affettiva e affettiva e quella quella professionale. La verifica dell'applicazione di questa legge su professionale" Gli anni 80 quindi sono anch'essi caratterizzati territorio nazionale non 6 fin'ora incoraggiante. da non poche contraddizioni. Da una parte si assiste Un'indagine del Censis presentata alla prima ad un rafforzamento della presenza femminile nel conferenza nazionale della Commissione nazionale mercatodellavoro,dall'altrapermangono di parita presso la presidenza del consiglio nel 1992, condizioni didisparity e disuguaglianza che sottolinea che le commissioni sono presenti in meno certamente non sono alleviate dal nuovo status di meta delle provincie e solo nel 20% dei Comuni. assunto dal lavoro di cura. Inoltre le risorse riservate all'applicazione della legge, risultano impiegate non nella realizzazione dei progetti, ma nella disposizione di corsi di GLI ANNI 90: LE 'SFIDE' DA formazione professionale. In pH', la distribuzione AFFRONTARE ED IL delle commissioni a ineguale: 49% al Nord, 30% at 'CONFRONTO' FEMMINISTA Centro e soltanto 21% at Sud (Doria, 1994). Non c'e dubbio che una delle sfide da affrontare negli anni La persistenza di profonde disuguaglianze nel 90 sia proprio l'attuazione su larga scala di questa campo lavoristico, porta ad una serie di proteste e legge che rischia altrimenti di rimanere nient'altro di iniziative legislative che hanno luogo a cavallo che una semplice dichiarazione di buoni propositi. tra gli anni 80 e 90. Queste proteste risultano nell'approvazione it 20 marzo 1991 della legge 125 delle "Azioni positive per la realizzazione della DATI SULLA DISOCCUPAZIONE parita uomo-donna nel lavoro". Questa legge MASCHILE E FEMMINILE supera it concetto formale di parita espresso dalla legge del 1977 e si prefigge di: Che ci sia ancora molta strada da percorrere prima 8 0 rz0V Tuttitalia IL MOVIMENTO DELLE DONNE IN ITALIA: SFIDE PASSATE E PRESENT! di raggiungere it traguardo della parity reale ce lo PRESIDENZA ITALIANA dicono anche i dati del 1994 sulla disoccupazione DELL'UNIONE EUROPEA maschile e femminile. Questi infatti registrano notevoli discrepanze in tutte le regioni italiane La presidenza da all'Italia it ruolo di applicare it (Vedi Appendice). programmeapprovatoallaconferenzadelle Nazioni Unite dove si sono proposte due parole d'ordinepertutteledonnenetmondo: DATI PRESENTATI ALLA IV "Empowerment" e "Mainstreaming". Questo si CONFERENZA DELL'ONU traduce net: dare potere alle donne e garantire la presenza delle donne in ogni politica, cioe "far si Ci sono inoltrc le statistiche presentate alla IV che it punto di vista femminile entri in tutte le Conferenza delle Nazioni Unite sulla donna, politiche" (Turco in Mazzocchi, 1996). tenutasi lo scorso settembre a Pechino. La relazione Livia Turco, presidente della Commissione pari "le donne italiane compilata per questo evento, rivela che mentre le opportunity formato da donne parlamentari di lavorano il 28%, donne dei paesi industrializzati lavorano in media il ogni credo politicosi propone di trarre it massimo in piu (470 13% in piu degli uomini, le donne italiane lavorano vantaggio da questa nuova responsabilita lavorando minutiquasi 8 i128 %, in pin (470 minutiquasi 8 ore al giorno a due livelli quello europeo e quello nazionale. ore al giornocon- circa 6 ore al giornodei loro contro i 367 minuti tro i 367 minuti connazionali) raggiungendo cosi il record mondiale circa 6 ore al delle ore di impegno quotidiano che includono sia PROGETTI NAZIONALI giornodei loro le attivita remunerate fuori della famiglia, sia quelle connazionali)" svolte gratuitamente all' interno della famiglia per Iprogetti principali che riguardano le donne lavori domestici e la cura degli altri, siano essi italiane in particolare sono: genitori, anziani, figli ecc (Repubblica, 18.8.95). A questo si aggiunge it dato che le donne guadagnano 1. la costituzione di un sottosegretariato alla il 20% in meno degli uomini i quali a loro volta, presidenza del Consiglio che conduca la politica fatta eccezione per gli uomini dei Paesi Bassi, sono delle pari opportunity nei dicasteri e che abbia quelli che lavorano di meno di tutti nei mondo anche "poteri di monitoraggio e intervento nei industrializzato. confronti dei ministeri" (Turco in Scoppa, 1995) 2. la preparazione di una riforma elettorale che garantisca una maggiore affermazione delle LEGGE SULLE MOLESTIE SESSUALI donne sin dalle prossime elezioni politiche. A questo proposito ricordo it fatto che dal 1946, Le donne italiane stanno anche lavorando su un anno in cui le donne italiane hanno acquisito progetto riguardante le molestie sessuali nei posti di pieni diritti politici, la percentuale di donne lavoro. Un disegno di legge a gia stato presentato in elette al parlamento a rimasta pressocche esigua, Parlamento ma si attende che sia regolamentato da oscillando fra il 7 e il 10% (Pitch, 1994) un Codice di Condotta. Fin'ora I'unica iniziativa di 3. la divulgazione di tutte le iniziative che l'Unione rilievo realizzata in questo campo a statala campagna promossa dal sindacato GCL che si propone a favore delle pari opportunity 4. la promozione d'impresa da parte delle donne chiama "mi disturbi". Questa consiste nell' aver 5. lo sviluppo di iniziative per creare maggiori apertounalineatelefonicanazionale in opportunity net Mezzogiorno collaborazione con la radio italiana. Il gruppo ha 6. abolizione degli stereotipi sessuali nei libri di anche fatto circolare dei questionari per indagare su scuola. quanto sia esteso it fenomeno e su come il problema venga affrontato dalle donne (Laviosa, 1996). PROGETTI PER L'EUROPA

UNA SFIDA AFFRONTATA CON A livello europeo la Turco si impegna ad ottenere: SUCCESSO: LA LEGGE CONTRO LA VIOLENZA SESSUALE 1. una raccomandazione per il rafforzamento delle donne nei centri decisionali dell'Eu. Infatti net Finalmente, dopo vent'anni di ampio dibattito net 1994 le donne presenti nei centri decisionali movimento delle donne 6 stata approvata il14 politicinell'Eu erano solo del13,6% nei febbraio di quest' anno la legge contro la violenza Parlamenti e del 12,7% nei governi mentre le sessuale, che include i maltrattamenti e le violenze donne presenti nell'amministrazione pubblica familiari, lo stupro sia individuate che di gruppo e erano salite a circa il 40% la violenza sessuale sui bambini. Gli aspetti 2. una direttiva sui congedi parentali (Mazzocchi, principali e innovativi del disegno di legge, sono 1996). innanzitutto la definizione di violenza sessuale come crimine verso la persona e non pin contro la A questo punto mi pongo la seguente domanda: morale, e inoltre l'inasprimento delle pene. davanti a tutti questi impegni e responsabilita, che

9 ,:eow No 15 June 1997 S LAVIOSA BRAITHWAITE

si stanno susseguendo a ritmo serrato, come si sta VOLONTA' DI CONFRONTARSI preparando it movimento femminista ad affrontare queste sfide? In concomitanza al fenomeno dell' Per poter rispondere al quesito credo che si associazionismo, si delinea negli anni 90 la volonta debba dare uno sguardo a quello che avviene in da parte dei vari gruppi di donne formatisi negli questi anni nel movimento dal punto di vista anni80,diconfrontarsi,diconoscersi,di ideologico, organizzativo ed operativo. In questo comunicare, di contarsi, di sapere esattamente chi modo spero di mettere anche in evidenza quella che siano e come operino. penso sia la caratteristica saliente del femminismo Cito a questo proposito due eventi significativi di questi anni, cioe: it confronto. che si sono svoltianno scorso uno a Milano e l'altro a Cosenza e che secondo me rappresentano due momenti di svolta.II primo evento a un L'ASSOCIAZIONISMO convegno tenutosi it 21-22 gennaio 1995 a Milano, che ha visto la partecipazione di ben 600 donne e la Ebbene, it processo iniziato negli anni 80 di presentazione di 21 relazioni sul terra: "Percorsi formazione di vari gruppi di donne nei posti di del femminismo milanese a confronto. Fra privato e lavoro, nelle university, nei sindacati e nelle pubblico: legami da scoprire, nessi da reinventare". "un nuovo aziende, non solo continua negli anni 90, ma si Nonostante it convegno fosse aperto solo a gruppi, associazionismo rafforza,si espande e da vita ad un nuovo associazioni e circoli culturali milanesi, ritengo che tutto femminile che associazionismo tutto femminile che si diffonde sia significativo in quanto dopo anni di lavoro e si diffonde nella nella society civile. Un tipo associazionismo ricerca autonomi, questi gruppi si impegnano per socleta civile" quello delle professioni. Alcuni di questi gruppi ben un anno a far si che si apra un dialogo. erano gia esistenti, tuttavia in questi anni si Il secondo evento a una manifestazione di donne rinnovano con nuovi programmi e iniziative. svoltasi 1'11 novembre scorso a Cosenza lungo it Esempidiquestigruppisonola FIDAPA rispettabile corso della citta all'ora del cosiddetto (Federazione italiana donne nelle arti, professioni, "struscio". La protesta era contro "la condizione affari) e l'AIDDA (Associazione imprenditrici e minorile della donna che continua ad essere tale". dirigenti d'azienda). Altre associazioni invece sono L'obiettivo a stato quello di smuovere le coscienze completamente nuove, ad esempio le Donne in sia degli uomini sia delle donne e di denunciare la carriera,it ComitatodelleProstitute,le persistenzaneipaesidellaCalabriadiuna aggregazionidiavvocate,delle donne della "mentality arretrata in cui sono le stesse donne a Confcommercio, delle storiche, le produttrici di sentirsi inferiori" (Tinari, 1995). Le promotrici vino, le giornaliste, le artigiane. C'e inoltre un' altro della manifestazione sono statele donne del tipo di associazionismo che si forma su obiettivi collettivofemministaGramigne(lestreghe specifici che hanno pero una rilevanza politica maligne), it Collettivo donne dell'universita della generale, ad esempio, Selene, donne per la quality Calabria,itcollettivo delle studenti medie di urbana, ii Centro studi storici per it movimento di Cosenza editCentro sociale della citta. La liberazione della donna in Italia, le Donne del manifestazione non a stata soltanto un fatto locale digiuno a Palermo dopo l'uccisione dei due giudici ma ha ricevuto I'appoggio e l'adesionedel che indagavano sulla mafia Giovanni Falcone e Coordinamento dei collettivi femministi romani e di Paolo Borsellino ed altre associazioni di donne che molti altri collettivi e associazioni locali e nazionali. danno sostegno alle mogli o madri di uomini Nella piattaforma di questa manifestazione si vittime della mafia durante i processi oppure nel legge: corso delle contrattazioni con le istituzioni (Doria, Tasso di disoccupazione «Riprendersi le piazze e renderle luogo dove in Italia, per aree 1994; Siebert, 1994). geografiche, ne11994 proiettare anche la ricchezza,it sapere e i (dato riferito a sud e bisogni delle donne, riappropriarsi di tutti gli isole) spazi negati e concentrare le proprie energie in nuove e costruttive esperienze attraverso un confronto continuo di genere a it fine precipuo che le promotrici si pongono...». «Non ci interessacheciconcedanospazifinora esclusivamente maschili: la Toro "emancipazione" non ci riguarda, perche ci chiede di appiattirci in ruoli, lavori, mansioni degliuomini.Alcontrario,parliamodi liberazione, cioe la possibility di esprimerci cosi come siamo, esaltando e non esasperando le quality che ci rendono differenti come donne e come persone». (Tinari, 1995) L'importanza dell'iniziativa a duplice: prima di tutto sono significativi i contenuti della protesta.

10 Tuttitalia IL MOVIMENTO DELLE DONNE IN ITALIA: VIDE PASSATE E PRESENT!

Questi evidenziano e riassumono siaitemi lavoro la sicurezza del posto 6 il principale criterio principali che caratterizzano la lotta della donna solo per una minoranza (il 21,7%), mentre per la italiana degli anni 90 sia i loro presupposti teorici. maggioranza conta di piu l'interesse per il tipo di Mi riferisco qui da una parte alla lotta per lavoro (29,2%) oppure la crescita professionale riappropriarsi di spazi reali, concreti nella society e (22,0%). nel mondo del lavoro attraverso un confronto Infine, purdi trovareun'occupazione continuo di genere, e dall' altra al superamento, nel gratificante, le giovani studentesse sono disposte concetto di liberazione, della falsa dicotomia fra nel 52,4% dei casi a trasferirsi in una regione non lotta per la parity e rivendicazione della differenza meridionale. sessuale. I due obiettivi sono qui esplicitamente Questi dati rivelano un nuovo dinamismo e espressi non come due realty contrapposte ma flessibilita della componente femminile sia per interdipendenti. In altre parole, si ribadisce con quanto riguarda l'aspetto della mobility territoriale convinzione che la vera parity 6 irragiungibile che it superamento della priority data al posto senza l'affermazione della diversity dell' universo sicuro e fisso. Si evince inoltre dai dati una vision femminile. abbastanza ottimistica dell' istruzione e del mondo Il secondo aspetto del valore di questo incontro del lavoro ed anche una spiccata determinazione ad sta nel fatto che avviene nel Sud, e cosi si dimostra investire nella professionalita. che, a dispetto dituttiglistereotipi, ancora Desidero aggiungere inoltre che l'importanza di purtroppo dilaganti sia in Italia che in paesi questi risultati sta nel fatto che contribuiscono a stranieri, le donne del Mezzogiorno sono piu attive sfatare lo stereotipo della donna meridionale e pin agguerrite che mai. Essendo io stessa una tradizionalmente vista come fortemente legata ai meridionale non posso che confermare la veridicita condizionamentidellafamiglia nonche poco diquestarealty,n6riescosinceramentea disposta a rischiare o ad abbandonare la propria nascondere it mio profondo compiacimento. terra. E allora la risposta alla domanda iniziale, cioe se Per quanto riguarda i successi, vorrei proporvi lo it movimento femminista italiano sia pronto ad scorcio di vita di una donna che come tante altre si affrontare le slide degli anni 90, secondo me, non 6 fatta strada nel mondo imprenditoriale attraverso pub che essere affermativa. Si, il movimento c'e ed lo studio, l'impegno e la piena esplicazione delle 6 forte. Le rivendicazioni sono concrete, specifiche, proprie capacity. Ecco allora in breve la storia di mirate, basate su chiari e convincenti presupposti Amalia Maggioli,un'imprenditriceriminese, teorici ed i mezzi per portarle avanti sono, come 34enne, con una laurea in economia, sposata con un abbiamo visto, vari e tutti validi: la protesta in imprenditore, senza figli, che da 3 anni dirige piazza, rumorosa, aperta, esplicita per smuovere le un' azienda leader nella produzione di ogni tipo di coscienze di tutti coloro che hanno orecchie per modulo. Ecco quello che ci dice di se: sentire; i dibattiti nei convegni; l'associazionismo e le riforme legislative. «Dalle mie parti siamo tutti imprenditori.... Anche l'insegnante che va a scuola, deve essere imprenditore. Non 6 piu come una volta: it posto fisso a finito. Dunque o ti arrangi...o ti arrangi. ASPIRAZIONI E SUCCESS! Noi romagnoli facciamo tutti due o tre cose In questa parte finale del mio articolo vorrei dare insieme. E le famiglie sono unite: lavorano insieme, nonni, mogli, mariti... Io lavoro in spazio alla dimensione del sogno e della speranza azienda tutta la settimana, al sabato faccio la nel vissuto femminile. Desidero pertanto darvi un it mio senso di quelle che sono le aspirazioni delle donne commessa in libreria, a Rimini... 6 degli anni 90 ed un' idea dei loro successi nel hobby». campo professionale. Amalia si a laureata a Bologna in economia e Incomincio quindi con le aspirazioni e prendo in ricorda esame i risultati di un'inchiesta del 1991, condotta dal CENSIS su un campione di 300 studentesse «la mattina dopo la laurea, alle sette del meridionali universitarie e studentesse frequentanti mattino, papa dice: che fai stamattina? capito "le aspirazioni l'ultimo anno di scuola media superiore. L'indagine che tipo? Insomma partii per Londra, per delle donne degli si propone di scoprire le aspettative e gli obiettivi prendere una boccata d' aria, andai all' ostello anni 90 ed un' idea professionali delle giovani donne del Sud e rivela della gioventii. Due mesi dopo, chiamai papa e dei loro successi che nelle scelte di studi le giovani sono motivate o lui dice: c' 6 una novita, abbiamo rilevato la nel campo dall' interesse per le materie stesse (il 48.8%) o libreria Riminese, to ne devi occupare tu. professionale" dagli sbocchi professionali che gli studi offrono (il Rientrai felice a casa, per tre anni non sono 27%). Solo in rari casi sono condizionate dalla riuscita a staccarmi dalla libreria, era diventata famiglia (6,5%). come una malattia... ». Inoltre la vasta maggioranza delle studentesse (il Un giorno a Amalia a chiamare suo padre. Si butta: 97.7%)intendelavorare.Etraquestela maggioranza (63%) preferisce la libera professione «Papa iovorreiun' aziendainterada alla sicurezza del posto fisso. Nella scelta del dirigere...».

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Papa Manlio ci pensa una mezza giornata e poi le Doria, A. R. (1994). Una rivoluzione non ancora compiuta. In dice: Stato dell'Italia a cura di Paul Ginsborg. Milano:il Saggiatore; Bruno Mondadori, pp. 262-266. «Da domani saraiiicapo della Maggio li Grecchi, A. (1995). Pad Opportunita. Milano: Franco Angeli. Modulgrafica....». Laviosa, F. (1996). The Italian woman: her presence-absence in thesocio-economictapestry.Relazionepresentata Amalia ricorda it primo anno all'Istituto italiano di cultura. Edinburgo, 26/1/96. Maccani, R. (1994). Le azioni positive. In Orienta Lavoro, n.8. «vissuto tutto con le lacrime agli occhi, in mezzo Trento: Provincia Autonoma di Trento Agenzia del lavoro, ai dirigenti che sapevano molte pia cose di me». PP- 1-2. Mazzocchi, S. (1996). PM potere alle donne. La Repubblica, Riesce ad imporsi con un piccolo trucco: 22/1/96. Roma, p. 9. Melandri. L. (1995). La vicenda dei sessi all' incrocio tra origine «cambiai la disposizione di tutti gli uffici, di e storia. In II foglio de it paese delle donne. Anno VIII, n 3, tutte le stanze. Era il mio modo per sentirmi pia 31/1/95. Roma: Associazione '11 Paese delle donne', p.1 speciale. sicura e per far sentire sulla corda i dirigenti». Mottalini, M. (1995). 11 lavoro del gruppo A. In 11 foglio de il paese delle donne. Anno VIII, n3, Amalia adora le auto 31/1/95. Roma: Associazione 'II Paese delle donne', p.4 speciale. «la nostra - dice6 terra di donne e motori... Oriani, A. (1995). Donne e sindacato. In II foglio de il paese delle donne. Anno VIII, n 3, 31/1/95. Roma: Associazione Noi Romagnoli ci divertiamo sempre. Sai che II Paese delle donne', p.3 speciale. vuol dire uscire dall'ufficio alle otto di sera e Orienta Lavoro (1991). Una stanza tutta per se e cinquecento poter prendere la bici per andare sul mare in sterline all'anno possono ancora bastare'? n 6. Trento: cinque minuti? Questo incide molto sul Provincia Autonoma di Trento Agenzia del lavoro, pp. 6-7. carattere... In Romagna si fa amicizia in un OrientaLavoro(1991).Donne elavoronelcontesto meridionale. n 8. Trento: Provincia Autonoma di Trento attimo eiritmi sono velocissimi. Ah.... se Agenzia del lavoro, pp.2-7. avessimo not il mare della Calabria o della Palombelli, B. (1996). Le padrone del 2000/4. La Repubblica, Sicilia....». (Tratto da: Barbara Palombelli, la 22/1/96. Roma, p. 9. Repubblica, 22 gennaio, 1996. p 9). Perulli, A. (1994). Com'e cambiata l'occupazione. In Stato dell'Italia a curs di Paul Ginsborg. Milano: il Saggiatore; Penso che questa nota di ottimismo di sapore tutto Bruno Mondadori, pp. 443-446. marittimo sia forse it modo migliore di concludere Piazza, M. (1994). II rischio di una nuova marginalita? In Stato dell'Italia a cura di Paul Ginsborg. Milano: il Saggiatore; questo mia analisi della donna italiana. Sarei Bruno Mondadori, pp. 266-272. felicissima di scambiare opinioni e punti di vista Pitch, T. (1994). Diritto, diritti. In Stato dell'Italia a cura di Paul non solo con coloro che, come me, hanno vissuto in Ginsborg. Milano: il Saggiatore; Bruno Mondadori, pp. prima persona le vicende degli anni 70, ma anche 272-276. con le giovani e le giovanissime. Rossanda, R. (1989). Le alt re. Milano: Gian Giacomo Feltrinelli Editore. Saraceno, C. (1981). Modelli di famiglia. In Ritratto di famiglia degli anni 80 a cura di Sabino Acquaviva, Chiara Saraceno, BIBLIOGRAFIA Elena Gianini Belotti, Carla e Stefano Rodota, Ermanno Gorrieri, Luigi Cancrini. Roma, Bari: Giu. Laterza & Figli Barbagli, M. (1994). Le famiglie senza matrimonio. In Stato Spa, pp. 44-111. dell'Italia a cura di Paul Ginsborg. Milano: il Saggiatore; Sassoon, D. (1986). Contemporary Italy. London: Longman. Bruno Mondadori, pp. 291-294. Schizzerotto, A. (1994). La scuola e uguale per tutti? In Stato Campari. M. G. (1995). Dall'osservatorio sul lavoro delle dell'Italia a cura di Paul Ginsborg. Milano: il Saggiatore; donne. In II foglio de il paese delle donne. Anno VIII n 3, Bruno Mondadori, pp. 558-562. 31/1/95. Roma: Associazione 'II Paese delle donne', p.2 Scoppa, C. (1995). Per un governo nel segno di Pechino. speciale. Noidonne, dicembre 1995, p.56. Conte, M. S. (1995). Le italiane? Quasi schiave. La Repubblica, Tinari, S. (1995). Riprendiamoci la notte. Noidonne, Dicembre 18/8/95, Roma. p.15. 1995, p. 73. Roma. Del Bo Boffino, A. (1995). Dopo un anno di lavoro. In II foglio Zincone, G. (1994). Intervista a 'Diverse e leggere' in Parole per de il paese delle donne. Anno VIII, n 3, 31/1/95. Roma: giovani donne, 18 femministe parlano alle ragazze d'oggi. Associazione Paese delle donne', p.1 speciale. Chieti: Marino Solfanelli, pp. 51-55.

3-5 4 12 Tuttitalia Tuttitalia, June 1997, No 15, 13-16

Umberto Bossi: the language of secession Eric Beverly University of Plymouth

INTRODUCTION these substantial advantages (to which can certainly be added a protest vote element), it remains a Umberto Bossi has been dismissed by some as a considerable achievement to persuade so many "a rabble-rouser demagogue or some sort of political thug, "a Italians to vote for a party which can now be seen as and a street- rabble-rouser and a street-fighter" according to one separatist rather than federalist, a party seeking to fighter" commentator (Frei, 1996). His language has been break up the Italian state and set up an independent described as "the language of the bar-room, usually country in the north, Padania. sexistandoftenphallocratic"(Allumand The message of the Lega is fundamentally a Diamante, 1996). Giorgio Bocca confirms this simple one; Bossi himself describes his party as impression of linguistic crudity but also underlines monotematico. The purpose of this article is to theenigmaticnatureof Bossi,thesimple examine the way in which Bossi seeks to expound spokesman of the people: this message through an analysis of the language he "Un bel tipo, come sidice, questo Bossi, himself uses. It is based on two documents, both written in 1996, the year of the parliamentary generoso e carogna, democratico e dittatore. Ora elections which brought the Ulivo government to it rabdomante che sente la presenza dei traditori power but which were also deemed to represent a e dei nemici, quello che T indovina sempre', ora it confusionario, it plebeo che non sa perdere. major success for the Lega: Per questo lui e it professore Miglio hanno 1.Padania contro Roma padrona': Bossi describes offerto spettacolo osceno, recitavano la parte dei these `appunti' as "un piccolo contributo per giacobini, dei signori della Convenzione e sono finiti a insulti da carrettiere". (Bocca, 1994) ricordare e chiarire alla militanza attraverso quali vie difficoltose it progetto della Lega Inspiteof (orperhapsbecauseof)these abbia saputo avanzare". This document was characteristics, he has undoubtedly been effective issued to candidates and supporters prior to the in his campaign to put the issues which concern elections of 1998 and is clearly intended for him at the forefront of the Italian political scene. It their use in the campaign. His stated intention is istruethat he has been one of the main to "evidenziare la continuita coerente della lotta beneficiaries of the collapse of the political system per l'indipendenza della Padania"; he provides and the political parties which governed Italy for a brief survey of the Lega's history, presents the forty-five years following the Second World War case for an independent Padania which should (although he himself claims that it is the Lega Nord be set before the electors and concludes with a which has brought about this collapse); by setting rallying cry: "Figli del grande popolo del Nord: in motion the process which swept away the old la Padania sara indipendente!" order, the magistrates of Mani pulite created a 2. Manifesto Bossi: This document was published situation in which new or previously peripheral by the magazine L'Espresso in September 1996, political forces (such as the Lega) could occupy the some months after the elections2. It is less of a centreground.Itis alsotruethatthe clarion cry than Padania contro Roma padrona, pronouncements of the Lega have found a ready a more reflective piece of writing, which resonance in the gut feelings of many people in nonetheless goes over much of the same ground Northern Italy, who see themselves as the hard- but which is more concerned to present the case working Northerners obliged to subsidise the for secession in a more general (Italian and economically weak south and exploited by the European) context, putting forward economic political manipulators in Rome. Notwithstanding arguments for the splitting up of the country.

No 15 June 1997 13 E BEVERLY

Therearealsoa number of interesting further the negative impression: 1 privilegi del comments on his personal relationships with potere romano, sotto il tallone del potere romano, otherpoliticalfigures,notably D'Alema, l'incompetenza politica dei segretari del potere Berlusconi and Scalfaro. romano'. Thus 'Roma' and `romano' recur as a terms of abuse running through the whole text. 'PADANIA CONTRO ROMA Another of Bossi's key terms is 'coloniale/ PADRONA' colonialismo'. As has been pointed out above the expression `colonialismo romano' occurs no fewer In many ways, Bossi's use of language to than five times. Indeed the word 'colonialismo' is emphasise his fundamental ideas resembles a series used only in combination with `romano'. It comes of hammer blows. In the second half of Padania close to rivalling the frequency of 'Roma padrona', contro Roma padrona, for example, the word when we includethevariouscombinations `Roma' is repeatedly accompanied (as in the title) involving the adjective 'coloniale: potere coloniale' by the epithet 'padrona', until the phrase almost (four times), `sistema coloniale romano, nemico gains the force of an incantation. Furthermore, the coloniale del Nord, la subordinazione coloniale same conceptishammered home by other della cultura padana'. As he says on more than one combinations of words with the same basic sense, occasion, Bossi considers the first past the post such as colonialismo romano' or potere electoral system to be a `sistema coloniale', coloniale di Roma'. The following passage is designed specificallyto reduce the electoral typical: success of the Lega. It is not simply word combinations of this type Referendum: Nord o Roma padrona that Bossi uses repeatedly to drive home his "Lega libera significa Nord Libero. Nord libero "Lega libera signifi- message, but whole sentences which recur in significa Nord contro Roma. Siamo quindi agli ca Nord Libero. slightly varied form. In the same paragraph as the ultimi scampoli della seconda battaglia fra Nord Nord libero passage quoted above we find him saying of the e Roma padrona. La seconda battaglia a stata significa Nord other political parties: "Il Nord lavori, che Roma quella in cui la marea della restaurazione3 ha contro Roma" comanda", questa e la sintesi della loro filosofia. permesso alle forze politiche del colonialismo And only a few lines later comes a slightly different romano di riorganizzarsi in parte. II fallimento pera sta nel fatto che nessuno a riuscito ad version: Il motto [ie of the so-called centralist parties] 6: "I porci del Nord pensino a lavorare. annientare la forza di liberazione del Nord. Questo lo confermera la cabina elettorale. II Tocca a Roma comandare". Bossi likes to strike twice when the iron is hot; giorno dopo le elezioni si dara il via all'ultima having introduced the phrase ì grandi ladri di battaglia, attraverso la quale il Nord schiantera it potere coloniale di Roma. Dopo tre anni di regime', for instance, he makes a point of repeating it only a few lines later. attesa nella fanghiglia delle trincee che hanno Anotherfeatureofthe salvato loro la vita, gli uomini attendono un passageentitled Referendum: Nord o Roma padrona quoted above segnale di attacco. La lotta sara sulla protesta which is typical of Bossi's style is the prevalence of fiscale del Nord. Per Roma padrona il tempo 6 war/battle imagery. Not only does he use the word misurato. battaglia three times in this short extract, but we Just as Roma is linked to pejorative expressions also find other war references ("la fanghiglia delle such as 'padrona' or 'potere coloniale', so the trincee, segnale di attacco") as well as the verbs of adjective`romano'israrelypresentedin violence, 'annientare' and `schiantare'. combinations where the effect might be neutral (far Ànnientare' is something of a favourite of Bossi, less positive). Of the 24 occasions on which the occurring 12 times in the course of Padania contro adjective is used, only one falls clearly into this Roma padrona. As can be seen from the above category(`parlamento romano') andthisis extract, `battaglia' is also key word; clearly battle assuming that no prior prejudice exists in the mind can be a fairly commonplace political image, but of the reader. Otherwise we find colonialismo the interesting thing about Bossi's use of it is that romano' (five times), potere coloniale romano, it on only one occasion is it used in a general sense sistema coloniale romano, it centralismo romano, il (the electoral battle); on all other occasions it refers gioco romano, i giochetti romani, la rete dei velluti to the.battle between Roma and Padania. A specific governativi romani, it feudatario romano. II regime battleis evoked on three occasions,that of romano' is a combination used only to refer Legnano, where the original Lega Lombarda specifically to the political system dominated by defeated the Emperor Frederick Barbarossa in Craxi and Andreotti. (`Regime' is in itself a dirty 1176;the contemporary significance of this word for Bossi, who likes to use it in combinations reference is immediately explained: "11 Barbarossa such asìgrandi ladri di regime')'II potere oggi sta a Roma e it suo potere coloniale sara romano' is also an unattractive phenomenon for annientato". Like `battaglia', `guerra' generally Bossi's potential supporters and in any case means the war against Roine; apart from a couple invariably occurs in combinations designed to of references to the Second World War, it always

14 Tuttitalia 35 6 UMBERTO BOSS!: THE LANGUAGE OF SECESSION refers to the conflict between the North and Rome. the founders of the leghe' were "la gente piu umile Trench warfare seemsto have aparticular che aveva solo il cuore"; and now there is a new resonance for Bossi, perhaps because it recalls the phenomenon, "il cuore indipendentista, it cuore defence of northern Italy in the First World War che batte a Mantova" (seat of the unofficial against another foreign occupier, the Austrians. He parliament of Padania). says of the Lega's brief experience of government Just as Rome is linked repeatedly by Bossi to under Berlusconi: "ogni nostro ministro era solo terms intendedto have a pejorativeeffect una trincea per salvareinostri uomini dal (`padrona' .`coloniale', etc.), so also he tries to bombardamento a tappeto fatto contro il Nord". identify his political opponents with aspects of In one instance, however, it is not the repeated Italian society which would be unpopular with his presence of a word or group of words in Bossi's electorate, typified as the hard-working small writing which is striking but the complete absence businessman and his employees. Thus he seeks to of a word. The word is 'Italia'. Not once in the define (or re-define) the positions of the Ulivo and whole of Padania contro Roma padrona does he of the Polo della Liberta, both of whom he sees as use the word 'Italia', and the adjective 'italiano' having been created principally to combat the occurs only four times. In his appeal to the growing influence of the Lega. emotions of northern Italians, he appears to be Col maggioritario it colonialismo romano ha careful to avoid any reference to a patriotic entity intesobloccareitcanaledapartodel which might still exercise an emotional pull of its federalismo e la liberazione della Padania. Si own on his potential supporters. (If only in a trattava solo, a quel punto, di costruire due sporting context, how many potential Lega voters would refuse to support the 'azzurre ?) So the nuovi poli, a destra e a sinistra. [...] Erano nati in questo modo due poli, in cui si collocarono enemy is always Rome: in contrast to the above anche i due grandi poteri reali del Paese: it statistics for Italia and italiano, there are no fewer than 32 references to 'Roma' and 24 to the grande capitale del Nord da una parte, la mafia dall' altra, cio6 1 ' assistenzialismo se ttentrion ale adjective `romano'. In Manifesto Bossi, which, as e l'assistenzialismo meridionale. [...] Nel polo we shall see takes a gentler approach to the Nord- della post-sinistra o dell' Ulivo troviamo, quindi: Roma conflict, the word 'Italia' does occur on a it grande capitale, parte del mondo cattolico e few occasions, but in most instances we find either accanto i residuati dell'operaismo. [...] II polo references to 'un' altra Italia', a now unattainable della post-destra aveva alla base, come potere goal, or the hyphenated form `sistema-Italia', an reale di riferimento, la mafia, cio6 la classe abstraction which can be attacked with impunity ("Il Nord si affrancherebbe dalla zavorra del politica assistenzialista meridionale. sistema-Italia; it sistema-Italia a un'astrazione del Having thus linked the Ulivo to big business and pensiero; in questa fase per affrontare le acque trade unionism, and the Polo della Liberta to the infide del mercato unico mondiale sulla zattera del south and the mafia (in the same section he also sistema-Italia a un suicidio".) There is only one links it to fascism and to the recently discredited "Bossi's portrayal straightforward reference to 'questa Italia', the regime), and labelled both of them as committed to of the Italian state Italy which Bossi seeks to combat. the welfarism which is seen as draining the is that of a Bossi's portrayal of the Italian state is that of a Padanian economy, he proceeds to drive home powerful machine" powerful machine, expressed through abstractions, these connections on every available opportunity, to stato', sistema', 11 regime', whereas the key particularly in relation to the Right: words used in relation to Padania represent essentially human or collective values rather than Nonostante Palermo spingesse it suo partito, abstractions (11 popolo', 'la nazione', cuore'). Fini non sarebbe mai arrivato al Nord senza Popolo' is used nine times in the document; on all aiuto di un fiduciario milanese dei capitali occasionsitrefers to the people (sometimes meridionali, Berlusconi. peoples) of the north and on six of these occasions [Berlusconi] veniva in politica per trascinare al it is used in the combination grande popolo del Nord il meridionalismo. Nord', the great Northern family whose values are perceivedascontrastingradicallywiththe The'Polo'isreferredtoas"ilpolodel corruption of Rome. The notion of family is one meridionalismo" and"ilpoloberlusconian- which Bossi clearly seeks to encourage: the Lega is fascista", and the Berlusconi government as "il "la figlia del grande popolo del Nord", the governo del meridionalismo". leghisti' are "i figli del grande popolo del Nord". Nazione' too is only used with reference to the north and on two occasions forms the combination 'MANIFESTO BOSS!' `Nord Nazione' ("una costituzione per la grande Nord Nazione; it grande popolo del Nord, della Padania contro Roma padrona may be considered Nord Nazione, sara libero"). The authority of the to be typical of Bossi's prose style, but itis Lega comes apparently from the will of the people. instructive to compare it with the later document. Whereas Rome is driven by self-interest and greed, The tone of Manifesto Bossi, a much shorter

44.41. No 15 June 1997 15 E BEVERLY

document, is more reflective and less aggressive the upheaval of recentyears he came into his than Padania contro Roma padrona,even towards own. On stage Bossi grabs the microphoneas if his political opponents. D' Alema he likesand he wanted to throttle it. His voiceis gravelly, his respects as "un uomo di cuore e di principi" and of chin brutal, his thick bulging lips Berlusconi, who in the earlier text he look bruised says "andra and his speech meanders from insultto libellous "Bossi is proud to probabilmente all' inferno", he now writes simply: injury. Bossi is proud to be gruff. "trovo che sia mosso da una sola molla, It comes be gruff. It comes l'interesse naturally, but it is also politicallycalculated. naturally, but it is personale e di clan". The heat of the electoralbattle (Frei, 1996) also politically has passed and he is makingan attempt to present calculated" his ideas in a more constructiveway. Curiously We may reach thesame conclusion on the Roma is not mentioned once (andnor of course does language of Bossi's writings. Itmay at times be `padrona' occur). The adjective `romano'occurs gruff,it may meander from insultto libellous twice but without any of the pejorativeconnotations injury, it is often violent, not tosay belligerent. But found above. There is onlyone reference to Roman it is not always so. Padaniacontro Roma padrona colonialism in the whole document: thecountry, he may represent Bossi at his street-fighting best,but says, is "tenuto insieme dagli interessi coloniali del the Manifesto suggests that heis capable of sistema romanocentrico". modulating his tones in keeping withhis political `Meridionale' and `mezzogiorno'are no longer purpose. Clearly in neither of these documents does usedasnearinsults,linkedinevitablyto his writing reflect fully themore than robust `assistenzialismo' and mafia and employed inorder language of his speeches (notto mention his off- to attack his political opponents of the Right.The the-cuff utterances), but they do reflectthe apparent south is treated with apparent comprehensionand contradiction in Bossi identified byBocca. If sympathy, which Bossi realisesmay surprise some Padania contro Roma padrona is Bossi`carogna', of his readers: then it can be argued that the Manifestois Bossi `generoso'. But to what extentare these variations La Cassa del Mezzogiornonon sembri una "politically calculated" (to use Frei's phrase)?He bestemmia, scritto da me all'esordio fu un has been described as "a skilled and progetto utile e giusto. unscrupulous leader" (Gilbert, 1995), "a masterfuland ruthless L'apparato produttivo del Nord finanziavai political tactician" (Frei, 1996),a politician whose consumi del Sud e in cambio itMezzogiorno opportunism "was reflected in his shrewdpolitical offriva un mercato sicuro e protettoper i prodotti leadership and the flexibility of hisideology" delle aziende padane. (Farrell and Levy, 1996),Itis reasonable to conclude that the language of his writings, The vocabulary of battle and like that war has largely gone. of his speeches, is as much the resultof a deliberate `Battaglia' occurs only three times and two of those political choice as of the inherentcontradictions of are references to battles that, according to Bossi, his character. the Lega is not planningto fight, "I' innesima battaglia per un' altra Italia, irraggiungibile,vaga". Similarly, `guerra' refers to the Firstor Second NOTES World Wars and not to Italian politicstoday. A new set of synonyms has appeared: 1. `gandhiana', Padania contro ROMCI padrona, Lettera di UmbertoBossi ai `pacifica', `cecoslovacca', `consensuale'.Bossi is militanti per le elezioni del 21.4.96, availableon the Lega now presenting himself as the voice ofreason, the Nord Internet site: http://www.leganordsen.it/ 2. Lega as the party of peaceful transition.If the Lega Manifesto Bossi is the title under which this documentwas had given in to the temptations offeredit by the published by L'Espresso. It consists ofa chapter which other parties and become Bossi had written for a book entitled 11 mioprogetto: a federalist party within a . interventi dei leader della Lego and appeared inL'Espresso. traditional Left-Right system, he tellsus, "sarebbe in the edition of 12.9.96, in advance of itspublication in nato immediatamente un indipendentismodi book form. 3. stampo terroristico, e allora it conflitto Nord-Sud `restaurazione' for Bossi means the restoration ofthe old, discredited political system. avrebbe abbondonato it sentiero pacifico,di tipo gandhiano, che fin qui ha conservato,per prendere una china ben pits pericolosa". This is a different Bossi. Or rather it isBossi in a REFERENCES different situation, addressing himselfto a different Anum, P. and Diamante, 1. (1996). The Autonomous readership, and thus adoptinga different language Leagues in the Veneto. In C. Levy (ed.), Italian Regionalism.Berg, to achieve his ends. Bossi may not becapable of p.155. reaching Andreotti-like heights of subtlety,but he is Bocca, G. (1994). 11 sottosopra: mccontata a una figlia. certainly more subtle thansome would have us Mondadori, pp.153-154. believe. The BBC correspondent MattFrei has Frei, M. (1996). Italy: The Unfinished Revolution.Mandarin. Farrell,J.and Levy, C. written of Bossi's styleas an orator: (1996). The Northern League: Conservative Revolution.InC.Levy(ed.),Italian Bossi is a rabble-rouser anda street-fighter who regionalism, Berg, p. 142. Gilbert, M. (1995). The Italian Revolution. WestviewPress, p. would be shunned inmore polite times. During 50. 16 358 Tuttitalia Tuttitalia, June 1997, No 15, 17-18

The state& ev rd o

B1 t n odui p c r mores of stu y Salvatore Coluccello University of Strathclyde

In considering entering higher education, students adapting their model of thinking, taking responsibil- have taken a very positive step towards determining ity for and control of their own development. their future. Being a student in the late twentieth cen- "Outside" help is needed to convince the students tury means taking responsibility for one's own learn- that a language course touches the parts that other ing and helping oneself to prepare for the 21st century. degrees do not reach. A model developed by the CBI Language departments are responsible for the design, and AGR stated that personal and interpersonal skills, control and delivery of all programmes of language, communication, information technology, application ranging from mainstream activities to income-gener- of number, problem solving and modern language ating courses for the business community, and for competence should be the outcome of a degree meeting the need for an innovative and up to date lan- course. The Association of Graduate Recruiters guage teaching and learning programme. (AGR, 1993) suggested that Ab initioItalian is placed in a series of modules "employers stress the value of (students) being which, when completed successfully, will bear a able to explain themselves, to reflect on what they number of credits that students build up towards their have done and what they have learned from it" final award. Students of the Department of Lan- guages who study Italian may do itab initio.The and believed that questions raised in this context include, whom do we "...the difference between someone who's really teach, what do we teach, and how? Today there is a average and someone who knows what they want large and diverse group of students studying Italian and gets there [is shown in their ability to] articu- because it now features as a popular second language late what they have gained from whatever experi- in many departments' degree courses. Given that we ence it is... [what matters is] how they apply their have different types of students, is it better to diver- mind to the situation..." sify the courses offered to adapt to the various needs? Researchers are still divided about specialised Many employers are dissatisfied with the current skills, but the trend is towards the notion that a dedi- level of these skills. Of graduates, 40% said (in 1993) catedab initiolanguage course does not work for that their courses did not help them to develop suffi- several reasons. For example, it is too expensive, cient communication skills. Examples of graduate whereas a common course for allab initiostudents is attributes which, according to employers are not suf- cheaper and is applicable to everyone. The students ficiently developed, include oral and written commu- can develop general skills better than they can acquire nication skills, time management, critical ability, specialist skills. There is the opportunity in anab ini- summarising the key issue, imagination, creativity, tiocourse to acquire competence skills, but above all, and influencing and negotiation skills. Few subjects there is the possibility to raise the students' awareness were discussed with as much energy as the need for "university teach- of transferable skills through the language from zero. graduates to be able to communicate: in writing, in ing needs to move What are the transferable skills? To be able to person, in interviews, in groups, in presentations, in from a model of apply skills to new contexts, university teaching foreign languages and in English. "Communication is teaching knowl- needs to move from a model of teaching knowledge of the essence" one recruiter observed. edge to one of to one of enabling learning. Effective learning is the Language itself contains four basic skills, of which enabling learning" acquisition of skills with sufficient depth of under- two, listening and reading, can be highlighted and 1.11 standing to be able to apply them to new contexts. provide a solid basis for productive skills. The two Students are more flexible and effective in learning in others are productive skills, speaking and writing, and new situations, constantly reviewing its worth and these are the driving force of communication. The

rim No 15 June 1997 17 tf, S COLUCCELLO

receptive skills are particularly adapted for work on these principles, the main method of presentation one's own, and can be carried out with a department's used in class will include: direct input, large and facilities of an open access language learning resource small group discussion, tutor led guidance and centre, a satellite television studio, audio language demonstration, guided private study, individual laboratories, and the use of the Internet, with some guided tasks for completion between class meetings, Italian newspapers and magazines on line. Language self-directed private study, individual reflection and teaching experts recommend that for every taught analysis, assessment principles, and as a part of the hour that a student receives, he or she should spend at pedagogy appropriate to adult learners, assessment least the same amount of time reinforcing and review- may be continuous rather than a one-off exam. ing the knowledge that has been acquired. In plain A typical set of contents for the ab initio course terms, this means that a student should be doing a covering the most important areas of skills in Italian minimum of three additional hours of work (and language would include communication manage- preferably more) each week. The tutor can concen- ment, personal information, daily activities: weather, trate on speaking and writing and can raise the stu- timetables, habits, tastes; objects: quantities, prices, dents' awareness of transferable skills through an ab description of objects and relationships with them; initio language course using the existing system, the and shopping: bars, restaurants, social relations: doing importance of autonomous approaches, support from things with other people, making appointments, ask- the human/ echnical lab, for example, or feedback ing and offering things, asking and offering to do from their tutor (students will normally receive diag- things, asking permission, telephone conversations, nostic feedback on their course work). talking about the past, describing situations, talking A variety of assessment instruments will be used about food, describing people and relationships and, across the programme, including coursework, class of course, talking about the future: plans and projects. tests, practical exercises, reports, fieldwork, seminar With the course itself, one of the main principles presentation, and Pattern of Assessment. These on which my ab initio course is based is the need to assessment criteria will vary considerably across approach language classes with real life situations, classes, and will reflect the learning outcomes of the and this will involve the learners personally. The class. In all the language modules there is no formal course has to be planned for a wide range of students, end of year examination in Years 1 or 2. Assessment but at the same time be flexible in order to add or sub- is by coursework and practical oral tests at chosen stitute different material to fulfil different aims and points throughout. Assessment for the language mod- needs. Special material needs to be produced for stu- ules is by take-home assignments, end-of-semester dents of tourism and International Business. tests, in-class assessments, and an attendance requirement of a minimum of 75% attendance for all language modules. Model: skills required by A good framework with part-time or temporary industry tutors is crucial to the organisation of the course, as CBI "Thinking Ahead" June 1994. are well defined aims and objectives explained to students but also to staff, including temporary/part- Core Skills that the CBI has recommended as the out- time tutors. A well planned framework ensures that come of all learning: the system can work irrespective of staff changes. In addition, there would be pre-planned programmes, a personal and interpersonal skills necessity for good co-ordination, a necessity for communication well-defined marking criteria, a necessity for regu- information technology lar reviews of programmes, and a necessity for fully application of number involving temporary/part-time teachers. problem solving Progression is an important consideration as stu- modem language competence dents have to be aware of their progress, and have to be encouraged. Ab initio learners in particular have to "Degree courses should ensure individuals take "The approach to keep their motivation. The ab initio course has to pro- account of their learning and develop their core teaching and vide a solid base, be a coherent unit in itself, and each skills" (Association of Graduate Recruiters, 1993, learning overall is module has to be self-contained and useful, each Cambridge). based on the level being valid in itself (institution-wide), because responsibility of there will be students who may only be doing it for "employers stress the value of (students) being the self-directed one year. able to explain themselves, to reflect on what they learner, the impor- Business languages studied are highly practical have done and what they have learned from it" tance of critical and are designed to develop personal transferable reflection, and on skills through presentation, group work and discus- "the difference between someone who's really the importance of sions. The approach to teaching and learning overall average and someone who knows what they want constructive is based on the responsibility of the self-directed and gets there [is shown in their ability to] articu- feedback" learner, the importance of critical reflection, and on late what they have gained from whatever experi- the importance of constructive feedback. Within a ence it is... [what matters is] how they apply their general teaching/learning framework informed by mind to the situation.." 18 360 Tuttitalia I passatempi ***28 Nome Classe Data Tempo

1 a) Leggi le frasi e scrivi le lettere nella tabella.

A Teresa piace guardare la ANadia piace giocare a calcio = PNadia6 un'appassionatadi televisione = V A Nerina piace nuotare = N televisione = F A Maurizio piace cucinare = Z A Maurizio piace ascoltare la L'hobby preferito di Rodolfo6it A Rodolfo piace scrivere = K musica = E nuoto = M

:-//, 0 F= P Fe

Nerina

D 0 Teresa

Maurizio J

Rodolfo H -

Nadia - Q

) Scrivi delle frasi per queste lettere: H, D, 0, Q, R, J. Esempio: A Rodolfo place cucinare. II passatempo di Rodolfo 6 la cucina. (H)

2Chi paria? Leggi i fumetti e guarda Ia tabella dell'esercizioI. b

Sono un vero appassionato Ho moiti hobby diversi. dell'acqua e ogni fine settimana Mi piace stare in cucina, vado in piscina. Non mi piace seduto alto scrivania scrivere. e in piscina.

CMi place guardare Ia Ho tre hobby: mi piace televisione e ascoltare musica. nuotare, scrivere e Odio tufti gli sport e non guardare Ia televisione. sono affatto sportivo.

Quail sono i tuoi passatempi? Fai una tabella o scrivi delle frasi come nell'esercizio 2!

1a) Quali animali domestici sono? Usa Ia chiave alfabeticae scrivi i nomi. Incolla o disegnaci sopra delle immagini. ABCDEFGH I.11( LMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ VP> 0** *******0D Cl*CIA I *. I a ISOVV b *.044 c *0** 30U

I d*§RE e *L1M41.)1E(VIIJ f 1743E21e3E0 EIA

I I b) Usa Ia chiave alfabetica e scrivi ii tuo animate preferito.

2Quali sono questi animali? a lo sono piuttosto piccolo. Se ti lo sono molto lungo e place mangiare le uova, ti sono snello. Spesso mi puoi trovare simpatico. nell'erba. Pere fai ben attenzione, posso mordere. d lo sono grande e bello. Posso correre molto velocemente. Se ti place cavakare, ti sono lo sono bianco e abito nei campi. simpatico. Ho le orecchie lunghe:

Descrivi gli animali dell'esercizio I! L'esercizio 2 pu6 aiutarti.

* Grandezza? * Mangiare/Bere? * Colore?

1 Usa Ia chiave alfabetica e trova dei posti che fanno parte di una casa. Esempio: a) it gabinetto

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a) Cosa e descritto? Esempio: a) E it bagno. a Qui c'e una vasca e un lavabo. f Qui si tengono spesso it televisore e it b Quando fa bel tempo qui si pub giocare o videoregistratore. E una stanza per tutta la prendere it sole. famiglia. c La macchina abita qui! g Qui si dorme durante la notte. d Qui si preparano i pasti. Qualche volta ci si h Qui si mangia. mangia. i Qui c'e spesso una scrivania. e Questo posto e sotto la casa.Emolto buio. b) Descrivi le stanze della tua casa o del tuo appartamento. Esempio: Abbiamo un salotto molto grande. Qui tutti guardano la televisions.

Com'e Ia tua casa ideate? Disegna Ia pianta, poi dalle un nome! 1 * Quante camere ci sono? La mia casa ideals ha sei camere e * Quanto e grande la casa? La casa e dipinta di rosso. * Di che colore e dipinta la casa? 5i trova * Qua li mobili ci sono? * Dove si trovano questi mobili?

1 Ricerca le parole nel rompicapo e dai un nome agli sport. a b d e f

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2a) Vero o falso?

a Ci sono dodici giocatori in una squadra di e II vincitore/la vincitrice 6 la persona the calcio. perde it gioco. b Per it tennis servono racchette, palline e la f Andre Agassi a un giocatore di squash. rete. g Per lo sci campestre ci vuole la neve. c Il gioco del rugby ha tre tempi di gioco. h Un arbitro controlla it gioco. d 11 windsurf 6 uno sport acquatico.

b) Riscrivi le frasi sbagliate come dovrebbero essere.

Scrivi delle altre frasi "vero/falso" sullo sport! II tuo compagno/la tua compagna a capace di correggerle?

Harold Acton was my Hero Gay Marks Palermo, Sicily

Just published by Troubador Publishing is a new book sized carabiniere in his black and red uniform by expatriate journalist 'Harold Acton was My Hero'. behind an antiquated typewriter, and asked to sit In a not too serious vein, a middle-class Londoner down. A wad of papers interleaved with carbon was looks back in astonishment at her thirty odd years rolled laboriously into the machine: spent in Palermo, and how she has managed to adapt "Name?" to the Sicilian way of life. Carabinieriare generally kind-hearted and In this opening extract from the book, the author uncomplicated people. A feeble but evergreen joke introduces the island of Sicily, and the people who live says they always go around in pairs as one of them there... does the reading, the other the writing. Certainly they tend to be from thepaesior country towns and villages, and invariably are men of great girth and INTRODUCTION swarthiness. After ten minutes I was handed my written state- Ilive in Sicily, the large triangular island set right in ment to sign. It was covered with black thumb the heart of the Mediterranean. Although everyone marks. has heard of the Mafia and Mount Etna, they may "Why is there a question mark after my name ?" well be a little vague about the rest. Sicily has an I wanted to know. ideal climate, celestial food, a subtropical bril- He took the paper back. "That's the typewriter: liantly-coloured flora and crystal seasthe sort of when you press comma, it prints question mark." place one should be able to be eternally happy in. My address had been spelt wrong and I was An old joke says that when God finished fash- Manks instead of Marks but I let it go; after all I "when God ioning Sicily and realised that he had created Eden, was never going to see the money again. finished fashioning he hurriedly decided to redress the balance in case I can never make up my mind whether things Sicily and realised the other inhabitants of the Earth should be envi- should change out here; whether for instance devel- that he had created ous, and so he put the Sicilians there. The joke oping its coastline and mountain villages for large- Eden, he hurriedly which the islanders tell against themselves, is sup- scale tourism would spell life or death to the island; decided to redress posed to justify what a lot of British holiday-mak- there's a definite charm in its crumbling urban the balance in case ers out here see as a charming, happy-go-lucky decay and miles of wild deserted beaches. At the the other inhabi- attitude to life. For some of us living permanently same time, Sicily desperately needs a massive eco- tants of the Earth on the island, it's not always such rollicking fun. nomic boost. should be envious, The other day for instance, I had my wallet It's a terrible dilemma. and so he put the stolen on a crowded lunchtime bus. Usually fanati- But then I'm Englishand illogically so. I want Sicilians there" cally careful about my personal belongingskeep- the best of both worlds. Oddly enough, most of us ing them in a buttoned pocket rather than in my seem to get on surprisingly well out here. Maybe easy-to-open handbag Ihad momentarily it's because we're an insular people like the Sicil- removed my protective hand. The wallet was gone ians themselves; maybe it's because like them, we in a moment. I went to report the theft at the feel ourselves to be in some way "different". But carabinieristation. different from what and whom: the continent, "Pickpocket, bag snatching, mugging or bur- America, Africa? That wouldn't surprise me at all. glary?" I was asked What we mean is that we English are individualistic "Pickpocket." and totally unlike other Europeans, and we tend I "This way please." think, to be proud of this diversity. I have clung to I was shown into a tiny room containing an over- my Englishness because such tenacity has been

A44 No 15 June 1997 23 S G MARKS

inculcated into me. I could quite as easily slip into life as it is today. It's more a prop for the homesick, being a Sicilian if I wanted to. It is just that I won't for the clinging-on members of a long-forgotten let myself. and never to be regained England. Here though, This inner tug-of-war reminds me a bit of E. M. we're not in New Zealand (which someone once Forster's Passage to India in which nice Mr Field- told me is thirty comfortable years behind the ing who teaches in the local English college, is Mother country) or in Maugham's tropics in the begged by his Indian friend Aziz to "give into the thirties; this is Europe today. This is Palermo, East" and stay in India with him. Sicily, just two hours and forty minutes flying time That "giving in" has haunted me for years: the from Luton airport. relinquishing of home ties, the relaxing of out-of Just why such an extraordinary state of affairs date principles, the acceptance of other ways of has lasted well into the nineties must have some- looking out at the world. The enormous relief of thing to do with that tenacious and rather unhealthy letting go. Fielding wasn't able to and nor am I. I attachment to national identity some of us still may be physically present on Sicilian soil, but I'm seem to have. No English person in their right mind still terribly English. you will say could be so morbidly attached to Mar- In spite of that, I am still herein, I suppose, mite, or red jelly or Christmas crackers. Some one of Doctor Johnson's happier climates. The bur- really are. den of my own insularity sits slightly less firmly on But to get back to what I am doing here apart my shoulders nowadays I must admitin fact it's from chronicling this strange world. I arrived in definitely slipping. Buta bit to my own surprise Palermo in October 1963 to fill in a gap before it is still there. what I supposed was going to be work in London. This Sicilian year was to be fun and warm. Like addled old James Joyce who went to Trieste, I had WAITING PATIENTLY IN THE been hired to teach in the Berlitz School of Lan- DARK guages, and (maybe again like him) I hadn't a single word of Italian. What am I doing on this island anyway? I am not a "Much better, much better" the director insisted citizen of the world, let alone Europe, and never when I told him of this lacuna, "they learn more "What am I doing will be. What am I doing attending jumble sales in quick." on this island the Anglican church? I don't want a St. Peter's "They" in fact by some miracle did manage to anyway? I am not a Square snowstorm paper weight or a smelly For- learn something but whether more quick or not I citizen of the world, ties' edition of Pearl S. Buck; and I defy anyone don't know. I hadn't the slightest idea about gram- let alone Europe" born in West Hampstead N.W.6 to get excited over mar neither how to break it down nor how to how many boiled sweets there are in the jar. Yet this teach it. I couldn't even have told you how many is what I find myself doing. tenses there were (are?) in the English language. At Why I wonder do I feign interest in the English least my spelling was good, which it certainly isn't film club (Tootsie, Fatal Attraction) and the visits now. of H.M. Royal Navy to Palermo? Do I really, really I rented an attic in what is known in Italian as a care about the arrival of the new English Chaplain quartiere popolare, a joyfully dirty working class and his lady wife in the city? area. The flat was only one room with a large stone As may be obvious, none of these curious sink on the roof outside into which I used to clam- goings-on have the slightest relevance to English ber bodily to wash. I paid the equivalent of £6 a month for it, I remember. It's a bijou residence now with variegated geraniums spilling down over the terrace wall. There were very few English in Palermo then, only a handful of Americans and Irish, and that was it. Most of us taught. The Sicilians were totally mystified at why we had come in the first place and appalled at our intention to stay. "You can't possibly like it here" they said again and again, "it's uncivilised." You don't hear quite so much of that today, which is slightly unnervingespecially as I had grown used to being thought civilised. Unfortu- nately for our English self-esteem, a general level- ling-out of social and moral values has brought both islands much closer together. No longer are we the envied perpetrators of "the queue", of self- control (with the accent on the first o), and quiet unhurried elegance. And it serves us right; compla- cency is a dangerous state.

24 366 Tuttitalia HAROLD ACTON WAS MY HERO British phlegm however hasn't completely lost describe them myself, although I suppose they are its newsworthiness, and still earns an occasional less bumpy than their English counterparts. This snigger in the Italian press. The report of a recent has a lot to do with clothes, for the fewer you have tube breakdown for instance spoke of hundreds of to wear, the smoother you are going to appear. The Londoners waiting in orderly silence and total visiting Englishman was gay and contemplating Who was Harold Acton? darkness for the electricity to be restored. beauty from his particular viewpoint. He'd never The library of the British Quite incredible. have used the word "slim" otherwise. But other Institute Florence is called "What would Sicilians have done?" I asked comments I have heard over the years have been the Harold Acton Library, knowing exactly what the answer would be. just as odd. and he left two floors of "Panicked and screamed" came the prompt One person wanted to know why Italian men the Palazzo to The British Institute reply. were always touching their crotches, another "Really? Why?" pointed out how they spat all the time, another "Because that's the way we are." asked why they congregated in the village squares; If Sicilians can't keep their cool, we English are Englishwomen too say they can't understand why strangely unpredictable: football riotors, "ooli- the men stare so much. I bet they can't. gans" and heavy drinkers for instance. But these, as Do the Italians really bother to wonder in the I always point out, are not exactly English, but same way about Englishmen? I'm quite sure they British maladies. The Sicilians, who do not wreck don't. We are terribly critical as a race: why, why their stadiums or have pubs in which to drink them- do the Italians do this or that, why don't they do it selves silly, seem confused by this. our way? One thing not in question though is Latin "English means from England and British beauty: a different kind to our own, and very much means from Wales or Scotland basically" I used to in evidence, especially, down here in the south. tell my students. It's interesting that in English romantic novels "Ah." the hero is always tall, dark and handsome whereas "I mean, if you're Welsh, you call yourself in Italian 'Mills and Boons' he is blond with blue British, not English." eyes. Why each race should see the other's stereo- "Not Welsh?" typical male as ideal, I don't really know. "Or Welsh, yes." Advertisements too on Italian television invari- "But you who are from London, Gay, would not ably show golden-haired children and delicately call yourself British?" complexioned housewivesnot a dark one among "Well no; no I wouldn't. I'm English." them. Funny. "Mm." Blond is evidently beautiful and sells toilet rolls Just as we claim not to understand why Latin and mineral water. "Blond is evidently people panic on the tube train instead of waiting "Look here Gino, when we had the swarthy beautiful and sells patiently in the dark, they find our excessive alco- Sicilian guy doing water biscuits, sales went down toilet rolls and hol consumption puzzling. The difference between by 30%. We really can't afford to make mistakes mineral water" us is that we criticise, and they don't. like that again. Get a flaxen-haired bambino from "The further south you go in Europe", I once the Milan agency or you're out." heard a father telling his young son at Gatwick air- "But Vittorio, you said black designer stubble port, "the less you find people are able to organise was just what you wanted..." themselves". While this may very well be true, I "Not any more. I'm through with hairy forearms nevertheless felt it a crude judgement to make; it and flashing eyes. People want sweetness and light also upset me rather as I live about as far south as now. Sweetness and lightget it? They want you can go in Europe. People I reminded myself cornfields and waterfalls, all that back-to-nature and especially childrenshould make up their own crap. Fat mammas and weatherbeaten old fisher- minds about what disorganisation implies and men are out; they don't sell a damn thing." whether in fact it can be counted as a positive qual- No visitor to Italy can fail to notice how the ity or a shortcoming. races vary throughout the peninsular. South of Rome for instance, you get the olive-skinned, black-haired, dark-eyed Mediterranean, north of HANDSMOME MEN, DMA TIM. the capital are the slightly taller Alpine people with Harold Acton was my WOMEN brown hair and brown eyes, while in the Veneto Hem by Gay Marks, and Friuli regions, the dominant strain is Dinaric or published by Troubador A visiting Englishman I spoke to years ago was slightly slay- looking. Everywhere up north,you Publishing Ltd, PO Box absolutely floored by Sicilian male youth: find the tall, fair nordic type, while the Sicilian, as 31, Market Harborough, Leics LEIB 7DT. "They're so slim!" he breathed. mentioned earlier,is a mixture, thanks to his ISBN 1 899293 01 9, So slim is not a way I would immediately Greek, Arab, Norman and Iberian ancestors. £6.99 (+ 50p p&p)

No 15 June 1997 7 25 Tuttitalia, June 1997, No 15,26-30

Teaching English in Italy- a review Tom Baldwin University degli Studi di Milano

Martin Penner, Teaching English in Italy, published in and ideas, and also pages 167-169 in Chapter 12, association with International House, Brighton, 1994. xiv Specific Italian problems. + 206pp. 1 map. Paperback. ISBN 1-873047-16-9. £9.95 The author himself, according to a brief bio- (1994) graphical note, is an experienced teacher of English as a Foreign or Second Language, having taught in A book such as this has been long overdue since it Germany, Italy and briefly in the Sudan. At the time is the first of its kind to deal specifically with of publication, he was teaching at IH/Accademia Teaching English in ItalyTeaching English as a Britannica in Rome. He had taught in Italy Foreign or Second Language, done by English Potenza, Naples and Romefor only five years mother-tongue speakers. Written in an unstuffy when he wrote Teaching English in Italy. For this style, it is a thoroughly practical guide to living and reason, the acute and pertinent observations he has working in Italy. It is also a pertinent and invaluable to make about all aspects of teaching English in mini-manual or reference to teaching in a specific Italy are all the more remarkable. learner-orientated context. It is a pity to begin on a As he points out in his brief but to the point "Italy has been for negative note, but this otherwise excellent book Introduction (p. xiii), "Italy has been for many many years one of contains some slip-upsalmost exclusively in the years one of the most popular destinations for the most popular Italian terminologyand of course, three years on teachers of English". The principle avowed aim of destinations for there are factual details which require updating in a his book is simple: "This book is designed to give teachers of future reprint. you the practical help you need to make a move to English" This book is one of a series published in associa- Italy as trouble-free as possible". I can say that it tion with International House. Two other titles have worked! Even though I have worked in Italy before been published so far: Teaching English in Japan teaching EFL/EAP in three Italian universities, two and Teaching English in Eastern and Central Scuole medie statali, teaching privately and exam- Europe. For this initiative, credit is due to the pub- ining in Italy for the oral part of the Cambridge lisherIn Print Publishing Ltdand International University EFL examinations (as well as teaching House. Teaching English in Italy is prefaced by a Italian students at university level in the UK), there- full-page description of the activities of Interna- fore living and working in different places in Cen- tional House in the UK and abroad, and mention is tral and Northern Italy at different periods in the made of its founders, John (-I-1996) and Brita Hay- history of Lo Stivalethe early Seventies, almost craft. all of the Eighties and now, again, from 1996, I It would have been worth including John's found Chapter 4, Documents, absolutely invaluable highly acclaimed Italian Labyrinth: Italy in the and time-saving. A few caveats, however: for an EU 1980s (Secker and Warburg, 1985, Penguin 1987) citizen, only one, not two as stated, passport photo- and An Introduction to English Language Teaching graph is required and no marche da bollo when (Longman, 1979) in the 'Selective Bibliography' applying for it Permesso di soggiorno; also, in that constitutes Appendix 7 of Teaching English in Milano, the `QuesturaUfficio Stranieri' is not Italy (pp. 200-202). Brita Haycraft is well known actually in Via Fatebenefratelli itself (where the for her books on teaching pronunciation, the latest entrance to the main `Questura' is) but in the street of which is the two-part English Aloud (Heinemann behind, and parallel to, it: via Montebello (p.18). 1994) which, again, could easily have been Having applied for `Residenza' for which there is a included in the bibliography, given that the author five or six months' wait in Milano, I shallin about Martin Penner devotes pages 129-134 specifically seven months' timebe able to obtain a 'Carta to 'PRONUNCIATION' in Chapter 10, Methods d'Identita' (pp. 18-19) which will avoid my having

26 Tuttitalia 36g TEACHING ENGLISH IN ITALY: A REVIEW to carry around with me my British Passport"and nate in not having much difficulty although in Flo- the police like it because it is obviously Italian" (p. rence in the eighties, I had considerable difficulty 19). in a market where the sheer numbers of affluent Martin Penner also sounds a note of warning: "It foreigners including, for example, native English is unlikely that you will make a fortune teaching speakers either living permanently there or just vis- English in Italy" (p. xiii). However, his hope is that iting push up prices in general, with rents being no by living and working in Italy, "You will also see exception. the country from the inside and arrive at an under- It would be impossible in a review to do full jus- standing of its people which goes beyond the usual tice to the pragmatic approach that Martin Penner stereotypical images of excitable, spaghetti-slurp- adopts towards Teaching English in Italy from ing Mafiosi" (p. xiii).To back up that statement, every conceivable aspect. The best strategy would there are interspersed with the main body of the seem to be to examine the structure of this bookat text 'boxes' giving word sketches of real-life expe- once, a guide to travel, living and working, and also "a guide to travel, riences encountered by English mother-tongue a handbook for mother-tongue English language living and working, teachers as well as two interesting appendices 1 teachers, would-be and actual, in Italy. and also a and 2entitled 'Case studies using your experi- Teaching English in Italy, then, is divided into handbook for ence' and 'Interviews with two English teachers'. three Parts: Part 1, Teaching jobs and how to find mother-tongue Helpful, in getting started perhaps, is Appendix 3 them; Part 2, Living in Italy, and Part 3, Teaching English language 'Some English schools' located in Rome, Milan English to Italians. There are also seven appen- teachers...in and Naples. dices, the first three and the seventh to which refer- Italy" Martin Penner has chosen to focus on those ence has already been made. The rest cover 4. three Italian cities presumably because they are Classroom Italian, 5. Food and drink glossary, and representative of Central, Northern and Southern 6. Festivals and holidays. Finally, there is an Index Italy and he gives precise data (addresses and tele- which manages, in just over three pages, to be com- phone numbers) on seeking work and accommoda- prehensive. tion in those particular cities, although there are It is, I think, worth listing the chapter headings several references to Turin and Florence. It would within the three Parts in order to show how emi- clearly have been an impossible task to provide nently practical the topics covered, and information details of, for instance, private language schools provided, by Martin Penner are. It would be diffi- where English is taught in almost every town/city cult to find anything to add within the chapter sub- in Italy: EFL is widespread, even universal, and is divisions. Here, then, is the structure by chapter: certainlyviewed as a wholebig business in Part 1: Ch. 1, Courses and qualifications; Ch. 2, Job Italy. possibilities; Ch. 3, Finding a job; Ch. 4, Docu- It is difficult to make a living exclusively from ments; Ch. 5, Before you go. Part 2: Ch. 6, Arriving privateteaching,Martin Penner pointsout, and everyday living (a long chapter, from p. 33 to although teachers often 'top up' their main job by p.79); Ch. 7, Italy and the Italians. Part 3: Ch. 8, doing it. The charges for private lessons vary but, in The Italian education system; Ch. 9, Italians as stu- Milan, I understand that the going rate ranges from dents; Ch. 10, Methods and ideas; Ch. 11, Teaching Lit. 30.000 to Lit.70.000 for an hour, the latter per- grammar and functions; Ch. 12, Specific Italian haps for two students learning together: of course, problems; Ch. 13, Teaching business English; and the charge depends on the student's level of knowl- finally Ch. 14, Teaching children. edge of English. I know, incidentally, of a so-called Martin Penner's first-hand experience of 'Italy reputable chain of language schools in Northern and the Italians' has enabled him to write a remark- Italy that is currently charging Lit. 75.000 per hour ably insightful Chapter 7, covering as it does Geog- to the learner whilst the teacher of English in paid a raphy and climate, History, Politics a very miserable Lit. 19.000. `Lettori' (p. 7), by the way, succinct but nevertheless helpful survey of (almost) are now officially dubbed 'Collaboratori ed esperti the current situation (itself quite an undertaking linguistici (di madre lingua inglese)' (cf. my article when one considers the constant flux and the `The Italy job: teaching English in an Italian uni- labyrinthine nature of Italian politics!)The econ- versity', Bulletin of the Society for Italian Studies omy, Character and lifestyle (here the author (SIS), Number 29, 1996: 4-11). admits (p. 89, for example) that "to do the subject I am indebted to Martin Penner for drawing my justice, far more than these few pages would be attention to Secondamano (p. 48), the free-ad. local necessary"; he has done it in seven!) and Essential newspaper forMilano,published Mondays signs and gestures. Fridays. Through it, as Penner suggests, it may be One has the feeling that, before arriving in Italy, possible to find a flat. Such was my caseand as Martin Penner probably did not have much knowl- he also points out (p. 45), prices are high: I pay edge of the Italian language. He almost admits as Lit. 850.000 per month for a bi-localebedroom, much in the following quotation: "Italian is not a tinello, walk-in kitchen and bathroom (and hall- difficult language to learn, especially if you already way). The author devotes four pages to `Long-term have some experience of language learning. If you accommodation': "Finding flats in Italian cities is have time, make the effort to learn some Italianit hard", he warns. This time, in Milano, I was fortu- will make your entry into life in Italy much easier. I.III IN MI No 15 June 1997 27 TBALDWIN Evening classes or teach-yourself books are both experienced a teacher you may be, in Part 3. The good solutions..." (p. 27). In 'Talking to Italians' novice teacher, for example, will find Ch. 10, under the sub-section 'Socializing' in Ch. 6 Methods and ideas, useful, whilst, judging from "If you have time, mainly outside of the classroomPenner suggests almost 25yearsof experienceinteaching make the effort to that "When you are still learning Italian, socializ- EFL/EAP/ESP, Italian and French at secondary and learn some Italian ing can be a bit nerve-wracking, but there is no real university levels, I found extremely competent Ch. it will make your reason not to have your say" (p. 78). Indeed, he 11, Teaching grammar and functions, and Ch. 12, entry into life in maintains, "The golden rule is:don't be afraid to try Specific Italian problems. Italy much easier" buttati (jump in), as the expression goes. Throw Having dealt, in Ch. 12, with 'Pronunciation' caution to the wind and you will be surprised at and 'Grammar', Pinner devotes a section of nearly how much fun you can have with your dreadful four pages, to 'Other'. Inevitably, Phrasal verbs pronunciation and ungrammatical phrases" (p. 78). (often referred to as 'multi-word verbs', in the cur- Such advice could be used to encourage learners of rent literature) figure. He offers three examples: Italian in classrooms everywhere! On the use of the Look for', 'look at' and 'look after', for example, different ellocutory forms'How to address peo- should be seen as completely separate items, as ple', a real-life exercise in sociolinguisticsthe they are in Italian: cercare, guardare and curare" writer points out the difficulties of using lei: "It can (p. 172). Other English multi-word verbs could be be quite tricky when learning the language to call added ad nauseam'wait for', 'listen to'where your interlocuter (sic!) 'she' and conjugate all the the preposition required in English before the verbs accordingly. However, this would never be Direct Object is incorporated in the Italian transla- used in a social situation, and people tend to make tional equivalent: aspettare, ascoltare. It is regret- allowances for foreigners" (p. 76). Whilst Penner table that an invaluable compendium for both mentions that " 'You' in English can be tu, voi or Italian learners of English and English learners of lei", he fails to explain the usage of voi beyond Italian is now out-of-print: English Phrasal Verbs "...voi is formal like vous in French but rarely used in Italian by John Blackwood (Hodder and nowadays" (p. 76). A word at least about voi being Stoughton, subsequently Arnold, 1985), with the used in practice as a kind of substitute plural, less useful adjunct The English Phrasal Verbs Work- formal, than loro, its use in dialects particularly in book and separate Key (Arnold, 1990) by Dimitri the South and their influence on usage would have Tsekouras, Wendy Ball and Dimitri been helpful. Elsewhere, Pinner's familiarity with Zacharopoulou. colloquial, not to say vulgar, offensive or even Many other verbs, confusing in their usage to an taboo, terminology in the Italian language, is Italian learner, besides Bring/take/fetch, apparent. Why is it that foreigners always seem to Remind/remember,Make/do,Make/let,Seem/ learn these words first? Perhaps it is because their look/look like, could have been mentioned: for `communicative value' is high, as Pinner would example, Say/tell (cf. *He said me...) is one pair have us believe: "If the situation gets overwhelm- that is not mentioned. Michael Swan's Practical ing, shout Waffanculor (Tuck off!') or `Lasci- English Usage, cited in the 'Selective bibliogra- atemi in pace!' (`Leave me alone!') " (p. 57, phy', is a fund of such valuable information, as is section on 'Women and Italian men'). Presumably also J. B. Heaton and N. D. Turton's Longman Dic- if the language 'communicates', no one is going to tionary of Common Errors (Longman, 1987) and be too bothered about the differing grammatical Workbook (Longman, 1988), now available in a `person' marked by those verb forms! Having dis- second edition. cussed some 'ESSENTIAL SIGNS AND GES- Under Simple past (Ch. 11), Penner warns TURES' (the last sub-section of Ch. 7), Penner "Confusion may arise when students translate past warns that "The gestures which follow ... can give tenses from Italian" (p. 144) and shows how "All offence if used in the wrong situation. It is proba- the three past tenses in Italian can sometimes be bly best not to use them at all until you are very translated with the English simple past". My own proficient in the language" and gives four examples recent experience with some of my students in of which Cornuto, Culo rotto and Che palle are Northern Italy (Lombardia) is that they tend, in printed without exclamation marks! translation from English into Italianthe Second As far as it may be possible to make generalisa- Year University examinationto use the passato tions, Martin Penner's understanding of the Italians prossimo where the passato remoto could be used, and their psychology is remarkably penetrating, as a problem that I did not encounter, for instance, in his experience of them as learners of English as a Florence where, apart from the home-based stu- foreign language demonstratescf. Part 3: Teach- dents, there were many students from Southern ing English to Italians, some 80 pages of perceptive Italy where a perhaps even excessive, exaggerated comments and sound advice on methodology, use of the passato remoto was common. including a section on `Functions' (eight pages) On p. 147, under the heading Present perfect which can be integrated into, indeed for many (simple), Pinner uses a Contrastive Analysis teachers are the very essence of, language teaching approach familiar also to teachers of Italian: that can then rightly call itself 'communicative'. "Lavoro qui da anni (Italian present)I've worked There is something for everyone, no matter how here for years". This constitutes a "major concep-

28 Tuttitalia fl 3 7 o TEACHING ENGLISH IN ITALY: A REVIEW tual problem" according to Pinner, since it illus- referring to dictionaries, either mono- or bi-lingual. trates the 'unfinished past' usage, which is taken up Currently, there are at least four learner's dictionar- againundertheheadingPresentperfect ies of English on the market from British publishers continuous, without, however, the Italian con- and there are no less than seventwo of which are trastive element. Under Past perfect (p. 149), no in two volumes large Italian/English English/ indication is given of a continuous action or state Italian dictionaries in print (not to mention smaller with 'for' as, for example, in "I had been learning sized ones). Presumably, the writer of Teaching English for five years ..." One might have expected English in Italy imagined that his readers would the contrastive approach to have been adopted find their own way soon enough to obtaining at under the Past continuous (p. 145) to illustrate con- least for their own use a bi-lingual dictionary. Sug- ceptual problems that can arise from a sentence gestions for the sub-division 'Italy' in a future edi- such as "Abitavo a Venezia da dieci anni". My tion of this book could include the -issimo student experience is that confusion usually results from guides to living in Italy, to Rome (also to Florence) transfer in translation (whether as an intentional, by R. Plum (Hull Italian Texts series, Troubador deliberate exercise, or as an unintentional, inter- Publishing Ltd, Market Harborough, UK). The nalised process). To what extent, therefore, Con- three titles listed for 'Learning Italian' include only trastive Analysis can be helpfulinmaking one modern course Buongiorno Italia! (BBC conscious thought-processes concerning the differ- Video). May I suggest a new course by a former ent uses of tenses between the two languages is a Association of Teachers of Italian (ATI) UK Chair- moot point. The debate goes on ... man, Sylvia Lymbery: Colloquial Italian (Rout- "To what extent, From the point of view of keeping teachers ledge 1996)? therefore, abreast of trends and currents in methodologies and The 'For teaching' titles, further sub-divided Contrastive materials, it would have been worth informing into Course booksadults, Coures bookschil- Analysis can be readers of Teaching English in Italy of the annual dren,Supplementary material,Business and helpful in making British Council National Conference for teachers Videos, could in a future edition refer to teaching conscious thought- of English, held this year from 27-28 February and materials specifically adapted for Italian learners, processes 1 March at the `University degli Studi di Bologna such as: Raymond Murphy con Lelio Pallini, concerning the (Facolta e Dipartimento di Lingue e Letterature Essential Grammar in Use: Grammatica di base different uses of Straniere)'. Mention too could have been made of della lingua inglese, With/out key. CUP. 1947; tenses between the the British Council Libraries and lecture and course Digby Beaumont and Colin Grainger, The Heine- two languages is a programmes in Rome, Milan, Naples and Bologna, mann English Grammar. Edizione moot point" whilst in Florence there is, of course, the presti- Italiana/7'raduzione di Teresa Tonioli. An Interme- gious British Institute. diate Reference and Practice Book. With/out On the subject of resources, let us now turn to answer key. Italian edition 1993 (English Edition Appendix 7. Selective bibliography (pp. 200-202). 1991) and, for example, W. S. Fowler and Norman This is sub-divided into 'Italy', 'Learning Italian', Coe, Test and Practise your English. Edizione ital- Tor teaching' and 'Teacher reference'. John and iana a cura di Margherita Cumino. Beginners to Brita Haycraft's books have already been suggested Intermediate (Nelson-Petrini English 1990); also as additions. Many other titles for a new sub-divi- available, Intermediate-Advanced. The idea of not sion on Pronunciation will be found in the Bibliog- including dates of publication is fair enough, since raphy to my 'Teaching English phonetics and updated editions have appeared since the compila- phonologytoItalianuniversitystudents'in tion of this 'Selective bibliography': e.g. Michael Rassegna Italiana di Linguistica Applicata, anno Swan, Practical English Usage, OUP, Second edi- XXIX, n 3 (settembre-dicembre), 1997. There is, to tion 1995. my knowledge,only one tailor-made course in pro- In a future edition, two invaluable reference nunciation for Italian learners of EnglishEsercizi books on Italy, covering every imaginable aspect, di pronuncia inglese per studenti italiani corredati could be mentioned they will most likely be di 2 cassette by Antonio D'Eugenio and Kenneth found in libraries, given their cost: Martin J. Bull Thomson (Foggia: Atlantica Editrice, 1988), a (1996) Contemporary Italy. A Research Guide course based on the resesrch conducted by Antonio (Bibliographies and Indexes in World History D'Eugenio and publishedprincipallyinhis Number 43), Westport, Connecticut London, Manuale di Fonologia Contrastiva Italiano-Inglese Greenwood Press, and Lucio Sponza and Diego (Foggia: Atlantica Editrice, 1985). Zancani (1995) ItalyVolume 30, World Biblio- As far as 'Specific Italian problems' (Ch. 12) are graphical Series, ed. R. G. Neville et al., Oxford & concerned, Martin Penner could well have referred Santa Barbara, California and Denver, Colorado: teachers to Learner English: a teacher's guide to Clio Press. interference and other problems by Michael Swan Alex Martin's The General Interruptor (Lon- and B. Smith (Editors), and in particular in that don, New York, etc.: Viking/Penguin Group, 1989) book to the chapter dealing with Italian learners of could be recommended as 'Background Reading' English by Alison Duguid. The book was first pub- since it describes the adventures of one Paul Smith lished in 1987 by Cambridge University Press. who, at the age of thirty, gives up his job in Britain There is a surprising lacuna: there is no section and 'sets off on a picaresque voyage of discovery to VI I I No 15 June 1997 3'11 29 T BALDWIN

Italy' (Inside cover blurb). He finds a job as an Eng- ting too big for his boots" (p. 82). Many other lish language teacher (formerly known as a lettore' examples of stylistic variation make Teaching Eng- fern `Lettrice') at the University of Pandoro. Of lish in Italy an enjoyable, pleasurable and easy read this novel, Margaret Drabble said: "A very funny in all its parts. but also touching account of the Englishnsn abroad Teaching English in Italy is no mere travel guide and the comedy of Anglo-Italian misunderstand- there are plenty of those already available at air- ings ... although the book is a comedy, it is a serious port departure lounge newsagents. Nor does it "With a little comedy". depict 'Teaching English in Italy' as a necessarily imagination you To lighten what could so easily have been easy existence. It presents the facts as they really can organize reduced to writing exclusively in a hum-drum, mat- are. Teaching English in Italy is written on the basis whole lessons ter-of-fact style, even verging on the boring, with of hands-on experiencea pragmatic approach to around the label the reporting of facts and opinions (sometimes Italy deriving from the author's own experience on a tin of beans" grim) and offering advice, Martin Penner brings working in the country and his obvious enthusiasm touches of irony and humour. Examples are: Part 1. for it and its people. It is a long, hard look at Italy as Teaching jobs and How to find them I Ch. 5. Before it really is. Martin Penner's writing reveals him to you go/ What to take: "Realia... With a little imagi- be an infectiously conscientious professional nation you can organize whole lessons around the teacher with a sense of fun as is clear, for example, label on a tin of beans" ( (p. 29); "A kettle. Not from the some eighty pages out of the total of 206 strictly necessary, but the fact that electric kettles on 'Teaching English to Italians'). are very hard to come by in Italy has been known to Teaching English in Italy is to be recommended cause distress" (p. 29); Part 2. Living in Italy! Ch. as essential reading to all mother-tonguetrainee, 6. Arriving and everyday living/ SOCIALIZING/ novice or qualified and experienced EFL teachers Greetings: "Kissing ... Finally do not kiss on the coming from Australia, Britain, Canada, Eire, New lips: that is what Mafiosi do when they are about to Zealand and the UnitedStatesof America bump you off' (p. 76); SOCIALIZING/ Social life (although conditions and legislation favour EU citi- and friendship: "... Burping or farting, even among zens, as Martin Penner points out early onp. 29) friends, are absolutely not on. They never see the and planning to workor who are already working funny side" (p. 77); Ch. 7. Italy and the Italians: in Italy. (Incidentally, the methodology Part "Its (=of the South) 'capital', Naples, gave the should be read by some Italian teachers of English world pizza, syphilis and Sophia Loren and it can too!) strike the first-time visitor as an incarnation of University teachers of Italian in English-speak- sweaty pandemonium" (p. 80); "(On 'Rome and the ing countries should bring Teaching English in Italy rise of the Empire') ... The last Etruscan king was to the attention of those of their students intending Tarquinius Superbus, who was kicked out in 509 to spend an intercalary year during their degree BC to make way for the Roman Republic" (p. 82), course as a foreign language assistant abroadthey and finally, "... In 49 BC Julius Caesar came to the will find themselves 'Teaching English in Italy' liv- head of the empire and, as Shakespeare's play illus- ing out the realities and facts that this book so trates, was seen off by Brutus and company for get- excellently describes and analyses.

ITALIAN WEEKEND 20th - 21st September 1997 University of Reading This course is for all teachers of Italian. Topics covered will include: vocabulary and dictionary skills at A level; Italian media and politics; training students to use learner strategies; Internet for language learning; new GCSEs, Reading and Listening; stimulus for oral production; aspects of the Italian education system; contemporary Italian women novelists. For more information contact the ALL office on 10788 546443

30 Tuttitalia Tuttitalia, June 1997, No 15,31-34

Reviews Carole Shepherd Reviews Editor

Transit-Tiger Italian symbols (ticks, crosses, etc.) the degree where the accuracy of the translation is of appropriateness of the translation. essential to my customers. I feel this Doug Thompson and Patrick Corness The student would then take their semi- package would give students a very Hodder & Stoughton, 1996, 54 pages, ISBN 0 -340- corrected first attempt, and with the help good basetobegin work inthe 66975-6 of two otherstylisticallydifferent translation field, with the proviso that Transit-Tiger Italian is designed for final renderings of the passage (not models), they would now have to have more than year degree students of Italian. The would correct their own first version for justthe'basiccomputingskills'. methodology underlying the course was final assessment. Neither of the two Perhaps this will require a Transit-Tiger originally developed as Transit, a course supplied versions is wholly acceptable version II? in translation from a variety of registers or unacceptable. The aim is to make CAROLE SHEPHERD of technical Italian into English. The students discriminate between AccuTrans, Translation Agency materials have been transported, as alternatives and assist them in their Transit-Tiger into the hypertext choice between alternative renderings. environment provided by programs At the end of the second lesson the L'ALIGHIERI. Rassegna originally devised at Coventry student would hand to his/her tutor a bibliografica dantesca print-out of the first and the second UniversityforTIGER (Translating Luigi Pietrobono, Angelo Longo, IndustrialGerman). Though aimed attempt. This would allow the teacher to note how the student's perception of the Editore Ravenna, 7, Nuova Serie gennaio-giugno primarily at providing a preliminary 1996 anno =NH experience in translation as a career, the piece has changed. primary function of Transit-Tiger is to The amount of time required to Il corpo principale del volume riporta tre assist students in extending their range correct the majority of scripts will thus Lecturae tenute nella 'Casa di Dante' a of linguistic competence in both their be much reduced. This in turn frees the Roma. target and source language. tutor to assist with specific difficulties of Le prime due sono dedicate ai canti Asaformerstudentof Doug individual students. It also allows the XXV e XXXII del Paradiso (rispettiva- Thompson, and a former translator who students to work at their own pace and to mente di M.T. ACQUARO GRAZIOSI e has been through the mill of teaching set their own objectives. L. SCORRANO), mentre nella terza I. only to return to the field of translation, I Transit-Tiger Italian does not require BORZI esplora e discute, a quasi un was extremely interested in reviewing more than basic computing skillsthe trentennio dalla morte di Bruno Nardi, this package. knowledge of how to operate a mouse l'interpretazione filosofica e religiosa Each assignment in Transit-Tiger is and a keyboard.It concentrates on proposta dall'insigne studioso. Validita divided into two separate but inter- linguistic competence rather than I.T. della ricerca filologica e soprattutto dependent lessons, ideally to separate skills. As such it is an excellent tool for vaste conoscenze del contesto storico, teaching hours with at least one day thewould-betranslator who must filosofico e culturale del Medioevo between them.Inthefirstlesson remain as faithful as possible to the consentirono a Nardi di proporre e students are presented with an on-screen original text and yet at the same time costruirenelcorsodeisuoistudi passage in Italian and access to a set of ensure thetranslation can be read un'interpretazione del pensiero politico- hints or questions in English and to a without ambiguity or misunderstanding. religioso di Dante ancor oggi specialist glossary. By the end of the Transit-Tiger Italian could certainly riconosciutodigrandeattualita ed first hour students should have typed be used by degree-level students of equilibrio. their translation of well-over half the Italian and does offer useful ideas which Il volume presenta inoltre una serie di passage and should hand that in for they could employ to improve the Note di carattere bibliografico di diversi preliminary checking. At this stage the quality of their translations. autori (aggiornamenti critici su edizioni, teacher would indicate with agreed I now run a Translation Agency, convegni, traduzioni e commenti) e

Al. No 15 June 1997 31 3 REVIEWS numerose recensioni sulla piu recente grammatical terms in normal type e.g. The main aim of the stickers is to produzione di studi danteschi. "indefinite articles 9-11" provide the student with an atmosphere allessandra bertini malgarini The book is printed in black and of life in Italy. Linguistickers are user- Italian Cultural Institute, Edinburgh white and there is no visual material. friendly and easy to read. Each sticker However the page layout is clear and contains the word in Italian in large there is a carefully considered use of green print, with below in smaller print Basic Italian Grammar boxes. theEnglish,GermanandFrench BasicItalian Grammar isuser- equivalents. Classroom stickers can be Tony Giovanazzi in John Murray, 1996, /67 pages, £7.99, ISBN 0 friendly and easy to read. The key to the used tolabel classroom objects 7195 8501 5 activities is helpful. It offers students Italian. Home stickers can be used in valuable advice on structures as well as school as a class activity or taken home Basic Italian Grammar is designed for words and expressions for everyday use. as rewards or prizes. Office stickers for students who are learning or revising Students of Italian now have a greater office equipment can be used in libraries Italian at any level, whether they are choice of grammar reference guides. and school offices to extend language supportedbyateacherorare CAROLE SHEPHERD learning beyond the classroom. autonomous learners. It is intended as a AccuTrans, Translation Agency Linguistickers use subliminal revisionaidforthose approaching learning,whichdoesnotrequire examinations andasan accessible dedicated time or effort. They extend the Quaderno It n.1. Esame classroom into the home and speed referenceguideduringanItalian la certificazione language course. It was not written to Per linguistic progress by being a constant replace a course textbook, but rather to dell'italiano come L2 reminder of important vocabulary. complement one. Livello avanzato Linguistickersareanextremely The main aim of the book is to Prove del 1994 e 1995, a cura di Serena Ambroso, useful resource, particularly for short providethe student with clear Universitet di Roma Tre-Bonacci editore, 1996 Italian courses, where the student has to explanations of basic Italian grammar, (Lire it.32.000 + audiocassetta) assimilate a large number of new words butitalsooffersa varietyof in a short time. There is no doubt that grammatical activities. Il volume raccoglie le prove di Ascolto, many students would be motivated to Basic Italian Grammar does not Lettura, Composizione e Grammatica learn more vocabulary. assume any prior understanding of (Usi e forme dell'italiano) date nelle CAROLE SHEPHERD sessioni di esame negli anni 1994 e 1995 grammatical termsItgivessimple AccuTrans, Translation Agency explanations of the purposes of various da parte del Dipartimento di Linguistica dell'Universith di Roma Tre, the rilascia rulesandstructuresandincludes examples taken from everyday un certificato riconosciuto fra gli altri dal Ministero degli Affari Esteri. Le II Gattopardo: An language. Practical activities consolidate Introductory Essay understandingofthegrammatical istruzioni per l'uso,le chiavi degli structures. An answer key is provided esercizi e le schede per l'autovalutazione Ernest Hampson for the independent learner to check e interpretazione del punteggio Troubador Publishing Ltd, March 1996, 64 pp, completano it volume. £5.99, ISBN I 899293 90 6, available from his/her answers. Le prove possono essere utilizzate Troubador Publishing Ltd, PO Box 31, Market There are 11 sections in the book. Harborough, Leicester LE16 7DT qualeesercizioperchidesideri These deal with Spelling and sostenere le prove della Certificazione, Pronunciation;Articlesand Nouns; Il Gattopardo: An Introductory Essay is ma soprattutto dai docenti di corsi Adjectives; Adverbs; Pronouns; a book designed forteachers and d' italiano all'estero quale cartina al Prepositions; Verbs; Doubts and students of Italian Literature and the tornasole per la verifica scientifica della Commands; Numbers; Dates and Time; generalreader.This could include competenza generale in italiano come Verb Tables; and Answers to Activities. studentsin Furtherand Higher Although grammatical terms such as L2 dei propri studenti. Education as well as adults who are allessandra bertini malgarini `Adverbs' are used, these are further reading or have read II Gattopardo for Italian Cultural Institute, Edinburgh simplified e.g. "describing where, when pleasure. and how something is done." Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa's Il `SubjunctivesandImperatives'are Linguistickers Gattopardo achieved an international described as "Doubts and Commands" reputation during the sixties and has Linguistickers Limited, 1996, £5.36, ISBN I- Most of thesesectionsinclude 898631-10-7, obtainable from Linguistickers since proved a popular choice for grammatical explanation interspersed Limited, Rose Cottage, Chaffcombe, Chard, ExaminationBoards and Higher with short activities designed to allow Somerset TA20 4AH Educational Establishments. the student the chance to consolidate the Il Gattopardo: An Introductory Essay grammatical structures. Some activities Linguistickersweredesignedfor covers the extent to which Lampedusa's do require you to look back at a previous students who are learning or revising personal experience of Sicilian history page. Italian. They are intended primarily for influenced his work. Ernest Hampson There is also a useful index at the beginners who are well-motivated by focuses on the novel's historical theme, back of the book which lists page their use, but can be used prior to an that of the Risorgimento and its effects references, giving Italian words in bold exchange visit or as a revision aid for on Sicily's ruling classes, as well as on type, e.g. "alcuni/e 43" and English those approaching examinations. the key theme of deaththe death of the

32 Tuttitalia 3;4 REVIEWS protagonist, Don Fabrizio, and the death the 1996 specifications given by the assignmentisgiven an element of the Sicilian aristocratic class which Languages Lead Body. The authors of number which indicates the he represents. A section is also devoted the programme have tried to show how assignment type and the key skills to to the novel's complex use of symbolic students can demonstrate evidence of be covered. imagery. The book is divided into seven their language skills in a vocational Scenario thissummarisesthe sections: context. vocational context for the assign- Although the primary focus of the ment. The publication of II Gattopardo: seriesis GNVQ and NVQ, Italian Evidencethis section explains the caso Gattopardo' teachers may well find the material evidence which will need to be The lifeof Lampedusa and the useful for any language course that produced for the student's portfolio. origins of his novel. requiresavocationalorpractical Preparation this section suggests The structureof thenovel and context. appropriate teacher preparation narrator's voice ItalianListeningand Speaking, Assignment notes-thissection Don Fabrizio and the Acceleration of Levels 1 and 2 are now available and explains how an assignment may be History Level 3 is currently being developed. conducted. Don Fabrizio and the Courting of Each pack consists of the tutor's book Additional Assessmentsideas are death and students' sheets. The tutor's book suggested as to how the teacher may Imagery, Sicily as metaphor contains preparatory notes, assessment adapt the assignment to test other Conclusion guidance, tape transcripts. There are 25 language skills. loose leaf student assignment sheets and Page references used throughout the an assessment record. An audio tape is The loose leaf student sheets supplied study are to !l Gattopardo, Edizione available separately and includes 50 for each assignment may be conforme al manoscritto del1957, minutes of dialogues to support the photocopied within the institution which published by Feltrinelli. All quotes are listening and speaking activities at each purchased the pack. given in both the original Italian and the level. The material on tape can be Thereisno doubtthatItalian English translation, making this text monologues, 'eavesdropping' dialogues Listening and Speaking, Level 1 offers very accessible to students and teachers. or interactive dialogues. teachers many useful ideas which they 11 Gattopardo: An Introductory Essay The programmeallowsforan could use with their vocational classes. could certainly be used by Advanced interplay of language skills but for the The pack and the tape would save students of Italian and would give them separate assessment of each skill. Each teachers considerable time and effort an excellent introduction to the text. assignment includes evidence which can when preparingrelevantvocational However, as A Level students are now be noted in students' portfolios. As well material and devising suitable methods required to write their literary answers as testing language competence the of assessment. in Italian, it may have been even more assignments are also intended to provide CAROLE SHEPHERD helpful to have given at least some part a stimulus for discussion about the AccuTrans, Translation Agency of the book up to an Italian commentary. working life and wider issues pertaining There is no doubt that II Gattopardo: to Italians. An Introductory Essay offers teachers, The language units for NVQ use VOCI, Encounters with lecturers and students many useful ideas `range statements' which indicate a Italian which they could use to stimulate range of situations in which students literary discussions or written work in should be competent e.g. telephone Nina D. Glassman and Frederick J. classes where 11 Gattopardo is being conversations, face to face interactions Bosco studied. A very welcome addition to the etc. The full Kite programme covers all University of Toronto Press, March 1997, 64 pp, valuableTroubadorPublishing/Hull £18.50, ISBN 0-8020-7824-9, distributed in the the range statements at least twice. UK by Marston Book Services, PO Box 269, Italian Texts series! I only wish I had The loose leaf material in Italian Abingdon, Oxon., OX14 4SD had a copy in the last academic year, Listening and Speaking, Level I was when I was teaching this text! carefully selected and includes a blank VOCI is designed for 'intermediate' CAROLE SHEPHERD version of the range map. The following students of Italian. This would seem to AccuTrans, Translation Agency situationsarecoveredinLevel 1 imply students who have studied Italian Listening:Ilnegoziodisouvenir, for at least two years, and could include l'itinerario ferroviario; it tempo; oggetti studentsin FurtherandHigher Italian Listening and smarriti; al cinema; al parcheggio delle Education as well as Adults at night Speaking, Level 1 macchine rimosse; l'agenda; assenze classes. scolastiche;ittrasloco;trovarela The main aim of the book is to Kite Educational Publishers Ltd. 1996, £85.00 per pack, £17.63 per tape, distributed by Kite fabbrica; la riunione; the ora 6?; centro promote creative expression in Italian. Educational Publishers Ltd, Craven Court II, sole; bollettino stradale. Through a combination of reading and Glebeland Road, Camberley, Surrey GUIS 3BU The main aim of the book is to assist writing activities students learn about teachers to deliver the full NVQ or Italian culture and history but are also TheKiteprogramme has been GNVQ. Guidance for tutors is organised offeredavarietyofgrammatical developedto provide teaching and as follows: activities. assessmentmaterialfor NVQ and The title VOC/ is well-chosen and GNVQ language courses. It is based on Element and keyskills each refers to the 'voices' in the form of

IIII No 15 June 1997 33 REVIEWS interviews, scenarios, film clips, literary a writing task linked to the Unit's support the less confident students. sections, diary entries and illustrations theme. The book is printed in black and from a number of Italian dialects. The white and there are some line drawings textincludesexcerpts from Dante, By way of example, the first Unit in as well as a number of black and white Guareschi,Pirandelloaswellas VOCI, entitledPuntidiVista' photographs of Italy. The A4 format interviews with the historian Piero compares Italian attitudes to America means that there is a lot of information Melograni and the novelist Umberto and American attitudes to Italy. The to assimilate on each page. Eco. grammar section covers rules Appendices at the back of the book VOCI covers topics ranging from governing Nouns, Adjectives, include a 'study aid', which gives an cultural attitude to dialectal variation Comparatives, Superlatives, Present ItalianandEnglishrenderingof and these form the focus for the 14 units Indicative and Present Subjunctive. For excerptsfromPirandello'sUno, within the book. Each Unit contains: some studentsthiswould be too nessuno e centomila; a guide to verb daunting for a first Unit and would forms and verb tenses; and an Italian- anintroductorysection which need careful handling by a skilful English Vocabulary. establishes the theme of the Unit and teacher. The Reading Section consists VOCI could certainly be used by illustrates one or more styles of of a letter in which the writer talks teachers of Advanced students of Italian expression; about a recent trip to Italy and about and does offer useful ideas which they a linguistic section, which includes forthcoming examinations. The final could employ to stimulate some lively grammatical explanations, vocab- section of thisfirst Unit asks the discussions or written work with well- ulary study and language exercises; student to write an essay about the motivated students. a reading selection which expand the value of written examinations. Again, CAROLE SHEPHERD topics introduced in the Unit; the teacher would have to guide and AccuTrans, Translation Agency

Notes for Contributors Contributions The Editorial Committee welcomes previously unpublished articles, reports and other contributions, which will further the cause of the learning and teaching of Italian. Contributions are expected to fall into one of these categories:

(a) Articles of about 3000 words. (b) Brief (up to 1000 words) items of information, notes on innovative practice, discussion points (including those arising from previous articles). (c) Reviews usually of about 300 to 400 words (but longer reviews or review articles may also be accepted). Please send your contributions direct tothe Reviews Editor.

The guidelines below are intended to help contributors:

Presentation Type with double spacing. Please give your article one title only, not a title and a sub-title, and divide it up with (short) sub-headings. An abstract of about 50words should be provided. Give full references for all sources quoted, using the Harvard system. In the text the authors name, year of publication and page number where relevantshould be quoted in brackets, e.g.: (Jones,1993, 27). Please send three copies of the article and keep another for yourself. Clean copy and articles supplied with IBM or Macintosh compatible disc (MS Word preferred) are of great assistance in reducing printing costs. Graphs, pie chartsand other diagrams should be supplied as camera ready, hard copy. If prepared on a computer, graphics files on disk are also of use, presented asTIF or postscript files.

Illustrations Photographs are particularly welcome, as are charts, diagrams and tables where relevant. Please send these at the same time as your typescript.

Timing In order to be considered for inclusion in the following issue, articles should normally be sent in by 1st March andlst September. Where topicality isof the essence, shorter deadlines are possible by negotiation with the Editor.

34 Tuttitalia I6 Tuttitalia, June 1997, No 15,35-38

News and views

Conference News 20.000 (studenti = Lit 10.000) usedellalinguastraniera,target NB. Per favorireicontatti con i language, anche nei test di ascolto e di The next conference of the Associazione docentilocalie incoraggiare nuovi lettura, ricerca eseguita in vista delle Internazionale di Professori d'Italiano possibili iscritti, it convegno 6 aperto nuove prove degli esami GCSE (tutti in (AIPI) will be held in Italy in 1998. We ancheainonmembridell'AIPI lingua straniera). Tutti i colleghi hanno have received the following information: (Associazione Internazionale di trovatolapresentazionediBob Professori d'Italiano). estremamente utile e stimolante. AIPI CONFERENCE 1998 Eventuali proposte di relazioni (con Dopo la cena tutti i partecipanti si sommario del contenuto che non superi sono rilassati assistendo al bellissimo TEMA DEL CONVEGNO:"Soavi una cartella) vanno inviate entro it 31 film 11 postino. La prima sessione di Sapori della Cultura Italiana" ottobre 1997 al Segretario dell'AIPI: Sabato 5 ottobre imponeva una scelta tra Edmond Hoppe, Avenue de la Basilique `Presentation of new A level for Italian' DATA: 26 - 29 AGOSTO 1998 327 Bte 1, B-1080 Bruxelles, Belgium. di Edward Williams e 'Creative writing' LOCALITA: SOAVE e VERONA Ulteriori dettagli che riguardano le di Derek Aust. formality d'iscrizione e la prenotazione Edward Williams ha esposto con 26 agosto arrivo dell'alloggio saranno comunicati sui estrema chiarezza i criteri del nuovo 27 agosto apertura del convegno nella prossimibollettiniAIPIetramite esame A level del London Examination sede del municipio di Verona WWW. Per ulteriori informazioni ci si Board, mentre Derek ha presentato con conferenze nella sede put) rivolgere anche direttamente al numerosi esempi di creative writing per dell' Universita e serata segretario, Edmond Hoppe, all'indirizzo diversilivelli.Comealsolitola all' Arena dato sopra. "chiacchierata" di Derek 6 stata molto 28 agosto spostamento a SOAVE con apprezzata dai colleghi. visita alle cantine locali Italian week-end: La seconda sessione della mattinata 29 agosto chiusura del convegno Corso di aggiornamento era 'The role of women in Italy and the sempre a SOAVE European context', in italiano, in cui d'italiano Simonetta Manfredi ha parlato del ruolo SPIEGAZIONE del titolo: "Alla fine del 4-6 Ottobre 1996St. Anne's College, delladonnainItalianell' ultimo secondo millennio, in un periodo in cui Oxford ventennio, e delle direttive europee che si stanno imponendo nuove realty e Nel bellissimo St Anne's College di hanno lo scopo di promuovere una nuovi valori a necessario riflettere come Oxford, da venerdi 4 a Domenica 6 maggiore partecipazione delle donne nella lingua, nella letteratura, nell' arte e, Ottobre, si a tenuto it corso d'italiano allavitapoliticaeallapubblica insomma, in ogni forma dell'esistenza, per insegnanti organizzato, con estrema amministrazione. La presentazione di le suggestioni edicondizionamenti efficienza, dall' associazione ALL. Simonetta, chiara ed elegante,si legati ai sapori ed ai profumi della tavola Numerosi i partecipanti, di ogni grado e rivelata molto interessante: anche se si 6 scandiscano i ritmi della vita e della da ogni parte del Regno Unito. ancora lontani dall'assoluta parity tra cultura italiana." Dopo i consueti saluti iniziali, alle uomini e donne, l' Italia sembra essere, (II campo a volutamente vasto sia per ore18.00divenerdi,itcorso almeno inteoria,su posizioni piu tematiche che cronologia. Si ufficialmente iniziato con un intervento avanzate rispetto alle direttive europee. incoraggiano relazioniche, tenendo di Bob Powell, presidente Esiste, ad esempio, con sede a Bologna, conto del tema suggerito, si rivolgano dell'Associazione ALL,daltitolo: it Comitato Impresa Donna, che ha lo alla letteratura,al cinema e all'arte `Target language testing is desirable and scopo di rappresentare le esigenze delle italiana in genere.) possible:trueorfalse?'Bob ha donne imprenditrici, e a Rovereto, con it Costo d'iscrizione al convegno: Lit presentato irisultati di una ricerca sull' nome 'Cara Citta' si a presentata la A41. No 15 June 1997 j 35 NEWS AND VIEWS prima lista tutta femminile. errore`oscurare'itproblema delle in The Better English Campaign and La terza sessione, alle 12.15, nel variazioni linguistiche, come .cerca di cited how the campaign 'seeks to give Mary Ogilvie Theatre era particolar- fare un certo purismo tradizionale. Ma 6 teachers support and inspiration, as they mente interessante per gli insegnanti dei pur vero che not insegnanti abbiamo un help young people to gain a practical corsi GNVQ. Jo Dotor, del Basingstoke importante ruolo di filtro tra la realta understanding of effective communica- College of Technology, ha dato alcuni socio-linguistica della cultura italiana ed tion skills in the world of work". This suggerimentimetodologico-didattici, i nostri studenti. was reflected he said, in "the number del tutto pratici, per `sopravvivere' in Perminimizzare i problemidi and standard of entries for this year's questi corsi, difficili perche frequentati comunicazione dobbiamo preparare gli T.E.S. book awards, books which help da studenti quasi sempre distratti e studenti alla comprensione del neo- foster a deep love of reading in young demotivati. Come ogni anno, la sessione standard, una lingua molto vicina al people of all ages." dedicata allo scambio di materiale e di parlato, ma con pit variazioni, e piu o The dates of next year's event are informazioni astata`avidamente' meno accettabile da tutti. L'intervento di 5-7th March 1998. A visitto The seguita dai delegati che sperano sempre Loredana Polezzi ha concluso it nostro Education Show can be used as part of a di riportare a casa un gran numero di weekend. teacher's INSET programme and head nuove idee, giochi, attivita comunicative A pranzotutti i delegati si teachers are therefore strongly advised che potranno in qualche modo colmare scambiavano commenti ed impressioni: to encourage staff visits. For information dei vuoti nei loro schemes of work. it feedback 6 stato certamente positivo e on The Education Show at any time Anche quest' anno le aspettative di tutti tuttiicolleghi hanno unanimamente in the year, the Internet site can be non sono state deluse! apprezzato l'impegno degli organizza- foundatthefollowingaddress: Personalmente ho trovato molto utile tori del corso: a loro ed alla associazione http://www.emap.com/education/ la sessione di Anna Bartrum, 'Devising ALLva it nostro piusentito schemes of work from Italian material ringraziamento, con l'augurio che ci si on the market'. Lo scopo del contributo possa rivedere it prossimo anno con un Education line corso altrettanto motivante. di Anna era quello di presentare un Dear Editor possibile modo di: Maria Ursi Amesbury Language Centre, University of Bristol Whether for your own information, as pianificare un programma di studi per editor of a journal whose work is una classe, per un periodo di tempo, Shop till you drop covered by the British Education Index, usando it materiale didattico esistente or as a potential news item for inclusion oggi a disposizione degli insegnanti. TheEducationShowonceagain in a forthcoming issue, I hope you will pianificare una unita didattica. provided the platform for thousands of find the following helpful. Please don't members of the education community to hesitate to call, write or email if you Nella prima sessionedi Domenica comb Halls 11 and 12 at the N.E.0 for need further clarification. Feedback of mattina, // linguaggio dei mass-media, the very latest curriculum resources, all types is especially welcome in our Anna Proudfoot ha fattoun'analisi teaching aids, school management tools development project phase. approfondita ed intelligente della lingua andlearningresourcesfortheir italiana usata dai mezzi di comunicazione establishment. Subject to an ABC audit, Education -lineisa rapidly growing di massa. Secondo Anna it linguaggio the visitor count indicated that the total collection of complete texts in the field giomalistico, non solo si a notevolmente number of visitors to the event was of education and training. It is an Internet esemplificato per venire incontro alle 17,170, and those that made the journey resource with the potential to change the esigenzediunpubblicosempre to Birmingham were witness to the way that knowledge is shared, developed crescente, ma si arricchisce continua- largest gathering of educational resource and used by the professionals whose mente di riferimenti storico-politici, di suppliers ever assembled in the UK. It work is under-pinned by it. Authors anglicismi, di linguaggi in codice, di was a case of 'shop till you drop' as the whose work would see only a narrow parole piu o meno di moda, di tormentoni education fraternity collectively circulation; projectteams whose televisivi, dando origine ad una lingua del gathered information, picked up leaflets preliminary results need to be widely tutto diversa e sempre nuova. and brochures, sought product advice, airedforfeedbackandcomment; La presentazione di Loredana Polezzi discussedresourcingissues,spent researchers with findings relevant to Il neoitaliano in classe' ha idealmente budgets, placed orders and for some, today'spolicydebate;conference continuato l'analisi della lingua italiana actually took the curriculum resources presenters whose papers need to be dioggi,contuttelesuevarieta away with them. archived and available; teachers and linguistiche. The exhibition officially kicked off in trainers with goodpractice to Loredana ha efficacemente presentato style as Trevor McDonald, Newscaster, disseminate: these are some of the sorts esempi di diversi tipi di linguaggi o addressed a packed auditorium and was of people who are already sending registri: da quello idiosincratico-gergale quick to acknowledge the merits of The electronic copies of their work into dei giovani a quello tecnologico del Education Show "The Education Show Education -lineforcataloguingand computer, del fax, dell' Email ecc., dal is an excellent way of giving teachers display. Sophisticated cataloguing and linguaggio televisivo (scurrile, a volte!) a new ideas and the support they need to search facilities, with immediate desktop quello affettivo-regionale (napoletano/ enthuse and educate young people in all availability of whole texts to read and romano). areas of the curriculum'. In his speech download promise a significant addition Secondo Loredana sarebbe un grave he was keen to focus on his involvement to the practitioner's knowledge base.

36 Tuttitalia ti) NEWS AND VIEWS On-line commentary and critique are consider taking part in a five year project. We none of us consider Italian also possible. Responses can be posted project to both introduce the teaching as an extra but as an integral part of our from the web browser using an on-line of Italian into the Primary Schools and curriculum. form to be moderated, catalogued and to extend it into the High School, where So where do we go from here? The included in the database itself. Papers it was an option at Key Stage 4. There project has two more years to run and can therefore be offered for general was some light hearted discussion of hassurvived variousstaff changes comment prior to or even as part of the the joys of Italian life but we quickly including new Headteachers in both refereeingprocessassociatedwith got down to the serious business and cities. We have successfully trained a conventional publication. agreed to take part. significant number of staff to at least a Education -lineisa project in the The driving force behind the project basiclevel,whilst myself and two Electronic Libraries (eLib) Programme has beentheItalianConsulatein colleagueshavetakenand passed funded by the Joint Information Systems Manchester. They appointed, and paid, GCSE. Several more colleagues are on Committee(JISC)oftheHigher an Italian teacher to work in the six either the GCSE or another evening Education Funding Councils.Itwas Primary Schools and to liaise with the course this year. Training, though, is a formally launched at the January North of High School. Tina took up her post in problem, since it can be costly and there England Education Conference, with all September 1994 and worked initially is such a wide range of levels amongst the main keynote speeches being included with the upper Junior children in each the staff. as texts in the collection as the Conference School. In a couple of the schools it was The project has also made huge proceeded. It is being managed by the possible to teach all of the Key Stage demands on the time of the Head- British Education Index on behalf of the twochildren.InSeptember1995 teachers, though class teachers are not University of Leeds Library, andis Giovanna took over from Tina and is affected. Funding for supply cover, and working in partnership with a wide range with us again this year. The Consulate costs not met by Lingua or incurred of organisations, including the British havesignificantlyincreasedtheir through our exchange programme, is Educational Research Association. funding to allow us two teachers instead also difficult to come by, since all our The websitecanbevisitedat of one, so in my school, for example, I Schools are 'hard up'. Still, we will http://www.leeds.ac.uWeducol, and now have Giovanna for 1.5 days instead continue toseek new avenuesfor enquiries can be directedto Sam of half a day. This has meant a wider funding. Saunders at the Brotherton Library, range of teaching strategies can be used, From the children's point of view the University of Leeds. Telephone 0113 insmallgroups,insteadof being project is great! They enjoy their lessons 233 5525. constrained to teach only a large, mixed and are making good progress. The age group class. Thisishaving a parents, too, seem to value the work so The Italian project significant effect on the quality of we hope it will continue beyond the learning. original life of the project and become a Wythenshawe, Our own Staff have benefited from permanent feature of our schools. Manchester the project by accessing Linga Courses PETER ALLONBY "Would you like to take part in an Italian in Bologna. The first group travelled to St. Peter's RC Primary, Wythenshawe, Project?" Bologna in February 1994, and since Manchester "What's the alternative?" then two further groups have followed "German, and a link with Chemnitz, the pioneers, a total of some 45 staff in Manchester's Twin City noted for its all. There have been both Teacher BUN (Italian Language chemical industry." Exchanges and Headteacher Exchanges Support Network) News "Ithinkwe'll go forItalianand over the life of the project. Each of our There are currently four regional groups Bologna, then!" schools is linked to a Circolo in Bologna meeting on a regular basis throughout "By the way, any chance of making it and we share a number of Curricular the country. The aim is to put people Milan, only they've got this football Projects as well as making friendships. teaching Italian in contact with each team and.... " In May and June of 1996 the first Pupil other, and although originally aimed at No it didn't really happen this way! Exchange took place. This was a real the secondary sector, the meetings are Thereare,infact,anumber of `First' for Bologna, since never before in attended by teachers from the primary, Manchester Primary Schools teaching Italianhistoryhadtherebeen an HE and FE sectors as well. German and very successful Exchange international exchange of Primary age visits have taken place with the Primary children. We are currently planning the Reading children of Manchester and Chemnitz. exchange for next year. There are also significant numbers of The High School, for its part, has The Reading group co-ordinated by Manchester Primary Schools where been an enthusiastic partner with the Ernesto Macaro, has met on a number of French and Spanish are taught, since Primaries. They have invested heavily in occasions during the last two years and Manchester has a highly successful the teaching of Italian and indeed isproducingtasksand assessment programme of Primary Languages called appointed as new Head of Faculty an materials for Italian in KS3 and KS4. `Contact'. Italian specialist. They have links with The topics covered so far are Language In the Autumn of 1993 the seven two schools in Bologna and have also of the Classroom, Free Time, House and Catholic Heads in Wythenshawe, at one participated in an Art Project, involving Home (with photocopiable sheets and of our half-termly meetings, were a two week stay in Bologna by their cassette on each topic) and work is asked by our Advisor, Ger Graus, to children,anda Work Experience currently in progress on Daily Routine, tint No 15 June 1997 37 170 NEWS AND VIEWS Holidays and School. Materials are peoplea significant number given the editionof IlGiorno dellacivetta available from Ernesto, Centre for areacovered fromSunderland, (Harrap, summer 1980)" (pagina 30). LanguagesEnglishand Mediain Newcastle,HexhamandCarlisle! Purtroppo, per vari motivi(lavoro, Education, Bulmershe Court, University Apologies were also received from famiglia), non e stato, possibile allora of Reading, Reading RG6 1HY (cost Durham and Edinburgh! Apart from portare a termine it progetto £6.80 including postage). being an excellent opportunity to share dell' edizione ad uso di studenti di experienceandideasaswellas italianistica di madre lingua inglese. Manchester materials,it was agreed that future Ora,invece,avrei intenzionedi meetings would focus on planning a concludere it progetto, utilizzando la There have been four meetings of the possible 'cultural day' in the Spring as gran mole di lavoro, e di ricerche gia Manchestergroupwithsome50 well as on sharing materials on specific accumulati nel tempo. teachers in a variety of sectors express- themes. Again, liaison with the local Comunque, non sara piit possibile far ing an interest in the Network, even branch of ALL is planned... uso della meta dell' intervista che non 6 though many of them are not able to stata pubblicata nell' edizione progettatta attend the meetings. The first meeting, If by any chance you have not been per il 1980. Da un lato, a stato lo scrittore hosted by the primary schools teaching contacted about the meetings and would stesso a dare il suo permesso all'utilizzo Italian, established the purpose of the be interestedin receiving, news or del materiale inciso su audiocassette (e group and the overriding concern of all attending meetings, please contact one in seguito trascritto), soprattutto perche present,irrespective of sector, was of the following: la parte non pubblicata in quei tempi shortage of resources and materials. As a trattava esclusivamente argomenti e temi result ofthis,thefollowingthree Reading: Ernesto MacaroUniversity pertinentialGiorno dellacivetta; meetings, hosted by Roberto Mobili and of Reading (01734 875123) dall' altro adesso (Palermo, 6 maggio the Italian Education Department at the Manchester / Newcastle: Anna Bartrum 1997)lasignora Maria Andronico Consulate in Manchester, have focused St. Martin's College (01524 384494) Sciascia mi scrive (in una lettera) quanto on different themes: the first on sharing Birmingham: Rachel Johnson segue: materials currently used; the second on Wolverhampton Grammar School "... Le ripeto che per disposizione SongsandGames(fourItalian (01902 21326) testamentaria di mio marito io e le mie Consulate teachers working inthe figlienonautoriziamo (sic!) la primary sector Giovanna Fassetta, pubblicazionedisuoiinediti. Donato Cammelli, Rosa Maria Leonardo Sciascia, II L'intervista* potrebbe fare parte del libro. Macaluso and Marina Viscardi have ..." (*cioe, la meta gia pubblicata). Ne begun producing songs on a number of giorno della civetta sono molto addolorato; anzi non ho topic areas with supporting packages of (1961) parole. worksheets;thethirdonReading TOM BALDWIN Schemes and contacts with Italy. A A tutti i lettori appassionati e gli University degli Studi di Milano further meeting and a cultural meeting amici di Leonardo Sciascia are planned for the autumn. It is also scrittore Siciliano ed Europeo hoped to liaise with the local ALL branch in order to explore possible A Parigi il 20 maggio 1979, Leonardo Opportunities for future projects. Sciascia mi concesse gentilmente una teachers of Italian lunga intervista di cui circa la meta e Birmingham stata pubblicata col titolo 'Leonardo Central Bureau short courses Sciascia:l'uomo,itcittadino elo As a spin off from the Manchester scrittore' A colloquio con Tom Two-week courses including language group, a number of Italian teachers have Baldwin, Con Note, in Association of tuition, school visits and methodology heldanintialmeeting inthe Teachers of Italian (ATI) Journal (Great updating. Participants with a minimum Birmingham area. As yet we have not Britain), Nunber 30, Spring 1980: 30-51 of three years' teaching experience may received feedback on how the meeting (ISSN: 0262 7833). also be eligible for financial support went or on plans for the future. L' altra meta doveva far parte di from Lingua tohelpcovertravel un'edizione del Giorno della civetta che expenses and insurance, board and Newcastle it sottoscritto stava preparando (testo lodging and course fees. Next year's After several months of trying to get this integrale nell' originaleitaliano, con courses will take place in Imperia and off the ground, because of the shortage un' introduzione biografica/critica, Venice. For further information contact of Italian teachers and the distances bibliografia, foto, carta geografica, note Marina Raymond, 0171 389 4665. involved between one institution and the esplicative e, in fondo, un vocabolarietto next offering Italian, an intensive A italiano/inglese) per la pubbli-cazione Lingua grants for INSET activities in Italy Level Italian Language Day followed by nel 1980 dalla Casa editrice britannica a group meeting and a cultural evening Harrap, come 6 stato concordato con lo Grantsareavailableforindividual were held at St. Cuthbert's RC High scrittore siciliano ed europeo durante teachers to attend in-service training School at the end of June. The intensive l'intervista, it che spiega la activities in Italy. Combine language language day was run by PGCE students constatazione che funge da prefazione andmethodologycourses,work- from St. Martin's College, Lancaster. alla parte pubblicata e cioe: "...The other shadowing and school visits to suit your The meeting was attended by eight part is incorporated in the forthcoming own training needs. Funding is available 38 Tuttitalia '4 a3V.O NEWS AND VIEWS from Lingua Action B to help cover accommodation inItaly,insurance, Educational Visits and Exchanges A to course fees, travel, insurance, meals and certain project costs. The next support in-service training activities. I accommodationandmeals.Some deadline,1 November 1997,isfor duly applied and received an award. funding is still available for teachers projects commencing after 1 February And so began an exciting new wanting to go to Italy this summercall 1998. Application for preparatory visits adventure. I spent two weeks in Florence Angela Shackleton on 017,1 389 4840 for teachers are welcome all year round, studying at the Scuola Leonardo: da for more information. For activities at least six weeks prior to the proposed Vinci, having taught myself at least the takingplaceafter 1 March1998, date of travel. rudiments of the language by means of applications should arrive at the Central For an information booklet and Linguaphone (LINGUA requires Bureau's Language Programmes area by application forms, contact Christine applicants to undergo a minimum of 120 1 November-1997. Forfurther Balogun on 0171 389 4852. (Bringing hours retraining before attending a information and an application form, Languages Alive, a new 28 minute video course). After two weeks in Florence, I callthe Assistant Projects Officer on showcasingfiveJointEdicational was hooked! So much so that now, three 0171 389 4916. Projectsfrom around the UK,is years later, and having applied for and available for purchase at £19.85 (inc. received another Lingua award, I have Central Bureau penfriends VAT & postage). Call Bruce Wheeler on just returned from my second two-week Our free penfriend service will find 0171 389 4880 to order a copy.) stint at the same school in Florence. individual pen-pals in Italy for your It's certainly the way to learn a students. For further information contact Language Assistants language. When I arrived at the school Marina Raymond on 0171 389 4665. For It is still not too late for schools/colleges on the first occasion, I was tested and a class link contact Ibi Apiafi on 0171 to request an Italian language.assistant placed in the second of six levels. For 389 4419. fortheacademicyear1997/98. the first two days I understood virtually Interested parties are welcome to contact nothing! Nobody spoke any English, Joint Educational Projects Sarah Prentice on 0171 389 4251. althoughtherewere some French speakers in my group, which helped me With Lingua Action E, students from over the initial hurdle. Then, on my third Italy and the UK work together on a day, somehow, I began to make sense`of curriculum-based project, including a Roomwith a View the language bombarding my senses. fortnightat- each others' school or It all began abOut, four years ago. The From then on, everything was plain-ish college. Students from any curriculum sailing. area notjustthelinguists! school where my husband is deputy head was undergoing reorganisation and he When I returned after the first visit I collaborate_ with.. their Italian peers to continued studying. at evening classes producearangeof end-products. was needed throughout the summer holiday. If I was to go abroad, it would and the following year took a GCSE. in Previous projects have culminated in Italian and, a year later, the Institute of theatre performances, bilingual manuals be on my own. What, he asked me, would I like to do? Where would I like Linguists Intermediate examination. for vocational training, musical CD- This year I stayed just outside the city ROMs, story-telling sessions, regional to go? I decided that I would like to begin up the hills.Ihad now been promoted to cook-books, environmental audits and level 4, which was quite stretching! Each tourist guides. learning a European language I had not so far attempted. I was, at the time, Head day started with two hours of grammar Funding from Lingua Action E (all in Italian of course), followed by a contributes towards travel expenses, of Modern Languages at a school in Bexley where I taught French and a little break and then two hours 'conversation'. German. I had dabbled in Spanish and There were eleven of us in the group fromawide For information about other even Russian many years earlier. Italian varietyof countries including the Netherlands, America and opportunities for both teachers seemed the obvious choice! So I needed to find a language course Croatia. We took it in turns to introduce and students through the Central topics, leading to general discussion; we Bureau, please call the in Italy and somewhere to stay. I can't remember how I discovered CESA, a also read and exploited a range of texts, INFORMATION DESK on 0171 389 company based in Cornwall which literary and non-literary. 4004, or contact: organises language courses, and also I hopetobeabletouse my The Central Bureau accommodation,ina varietyof knowledge to teach beginners' Italian countries. and I am now looking for ways to 10 Spring Gardens maintain the relative fluency I have London SW1A 2BN It was, in fact, in conversation with one of the staff at CESA that I learnt of gained. Any ideas? http://www.britcoun.org/cbeve the possibility of obtaining LINGUA JACQUI POOLE funding from the Central Bureau for Rochester

44 No 15 June 1997 nr 39 neWforall language teachers°

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Contents Page

Editorial 2

Sara Laviosa II movimento delle donne in Italia: Braithwaite sfide passate e presenti 3

Eric Beverly Umberto Bossi: the language of secession 13

Salvatore Coluccello The strategic development of ab initio Italian on modular programmes of study17

Gay Marks Harold Acton was my Hero 23

Tom Baldwin Teaching English in Italy a review 26

Homework Pack sample 19

Reviews 31

Notes for Contributors 34

News and Views 35

150 Railway Terrace, Rugby CV21 3HN. Tel: 01788 546443 Fax: 01788 544149 ASSOCIATION for LANGUAGE LEARNING

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The Italian Journal of the Association for Language Learning

Italian in Higher Education: the studentand the programmeperspectives Contemporary Italian: dialect,borrowing and the 'neoitaliano' Analysing language and images infilm

DECEMBER 1997 No 16 3g5 ASSOCIATION for LANGUAGE LEARNING

Officers of the Association

President Margaret Tumber Past President Madeleine Bedford President Elect .Peter Downes Honorary Membership Services Officer Jackie Meikle Honorary Finance Officer'. Alan Jones

Staff

Director Christine Wilding Deputy Director John Fergusson

Italian Committee

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Tuttitalia December 1997 No. 16

Editor Contents Anna Bartrum 16A Lake Road Editorial 2 Keswick Carrots and sticks: motivations and expectations in the Cumbria CA12 5BX Italian undergraduate experience Sara Chorley, Danielle Hipkins, Kate Lyons and Gabriella Procida 3 Reviews Editor Carole Shepherd Lexical borrowing: research and teaching 58 Beatty Avenue Howard Moss 8 Jesmond Italian and dialect in Abruzzo Newcastle-upon-Tyne NE2 30N R. Hastings 12

News Editor Neo-italiano in the classroom Julie Beverly Loredana Polezzi 17 ' 29 Cedarcroft Road Beacon Park La lingua e l'innmagine nel testo cinematografico Plymouth PL2 3JX G Paola Pinna 26

Reflecting on language programmes: change and innovation Editorial Board in Higher Education Derek Aust Roberto Di Napoli 31 Anna Bartrum Julie Beverly Mario lina Freeth Homework Pack sample 19 Jenny Jackson News and Notes Ernesto Macaro 37 Giovanna Muszynska Notes for Contributors 25 Hilary Reeves Carole Shepherd

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No 16 December 1997 1 Tuttitalia, December 1997, No 16, 2

Editorial Anna Bartrum Loredana Polezzi University College of St. Martin, Lancaster University of Warwick

This issue of Tuttitalia is the first of two collections illustrates myths and realities of lexical borrowing, of articles first presented during successive Italian commenting on the effective impact of English on Language Days held at the University of Warwick today's Italian, and on the way in which students between 1995 and 1997. The idea of publishing can discover it for themselves; Robert Hastings some of the contributions (mostly in revised and draws a lively and significant picture of the way in updated versions) came first of all from colleagues which dialect and standard language interact in a inSecondary, Further and Higher Education who specific area of the Abruzzi, reaching important attended the events. Andrew Wilkins was then con- conclusions about the relevance and acceptability sulted and all the work which has gone into writing, of regional forms for teachers and learners; and collecting and editing the articles would have been Loredana Polezzi discusses traditional attitudes and unthinkable without his immediate and enthusiastic methodological principles which influence the de- support for the idea. bate on 'varieties' of Italian and their role in the The six articles in this issue were originally part classroom. In the next piece, Paola Pinna presents a of three different conferences, devoted, respective- detailed analysis of a few sequences of one of the ly, to Italian Language Teaching Italian Lan- most famous Italian films of all time (Rocco e i suoi guage Research, Varieties of Contemporary Italian fratelli), demonstrating how the combination of im- in the Classroom, and Beyond the Curriculum: ages and language can be exploited to reach a fuller Continuities between Secondary and Higher Edu- understanding of the cultural issues which are at the cation. The single most important principle behind core of the film. Finally, Roberto Di Napoli's article the organization of the Warwick conferences is to questions traditional structures and divisions within provide a forum for dialogue between specialists, the field of Modern Languages, raising a series of practitioners, researchers and learners of Italian professional and educational issues which are vital who operate at different levels within the education to the future of the subject (and of those who work system. What we are hoping to present here is a within it). varied selection, which will give an idea of the dif- Last but by no means least is the news section, ferent perspectives and experiences of both authors with reports on the Italian Day in London, the Ital- and audiences. While it is impossible to reproduce ian Weekend in Reading and the Imperia Course, il- on paper the liveliness of the debates which charac- lustrated by some fine examples of poetical genius! terized each event, we are sure that all authors Unfortunately, due to pressure of space, the reviews would want to thank participants for their stimulat- section is being held over to the March issue. ing responses and contributions. Could we finally take this opportunity to en- The first article is written by a group of universi- courage all of you to think about contributing to ty students who have analysed the pros and cons of Tuttitalia. Contributions can be as long or as short `an Italian education' from their own perspective; as you like, can be a 'write up' of a talk/session their contribution is certainly relevant to all of us you have run, be practical tips and/or good ideas, who are involved in the teaching of Italian, particu- information about what is going on Italian-wise in larly for its insights concerning the continuity (or your neck of the woods, examples of teaching ma- lack of it) between Secondary and Higher Educa- terials which you have devised... The aim is to tion. The next three pieces deal, from different per- have variety, with something which caters for spectives, with the changing nature of the Italian everybody... But we can't do this without your language and its effects on the teaching and learn- help. ing of Italian as a Foreign Language: Howard Moss We look forward to hearing from you...

2 368 Tuttitalia Tuttitalia, December 1997, No 16, 3-7

Carrots and sticks: motivations and expectations in the Italian undergraduate experience Sara Chorley, Danielle Hipkins, Kate Lyons and Gabriella Procida University of Warwick

INTRODUCTION versity of Warwick. This light-hearted comment does indeed reflect the number of people attracted As four people who are very close to the Italian to Italian by the richness of Italy's traditions, sport- undergraduate experience, either having left its ing or otherwise, and as a result of its popularity as familiar territory this summer or the previous one, a destination for the thriving cultural tourism busi- we are not aiming to give a formal or an objective ness. A survey conducted on sixth formers and assessment of it. On the contrary we were origi- existing students of modern foreign languages at nally asked to give an impression of the emotions the university revealed nonetheless numerous and and issues raised during our experience as under- extremely diverse reasons for embarking on a graduates, concentrating in particular on the fluctu- degree course in Italian. ating motivations and expectations behind the study The considerations which influence such an of the subject. Whilst we tried to speak to as many important decision as that of beginning the four- people as possible about their experiences this sur- year course centre around the course content, the vey was restricted to the undergraduates and gradu- university itself, expenses and, most importantly, ates of the Italian department of the University of the opportunities offered on both a personal and Warwick, pupils of our own previous schools and professional level. Undoubtedly, these factors will our own experiences.1 During our collaborative dis- undergo some changes in the wake of the Dearing cussions we found that certain issues recurred report: the element of personal development offered which we have condensed under the sub-headings by a degree course may become secondary in of this article. What we have tried to create from importance to the financial incentives or improved "What we have this limited amount of research is an up-to-date job prospects ensuing from any form of Higher Edu- tried to create from reflection of the variety of reasons for and reactions cation. In addition one of the greatest attractions on this limited amount to studying Italian at one English university. a linguistic, cultural and personal level, the year of research is an Although the experience of learning Italian has spent studying abroad, may even be squeezed out of up-to-date reflec- much in common with the experience of studying degree courses by financial constraints.2 tion of the variety any foreign language we have also tried to focus The principal attractions of degree courses of reasons for and upon what is unique to Italian. In an environment involving Italian inevitably show some slight varia- reactions to study- where the importance of regarding the student as a tions along the path from sixth form to final year, ing Italian at one `customer' is becoming, albeit very contentiously, however some common denominators remain English university" an influential factor in the organisation of all uni- throughout. The possibility of spending time versities, the need for a two-way communication abroad and the fact that qualifications in languages process across the student-teacher divide has never are a bonus in the job market serve as 'carrots' for been greater and we hope this study provides a students at all levels, yet perhaps the most appeal- small contribution to that process. ing aspect of Italian is the variety and versatility offered by the course. Indeed, degrees in which Italian forms a component offer the self-perpetuat- WHY STUDY ITALIAN? ing motivations of learning a language, reading lit- "They havegreatfootball, wineand erature in the target language and studying a women...what more of a reason do I need to different culture. But at most universities where Italian is offered the language can be combined learn Italian?" with a wide variety of subjects, ranging from Eng- are the words of one first year student regarding his lish and Art History to Economics and Engineering. motivations for choosing to study Italian at the Uni- Italian may therefore be studied as the result of a per-

VI I I No 16 December 1997 3 'AM IMMI A :016 9 S CHORLEY ET AL.

sonal interest, as the key to one's career or a combi- almost conditional and certainly integral part of nation of the two. In both cases the course offers the most foreign language degree courses. Regardless chance to develop some extremely useful 'hard' of whether students are required to spend their time skills, namely those of oral, aural and written fluency teaching conversational skills to pre-university stu- in a European language. At the same time there is the dents or adapting themselves to an alien education development of the much debated `graduateness' system, the majority of pupils who undertake this and transferable skills, which are harder to define, unique experience both eagerly embrace and praise but amongst which we would include an ability to the opportunities and independence it offers. collate and analyse information, an intensive training At the University of Warwick students reading in communication skills, particularly oral presenta- Italian spend their second year abroad to facilitate tion and a mature awareness of cultural difference. the integration of advanced and beginner students The fact that Italian courses can begin from in the third and fourth years. Using data from the scratch is an added attraction, as students who have survey conducted within the university, supported discontinued studying the most popular National by evidence from Paul Meara's article 'The year Curriculum languages of French and German still abroad and its effects',3 we hope to paint a fairly have the chance to take up a foreign language. One accurate picture of student expectations regarding sixth form student, indeed, states that the year abroad and the degree of their realisation. Our survey at Warwick also included the views "... with Italian, another door is open to me: I of future undergraduate linguists currently studying dropped French after my GCSE's, and regretted for their A-levels on the reasons for studying a for- it afterwards. Languages are important for vari- eign language and what they believed the benefits ety, as well as being an asset when job-hunting". of a year abroad would be.4 Their response was Many students regard the fact that Italian is not overwhelmingly focused on the potential for acade- offered at many universities as positive: it gives a mic self-improvement the primary motivation sense of exclusivity, as well as the feeling that their being the chance to improve linguistic skills and knowledge of Italian, as opposed to more popular interact with native speakers. The questioning of European languages such as French, will render those about to embark on the year abroad provoked them slightly more interesting and unusual in the similar reactions, although the first years seemed eyes of an employer. Others, however, feel that more intent on social acceptance and integration whilst a degree in Italian would be an advantage in than on improving their linguistic skills. One stu- the job market, a more widely-spoken or commer- dent comments cial language, such as German, would be even more "I want to know how to make a good spaghetti useful. It is interesting to note that the third and sauce!" fourth year university students surveyed express a greater preoccupation with life beyond university: perhaps jokingly providing more fuel for the accu- their motivations appear to centre more around their sation commonly levelled at students of Italian that forthcoming finals and eventual careers, whilst the they get a year's holiday half way through their first year students are more stimulated by the per- course! sonal enjoyment and interest offered by the course, The sometimes taxing realities of the situation as well as the approaching year abroad, the impor- and the impending return to university seem to turn tance of which is discussed in the following section. these carefree students into ardent linguists and The overall impression gained from the survey is international socialites by the end of the year. extremely positive; students view a degree course in Those who have been there and done it all seem which Italian features as a means of developing new stoically convinced that the time spent abroad has skills and personal interests, learning about another not only given them confidence and fluency in the culture, and opening the gateway to further studies or target language but also caused their social and "Italian is remark- employment. Italian is remarkable in its ability to hold travel diaries to expand and overflow: able in its ability to so much appeal, on both a personal and professional hold so much "It was an amazing social experience, my phone level, to students often from very diverse faculties. As bill has never been the same since!" appeal, on both a long as the subject itself offers such great variety and personal and can be combined with so many different options, one A study by Dyson on behalf of the Central Bureaus professional level, hopes it will continue to attract students from across tested a total of 229 students, assessing their lin- to students often the board, who will be motivated by the opportunity guistic abilities before and after the year abroad. It from very diverse of discovering Italy's language, history and culture. was able to establish a substantial improvement in faculties" linguistic competence with a particular emphasis on oral and aural skills. The Nuffield Inquiry dis- THE BIGGEST CARROT? covered that students themselves experienced a marked difference in their social skills, personal The year abroad must surely be counted as one of maturity and self-reliance as a result of living the most important motivations for students choos- within a different culture and lifestyle. They did ing to study Italian at degree level, perhaps particu- not, however, feel that their experience would give larly where Italy is concerned. It has become an them greater opportunities in the job market.6

4 Tuttitalia a) Ai? MOTIVATIONS AND EXPECTATIONS IN THE ITALIAN UNDERGRADUATE EXPERIENCE It could be argued nonetheless that both living culture or more simply to a rapidly developed abroad and coping with foreign bureaucracy count acquaintance with what could be considered Italy's as transferable skills in themselves and qualities greatest present-day cultural exportits cuisine! such as patience, diplomacy and initiative are usually reinforced by the challenges encountered there. LIFE AFTER ITALIAN? The Nuffield Inquiry provided evidence that the students with the most marked improvement in lin- If thinking of the year abroad and of the decision to guistic skills were those who had completed a work study Italian caused a degree of nostalgia in all stu- placement, which had enabled them to socialise with dents interviewed, the question of Italian as a step- speakers of the target language on a daily basis. It ping stone to a career was one which provoked should perhaps be noted however that one of the pangs of more pointed self-interest. As far as Ital- most common forms of work placementas an Eng- ian graduates from Warwick are concerned, how- lish Language Teaching Assistantdoes not always ever, the response of graduates of summer 1996 afford this opportunity due to the student's paid role demonstrates in more detail that the positive feel- as a native speaker of English. Although the Univer- ings about studying Italian are sustained beyond sity of Warwick does not participate in any work the occasionally limited sphere of university life. placement schemes, students are encouraged to find When asked to what extent they felt that learning part-time work independently. Working in a bar, Italian at degree level had affected their employa- restaurant or family environment can prove very bility and whether it had contributed to the fulfil- helpful in developing interactive skills and grasping ment or disappointment of their post-graduate the popular use of the language, or even slang and experience, with only one or two exceptions, their dialect words, which are essential to a greater com- responses were very encouraging.8 prehension of the language and people as a whole. In a few cases the graduates interviewed have Unfortunately there will always be some stu- succeeded in finding jobs to which their knowledge dents for whom the year abroad is disappointing. of Italian is directly relevant. For example, after Some found that meeting people was difficult and undergoing what he describes as the obligatory 'six intimidating and others found that the pressures of month baptism of fire' which follows graduation living in a big European city after the sheltered (during which periods of work for temping agen- campus lifestyle were exacerbated by expense and cies and telesales companies bring starry-eyed isolation. Clearly, as any survivor of the year graduates back down to earth with a bump) one abroad will corroborate, the success of the experi- happy interviewee now works in the London adver- ence depends not only on personal initiative but, tising office of 11 Sole 24 Ore, with a role which more brutally, on the 'luck of the draw'.7 clearly requires fluent written and spoken Italian. In conclusion, however, the year abroad usually Another former Italian student who now works for generates a positive reaction throughout the univer- the Foreign Office is certain that the language ele- sity years that precede and follow it, frequently ment of her degree played an important part in her attaining a 'mythical' status in the life of many a selection for the position. Modern Languages graduate. Our questionnaires The usefulness of learning Italian in comparison show that for the students little in the languagd with the more widely spoken European languages learning process is comparable to learning a lan- such as French and Spanish is often called into "Our question- guage in its country of origin, immersed in the cul- question, but the most consistent, and perhaps most ture and lifestyle of the place. Its consequences are significant comment made by all the graduates naires show that for the students perceived as a broadening of their outlook towards interviewed is that having any foreign language at other lifestyles and cultures and a development of degree level is a distinct advantage in terms of little in the social skills, an improved linguistic proficiency employment. Even if it does not relate to the job in language learning process is compa- and a higher level of academic attainment. In his question directly, fluency in two or more languages paper Paul Meara cites always impresses several graduates mentioned rable to learning a the 'encouraging noises' made about their lan- language in its "the widespread belief that some cultures are country of origin" more friendly than others" guage skills during job interviewsand a four year university career including a year abroad is sugges- adding that tive of greater than average maturity and experience that extends beyond the 'bubble' of student "we might expect this to reflect on the general satisfactoriness of the experience". life.In the words of an interviewee who is presently working in film and television produc- However he reflects that his data offer little support tion, a linguist is not just any old graduate but for this view. What is of interest here is that Meara's rather one who stands out from the crowd and pos- data on the 'mean for self-rated improvement in sesses uncommon skills and maturity which render knowledge of present-day culture' show Italian as him or her a potential asset to any employer. the language group scoring the highest. Perhaps this For one former student the 'language aware- difference can be attributed to visiting students per- ness' that comes with the often painstaking process ceiving an unusual degree of accessibility in Italian of learning a second language to the level that is

In I I No 16 December 1997 A') I 5 ,,Z1 S CHORLEY ET AL. expected in Higher Education has also proved have neither been made aware of the importance of advantageous. She is presently working in Japan on the differences between courses nor enabled to make the JET scheme where she teaches English as a foran informed choice. One sixth-former writes eign language and has no doubt that her experience "Information provided by various universities of studying Italian at university has aided her in both the work and in gaining the job in the first has not been very helpful as most of the courses place. Having been on the receiving end of both are very similar". successful and unsuccessful teaching methods such Perhaps the problem lies in the fact that most a graduate is in an excellent position to modify and courses seem similar. A first-year writes that apply her personal understanding of language learning to her own students. "Information was more about what the univer- However, despite the encouraging number of sity was like rather than details of the courses". former Warwick Italianists who are using their lan- Despite theseinitialhiccups, most apparent in "It appears that guage skills their work, there were also amongst first years, later years expressed a large away from the responses from a few very disillusioned individuals degree of satisfaction about their choice of course. international scene who had searched in vain for career opportunities. Despite the increasing pressures of the job market, offered by major It appears that away from the international scene most students maintain the optimistic outlook that cities there is little offered by major cities there is little demand for any language is more useful than other degrees in demand for Italian Italian as a second language and there is a feeling Arts subjects. Gripes about Italian are limited to the as a second lan- that studying the subject with other more 'useful' fact that it is impossible to use it alone to gain a guage" options such as French or Information Technology, postgraduateteachingqualificationandthat for example, would be more beneficial in terms of `speakers of French and German seem to be much postgraduate employment. Whilst it felt satisfying more in demand than speakers of Italian'. and valuable at the time to follow a literature-based What appears to be one of the most heartening course more than one interviewee regrets not hav- results of our survey lies in the responses to the ques- ing acquired more obviously vocational skills, in tion 'What role did the job market play in your choice particular in business Italian. It was also felt that of degree subject?'. From the first year who replies, more concrete evidence of those skills actually acquired during the four year period would be very "Not a very large one, I'd rather do something I useful, for example a qualification in translation.9 enjoy than pursue a vocational course which I After all an 'upper second class degree in Italian' don't find very interesting" suggests little of the diversity of skills and experi- to the fourth year who comments that ence acquired during the course. "I know lots of people who hated their courses and I've always liked mine, so I certainly would- CONCLUSION: GREAT n't have done anything differently" EXPECTATIONS most replies demonstrate a general refusal to bow Our research was driven by a desire to assess prod- to the demands of the market.'° Perhaps the secret uct satisfaction, that is the overall reaction to study- of Italian's survival as an independent subject in ing and having studied Italian. Much of this has Higher Education to date lies in the students' per- already been covered in the sections concerning the ception of it as one which strikes a balance between year abroad and the post-university job hunt, but it being a functional subject increasing their employ- is also of interest to consider how the gap between ability and a 'luxury' subject indulging personal expectations and reality affects the undergraduate interest and providing the opportunity for fun and and how it arises in the first place. enriching experiences beyond the traditional con- On occasions this is limited to general, false cepts of academic study and achievement. Our expectations about university life itself. One first year hope that students will continue to benefit from this undergraduate even expressed surprise at the fact that duality of experience during their time at university is brought into grave doubt by the dramatically "the language classes move quickly, so we have increasing financial burden put upon undergradu- to work and no-one told us we had to in the first ates and their families)! year!"

More usually, however, first-year complaints are NOTES limited to the increased demand for autonomous

learning and misunderstandings about what the 1 All students of the first, third and fourth years in the Italian course content consisted of. Both of these factors department responded to the questionnaires (see appendix) point towards the communication gap between uni- and sixth formers from Westcliff High School for Girls, Kenilworth Gardens, Westcliff on Sea, Essex. versity and school which was a subject of interesting 2 There has been some concern expressed regarding the fate discussion at the conference where a version of this of four year courses in the wake of the Dearing report and article was first presented. Students in the first year of the government's recent funding proposals. Whilst Rec. 81 university and current sixth-formers often feel they of the report would suggest the waiving of fees for students 6 302 Tuttitalia MOTIVATIONS AND EXPECTATIONS IN THE ITALIAN UNDERGRADUATE EXPERIENCE

following the four year Scottish degrees no mention has naire was administered, when there was a relatively high been made of the fee-paying arrangements for undergradu- level of graduate unemployment.' For a view of the current ates on a variety of degree programmes involving a year graduate employment opportunities refer to note 8. abroad. In the article 'A faraway continent of which we 7 An entertaining account of the 'wheel of fortune' of the year know nothing?', THES (7 August 1997), pp. 12 John Reilly, abroad experience, even within the framework of an orga- director of the UK Socrates Erasmus Council, voices his nized student exchange like Erasmus at the University of concern about the future for European co-operation and Siena, is provided by Esther Maclean in the article 'The exchange: "The present student maintenance system pro- traveller's tale', in The Guardian Education Supplement (27 vides a supplement for study abroad. There has been no sug- September 1994). gestion that special loan terms should replicatethis 8 According to new figures produced by the HE Statistics arrangement or that students should be encouraged to Agency graduate employment opportunities are better than undertake such study. Without some such action it is diffi- ever and the Association of Graduate Careers Advisory Ser- cult to escape the conclusion that in three years the number vices reports that employer demand for graduates is grow- of UK students willing and able to undertake a period of ing strongly. For more details of these results see Phil Baty, study in another member state will have dwindled, while `Graduates have never had it so good, claims report', in the young people in partner member states will continue to seek THES (I August 1997), p. 6. the experience." 9 Students' interest in such developments is evident, for 3 Meara, P, 'The year abroad and its effects', The Language example students on the Warwick Italian Staff/Student Liai- Learning Journal, 10 (September 1994), pp. 32 38. The son Committee recently raised the possibility of interested paper is a report based on data collected as part of the and suitable final year students being entered for a qualifi- Nuffield Modem Languages Inquiry. This data came from a cation such as those certified by The Institute of Linguists. questionnaire administered to 586 language students con- 10 One could of course argue that this is a predictable conclu- cerning how these students spent their year abroad, and sion by highlighting the probability that Italian attracts stu- what effect they felt it had on their modern language skills. dents from a sector of society which still feels it can afford 4 See note I. the luxury of upholding the principles of a liberal education. 5 Dyson, P., The Year Abroad (London: Central Bureau for However at this stage it is difficult to tell whether Italian is Educational Visits and Exchanges, 1988). Information different to any other university subject in this respect. In about this study has been drawn from Meara's synopsis of order to determine to what extent socio-economic back- it. See note 3. ground influences this optimistic attitude to further study 6 As Meara observes, this pessimistic attitude may have been more research is certainly necessary. affected `by the economic climate at the time the question- 11 Refer to note 2.

APPENDIX

Studying Italian at university? Could you help us find out the differences between what you expected and what you are experiencing?

1. Why are you studying for a Modem Languages degree and why Italian in particular?

2. What did you expect from your degree: (a) in terms of course content?

(b) in terms of new or improved skills?

3. Have these expectations been exceeded or disappointed in any way?

4. Can you say what attracted you to this particular Italian course? (or was the university itself a more important consideration for you?)

5. What do you hope to/ did you gain from your 'Year Abroad' during the course? How important is this 'requirement' for you?

5. What role did financial considerations and/or the job market play in your choice of degree subject or specific course?

6. How helpful/accurate was the information provided by various universities on their course content in helping you decide which course would be right for you?

Please continue overleaf if you need to. Many thanks for your help!

No 16 December 1997 7 ',111 = 3 BEST COPY AVAIL?, E el Tuttitalia, December 1997, No 16, 8-11

Lexical borrowing: research and teaching Howard Moss University of Wales Swansea

MAKING IT INTERESTING... captured the interest and imagination of students (and also served a useful corrective purpose in lan- When I first came to teach History of the Italian guage learning) was the comparison of modern Ital- Language, my main difficulty was in stimulating ian usage to past usage. For example, a common the interest of the students. I had been taught the error in undergraduate language work is the use of topic in the traditional phonetics-phonology-mor- qualche with a plural noun (qualche libri), yet just phology style which was fine for me. But, even a couple of centuries ago such a form can be men- then, I realised I was something of a freak. It failed tioned as having been accepted usage. Or the com- to engage most of my fellow students, and as soon mon 'wrong' auxiliary used by students, as in si ha as I found myself on the teaching end I knew that visto, can be pointed to as correct usage in Man- the old formal method was going to be even less zoni'stime.Inparticular,thiscomparative attractive to students than it had been in my own approach tends to be most fruitful when applied to undergraduate days. I was going to have to find study of the lexical side of linguistic history, since something different if I wanted to keep the students students seem to find it easier to relate to 'whole who enrolled on my course. words' or lexical items than to sounds or inflexions What became clear, as I experimented with dif- or parts of words. And this leads on naturally to the ferent approaches, was that the attraction students subject of lexical borrowing and how research done felt for the idea of knowing about linguistic change into it can feed into the teaching of language. and studying linguistic history was best fostered not so much by a 'nuts and bolts' approach as by emphasizing what might be called broad lines and THE HISTORY OF ITALIAN AND general principles. For example, they found it indi- THE HISTORY OF ITALY gestible that Classical Latin initial syllable pretonic [e] gave [i] in Italian or that Classical Latin tonic If one studies lexical borrowing in Italian for the short 0 diphthongized to [uo] in free position but purposes of teaching its linguistic history, one gave Italian open 0 in blocked position, but they learns about the various waves of foreign forms that found it intriguing to know about how the original have helped to give Italian its vocabulary. One finds Indo-European tongue grew into many different out first about the germanisms and graecisms that branches and sub-branches, how some of its passed into the language with the invasions of the descendants first came to the Italian peninsula and peninsula in the centuries following the end of the spread there, and how one of these descendants Roman Empirewords in today's language like spawned many different new languages both inside albergo, guardia, guerra, nastro, orgoglio, tregua "technical notions and outside the peninsula. They were 6/en inter- (Germanic) and basilico, fall, gondola, paragone could start to be ested to know that languages in general change by (Greek). One then passes to the Arabisms that Ital- taught but on the such processes asassimilation,syncope and ian acquired following the ninth-century Arab inva- back of more metaphony and to see practical demonstrations of sion of Sicily and Arab influences on Southern and palatable 'general this in individual examples such as Latin noctem coastal Italy (e.g. algebra, cifra, nuca, ragazzo, principles" giving Italian notte by assimilation and Latin domi- scacchi, zero). The next wave of foreign neolo- nam becoming donna by both syncope and assimi- gisms were the gallicisms from France and lation. So technical notions could start to be taught Provence that came to Italian from the eleventh but on the back of more palatable 'general princi- century on both through literary channels and also ples'. through Norman settlement in the South words Another aspect of this approach which I found' likebottone,cameriere,giardino,mangiare,

8 Tuttitalia LEXICAL BORROWING: RESEARCH AND TEACHING preghiera, viaggio. Also from the eleventh century there might be two or three times as many; in one onwards came the learned latinisms which began to on history or philosophy there might be none. I also be widely used when the vernacular took on the compared the figure of 0.77% with a figure I drew role of a vehicle for written communication and from similar publications of some 15 years before which brought thousands of new terms, mainly of (i.e. the late 70s) and found a definite increase an abstract nature, to Italian, especially between the from 0.5% to 0.77%. This is in fact a big jump in thirteenth and fifteenth century (e.g. capitolo, cir- percentage termsover 50%but in terms of the colo, custodia, mensile, pesare, titolo, vizio). His- increase in the total number of words used and panisms passed into Italian in relatively large impact on the language, it is still very small beer. In numbers too, first in the late Middle Ages due to addition, in view of the fact that other registers, Spanish influence in the South (e.g. buscare, lido, both written non-journalistic ones and the everyday maiolica) and then particularly between the late spoken language, are far less ready than newspa- sixteenth and the eighteenth century when Spain pers and magazines to use unmodified anglicisms, I was politically and culturally influential all over the was able to conclude that appearances are probably peninsula (e.g.appartamento,creanza, disin- deceiving and that the use of unadapted anglicisms voltura, pastiglia, picaresco). Many more galli- in contemporary Italian is probably not as major a cisms came next as, culturally and politically, phenomenon as their apparent ubiquity in press lan- France became the dominant European power from guage may seem to make them. the seventeenth to the early nineteenth-century. Several lessons can be derived from this and Terms such as approccio, burro, caserma, mar- imparted to students learning the language. Firstly, ciare, profitto, rimpiazzare, terrorismo are just a these unmodified lexical borrowings are part of a tiny sample. Then, after the nineteenth century uni- particular kind of written language which learners fication of Italy, one discovers the new waves of will probably not want to use for the more formal borrowings Italian took ingallicisms, german- written exercises they will do (e.g. writing essays or isms and, in particular, anglicisms. These include translating literary pieces). Secondly, the forms in words based on French like abat-jour, ascenseur, question cannot be used willy-nilly in the spoken dossier, equipe, sciovinismo, sindacato and sus- language and in fact are found relatively rarely. pense, German words like blitz, bunker and fon, Thirdly, when these forms are found in speech, it is and words borrowed from English forms like con- usually because there is genuinely not a satisfactory formista, congeniale, derby, detective, leader; meet- italianizing equivalent (e.g. cast, hit-parade, jazz, ing, snob, tennis, truismo, and many others. The rugby). Fourthly, in view of the relative rarity of very best guide to this phenomenon of lexical bor- such forms, it is all the more essential for students to rowing in Italian is the late Paolo Zolli's famous know the conventional forms of Italian, both lexical book Le parole straniere (Zolli, 1991). and grammatical. So, for example, Italian may have killer, leader and record, but far more commonly the language will use assassino, capo and primato. ANGLICISMS IN And, though English noun borrowings ending in CONTEMPORARY ITALIAN consonants will have plural ending which are invari- able or add -s (i boom(s), i leader(s), i partner(s)), As I have suggested, knowledge of and research the vast majority of nouns in Italian follow their into lexical borrowing can also be a useful supple- own traditional pattern of plural endings. mentary tool in the teaching of language. The work An exercise based on this area of knowledge I have done in this area has been into anglicisms in which students find interesting and perhaps fruitful twentieth-century Italian. A recent study on the involves getting them to do their own word counts incidence of unadapted anglicisms inItalian of unadapted borrowings over a sprinkling of short "A recent study on showed that, although there is probably a much articles in a newspaper or magazine and to find out the incidence of larger number of these forms now than forty or fifty if their proportion of anglicisms is similar to or sig- unadapted years ago, their impact on the language, even in the nificantly different from what the research has anglicisms in written journalistic language in which they are shown. The outcome of this search can then be dis- Italian showed that most prevalent, remains relatively small in terms of cussed. A further exercise is to give a different daily their impact the proportion of actual usage which they constitute newspaper to individuals or several small groups of remains relatively (Moss, 1992). What I found, in fact, from a wide- students and ask them to count up the number of small" ranging sample of several tens of thousands of unmodified anglicisms used in the bold print they terms in journalistic usage, was that unadapted see when they scan the pages. My experience of anglicisms made up less than 1% of the total used, this is that it is quite uncanny how, given an equal 0.77% to be precise. So, in this kind of medium, number of pages, different issues of newspapers you might expect on average about one word in will tend to give virtually identical results. every 150 to be an unadapted anglicism. This A further area of research into anglicisms in means that, in an article of 1000 words, you are recent Italian which I have found useful in the likely to find six or seven of these terms. This will teaching of the language has been that of pseudoan- also depend of course on the kind of article you are glicisms, that is English borrowings which Italian dealing with. In one on, say, fashion or pop music, comes to use in a different way, either semantically,

II I I No 16 December 1997 tw 9 . Qti H Moss

grammatically, or orthographically (and also of foreign borrowings in Italian. Traditionally, the arguably phonetically) (Moss, 1995). We are here vast majority of foreign forms adopted by Italian referring to forms like il box for lock-up garage', have adapted themselves to the phonetic and mor- il mister for 'football manager', lo spot for 'televi- phological structures characteristic of the language. sion commercial', il/la testimonial for 'presenter', So, for example, the early germanism 'warden' il lifting for 'face lift', il copy for 'copywriter', una resulted in the Italian guardare; cavaliere was single for 'single woman', no-stop for 'non-stop, derivedfromtheprovencalism`chevalier'; crash film for 'action film' (perhaps modelled on eighteenth-century French'restaurant' became terms such as 'crash barrier' or 'crash landing'), ristorante; the English term 'boycott' led, via foto-reporter for 'press-photographer', naziskin French, to boicottaggio; the late 1940s American for 'skinhead', pressbook for 'anthology of articles coinage 'genocide' gave genocidio. Only over the or reports' (as in the book title Moravia. Pressbook last century has Italian, in any significant way, della sua morte). Obviously the curiosity value of accepted foreign forms without assimilating them to such usages is an attention-fixer for students, but its own traditional patterns of pronunciation and aside from this they can also be used to draw atten- morphology and it has done this particularly in the tion to various other linguistic considerations. last half-century with the inflow of anglo-american- Firstly, though these forms differ from English isms. Despite this, however, it would be wrong to usage in ways that are fairly evident, in fact most think that Italian has stopped integrating foreign (and arguably all) anglicisms can in terms of their neologisms into its own structures. It is still the case range of usage be said to be 'different' from the use that the number of adapted foreign borrowings is their original language puts them to. So, for exam- larger, even if less immediately visible, than ple, even a very.obvious prestito di necessity like unadapted ones. The Italian dictionary has swelled `jazz', has a more limited use in Italian than in dramatically over the last 50 years and to a signifi- English. While it is used in Italian to signify the cant extent with terms of various kinds adapted from same kind of music that it expresses in English, English such as analista (ànalise), bioetica (`bio- "The Italian Italian excludes the wider semantic context in ethics'), cibo spazzatura (junk food'), conflittuale dictionary has which the word can be used, as in, for example, 'all Cconflictuan, contattare (`to contact'), cortina di swelled that jazz' or `to jazz something up'. Things can also ferro (ìron curtain'), effetto serra (`greenhouse dramatically over happen the other way round. Italian can expand the effect'),narratologia(` narratology'),nevrosi the last 50 years" use or meaning of a term it has adopted from Eng- (`neurosis'),riciclare(`torecycle'),solvente lish. So, raid in Italian is not just limited to its use ( `solvene), turbocompressore ( `turbocompressor'), in English but can also have the additional mean- videocassetta (`videocassette'), vitamina (`vita- ings of 'rally' or 'safari holiday'; check-up is used min'). to mean 'check' or 'survey' in a much wider con- What students can be alerted to is that, since text than the medical one it tends to be confined to these terms are being adopted all the time, they may in English (un check-up dell'editoria italiana); be absent from dictionaries. Too short a time may match is not necessarily just to do with sport (il have passed for their existence to be registered and match tra i partiti politici); and hit parade is in therefore it will not be possible to find every word common usage outside the area of popular music one reads in a newspaper or magazine even in a very (l'hit parade delle auto usate). good dictionary and very often a certain amount of Secondly, semantic pseudoanglicisms can also be initiative will be necessary on the part of the student used to discuss the concepts of prestito di lusso and to work out from the context what a given foreign prestito di necessity. In particular, the vexed ques- neologism means. This will (or should) be aided by tion of whether the prestito di lusso actually exists the fact that the vast majority of such terms will have can be raised. In other words, are not all borrowings come from English, which should give at least some `necessary', since otherwise what would be the pur- clue to their meaning. This is also the case where the pose of using them? So, while words like jazz and influence of English has started to assert itself in the pacemaker obviously express concepts Italian has field of syntax and where forms like mangiate sano not coined its own words for, are not 'doublets' like (èat healthy'), votate comunista (`vote Commu- basket (for pallacanestro), designer (for stilista), gol nist'), famiglia modello (`model family'), silenzio (for rete), leader (for capo), record (for primato) stampa (`press silence'), calciomercato (`transfer also 'necessary' in containing either a specific con- market') or scuolabus (`school bus'), even if not notation that the Italian 'equivalent' does not convey explained in dictionaries or grammars, seem to or, in some cases, simply in creating a register of mirror usage common in English. èxoticism' that is required in a given context? The latter seems especially the case with forms like break, drink, look, slogan and sponsor. CONCLUSIONS In any consideration of lexical borrowing and its utility to language teaching, what must be borne in It should be said, in conclusion, that research and mind is that the kind of neologisms we have dwelt teaching always impact on each other to some on so far, so-called 'unadapted' or 'unassimilated' extent. Even if research does not seem to have a ones, are a relatively new phenomenon in the history direct bearing on the courses one is teaching, it

10 , Tuttitalia (-) LEXICAL BORROWING: RESEARCH AND TEACHING undeniably instills enthusiasm in the teacher for the and of learning that language, is relatively limited. communication to students of that area of the disci- It is certainly not in itself the key to giving students pline. And the teaching, in its turn, can throw up the interest, the enthusiasm and the knowledge to considerations leading to investigation that goes learn and know the language well. But it is a tool beyond the immediate issues of the course being which, if used judiciously among many others, can taught. Of course, when research is in language, help in that endeavour by giving students an insight especially the contemporary language, there is a into the practical dynamics of Italian and its variety clear and obvious connection between it and the of usage. teaching of the language, but at the same time a note of caution must be sounded. One must be careful not to overdo things by overrating its usefulness REFERENCES for teaching. On occasions I have found that my own enthusiasm for the topic of lexical borrowing P. Zolli (1991) Le parole straniere, Bologna, Zanichelli. H. Moss (1992) 'The Incidence of Anglicism in Modem Italian: has caused me to bring it into language teaching Considerations on its Overall Effect on the Language', The perhaps too much and therefore to risk overempha- ltalianist, 12, pp. 129 36. sizing its importance. It must be borne in mind that H. Moss (1995) 'Pseudoanglicisms in Italian: Concept and its importance, in the total context of a language Usage', Italian Studies, 50, pp. 123 38.

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Fl No 16 December 1997 11 Tuttitalia, December 1997, No 16, 12-16

Italian and dialect in Abruzzo R Hastings University of Manchester

DIALECT IN CONTEMPORARY ple's sense of local identity. Gwyn Griffith put this ITALY view well in the final chapter of The Italian Lan- guage when he wrote that 'death of a local language Italian, as you know, is an odd language. At least the is also the death of a certain form of culture and that story of its development is odd, and the linguistic sit- ignorance of it is no more a virtue than other forms uation in Italy is quite unlike that of the UK for of ignorance'.3 Against this must be set the much "In this country example. In this country historical dialects have more widespread view that dialects are themselves a historical dialects practically ceased to exist as autonomous linguistic manifestation of ignorance and backwardness, in have practically systems distinct from the national language. In Italy that knowledge of them constitutes a serious obsta- ceased to exist ... they are still very much alive and very different in cle to the proper acquisition of Italian, and that the In Italy they are still kind both from each other and from the national lan- sooner they are gone the better. That interference very much alive guage, as a result of Italy's long centuries of political from dialect can hinder the acquisition of educated and very different disunity and the consequent absence of a national Italian is an undeniable fact, and it is for this reason in kind both from spoken language to complement that of literature that many dialect-speaking parents choose to bring each other and until the effects of unification finally began to create up their children to speak only Italian. But it is from the national one in the years following the Risorgimento. equally possible to acquire a good knowledge of language" Reliable statistics on the current numbers of both, and that to my mind makes for a richer and speakers of dialect and Italian are hard to come by. more interesting culture. In any case the Italian The DOXA and Istat surveys of 1988 suggested that learnt even by those who grow up without acquiring roughly 80% of the population spoke Italian; that dialect will still be of a marked regional character in about 40% spoke no dialect; about 60% still spoke most cases, since the dialects have already left their dialect; some 40% or thereabouts used both; and the stamp on the forms of Italian spoken, even by highly percentage of those who used only dialect was down educated Italians, in the different parts of Italy. to around 20%. Those figures are very approximate, As for the continued survival of the dialects, I fear as the findings of the two surveys differ somewhat De Mauro's assertion, on the basis' of the DOXA and from each other, and I have simply divided the dif- Istat statistics, that dialects are surviving the growth ferences roughly down the middle. But the statistics of Italian far better than we had or could have pre- do seem to illustrate two things very clearly: (i) that dicted, is rather too sanguine. To begin with, the sta- the spoken use of Italian has expanded tremen- tistics are suspect because they rely on hearsay dously since unification, as you would expect (there evidence: what people say they do and what they are apparently only about 20% now who can't speak really do can be two very different things, firstly Italian); (ii) that dialects are still very vigorous for because their perceptions may be inaccurate (for all that (it looks as if approximately 60% still speak instance they may think they can speak dialect when dialect, well over half the population of Italy)) they can't really do so properly), secondly because Tullio De Mauro has expressed his satisfaction at they may be less than truthful (they may, for exam- this evidence of the continuing vitality of dialects, ple, be ashamed to confess to speaking dialect for whose influence on Italian he sees as beneficial, social reasons). Moreover the surveys oversimplify because he considers their 'espressivita realistica' to the terms of the equation by presenting Italian and be a valuable antidote to the pretentious rhetoric and dialect as completely distinct entities, and neglecting ponderous jargon that burden educated Italian the interaction between them, which has led on the usage.2 To others, including me, the survival of the one hand to the development of regional forms of dialects is desirable because they are a valuable spoken Italian through the influence of dialects on form of local culture and an important part of peo- the national language and on the other to the acceler-

12 Tuttitalia 0 .:U ITALIAN AND DIALECT IN ABRU=0 ating Italianization of the dialects themselves. It is of those generations: great-grandparents (now dead) widely accepted that it is now harder than ever to who spoke only dialect, grandparents who also have make a clear distinction between the two and that some Italian, parents who are equally at home in what exists is essentially a continuum of usage from both, and children growing up who are more famil- local village dialect through more generalized iar with Italian than with dialect (and this in families regional and Italianized forms of dialect to regional where parents have made no effort to discourage the forms of spoken Italian and to the comparatively learning of dialect). Not only do the children speak standardized written language. The usage of individ- much less dialect, what they do speak is heavily Ital- ual speakers occupies different sections of the scale, ianized. Where 'nowhere' was once [Dguvilla], for because of the way people vary their speech by them it is now the more accessible [a nnifuna vijja], changing register according to particular social con- literally 'a nessuna via'; the word for 'outsider', texts. The position and width of these individual [fraftira], has become [furif tjera]; and 'how' is now bands vary from speaker to speaker, depending on [aldcomo] rather than [an'ne]. The next generation factors such as the degree of education, of natural is likely to speak only Italian. linguistic ability and of social and linguistic aware- Abruzzese dialect is thus approaching the critical ness. Dialect is thus under threat not only in terms of stage. There is a slim literary and musical tradition the reduction in numbers of speakers, but also of the behind it that lends it some support: a body of dialect progressive dilution of the forms of dialect that sur- poetry and a number of folksongs which form the vive, which are moving steadily closer to Italian as repertoire of local choirs; and both these traditions generation follows generation. I suspect therefore remain alive, with contemporary authors and com- that the number of genuine dialect speakers is posers adding regularly to the available texts. But it is already much lower than the surveys indicate. a usage totally divorced from practical application in everyday life, and significantly it is characterized by that note of nostalgic reminiscence that is invariably THE SITUATION IN ABRUZZO associated with the vanishing culture of the past. The tendency in all this is to see dialect as a quaint and On the whole it seems reasonable to say that more colourful cultural curiosity, the relic of a bygone age, Italian and less dialect are spoken in cities and large rather than as a living tongue. There is talk of intro- towns than in small towns and country villages, and ducing it as a subject in the school curriculum, similarly that more Italian and less dialect are spoken though no coherent attempts have yet been made to in the north than in the south, because it is more do so; and in any case such a measure would be socially and economically advanced, more urban- totally inadequate, as the linguistic competence of the ized and industrialized; so that researching as I do in average British or Italian adult in French or German a small village in Abruzzo (geographically central, supposedly learnt at school shows all too clearly. It is but socially and culturally linked to the south), I only when a language is used as the medium for edu- should be in one of the real strongholds of dialect, cation in all subjects (as happens in Welsh-speaking where inroads from Italian are minimal. The reality schools) that there is any appreciable benefit in is rather different. Dialect in the countryside of the arresting its decline. What would be needed in addi- "Dialect in the tion would be the creation of a daily dialect press and south has in my experience little or no prestige and is countryside of the thus more vulnerable to encroachment than in the of radio and television broadcasting in dialect, and south has ... little official sanction of its use in local administration: all cities of the north, where it has a certain prestige or no prestige and value among many members of the middle and measures quite out of the question in the current is thus more social and political climate of the region. upper classes, and where it is associated with a sense vulnerable to of municipal pride and civic identity. The result is encroachment than that dialect is probably receding most rapidly in the in the cities of the very areas where it has hitherto remained strongest COMMUNICATION STRATEGIES north" (the countryside and the south), which must call into question its ultimate capacity for survival. Whatever the eventual outcome, the current interme- Unfortunately I know of no statistics on the dis- diary phase in which Italian and dialect coexist and tribution of dialect and Italian in Abruzzo itself, so interact is very interesting both in strictly linguistic my evidence is essentially personal and anecdotal.4 terms (the various compromises that exist between But even in the village of To llo I see clear signs of them) and in socio-linguistic ones (who uses what the rapid retreat of dialect before Italian, because of and in what circumstances). In particular I have been universal exposure to the national language through struck by the ability of bilingual speakers to exploit education and the media, and the association of the extremes of the wide band in the continuum of dialect by the speakers themselves with backward- usage which they have at their disposal to social and ness and ignorance, which commonly causes them commercial advantage, especially in the case of to feel ashamed of it. There is clear evidence of the shopkeepers and salesmen inthe negotiations imminent fulfilment of Cortelazzo's prophecy of the between buyer and seller, where the choice of the demise of dialect over the course of five genera- linguistic medium has important tactical implications.5 In many families which I know myself I have tions, for as anyone who knows Italy is aware, buy- already seen the realization of that prediction in four ing and selling there are very much an art, and

No 16 December 1997 13 rO 49 R HASTINGS negotiations are often complex and protracted, The car and insurance salesman has evolved a requiring highly developed bargaining skills. I have similar approach to cope with a similar situation, had opportunity to observe two such individuals at but whereas for shoes the customers come to the work over a number of years and had several useful shop, with cars and insurance it is more often the conversations with them on the subject. One runs a salesman who visits the customers. Again the shoe shop; the other is a car and insurance salesman. majority are local farmers. He has noticed that most The man with the shoe shop makes the obvious car salesmen and insurance reps speak inItalian to point that to use Italian to a fellow villager is to be the peasants, using Lei and calling them signore, formal and distant, while dialect is more friendly, not so much, he thinks, as a genuine mark of cour- inspires trust and is hence more persuasive. It is tesy and respect, but more out of a sense of their more convincing also because, as he puts it `6 pin own importance and a wish to impress. This, he concreto e spesso rende pin ('idea'. His customers points out, is commercially disadvantageous, since are mostly of long standing and well known to him. it may make the customers feel inferior, suspicious The majority are local farmers, who usually speak and resentful. In fact he adopts the same sort of tac- dialect when they come into the shop, because it tics as the shoeseller, using a mixture of dialect and comes more naturally and because they might look Italian to achieve broadly parallel effects. As he is a foolish otherwise, given their generally limited younger man, who was still in the process of build- knowledge of Italian. If spoken to in Italian, they ing up his business and establishing his clientele occasionally try to respond in kind, but soon lapse when I first observed him at work, he was meeting back into dialect. Some middle-class clients, on the many of his clients for the first time, so his initial other hand, use Italian all the time, even though approach to them was usually in Italian. But as soon they know the dialect well and are addressing a fel- as he began to establish a rapport with them, he low villager, because of a desire to establish that found it beneficial to conduct a large part of the they are people of importance, who must be taken negotiation in dialect, using the dialect courtesy seriously and served with efficiency and solicitude. form (tu + signiri, that is `signoria') or cumpa, Of shopkeepers in general it can be observed that `compare', if the customer was well enough known they often start off an exchange with a customer to him. As with the shoeseller, he finds this puts who is not a close friend in Italian, in order to put clientsattheirease and predisposesthem themselves in a strong position, because it creates favourably towards him. He too aims to strike a bal- the impression that they are informed and educated ance, using Italian to command respect and project people, who are competent at their job; but then an image of professional expertise, but dialect to they frequently slip into dialect because it comes gain his clients' confidence and to create a bond. more naturally and is less of an effort. The shoe Similarly Italian helps him to convey technical data salesman's technique is much more sophisticated and to evoke the fashionable appeal of a smart new however. Unless his customers make a point of car with all the latest technology, while dialect per- speaking to him in Italian, he uses dialect especially mits him to explain things in simple terms to those in the early stages of a transaction to put them at who cannot cope with specialized terminology. "code-switching their ease and make them more receptive. This Such code-switching occurs not only with cus- occurs not only engenders a sense of fellowship and further inspires tomers in shops, but in many other situations too of with customers in trust by creating an impression of plain speaking course: in conversation and discussion within the shops, but in many and honest dealing. Then he generally moves into family at home, and between friends and acquain- other situations Italian to extol the merits of the product: its techni- tances at the bar and elsewhere around the village too ...in conver- cal advantages (much of the technical terminology where men sit and talk together or indulge in leisure sation and discus- is anyway available only in Italian), its elegance, its activities, as at the local sports club. Much of the sion within the social desirability (important considerations, espe- conversation consists of spirited debate on political family at home, cially for the women of the village, where a pretty issues and matters of sport, in which feelings fre- and between pair of shoes in which to parade up and down the quently run high. Italian sounds more impressive friends and main street at festa time is a must). The use of Ital- and is used to give a note of cultural authority to an acquaintances at ian serves, as he himself points out, to impress and argument and to indicate the speaker's command of the bar" to suggest that he is a knowledgeable and compe- the intellectual and technical aspects of the subject tent salesman. It also gives him a psychological (as with shoes, cars and insurance, the terminology advantage over peasant customers, whose knowl- of politics and sport exists for the most part only in edge of Italian is so much more restricted. But it can Italian). But dialect helps to drive home fundamen- all too easily create suspicion if overdone, so he tal points, to demolish what are felt to be contrived never presses this advantage too far. When launched and specious arguments, to cut through the rhetoric on a flight of rhetorical eloquence in praise of his and identify plain unvarnished truths. shoes, he is always ready to lean forward and sud- Code-switching of this sort is not always deter- denly make a basic point with blunt force in dialect. mined by tactical considerations and social circum- And he normally returns to dialect towards the end stances however. Sometimes the triggers that cause of the discussion, so as to put the clients in a com- the switch are simply linguistic. If a speaker is fortable and acquiescent frame of mind, which will using dialect, but is then obliged to use an Italian dispose them to part with their money. word because there is no other term available, that

14 Tuttitalia .4 ITALIAN AND DIALECT IN ABRUZZO

may in itself produce a change of register, only for varieties of English. Such marked regional variations the subsequent casual use of a dialect word to cause are to be found in every part of Italy. What view should a a return to the initial mode of speech. On the other teacher of Italian to foreigners take? Should we seek to hand social reflexes are often very strong, and impose a strictly Tuscan norm, since 'Tuscan is the basis speakers may find it impossible to override them of the written language and the standard still broadly fol- even when they wish to do so. One of the many lowed by most grammars and dictionaries? Or should frustrations of dialect research for a forestiero (par- we reject this as purism and embrace the richness of ticularly a straniero like me) is that people who regional Italian in all its variety? My own view is that we have agreed to help you with your research often should choose neither of these extremes, but steer a mid- speak to you only in Italian or in heavily Italianized dle course. We should insist on Tuscan norms only dialect, even though they habitually speak authentic where they are generally shared by educated Italians local dialect amongst themselves. This may be due from other parts of Italy. (As Giulio and Laura Lepschy to a sense of shame and embarrassment at speaking point out in The Italian Language Today, there is little "We should insist dialect to an outsider, who they feel will judge them point nowadays in trying to impose on our students a on Tuscan norms ignorant, or it may simply be an instinctive reflex Tuscan distribution of open and close e and o, of voiced only where they are that they cannot overcome, because they are so con- and voiceless intervocalic s or of initial consonantal generally shared by ditioned by trying to speak Italian to an outsider to lengthening, when the great majority of Italians do not educated Italians make themselves understood. follow it themselves.)6 And we should admit regional from other parts of I may observe that tactical use of dialect is some- features that distinguish spoken usage in Tuscany and in Italy" thing which even non-native speakers can turn to other parts of Italy only when they are an accepted part good effect. In the summer of 1985, in the aftermath of educated regional Italian. of the tragedy at the Heyschel stadium in Brussels, In the case of Abruzzese Italian this would mean where a number of Italian fans were crushed to an acceptance of the distribution of open and close death as a consequence of disturbances on the ter- e and o according to position in syllable (close in races provoked by British football hooligans before open syllables, as in bene, breve, poco, cow, open the European Cup Final between Liverpool and in closed syllables, as in stella, freddo, rosso, Juventus, I was warned by friends that our UK reg- mondo) and of the consistently voiceless articula- istered Ford Escort might well be a target for tion of intervocalic s (in rosa and chiesa as well as reprisals, since some of the dead were from the in casa and naso), but a rejection of the reduction nearby seaside resort of Francavilla. Local feeling of final vowels to a schwa (la mogli[3], it sant[a], it was incensed, and two cars belonging to British hol- can[a]), of the palatalization of s before certain idaymakers had already been vandalized there. So I consonants (as in Entupido, [I]chiaffo, [3]degno, took the precaution of covering up our GB sticker di[3]gu[f]to) and of the voicing of consonants after with an Italian I to suggest that we were one of the a nasal (as in dende, mangare, in bace). many families of Abruzzese expatriates returning to In morphology it would involve the sanction of gli Italy for the summer, and as a further safeguard I as an alternative to loro and the widespread use of the composed and displayed on our windscreen a little suffix -uccio (as in boccuccia, pieduccio) without bit of dialect doggerel that ran as follows: pejorative overtones, but the proscription of genders like la lume and it pulce, and of analogical verb forms 'A la Scozie so nate. In Scozia sono nato. like parlevo and bastuto. In syntax we can condone A l'Abbruzze so crisciute. In Abruzzo sono cresciuto. the use of the present for the future in informal con- Pi farme na vacanze Per farmi una vacanza texts, the informal use of the indicative for the sub- a ecche so minute. qui sono venuto. junctive (spero che viene, prima che torna), the Chi te I'ucchie a la cocce Chi ha occhi in testa sti parole po vida: queste parole put) vedere: frequency of the sto a fare construction as an alterna- la macchina me la mia macchina tive to sto facendo, and of ho da fare for devo, but not nza da tucca. non si deve toccare' the avoidance of cui (as in la casa che ci abito), the use of a with animate direct objects (senti a me), the Those who know anything of my antecedents will reflexive use of normally non-reflexive verbs (si e realize that I was guilty of fairly gross poetic as morto, mi credevo che era ricco), abnormal choice of well as linguistic licence. But the verses achieved auxiliaries, which in dialect depends on the person, the desired effect, provoking much good humour not on the degree of transitivity or intransitivity of the and ensuring that our car returned home unscathed. verb (whence in Italian sono parlato, ha nato), or the use of the imperfect subjunctive in both halves of a conditional sentence (se lo sapessi, te lo dicessi). REGIONAL ITALIAN IN Inlexis we can accommodate wordslike ABRUZZO: A TEACHER'S VIEW mammoccio for 'silly fool' and sfizio for 'yen', and idioms like mi sono cascate le braccia for 'you could If dialects are to die they will not do so without trace. have knocked me down with a feather', the use of Their legacy will remain in the regional forms of cacciare for cavare (cacciare un dente, cacciare i spoken Italian which are replacing them as the spo- soldi), ammassare for impastare (ammassare it ken medium of the majority of Italians, just as that of pane), cercare for chiedere (mi cercava un favore), the vanished dialects of Britain survives in regional corto for basso (di statura) and lungo for alto (di VI I I IM No 16 December 1997 401 15 H HASTINGS

statura),prendereforscegliere(hapreso also occurs elsewhere in Italy (notably in Lazio and ingegneria), repubblica for disordine (questa casa e Campania), and here too it is found in educated as una repubblica) and uscire for capitare (oggi ci e well as popular speech. None of us would, I think, uscita una Bella giornata), for venire (come e uscita be disposed to teach any of these Tuscan pronunci- la torta?) and for sorgere (stamattina ho visto uscire ations to our students in the first instance. However, il sole), but not forms like portogallo for arancia, if a student returned from Tuscany saying [la hasa] sparambiare for risparmiare, non-locative stare for for [la kasa], [la fena] for [la fena] and [la 3ente] essere (sto contento, vino non ci sta) or the use of for [la d3ente], I would point out that these are tenere for non-auxiliary avere (tieni torto); while regionalisms not shared by the majority of Italians, others like trovare for cercare (lo vado trovando) but since they are found in the speech of educated and incontrare for trovare (per caso) (cogli i fiori Tuscans, I would not attempt to proscribe them. the incontri per la strada) are more debatable. In so doing, I would not be seeking to confer on Students of Italian at British universities usually Tuscan pronunciation any special status, because I spend an extended period of residence in Italy, dur- believe we should show a similar receptivity ing which they will acquire many of the features of towards the patterns of educated speech to be found the Italian of those among whom they live and in other parts of Italy. If my northern regional Eng- "If as a result of work. If as a result of the time spent abroad the Ital- lish is acceptable as a medium in which to talk about the time spent ian our students speak on their return is both authen- an academic subject in the UK, then the Italian of an abroad the Italian tic and educated, we should give thanks to Italy educated Milanese, Neapolitan or Sicilian should be our students speak rather than seek to criticize and 'correct' out of def- equally acceptable as a model for our students. On on their return is erence to a narrow Tuscan norm. This is particularly the other hand there is a cautionary tale I can tell of both authentic and true of pronunciation, where the regional differ- auniversity-educated Canadian of Abruzzese educated, we ences in educated usage are probably most apparent, extraction, married to an Abruzzese and living in should give thanks for a Tuscan accent has never had the sort of general Abruzzo, who has been quite unable to find a job as to Italy rather than prestige and acceptance enjoyed by RP English, and a teacher of English there, because the Italian she seek to criticize the regional origin of most educated Italians can be learnt from her parents is so heavily dialectal that and 'correct' out of readily identified by experienced listeners. she is wrongly taken to be completely uneducated. deference to a nar- We should not forget that Tuscan pronunciation So in conclusion and with certain important reserva- row Tuscan norm" of Italian is every bit as distinctive as that found in tions, I would say 'viva la differenze. 71111MMIIIIAbruzzo: it too has colloquial features which other Italians do not share. The most famous of these is the articulation of the voiceless plosives [k] [t] [p] as NOTES fricatives [h] [0] [0] between vowels, commonly known as the gorgia toscana, and often ascribed to 1. The DOXA figures are quoted by T. De Mauro in Invito a cena con dialetto', L'espresso, 19 June 1988, pp. 184-85; the influence of Etruscan linguistic substratum. It is those for 'slat in his 'Sotto l'italiano troviitdialetto', exemplified in the following: una Coca Cola con L'espresso, 15 April 1990, pp. 76-77. DOXA has since pub- una cannuccia corta [una halm hola hon una lished the results of a later survey conducted in 1991 (`Parlare hannutf a horta]; la tutela totale dei titoli di totocal- in dialetto', Bollettino della DOXA (Istituto per le Ricerche Statistiche e l'Analisi dell'Opinione Pubblica), XLVI, 9-10, cio [la eueela eoeale dei 6iBoli di eoeohallo]; La (3 July 1992), 77-92), which compare oddly in some respects Pierina mi porge la papalina e la pipa di papa Paolo with those of 1988: 88.7% spoke Italian (76.7% in 1988), [la Ojerina mi tpord3e la 4:14alina e la ,i4)a di iliatl)a 23% spoke no dialect (34.4% in 1988), 77% spoke dialect 4aolo]. My favourite is the tonguetwister that fol- (65.6% in 1988), 65.7% spoke both (42.3% in 1988), and lows. The standard version is easy enough: In un 11.3% spoke only dialect (23.3% in 1988). The increase in the number of speakers of Italian and the decrease in the piatto poco cupo poco pepe pesto cape, se il pepe number of those who speak only dialect are in line with the costa taro; ma se il pepe costa poco, molto pepe trends that have been established ever since unification. But pesto cape in un piatto poco cupo. The one with the the 1991 figures paradoxically also suggest an increase in the gorgia should really only be done by a native Tus- overall number of dialect speakers and of bilinguals, and a can: [in um pjatto Oho hu4o oho 41)etiv 4esto ha4e corresponding decrease in the number of those who speak only Italian, which is extremely unlikely. These anomalies se il pe4e horta haro ma se il pe4e horta 4)oho molto show the wisdom of maintaining a healthy scepticism when tOetlx Oesto hake in um pjatto Oho hutOo]. interpreting the significance of such surveys. The pronunciation of [t] as [0] and of [p] as [0] 2. See the article in L'espresso, 15 April 1990, cited in note 1. is generally restricted to popular Tuscan usage, but 3. B. Migliorini and T. G. Griffith, The Italian Language, [h] for [k] is common also in educated speakers. So Faber and Faber, London and Boston, 1984 (2nd edition), p. 513. too is the reduction of affricates [f] and [c13] to 4. The 1991 DOXA survey gives the following figures for fricatives [f] and [3] between vowels, as in A Campania, Abruzzo and Molise taken together: 87% spoke Cicerone piaceva it cacio coi ceci per la cena [a Italian, 9.9% spoke no dialect, 90.1% spoke dialect, 77.1% tfiferone Ojafeva it kafo hoi fefi 4)er la Pena] and I spoke both, and 13% spoke only dialect. gigioni indugiavano a leggere la pagina sulla 5. M. Cortelazzo, Avviatnento critico allo studio della dialettologia italiana, Pacini, Pisa, 1976. genealogiadellaregina [i3i3oni Giovanna 6. A. L. and G. Lepschy, The Italian Language Today, Rout- indu3avano a ledcere la 4a3ina sulla 3enealo3ia ledge, London and New York, 1988 (2nd edition), pp. 89- della re3ina 3ovanna]. Unlike the gorgia, [f] for [f] 91.

16 402 Tuttitalia Tuttitalia, December 1997, No 16, 17-18, 23-25

Neo-italiano in the classroom Loredana Polezzi University of Warwick

INTRODUCTION Even in this partly restricted sense, language variation still includes a large number of linguistic In recent years, the use of authentic materials and, phenomena: from geographic varieties (such as in particular, the widespread availability of TV and dialects) to social ones (or sociolects); from age video extracts have become a common feature in and sex variants to those dictated by situation (such language classrooms. As a result, we might expect as registers) or medium (as in the opposition "we might expect to find that learners are currently being presented between written and spoken communication); from to find that learners with a greater range of language variation than ever ethnic variants to professional ones (like special- are currently being before. Yet this is not necessarily the case: linguis- ized languages and jargons). All these forms of presented with a tic orthodoxies, acquired practice and common variationand moreare related to the social and greater range of assumptionsas well as language policiesmay cultural identity of the speaker/writer; an identity language variation influence both the range of what is available to lan- which may well not be monolithic, but rather com- than ever before" guage teachers and the way in which, whether con- plex and itself variable, since the same individual sciously or not, they themselves select materials for may use different language varieties in different sit- classroom use. uations: think of an Italian child raised speaking a This article briefly reviews current knowledge regional dialect, who learns 'standard Italian' at on language varieties in contemporary Italy and school, then perhaps acquires a specific jargon then moves on to analyse the way in which teaching through his/her profession, and ends up using practices relate to the reality and complexity of dialect at home (in familiar, colloquial contexts), contemporary Italian languageand culture. The the 'standard' for more formal conversations and a aim is to question a few assumptions and stimulate specialist language at work.' awareness of the role which linguistic variation Since Saussure defined language as a social fact, may play in the language classroom. sociolinguistics (which analyses language as a series of communicative acts taking place within a specificand relevantsocial and cultural context) VARIETIES OF LANGUAGE (AND has grown to be one of the most important areas of CULTURE) linguistic studies. In Language as Social Semiotic Halliday (1978) speaks of language as 'ongoing `Language variation' is a label which can cover exchange of meaning with significant others',2 and large areas of linguistic study. Variation can be goes on to explain: analysed from a diachronic perspective (that is examining a language as it is at one particular point A child learning a language is at the same time in time) or a synchronic one (looking at change learning other things through languagebuild- over a significant period). While diachronic, or his- ing up a picture of the reality around him and torical, linguistics is related to social phenomena inside him....A social reality (or a 'culture') is and to language awareness, it is the synchronic per- in itself an edifice of meaningsa semiotic con- spective which tends to be predominant in today's struct. In this perspective, language is one of the foreign language teaching approaches, with their semiotic systems that constitute a culture; one emphasis on communication skills, authentic mate- that is distinctive in that it also serves as an rials and contemporary use. So, although the two encoding system for many (though not all) of the may well overlap at various points, it is the syn- others.3 chronic rather than the diachronic aspect of variation which I intend to concentrate upon. In practice, according to Halliday, this means No 16 December 1997 t 403 17 L POLEZZI

that we should not take a purely formal attitude to formal model but is seldom if at all used in prac- the study of language, but rather we should 'take tice), or, in some cases, as a variant (regional, eth- account of the elementary fact that people talk to nic, social, ...) which has acquired such high status each other' and that language 'does not consist of as to be strictly codified and adopted as the sentences, it consists of text or discourse the accepted model for the language as a whole. In the exchange of meaning in interpersonal contexts of case of Italian the problem of the standard dates one kind or another. '4 The next necessary step is back to the old questione della lingua and has been then to recognize that when using language 'people for centuries characterized by two important fac- act out the social structure, affirming their own sta- tors: diffusion among a very small elite and the pre- tuses and roles, and establishing and transmitting dominance of a written, rather than spoken, model. the shared systems of value and of knowledge.'5 If In practice, there were no native speakers of `stan- this is the relationship between language and social dard Italian', but only a limited number of people structure, then language variation 'is in a quite who had acquired it through education. 9 After direct sense the expression of fundamental attrib- national unification (and especially in the second utes of the social system.'6 Every time we speak half of this century, characterized by high levels of (and also when we write) our choice of language internal migration, the diffusion of mass education says a lot about who we are, what role we are tak- and the spread of the national media) the Italian ing in the exchange, what image we want to give of language has undergone a process of re-standardis- ourselves. A native speaker can often use different ation: as the number of people effectively using it varieties (consciously or unconsciously) to sound has increased, its essentially written character has friendly or authoritative, to influence the way other changed to allow for the greater flexibilityand people will react, to be, in fact, a more effective variationof spoken language. During the same communicator. period the use of dialect has decreased dramati- If we accept this picture, it is not surprising that cally: the amount of Italian citizens who, at the in Italy the first form of language variation to moment of unification, regularly spoke and wrote "our choice of attract attention and to gain the status of a disci- Italian has been estimated at around 2.5%, while language says a lot pline in its own right was the study of dialects or recent statistics indicate that today 30% of the pop- about who we are, geographic varieties. In the years after unification, ulation declares that it uses only Italian, with 60% what role we are Italy was still far from speaking (let alone writing) aware of switching between Italian and dialect, and taking in the the same language. The study of regional dialects just 12-13% using dialect only. The opposition exchange, what was immediately crucial to the construction of an between standard language and dialect has in fact image we want to `Italian' identity, as well as to the debate which been replaced by a more fluid picture, in which a give of ourselves" concerned the role to be played in it by the rich large part is played by regional varieties of the new inheritance of local traditions the new state had to standard (varieties which show characters from be built upon.? Nor is it surprising that dialect both the dialect tradition of the area and the so- should remain the most obvious and visible dimen- called `standard'). This first level of variation is sion of language variation in a contemporary Italy then influenced by other factors: social, profes- still very much in the midst of debates concerning sional, situational, ... The result, according to the regional, national and international allegiances scheme proposed by Gaetano Berruto,I Iis a contin- (including those claimed by political groups such uum of variants ranging from italiano letterario as the Leghe).8 (mostly written and highly standardized), italiano Yet the social picture of Italy has changed dra- neo-standard (educated versions of regional vari- matically over the last fifty years, and is still chang- ants), italiano popolare (with stronger regional ing now, with phenomena such as the ongoing influences),dialettoitalianizzato,todialetto progress towards a post-industrial society and glob- vernacolo. Furthermore, we need to consider spe- alization on the one hand, and the persistence of cial languages such as the Italian of bureaucracy (or divisions between North and South or the growing burocratese) or the jargons used by groups of volume of immigration from the 'Third World' on young people (such as the paninari of the 1980s). the other. Berruto takes the regional variation as given, a In recent years attempts have been made to substratum which is characteristic of all Italian lan- analyse the linguistic reality of contemporary Italy guage, and goes on to represent the remaining types and to produce a picture complex enough to take of variation in a scheme built on three main vari- into account multiple variationand complex iden- ables: register (from formal to informal); medium titiessuch as those which characterize the social (from written to spoken); and social status (from reality of the country. high to low). According to Berruto the geometric Two important concepts emerging from such centre of the scheme (the point where the three studiesare those of ristandardizzazione and lines meet) does not correspond to the sociolinguis- neoitaliano (or italiano neo-standard). Both terms tic centre of the Italian language, which, notwith- refer, whether directly or indirectly, to a standard standing the changes of recent years, is still biased Italian language. Standard language may generally towards the formal, written and high poles. There be defined either as a convention (a notional `per- are in fact two possible `standards' which can be fect' version of a language which is considered its assumed to represent such sociolinguistic centre: 18 444 Tuttitalia *** Caratteristiche personali 26 Nome Classe Data Tempo

1 a) Risolvi il puzzle e trova la parola del rompicapo. a) Se non lavori molto sei ... 0 0 b) Se dici sempre grazie e per favore sei 000000 c) Se ti piace fare sport sei 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 00000 0 d) Se fai ogni cosacorrettamente sei ... e) Se vuoi sapere tutto sei ... 0 7:k. ;;-;,..- f) Se hai dei buoni voti a scuola sei ... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 g) Se non ti piace parlare sei .. 0000000 h) Se sei sempre pieno di vita sei ...OPi 0000 i) Se hai molts pazienza sei ...O00 0000 0000000M j) Se lavori molto bene sei k) Se sei molto simpatico sei 00000000 b) Scrivi una definizione per la parola del rompicapo.

2Riempi is tabella.

qualche sempre mai Carolina volta Carolina 6 lamia migliore amica. Quando ci incontriamo asemprepuntuale. Per il mio puntuale compleanno mi fa sempre dei bei regali. Non abbiamo sport segreti. Vuole sempre sapere tutto! generosa Siamoentrambe non sportive. curiosa

qualche sempre mai Massimo volta Massimo 6 it mio amico.Spessomi fa venire il nervosa perche a sempre in ritardo. puntuale Giochiamo a calcio o a golf. E un grande tifoso! sportivo Peril mio compleanno non ricevo mai niente da generoso Massimo. A volte vuole sapere troppo. curioso

Come dovrebbe essere un migliore amico? Descrivilo/la con frasi complete, o fai una tabella come nell'esercizio 2!

1 Che cosa va insieme? 4 1 Domande e II mio elekinte risposte con ha un problema a un programma sulla natura Silvia b un cartone animato r c un programma poliziesco d un programma sportivo 3 / 6 e un gioco a quiz opolino a 2 Gli sciocchi detective Palle, Roma racchette f un programma musicale e gol

2a) Guarda it programma e dagli un nome. Esempio: a) Questo 6 Studio sport. SABATO 7 OTTOBRE a Un programma sportivo alle 17,10. RAIUNO RAIDUE RAITRE b Questa soap opera 6 su Raidue alle 17,45. 16,00 Telegiomale 15,45 Moonlighting, 16,00 Il prezzo 6 c Questo film inizia alle 16,00. Flash film TV giusto, quiz d un film del 1990. 16,05 Disney Club 16,45 Beverley 17,00 Telegiomale Hills 90210 e Questo viene trasmesso dopo le notizie su 17,10 Studio sport 17,05 La signora in 17,45Santa giallo,film TV 18,10 L'Italia in Raitre. Barbara,soap diretta,attualita 17,45 Quando si opera f Questa serie 6 su Raidue alle 16,45. ama,telenovela 19,10 Studio sport 18,45 Telegiomale g Eun documentario. Dura un'ora. 19,15 L'impero del 19,50 Lotteria della sera sole, film nazionale 19,10 Gli drammatico b) Qua le programma scelgono queste persone? avventurieri, western CANALE 5 a A Maria piace guardare i cartoni animati. 16,00 Medicine a b Silvio vuole sapere the cosa 6 accaduto oggi. RETE QUATTRO confronto, Arriva a casa alle 17,50 e deve uscire alle documentario 16,00 La casa 18,20. Russia, film 17,00 La famiglia spionaggio c Sara ha comprato un biglietto della lotteria Bradford, film TV questa settimana. Ha vinto qualcosa? 18,00 Angelo, 17,55 Telegiomale d Giovanni arriva a casa alle 17,30. Deve commedia mangiare subito. Al le 18,00 guarda qualcosa di 18,15 Rocky5, film drammatico 1990 divertente.

Descrivi la tua serata ideale alla TV!

* Programmi? * Durata? La mia serata televisiva inizia * Presentatori? Poi guardo... * Che cosa mangi? II programma5UGGC55iVOa...

© ALL Italian Homework Activities Soluzioni 21-27 ***58 21I colori 25 L'aspetto 1 1 arancione (orange):14 turchese (turquoise): 2 a vecchio/giovane b grasso/snello (esile) lilla (lilac): 8 verde (green): 13 cpiccolo/grande d bello/brutto giallo (yellow): 3 marrone (brown): 12 ecorto/lungo fchiaro/scuro nero (black): 6 celeste (sky blue): 15 2a grigio (grey): 5 rosso (red): 10 Angela: capelli biondi, lunghi e dritti, occhi blu viola (purple): 9 rosa (pink): 7 Giorgetta: capelli neri, lunghi e ricci, occhi marroni, bianco (white): 11 blu (dark blue): 4 occhiali beige (beige): 1 Mario: orecchini, anello al naso, capelli corti, ricci e 2 scuri, occhi blu a verde b giallo Renato: capelli corti, ricci e scuri, occhi marroni, cbianca d arancione occhiali enero frosso Franca: capelli corti, dritti e scuri, occhi blu, orecchini g verde h bianca, rossa, verde Gino: pelato, baffi, barba, occhi marroni 2b a Mario b Giorgetta c Gino d Franca 22 Dati personali Nome: Carla Cognome: Benvenuti 26 Caratteristiche personali Sesso: femmina la Indirizzo: Via Leoncavallo n. 45, Lucca a pigro b gentile Codice postale: 55010 csportivo d preciso Numero telefonico: 0563 667 854 ecurioso fintelligente Data di nascita: 25 gennaio 1982 g taciturno h allegro Eta: (depends on present date) ipaziente jdiligente Fratelli/sorelle: due fratelli, una sorella k piacevole PERSONALITA Luogo di nascita: Udine 2 Nazionalita: italiana Carolina: sempre puntuale, mai sportiva, sempre Firma: (signature) generosa, sempre curiosa Massimo: mai puntuale, sempre sportivo, mai generoso, qualche volta curioso 23I saluti 1 aciao (hello/cheerio) 27 Losport barrivederci (goodbye) 1 cbuona notte (good evening) C S PLLABESABP d buon appetito (enjoy your meal) O I A PESCA ebuon giomo (good moming/good day) R NG L I L fbuona fortuna (good luck) S NUOT OL CL g a piu tardi (see you later) A E L A LA h buon viaggio (have a nice trip) RT F VV I C i salve (hello/hi) U C EO SA jbuona sera (good evening) G A LLMN 2 BOWL I NGAOE aCiao. Come stai? Y C I CS b Buon fine settimana. E Q UI T A ZI O N E T cBenvenuti! 0 d Buona fortuna! O 1G G A N I TTAP 0 a nuoto b calcio cvela d pattinaggio 24 La famiglia ecorsa fpallavolo 1 g sci h pesca la madre/mother; it padre/father itennis jciclismo la nonna/grandmother; it nonno/grandfather k golf 1 baseball la nipote/niece; it nipote/nephew m pallacanestro n bowling la figlia/daughter; it figlio/son eequitazione p rugby la mamma/mum; it babbo/dad 2 Falso la cugina/cousin; it cugino/cousin a Ci sono undici giocatori in una squadra di calcio. la moglie/wife; it marito/husband cIl gioco del rugby ha due tempi di gioco. la zia/aunt; lo zio/uncle e H vincitore/la vincitrice 6 la persona the wince it 2a gioco. la 2c 3b 4b f Andre Agassi a un giocatore di tennis. Soiuzioni 28-34 ***59 2 bBabbo Natale I passatempi aalbero 28 cgrande magazzino dvigilia la fregalo (=I t5,-. eauguri JA. canto di Natale Nerina N -- R g Teresa D V 0- Maurizio J Z E 32 L'appuntamento Rodolfo -K H 1 Nadia Q P Tommaso: Katia/cinema/18.45/04.07 lb Carla: Fabiano/alla fermata dell'autobus/06.00/04.07 D A Teresa piace nuotare. Vanessa: Anna/al campo da tennis/12.00/05.07 O A Teresa piace scrivere. Antonio: Guglielmo/allo stadio/13.30/03.07 Q A Nadia piace ascoltare la musica. R A Nerina piace giocare a calcio. J A Maurizio piace guardare la televisione. 33 i bagagli 2 1 a Nerina b Rodolfo la macchina fotografica, la piantina della citta,gli cMaurizio d Teresa occhiali da sole, la crema abbronzante, il libretto degli assegni, il costume da bagno, it sacco a pelo, la borsa 29 La televisione del trucco, le scarpe da ginnastica, la carta d'identita 1 2 a4 b3 c2 d6 el f5 ala borsa del trucco 2a b occhiali da sole a Questo 6 Studio sport. cla piantina della citta b Questa 6 Santa Barbara. d la macchina fotografica cQuesto 6 La casa Russia. ela carta d'identita d Questo 6 Rocky 5. fil libretto degli assegni eQuesto 6 La signora in giallo. T Questa 6 Beverley Hills 90210. k Questo 6 Medicine a confronto. 34 L'Europa 2b 1 a Disney Club b Telegiornale a Galles b Russia cLotteria nazionale d Angelo cIrlanda d Svezia eGrecia fInghilterra g Norvegia h Scozia 30 Le feste iAustria jItalia la k Ungheria 1 Gran Bretagna if 2b 3d 4a 5c 6e 7g m Spagna n Svizzera lb o Finlandia p Danimarca 1 La festa della Repubblica 6 it 3 giugno. q Germania Francia 2Il giorno di S. Valentino 6 il 14 febbraio. sTurchia 3Il mio compleanno a ... 4 Pasqua 6 in marzo/aprile. 2 5 Natale a il 25 dicembre. a British workers work hard.In Great Britain people 6Il giorno prima del Giorno dei Sand 6 il 31 ottobre. work about 43.7 hours per week. The Germans 7 L'ultimo dell'anno 6 il 31 dicembre. only have to work 39.9 hours per week. Where 2 would you prefer to work? Dora ha quindici anni. b Holland has the biggest number of chocolate fans Data: 14 maggio in the whole of Europe. The Dutch eat 8.21 kilos of Ora: 16,00 chocolate per person per year. In Switzerland, Indirizzo: Via Caramba 198, 35123 Padova people eat 8.03 and in Great Britain it's only 7.42 Tipo di abito: punk kilos. How much chocolate do you eat every year? Porta con te: regali e torte cMoscow is the biggest city in Europe. Nearly 10.5 million people live there. In London there are about 9 million people, Berlin has 8.7 million 31II Natale inhabitants and Rome has got 2.8 million. In 1 Istanbul there are 6.6 million people. Where are a maglione b racchetta da tennis these cities? criviste d mountain-bike ecioccolata forsetto 108 NEO-ITALIANI IN THE CLASSROOM one is the contemporary literary standard (which is well as beginners levelto what is perceived as not so much the language of contemporary litera- `standard' pronunciation.14 ture, but rather the one of grammar books!); the Besides, most purpose-made materials will tend other (the neo-standard) is represented by educated towards 'standard' language by virtue of their own regional Italian. The second is nearer to the geo- nature: dialogues, readings and exercises are either metrical centre than the firstbut none does actu- simply written texts or texts which have been writ- ally coincide with it.12 ten (or at least partly scripted) to be spoken in The general trend, however, is towards assimila- both cases they will tend to incorporate character- tion into 'accepted' varieties of linguistic features istics typical of the written medium, and to be more which would have previously been considered as formal and 'correct' than spontaneous communica- `colloquial' or 'incorrect'. As a result, neo-Italian tion. could be described as increasingly socially inclu- The case of authentic material is similar: selec- sive, informal and tolerant of regional variationa tion is often carried out with specific linguistic real national language, at last.13 On the other hand, objectives in mind (e.g. a high frequency of the it could also be said that neo-standard Italian is desired structures or vocabulary); besides, written increasingly simplified, colloquial and slipshod... (or semi-written) texts tend to dominate, ranging Purists and innovators will clearly take opposite from newspaper articles to film extracts, from views, but it neo-italiano remains a linguistic and tourist information to TV news items.15 Various social fact. factors favour the exclusion of more 'informal' materialamong them, and far from uncommon, the tendency to avoid too 'colourful' and 'collo- THE LOCATION OF 'ITALIAN AS A quial' expressions appearing in both the press and FOREIGN LANGUAGE' contemporaryliteraturewithincreasingfre- quency... If we were to try and position Italian as a Foreign Authentic audio and video material would be Language i.e. the Italian taught to non-native the ideal media to introduce language variation to speakers in Italy and abroadon Berruto's scheme the learner. Neo-standard Italian, in particular, with where would its centre fall, and what varieties its informal, spoken and regional features is well would it include? represented both on radio and television, yet com- Both a quick review of language teaching mate- mon selection practices tend to exclude it. rials and a look at personal experience seem to Two different anecdotes concerning video mate- indicate quite clearly that Italian as a Foreign Lan- rial will serve to illustrate the point. Both relate to guage is significantly more conservative and purist Italia 2000, a European Union funded project "Italian as a than its native counterpart. which has been producing multimedia materials Foreign Language This is only partly surprising for, though com- for advanced learners of Italian for the past three is significantly municative approaches and the use of realia have years. more conservative brought classroom language nearer to that of The core of the materials is constituted by a and purist than everyday use, the vast majority of language teach- series of authentic TV extracts, all taken from news its native ing materials still tend towards the formal-high- and related programmes. The video footage comes counterpart" written standard. This is possibly the result of a from the archives of two Italian TV broadcasters, series of factors which depend partly on language RAI Lombardia, a regional branch of the state teaching practices and partly on attitudes to lan- owned RA!, and the Sicilian private channel guage as a whole. TelEtna. In both cases extracts do not relate exclu- Behind many tailor-made language teaching sively to one region, and no dialect speakers are materialsas well as behind teachers' selections of included in the selection, while a wide range of authentic language documents to be used in teach- educated regional variants is presented together ingthere is still a predominantly prescriptive atti- with more 'standard' pronunciation. Yet when con- tude to language, which tends to see the text sidering an offer to publish the series commer- (spoken or written) as a pretext for the introduction cially, at least one major Italian publisher simply of formal language features (whether they are assumed that the Sicilian material would be unsuit- called 'grammar', 'structures' or even `functions'). able... The need for the reassuring rulewhether on pro- While selecting clips for one particular video nunciation or the use of the subjunctiveis com- the team working at Warwick University came mon to both teachers and students, and tends to across an extract taken from a RAI newspro- encourage a specific kind of simplification: the gramme and shot in Cremona. The clip contained reduction to standard forms and the subsequent various interviews in non-standard Italian. Inter- exclusion of marked variants. This means, among viewees ranged from a non-native speaker to two other things, that not just dialect speakers but also local women, a young Neapolitan man, a Floren- all speakers of regional varieties (even though edu- tine and a Venetian. The non-native speaks a gener- cated) tend to be excluded from the production of ally correct but simplified version of Italian; all the language teaching materials, such as cassettes and others can be placed somewhere in the continuum videos, while preference is givenat advanced as between educated regional Italian and Italianized VI I I No 16 December 1997 tpae't 23 LPOLEZZI

dialect. In transcribing the clip it was found that the its role in Italian culture and society, and help learn- Venetian was by far the most difficult to under- ers to appreciate, for instance, how the social pres- stand, some passages actually proving unintelligi- tige (or lack of it) of different language varieties is ble.Allotherspeakershadclearenough acquired and maintained. This, in turn, might stim- pronunciation, used only occasional regional lexi- ulate further tolerance of language variation cal features (such as lavoro nun ce n'e' in the case including dialect itself, whether of a prestigious or of the Neapolitan) and their statements were easy to non prestigious type. understand given the context.16 However, on the Otherwise we shall keep leaving out of the prac- various occasions on which I showed the extract to tice of Foreign Language Teaching by far the teachers of Italian as a Foreign Language and asked largest part of contemporary Italian language, them to identify the interview they found most dif- includingparadoxicallythe most forgotten and ficult to understand, the vast majority with the fastest increasing of all varieties: the non-native notable exception of some who were of Southern Italian spoken by an ever growing number of immi- Italian originhad no hesitation in choosing the grants (learners) who are becoming permanent resi- Neapolitan. After listening again, however, all rec- dentsand citizensof Italy.17 The implications ognized that they would have no difficulty in repro- for teachers and publishers, as well as policy mak- ducing what the young man from Naples was ers, of this and other changes in the social structure saying, while the Florentine could cause some trou- of contemporary Italy and in its language are only ble and the Venetian was definitely difficult... beginning to emerge.

CONCLUSIONS NOTES

Whether consciously or not both publishers and 1 InGenre Analysis(Cambridge: CUP, 1990) John Swales introduces the useful concept of 'discourse communities' to teachers seem to stick to traditional assumptions analyse such shifts: an individual will typically move about what is and what is not suitable as a sample between different groups (family, school, work, etc.), each of 'authentic' Italian languageand this seems to of which will be characterized by different language vari- exclude language variation. Yet while there may be eties; in order to be integrated into each group the individual many excellent educational reasons for choosing to in question will have to know and use the variety of language which characterizes it. stay as near as possible to an accepted standard of 2 M.A.K. Halliday,Language as Social Semiotics: The Inter- Italian language including the need to offer a pretation of Language and Meaning(London: Edward "it is important to clear and simple model to the learnersit is impor- Arnold, 1978), p. I. recognize that tant to recognize that value judgements based on, 3 Ibid.,pp. 1-2. 4 Ibid. value judgements for instance, the social prestige of different vari- 5 Ibid. based on, for eties, may influence the selection process. 6 Ibid. instance, the social It seems clear, too, that dialect still dominates 7 On the development ofdialettologiaand on the history of prestige of the perception of what constitutes 'language varia- dialects and national language in Italy see T. De Mauro,Sto- different varieties, tion' in contemporary Italian and that, as a result of ria linguistica dell'Italia unita(Bari: Laterza, 1976). 8 On the role of dialect in recent Italian politics see P. Diadori, may influence the the practice of excluding dialect, all other types of 'Lingua e dialetto ieri e oggi inItalia: una sintesi', selection process" variation also tend to be left out of language teach- Tuttitalia, 9(June 1994), pp. 12-29 (p. 18). ing. This misleading impression should soon be 9 Berruto goes as far as maintaining that this is still the case. modified, however, by the increasing attention See G. Berruto,Sociolinguistica dell'italiano contempora- given to other sociolinguistic factors in the study neo(Rome: La Nuova Italia Scientifica, 1987). of contemporary Italian. Regional variants ofneo- 10 See T. De Mauro,Storia Linguistica dell'Italia unita,cit. and T. De Mauroet al., Lessico di frequenza dell'italiano italianowould then begin to enter the classrooms, parlato(Milan: Etaslibri, 1993). at least at advanced level, when learners may be 11 Berruto,op.cit. assumed to have acquired enough language aware- 12Ibid.,pp. 19-27. ness to be able to copewith guidancewith the 13In fact recent research shows a trend for the 'nationalisa- reality of contemporary Italian language. tion' of some regional uses, or even for mixing different regional varieties, such as Roman and Milanese; on this While production of Italian as a Foreign Lan- topic see De Mauroet al., op. cit. guage may continue to require some adherence to 14 A recent exception, the Romanesque accent featured on the prescriptive rules and 'standard' models, a more cassettes accompanying theUnolanguage course (Rome: descriptive and culturally conscious attitude may Bonacci, 1992) caused numerous negative reactions. be taken when it comes to reception. In fact, if we 15 On the specific characteristics of the Italian language used on TV see P. Diadori,L'italiano televisivo(Rome: Bonacci, take Halliday's view that language systems and 1994). social structures are intricately connected, the need 16 It was in fact decided to edit the clip excluding the inter- for a more accurate picture of the complex network view with the Venetian man, but to use all the rest, devising of language varieties at work in contemporary Italy activities which could raise awareness of the language vari- becomes clearly evident. Rather than hiding varia- eties presented. See Tania Concetta Batelli, Anna Bristow, Loredana Polezzi,Religioni e cornunita in Italia (Warwick tion we should then take it into account when & Cambridge: Italia 2000, 1996). selecting relevant and suitable materials to present 17 On the implications of immigration for the future of Italian to our learners; and we could also begin to discuss language and society see for instance Ilaria Bonomi, 'Avanti 24 0 Tuttitalia NEO- ITALIANI IN THE CLASSROOM

lo straniero: italiano di oggi, italiano di domani', Linea P. Diadori (1994). 'Lingua e dialetto ieri e oggi in Italia: una d'ombra, 109 (November 1995), pp. 69-71, and Marina sintesi', Tuttitalia,9,12-29. Orsini-Jones & Francesca Gattullo, 'Visibility at a Price? N.GalliDe'Paratesi(1984). Lingua toscanainbocca Black Women in Red Bologna', Tuttitalia, 14 (December ambrosiana. Tendenze verso l'italiano standard: un'inchi- 1996), pp. 24-38. esta sociolinguistica. Bologna: II Mulino. M. Gotti (1991). I linguaggi specialistici. Florence: La Nuova Italia. M. A. K. Halliday (1978). Language as Social Semiotics: The BIBLIOGRAPHY Interpretation of Language and Meaning. London: Edward Arnold. G. Beccaria (1973). I linguaggi settoriali in Italia. Milan: Born- A. L. Lepschy and G. Lepschy (1977). The Italian Language piani. Today. London: Hutchinson. G. Berruto (1987). Sociolinguistica dell 'italiano M. Maiden (1995). A Linguistic History of Italy. London: Long- contemporaneo. Rome: La Nuova Italia Scientifica. man. I. Bonomi (1995). 'Avanti to straniero: italiano di oggi, italiano M. Montgomery (1986). An Introduction to Language and Soci- di domani', Linea d'ombra,109,69-71. ety. London: Routledge. R. Breton (1982). Geografia delle lingue. Venice: Marsilio, M. Orsini-Jones and F. Gattullo (1996). 'Visibility at a price? T. De Mauro (1976). Storia linguistica dell'Italia unita, Bari: Black women in red Bologna', Tuttitalia,14(December), Laterza. 24-38. T. De Mauro et al. (1993). Lessico di frequenza dell'italiano A. Sobrero (ed.) (1990). Introduzione all'italiano contempor- parlato. Milan: Etaslibri. aneo, vol. 2: La variazione e gli usi. Rome & Bari: Laterza. P. Diadori (1994). L'italiano televisivo. Rome: Bonacci, J. Swales (1990). Genre Analysis. Cambridge: CUP.

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No 16 December 1997 25 BEST COPY AVAILABLE Tuttitalia, December 1997, No 16,26-30

La lingua e l'immagine nel testo cinematografico G Paola Pinna Anglia Polytechnic University

INTRODUZIONE anche in quello `pittorico' e sonoro. Cio significa esaminare gli aspetti principali del sonoro e della Ilcinema presenta una fonte ricchissima di messa in scenaovvero it colore (che comprende materiali originali che offrono molte possibility di le varie tonality di grigio), l'ambiente, i movimenti applicazione allo studio della lingua e della cultura delle figure, la lunghezza dei campi ecc. e italiana. Uno dei problemi che affronta l'insegnante metterli in relazione sintagmatica con la sequenza che voglia introdurrelostudiodifilmnel immediatamente precedente e quella successiva, curricolum a quello di come indirizzare lo studente tenendo sempre a mente, per quanto possibile, it al lavoro dell' analisi testuale e aiutarlo quindi ad film nella sua totalita.2 Solo cosi si riescono a uscire dai confini limitati del raccontare la `storia' o cogliere dei particolari che diventano significativi del discutere della `psicologia' dei personaggi. Mi proprio perche operano in un contesto pia ampio e sembra importante precisare che questa difficolta articolato. nasce dalla natura stessa del testo cinematografico Il film da cui sono state tratte le sequenze che, parafrasando la famosa frase di Christian Rocco e i suoi fratelli (Luchino Visconti, 1960).3 Il Metz, '6 difficile da spiegare, proprio perche film comincia con l'immagine della Stazione facile da capire' .1 Lo scopo di questo saggio 6 di Centrale di Milano dove 6 appena arrivato treno offrire un modello di approccio all'analisi del testo del sud', da cui scendono, tra sbuffi di vapore, gli cinematografico che dia la possibility, se non di immigrati con valigie e pacchi. E qui che arrivano i spiegare un film in tutta la sua complessita, almeno membri della famiglia Parondi, la madre Rosaria e di ancorare le proprie intuizioni a una osservazione quattro dei suoi cinque figli (`Cinque, come le accurata e it pin oggettiva possibile. cinque dita della mano', dire Rosaria nel film, come "I testo filmico 6 Il testo filmico 6 composto essenzialmente da tre gia padron `Ntoni nei Malavoglia): Simone, Rocco, composto elementi: l'immagine,it dialogo eitsonoro. Ciro e il phi piccolo, Luca. Vincenzo, il maggiore, essenzialmente da Nell'esempio di analisi che segue, mi soffermere su si trova gia a Milano e, secondo la madre, avrebbe tre elementi: ciascuno di questi elementi, ma in particolare sul dovuto essere alla stazione ad accoglierli. Si trova l'immagine, II dialogo e sull' immagine. Devo precisare che la invece a casa della fidanzata Ginetta a festeggiare it dialogo e II scelta del dialogo come punto di partenza fidanzamento ufficiale. La famiglia Parondi si sonoro" interamente arbitraria, non nasce cio6 da una presa trasferisce a Milano dalla Lucania in seguito alla di posizione che priviligia la parola rispetto morte del padre, che il film pert) non ci mostra. all'immagine. Si potrebbe ugualmente partire Il tema fondamentale del film 6 la dissoluzione dall' analisi delle immagini e vedere in che modo it della famiglia originaria a mano a mano che i dialogo sostiene o modifica i significati da esse fratelli vengono a contatto con la realty della espressi. grande citta del nord. Il film 6 strutturato per Poiche questo tipo di analisi guarda al dettaglio, episodi, che sono dedicati di volta in volta ad uno e sarebbe impossibile applicarla a un intero film nel dei fratelli e ne sviluppano itcarattere e la contesto di un breve saggio come questo, ho preso personality nel confronto con la cultura milanese. E in considerazione una sequenza centrale, di cui stato giustamente osservato da van critici che it analizzero sia it dialogo che le immagini, e le due centro vitale ed emotivo del film 6 pert) nelle stone sequenze adiacenti che trattere pia brevemente e di Simone e Rocco (i cui ruoli sono rispettivamente solo in funzione della sequenza principale. interpretati da Renato Salvadori e Alain Delon), Prima di procedere all'analisi dettagliata della uniti dalla passione per Nadia, una prostitute sequenza,vorreisottolinearel'importanzadi settentrionale (Annie Girardot). inserirla non solo nel suo contesto narrativo, ma Mentre Vincenzo riesce ad integrarsi nella nuova

26 `.i2 Tuttitalia LA LINGUA E L'IMMAGINE NEL TESTO CINEMATOGRAFICO cultura attraverso it lavoro e sposandosi con una Simone', (b) 'in cima al Duomo', (c) 'la ripresa del ragazza di origini meridionali ma gia inserita rapporto Simone-Nadia'. nell' ambientemilanese,Simone si lascia Esaminando brevemente queste tre sequenze dal abbagliare dal facile successo, almeno iniziale, del punto di vista `pittorico' dell'immagine, vediamo mondo della boxe. Emotivamente e moralmente come cio che le lega a una serie di contrasti. debole, Simone incontra la sua rovina sia di pugile Nella sequenza (a)'la violenza di Simone' che di uomo per via della passione amorosa per colpisce la quasi completa oscurita in cui sono Nadia e, non riuscendo a risolvere i conflitti che avvolti i personaggi e it paesaggio. Qui vediamo, o questo rapporto gli crea, finisce coll'uccidere la megliointravvediamo,Simone,protagonista ragazza. dell' azione, che discende verso l'argine dove si Rocco 6 il fratello `buono', dedito alla famiglia trova suo fratello con Nadia e dove si consumers la ed ancora legato ai valori di solidarieta, rispetto e sua violenza. L'unica fonte di luce viene da un sacrificio.Per Roccoivaloridellacultura fuoco acceso nella sterpaglia, forse un richiamo meridionale sono sempre validi,l'importanza allaprostituzionediNadia.L'oscuritaeit "L'oscurita e it dell'unita familiare a assoluta e ad essa tutto va movimento verso il basso diventano qui metafora movimento verso il sacrificato.Peramoredelfratello,Rocco pittorica dell'abisso morale in cui sta cadendo basso diventano abbandona Nadia e, contrariamente alle proprie Simone. Ma la violenza di Simone che, come rivela qui metafora inclinazioni, si dedica al pugilato. Quando infatti it itdialogo, ha radici profondissime nella sua pittorica dell'abisso rapporto tra Nadia e Simone si era interrotto, Rocco mentality di uomo meridionale che non pub morale in cui sta aveva cominciato ad incontrarsi con la ragazza tollerare che it fratello `gli faccia le coma', viene cadendo Simone" regolarmente, suscitando la gelosia di Simone che, poiinserita pittoricamentenelcontestopia incoraggiato dai suoi amici milanesi, stupra Nadia specifico della condizione dell' immigrato sotto gli occhi del fratello. Qualche tempo dopo, meridionale in una citta del nord. Uscita Nadia Simone annuncia di aver ucciso la ragazza. Rocco dalla scena, vediamo come Simone scagli tutta la vorrebbe tenere la coca nascosta e proteggereit sua ferocia contro Rocco. Le figure dei due fratelli fratello, ma sara Ciro a denunciare Simone alla vengono prima riprese in campi ravvicinati, con polizia. primi piani sul viso insanguinato di Rocco, poi si Ciro dimostra cosi di aver internalizzato i valori stagliano contro un muro illuminato su cui si civili della society del nord, e tutte le sue scelte (il proietta la loro ombra, vengono poi riprese in lavoro all' Alfa Romeo, oil matrimonio con una campo lungo e quindi appaiono piccolissime, quasi ragazza milanese) confermano la sua integrazione. assorbite e annullate dai palazzoni della periferia Spettera al piccolo Luca (legato a Rocco e quindi a Milanese (costruiti per alloggiare il gran numero di cio che Rocco rappresenta: l'amore per la sua terra immigrati meridionali) e da qui infine scompaiono. del sud) it compito di riconciliare e superare forse Vediamo quindi come la sequenza sia ricchissima nel futuro le tensioni che hanno portato alla di elementi pittorici che collegano la violenza di distruzione di Simone ed allo smembramento Simone alla `violenza' dello sradicamento dal familiare. Il film si chiude con un' immagine di proprio paese e quindi dell' emigrazione. speranza: Luca che cammina lungo una strada II sonoro accompagna e accentua questi motivi ampia ed aperta. contribuendo alla `costruzione' di un ambiente fisicamente e spiritualmente oscuro e desolato. Nella scena prevale it silenzio appena interrotto da LE SEQUENZE una serie di bassi musicali, dal fischio lontano di un treno e da poche grida. Si alternano anche i due Come esempio di analisi a stata scelta la sequenza motivi musicali associati ai due fratelli: nel motivo in cui Rocco e Nadia si incontrano per l'ultima di Simone prevalgono i bassi che rinforzano it volta in cima al Duomo di Milano. La sequenza si senso di discesa espresso dall'immagine. In colloca immediatamente dopo lascena, che contrapposizione a questo a il motivo di Rocco chiameremo `sequenza (a)', in cui Nadia viene dove invece prevalgono glialti e che anticipa stuprata da Simone sotto gli occhi di Rocco, a cui alcune delle strutture della sequenza successiva. segue la picchiatura feroce di Rocco che, invece di Dal punto di vista pittorico, la sequenza (b) 6 in difendersi, si offre quasi inerme alla violenza del antitesi totale alla sequenza precedente. Dal buio fratello. Nella sequenza in cima al Duomo, che della notte passiamo alla luce del giorno, al chiameremo`sequenza(b)',Roccorompe chiaroscuro si sostituiscono i toni grigi pia dolci, i definitivamente it rapporto con Nadia e cerca di personaggi vengono trasportati dalla periferia al convincerla a ritornare insieme al fratello. Nella cuore della citta, dal basso dell' argine vengono sequenza successiva, che chiameremo `sequenza elevati e portati in cima al Duomo. Dal silenzio (c)', viene introdotto it riavvicinamento fra Simone interrotto da poche corde musicali passiamo al e Nadia, e quindi la ripresa del loro rapporto suonodelle campaneeinfineallamusica amoroso che poi risultera nell' uccisione di Nadia e orchestrale che riprende it motivo di Rocco. la completa distruzione morale di Simone. Per Da qui alla terza sequenza 'la ripresa del chiarezza e semplicita potremo intitolare queste tre rapporto Simone-Nadia' il contrasto non potrebbe sequenze in questo modo:(a)`la violenza di essere pia netto. L'ambiente dove avviene la

I.III No 16 December 1997 27 G PAOLA PINNA `ficonciliazione' 6 quello chiuso e fumoso di un violenza riducendoli a un vago `fa quello che ha night club dove si gioca d'azzardo e che viene fatto lui' e scaricandone la responsabilita sulle ripreso con forti toni di bianco e nero. Il sonoro spalle di Nadia ( `la causa eri tu'). Con quel suo "Con quel suo rafforza it contrasto, la musica eroica con cui si `none vero' sussurrato in risposta, Nadia cerca di `none vero' chiude la sequenza `sul Duomo' si interrompe ristabilire un'altra verita, la sua verita di persona Nadia cerca di bruscamente per essere sostituita da un motivetto del settentrione, ma anche e sopratutto di donna, ristabilire un'altra moderno, una specie di Muzak da sfondo. Questo che non puo ne capire ne tantomeno accettare la verita, la sua verita l'ambientesocialemilanesecheaccoglie posizione presa da Rocco nei confronti del fratello. di persona del 1 ' inunigrato. Rocco protegge e difende Simone, anche a scapito settentrione, ma della sua felicita personale, perche in questo modo anche e sopratutto difende quel rapporto maschile di fratellanza che di donna" IL DIALOGO espressione fondamentale della cultura meridionale a cui entrambi ifratelli appartengono. Il Partendo da una applicazione molto aperta della dialogo esprime questo rapporto con notevole forza teoria dei campi semantici, si pu6 stabilire che it ed 6 questa forza a negare Nadia non solo come dialogo fra Rocco e Nadia nella sequenza (b) settentrionale che giudica, giustamente, Simone appartiene a un' area di significato che potremo come `uomo vile e crudele', ma soprattutto come definire dei ` rapport personali' .4 Per facilitare it donna. lavoro di analisi a possibile identificare all' intern° Esaminiamo ora come si articola la negazione di del dialogo una serie di strutture linguistiche che si Nadia. possono considerare fondamentali, in quanto o si ripetono oppure sono in opposizione fra di loro. La negazione di Nadia Queste possono essere raggruppate in tre categorie che a loro volta rivelano tre tipi di discorso. Nadia

1. Il discorso di genere Non 6 vero 2. La negazione di Nadia Non 6 vero 3. L'elevazione di Rocco non mi credi non capisci II discorso di genere tutto inutile non vale la pena Ho scelto per questo primo esempio una serie di non credo piu a niente espressioni riferite a Simone in cui si puo osservare niente a piu vero it modo contrastante in cui Simone viene visto da anch'io conto, no? Rocco e da Nadia. non 6 possibile, none possibile mi butto di sotto, mi ammazzo Rocco Nadia Simone t' amava tanto/ La prevalenza e la ripetizione nelle parole di Nadia qualche cosa l'aveva/ di forme linguistiche negative rende queste ultime cambiato/ buono/ strutture portanti di un discorso che, a mio avviso, la causa eri tu/ Non 6 vero opera in due direzioni: da un lato costruisce la uomo ridotto alla psicologia del personaggio e quindi sostiene la disperazione/ fa quello narrazione,dall' altrorivelaunaimportante che ha fatto lui uomo vile e crudele struttura negativa (su cui cisi soffermera piu vigliaccheria avanti) che opera, se vista insieme all'immagine, in mascalzone senso piu ampio. umiliarmi Nella psicologia del personaggio di Nadia la ridurci al suo livello. ripetizionedistrutturenegative sembrerebbe indicareun impulso versoI'autodistruzione Rocco parla del fratello in termini positivi che (confermatodastrutturegrammaticalmente mettono in risalto la bona dell' uomo. Nadia nega positive, ma negative nel significato: `mi butto', questa immagine di Simone. L'uomo `buono', `mi ammazzo'). Nadia, vedendosi negata da Rocco che `amava tanto', Tuomo ridotto alla dispera- (`non mi credi', 'non mi capisci'), cessa di avere zione' viene negato da espressioni parallele e una volonta sua e nega se stessa (`non credo piu a opposte `uomo vile e crudele', `mascalzone', niente') azzerandosi e assumendo la posizione `vigliaccheria'. autolesionistica della vittima butto di sotto, mi Ma sono proprioleparoledi Rocco a ammazzo'). Si potrebbe asserire che la negazione nascondere e a negare la verita che Nadia cerca di di Nadia da parte di Rocco continua la violenza affermare e che lo spettatore conosce in quanto gli dello stupro della scena precedente e anticipa stata presentata dall'immagine nella scena quella della morte di Nadia per mano di Simone. precedente: la verita dello stupro e della violenza. Cio che questa sequenza chiarisce a che Nadia Il discorso di Rocco su Simone nega lo stupro e la accetta e internalizza la sua posizione di donna

28 '.14 Tuttitalia LA LINGUA E L'IMMAGINE NEL TESTO CINEMATOGRAFICO vittima. Posizione che deve assumere, in quanto si delle riprese. Ricordiamo che quando si considera trova difronte a un rapporto difratellanza la `messa in scena' si considerano elementi quali meridionaleche it film presentacome I'ambiente, le luci, i costumi e it comportamento culturalmente pin forte. Ricordiamo a questo punto delle figure, ovvero tutto cia che appare nell' che piu avanti nel film sara Nadia stessa a offrirsi at inquadratura. L' angolo della ripresa permette, per coltello di Simone aprendogli le braccia. cosi dire, allo spettatore di vedere una certa inquadratura da una particolare angolatura: dal basso, dall'alto oppure in linea retta. Poiche la L'elevazione di Rocco ripresa in linea retta 6 la piu comune, una ripresa Parallelo, e allo stesso tempo in opposizione alla dall'alto o dal basso assume sfumature di signifi- negazione di Nadia, 6 it discorso dell' elevazione di cato particolari. Rocco che siarticola attraverso una serie di Ho gia osservato che, se consideriamo la espressioni che richiamano it senso del religioso e sequenza `sul Duomo' come parte centrale di un del divino. `trittico', osserviamo un notevole contrasto visuale e sonoro rispetto a quella che precede e a quella che Nadia Rocco segue. Mentre la sequenza (a)`la violenza di ti prego Simone' accentua i toni cupi e la discesa morale di ti supplico Simone, nella sequenza che stiamo esaminando ti supplico prevalgono la luce del giorno eitsenso di elevazione. mi hai teso una mano mi hai convinto Il senso religioso che a emerso dall' analisi delle davanti a te parole di Nadia viene ripreso e accentuato dalla bello - giusto. messa in scena, dall'angolo delle riprese e dal colpa colpevoli sonoro. E' infattiitsonoro, col suono delle torna co' Simone campane in lontananza, che incomincia a creare it ha bisogno di te senso dello spazio all' apertura della sequenza, dove non tiene che te vediamo un primo piano ravvicinato di Rocco che ha bisogno di me annullainizialmentelospazio.La seconda aiutare Simone inquadratura, con una ripresa dall'alto su Nadia e pazzo, pazzo Rocco, rivela sullo sfondo le guglie del Duomo di Milano. ti amo - mi ami Sitrattaquindidiunambiente mi tormenti straordinarioit tetto del Duomo - elevatissimo non ci vedremo piu rispetto at resto della citta. I personaggi non solo te ne pentirai sono inseriti in un ambiente elevato e religioso, te ne pentirai sono anche incorniciati da strutture architettoniche ti odio, ti odio, ti odio, imponenti che ti trasformano. Ci sono pera delle ti odio. differenze significative nel modo in cui Rocco e Nadia vengono ripresi e quindi nel modo in cui it Questa parte del discorso di Nadia presenta una senso del sacro diventa un attributo dei personaggi. serie di sintagmi e di lessemi che potremmo far Nella sequenza prevalgono iprimi piani di rientrare nel campo semantico ( inteso sempre in Rocco, mentre Nadia appare sempre insieme a senso lato) della religiosity o della divinity. Nadia si Rocco e spesso occupa una posizione laterale, ai rivolge a Rocco in questi termini: 'ti prego', 'ti margini dell'inquadratura. La statura di Rocco supplico', `davanti a te',`bello-giusto', `colpa' viene accentuata dalle riprese dal basso. Nadia (ripetuto da Nadia e ripreso da Rocco con it lessema invecearipresasistematicamentedall'alto, `colpevoli') , `mi hai teso una mano', e infine `mi cosicche la sua figura risulta accorciata e ridotta. tormenti'; termini che trasformano l'uomo e lo Rocco pare quasi appartenere all'ambiente sacro ed elevano a livello di divinity. Se consideriamo it elevato del Duomo, i suoi movimenti sono lenti e "Se consideriamo ii sicuri, come quando entra in campo per prendere it discorso di Nadia nella sua interezza, vediamo come discorso di Nadia Nadia eleva Rocco e, alto stesso tempo, abbassa se suo posto at di sotto di un motivo ad arco che lo nella sua interezza, stessa, cosi come la creatura si annulla di fronte at incornicia come se fosse un santo. Nadia invece vediamo come creatore. Abbiamo visto quindi come incomincia a appare estremamente a disagio, i suoi movimenti Nadia eleva Rocco sono esasperati, cerca di fuggire (e la sequenza si delinearsi it senso del sacro e come it dialogo to e, alto stesso rende un attributo di Rocco. Vedremo ora se conclude infatti con la fuga di Nadia ripresa in tempo, abbassa se l'analisi delle immagini sostiene questa attribuzione panoramica dall'alto). stessa" o se in qualche modo la modifica. CONCLUSION! LE IMMAGINI Il significato del Duomo di Milano, come centro Nell'esaminare le immagini mi soffermero su due emotivo e spirituale della citta, non puo certamente elementi fondamentali: la messa in scena e l'angolo sfuggire allo spettatore. II fatto che Visconti abbia

No 16 December 1997 SIM 29 41 r- G PAOLA PINNA inserito i personaggi in questo ambiente assume rivelato quindi una serie di contrasti acutissimi. Ho quindi un significato importante: serve, come usatoterminicome'elevazione',`divinity', abbiamo visto, a creare it senso del sacro e del `annullamento' e, riferendomi alla sequenza (a), ho religioso e ad attribuirlo ai personaggi, ma in modo parlato della`discesa'diSimone, a cuisi particolare a Rocco. L'immagine quindi riprende it contrappone T ascesa' di Rocco nella sequnza (b). discorso dell' elevazione' di Rocco, che it dialogo Sono questi contrasti che costituiscono la struttura ha costruitoattraversoIeparolediNadia, formate del film e cioe ii melodramma, che adotta estendendolodidimensionieconferendogli lasovramisuracomeprincipiostrutturale oggettivita.Non6soloNadiaadelevare compositivo.5 `soggettivamente' Rocco, anche not spettatori Una simile analisi rende evidente come il vediamo Rocco trasformato dalla macchina da cinema apraleporteallostudiodidiversi presaedall'ambientequasiin divinity. linguaggi,in quanto nella sua composizione Sembrerebbe quindi che l'immagine confermi ii troviamo non solo il linguaggio verbale, ma anche discorso di genere che abbiamo rilevato nel quellidell'immagineedelsonoro, che dialogo, e cio a almeno in parte vero: la figura di arricchiscono it contesto in cui si inserisce it parlato Rocco 6 ripresa in primi piani, 6 vista dal basso, stesso. Mi pare che la validity dell'uso dei film in viene esaminata piu a fondo, mentre quella di classe, come espressione culturale di un paese, sia Nadiavieneemarginatadall'inquadraturae indiscutibile. Alto stesso tempo spero di aver `abbassata' in alcune riprese. Anche qui quindi dimostrato come nonsiasempre necessario l'immagine conferisce un valore oggettivoat analizzare un film nella sua interezza, ma possa discorso della 'negazione di Nadia': non 6 solo essere sufficiente soffermarsi anche su poche "Data l'importanza Nadia a 'negarsi', si potrebbe dire che anche la sequenze per proporre attivita significative ed dell'immagine nella macchina da presa 'nega', o comunque diminuisce, ottenere risultati soddisfacenti. Data l'importanza costruzione dei Nadia.Si comincia quindi anche a chiarire dell'immagine nella costruzione dei significati, i significati, i film l'importanza di questa sequenza net contesto film spesso adottano una lingua relativamente spesso adottano narrativo dell'intero film, in quanto 6 qui che semplice, facile da capire e da analizzare, ed adatta una lingua relativa- comincia ad annunciarsi la morte come possibile quindi anche a studenti con ability linguistiche mente semplice, soluzione ai conflitti causati dall' immigrazione. medie. Eppure anche scambi linguisticamente facile da capire e IIdiscorso di genere che potrebbe essere semplici possono risultare utilissimi ed da analizzare, ed giustificato dall'analisi del dialogo, non 6 pero estremamente motivanti. adatta quindi interamentente sostenuto dalle immagini. Queste ci anche a studenti rivelano infatti che non e solo Rocco ad essere con ability linguis- inserito in un ambiente elevato e religioso, lo NOTES tiche medie" anche Nadia. II senso del sacro e del religioso diventa quindi un attributo dei personaggi ed a la Vorrei ringraziare la collega Dr. Anna Bristow per il loro storia che viene trasformata da una banale suo paziente aiuto e incoraggiamento e per avermi storia fra una prostituta ed un immigrato in un messo a disposizione parte della sua tesi di dramma che sfiora it tragico. La stessa cosa vale dottorato. per il discorso della 'negazione' di Nadia. Questo 1. Questa carattarestica del testo cinematografico,second()i vienesostenutodaldialogoe,conmeno semiologi, a dovuta al facto che, mentre nella lingua verbale convinzione, dall' immagine. Infatti considerando e possibilc distinguere fra significante e significato, nel la sequenza nella sua interezza, vediamo che testo cinematografico it significante a quasi identico al mentre questa comincia con un primo piano significato. Si veda C. Metz,Film Language: a Semiotic of ravvicinatosu Rocco,siconclude con una the Cinema(New York: Oxford University Press, 1974). Un altro testo sulla semiotica del cinema di pubblicazione pie panoramica dall'alto che riprende i protagonisti, recente 6: R. Stam, R. Burgoyne and S. Flitterman-Lewis, ormai ridotti a figure piccolissime, che corrono sul New Vocabularies in Film Semiotics(Londra e New York: tetto del Duomo. Ambedue i protagonisti quindi, e Routledge, 1992). non solo la donna, vengono `ridotti a zero' da 2.Perunostudiopieapprofonditodellinguaggio questa immagine, come se il film accantonasse per cinematografico si rimanda a due testi chiave: D. Bordwell and K. Thompson,Film Art(New York: Alfred A. Knopf, un momento le differenze e si soffermasse a 1986); J. Monaco,How to Read a Film(New York e Oxford: riflettere `dall'alto'sullacondizionedell' Oxford University Press, 1977). emarginato, non importa se uomo o donna, se 3.Un'ottima monografia suRocco e i suoi fratelliin lingua immigrato meridionale o prostituta. Ricordando a inglese e quella di Sam Rohdie,Rocco and his Brothers questo punto che la sequenza precedente, (Londra: BFI, 1992), che contiene anche una bibliografia essenziale. Di pie recente pubblicazione e it profilo critico violenza di Simone', si era conclusa con un su Visconti di L. Micciche, Luchino Visconti (Venezia: allontanamento e una riduzione delle figure, in Marsilio, 1996) con una accurata ed estesa bibliografia. questo caso i due fratelli, potremmo concludere che 4.Rimando ai testi di John Lyons per uno studio dei campi unodeisignificatiemersidall'analisi6la semantici, in particolare: J. Lyons,Semantics /(Cambridge: riflessione che ilfilm offre sull' annullamento Cambridge University Press, 1977); si vedano soprattutto i dell'individuo, in quanto individuo, in una grande capitoli 8 c 9. 5. A proposito del melodramma, si veda un ottimo testo a cura citta industriale del nord d'Italia. di Alberto Pezzotta,Forme del Melodramma(Roma: L'analisi del dialogo e delle immagini ci .ha Bulzoni, 1992). 30 116 Tuttitalia Tuttitalia, December 1997, No 16,31-36

Reflecting on language programmes: change and innovation in Higher Education Roberto Di Napoli University of Westminster, London

CHANGE: A QUESTION OF (LACK that it is only through a principled and informed OF) IDENTITY? understanding of the contexts that we can start to make equally principled and informed choices in A sense of confusion and unease is currently loom- language education. ing on languages in the British higher education The aim of this paper is to discuss, without any sector. This feeling of apprehension and increasing attempt at completeness, the ideas of change and lack of identity is partly shared with other profes- innovation in languages in tertiary education. For sionals involved in the tertiary sector, regardless of the purpose of exemplification, I shall refer to two any discipline allegiance; however, it is especially different language teaching contexts in British uni- "We are basically and directlyaffecting those involved in language versities: on the one hand, that of the traditional engaged in a battle education. The latter are therefore prey to a double language degree courses; on the other, that of Uni- for 'survival', risk, involved, as we are, in a dangerous whirlpool versity-Wide Language Programmes. By making trying ... to of mirror games, which may erode our sense of pro- reference to these contexts (and by drawing practi- preserve languages fessional identity and purpose. We are basically cal examples from experiences at the University of as a subject and ... engaged in a battle for 'survival', trying, on the one Westminster) I intend to highlight what could be to fight against hand, to preserve languages as a subject and, on the identified as a 'paradigm shift' in language educa- external forces other, to fight against external forces which aim at tion. which aim at reducing our discipline(s) to a service to other sub- reducing our jects and departments. Hence our sense of identity discipline(s) to a erosion and fragmentation. There are numerous CHANGES AND DEVELOPMENTS service to other reasons for this and they must be examined in a IN HIGHER EDUCATION subjects and series of intertwining contexts: the status of lan- departments" guage teaching/learning within a given society (in Over the past ten years or so, the world of Higher our case the UK); the status enjoyed (or not) by for- Education has undergone great modifications and eign languages in Higher Education at large and, these have been of a radical nature. The clearest more specifically, within a given institution; the sign of this process can be seen in the language of place of and competing ideas about language edu- education which, as Frank Coffield and Bill cation within given language departments, French, Williamson rightly put it in their book Reposition- Italian or whatever. Nor should we forget, finally, ing Higher Education (1997:1), has become the status enjoyed by English as a world language. `industrialised'. Words like 'customers' and 'con- It goes without saying that any discussion of the sumers', 'competence' and line-managers' have former contexts must be placed within wider histor- been introduced into the educational debate, at least ical and societal changes, which necessarily have partly replacing more familiar words like 'stu- an impact on educational policies. It thus becomes dents', 'understanding' and 'heads of department'. a rather difficult task to unravel all the different If it is true that words are ideologically loaded, this threads of the complex set of 'discourses' about for- shift in vocabulary shows a willingness, on the part eign language education produced in such diverse, of the government, to bring the world of education though interdependent contexts. However, itis (and other public services like health provision, for important to make some sense of these, if we want example) into line with the new philosophy of pro- to recover any sense of direction and purpose in our ductivity and management. The effects of this profession, without feeling that we are being change have been several and by no means all nega- `pushed about' by what at times are over-rapid edu- tive. In fact, a strong sense of accountability has cational and societal changes. It is in fact my belief been brought into the world of education. This was

VIII No 16 December 1997 31 4! ^1\ R Di NAPOLI

necessary to break down a certain traditional com- Wide Language Programmes are mostly aimed at placency within the academic world, and it has those who, while studying other, non-language forced this world to re-think itself in the light of the related subjects, have nevertheless decided to learn "A narrowing of the new societal demands. A narrowing of the gap one or more foreign languages as part of their gap between between 'society' and 'education' has been the degrees. Furthermore, staff involved in one pro- `society' and major phenomenon to have marked the recent his- gramme are often also employed by the other. As a `education' has tory of the higher education sector. This move has consequence, a comparison between the two pro- been the major been seen as a real 'intrusion' by many academics grammes is bound to be both justified and fruitful. phenomenon to who resent the fact that the privileged position of However, before delving deep into the comparative have marked the the universities in the creation of knowledge and exercise, it would be useful to underline some recent history of research has been and continues to be subject to trends in the language teaching sector which have the higher scrutiny, and perceive this as an attack. Some of characterised what I have called a 'paradigm shift' education sector" these fears are simply a gut reaction to the erosion in the last few years. of certain privileges (intellectual and not!) typical By `paradigm' shift', Khun (1996) meant a radi- of the world of academia; others, however, arose cal change in the inner structure and way of per- from the genuine concern of many of us regarding ceiving a certain discipline by its adherents. The the downgrading of certain key values in education shift is usually brought about by some of the practi- in favour of market considerations. Hence, as edu- tioners of the discipline and marks an epochal re- cators and researchers, our sense of frustration and alignment in the parameters of the discipline. confusion. The tangible results of this situation Should one want to summarize the major shifts in have been the re-structuring moves which have the world of education, one can list the `old para- affected both the 'traditional' and the 'new' univer- digm' against the emerging one: sities, albeit with different degrees of depth. In fact, with their more uncertain identity, status and lack Old Paradigm Emerging Paradigm of funds, the 'new' universities have been readier to autocracy democracy follow the push of change in order to attract more teacher-dominated inquiry-centred `customers', hence finance, into their budgets. The subject-emphasis interdisciplinarity `traditional' universities, though, have not gone convergent-thinking convergent and divergent untouched by the new mood. thinking dependent learning independent learning imposing 'knowledge' motivating people COMPETING PARADIGMS IN leaving people to LANGUAGE TEACHING organise themselvesorganising people working individually working in a team The provision of languages within the different fac- inward-looking openness ulties of Arts in British universities is generally know that know how articulated at different levels. For example, at the propositions outcomes University of Westminster languages are taught on propositional experiential different programmes: the BA, the Evening Pro- relative strength of economic survival gramme, the Post-Graduate Courses in Translating discipline and Interpreting and the Institution-Wide-Lan- better cognitive better practical guage Programme (Polylang). Each of these pro- understanding understanding grammes is characterized by an administrative structure and pedagogic philosophy which, over the In terms of language teaching, some paradigmatic years, has reflected the diversity in the needs of the changes have been the result of discussions held, students taught, as well as the different aims, tradi- over the last twenty years, on the nature of lan- tions and educational cultures of the programmes guage(s) and the role of (foreign) language educa- themselves. However, this has also brought with it tion. For ease of reference, we can identify with an element of fragmentation and division among Prabhu (1995) four areas or 'components' where the different programmes which has dangerously `change' can be located: eroded the sense of continuity within the teaching provision of each language taught. The Ideological Component is made of a set of Leaving aside more specialistic programmes, elements embodying 'a desire to change, maintain such as Postgraduate ones, which, due to their or resist the order of the world... through the prac- vocational nature, have a peculiar (and often excel- tice of pedagogy' (Prabhu, 1995, p. 65). In other lent) pedagogical and organizational structure, the words, this represents the ideological thrust of an most interesting comparison can be made between institution and/or programme of study and governs the traditional degree courses, on one side, and the relationship between the latter and its role in newer programmes such as Institution-Wide ones, society. As such, the Ideological Component can be on the other. Both are, in fact, an integral part of both in line with the societal demands for and undergraduate study, though the BA is directed at assumptions about the role of education, and in students specializing in languages and Institution- contrast with it, to different extents. It all depends 32 J.88 Tuttitalia REFLECTING ON LANGUAGE PROGRAMMES: CHANGE AND INNOVATION IN HIGHER EDUCATION on the path(s) we decide to follow. departments tend to operate, as is tradition, in iso- The importance of this component is para- lation from each other, has also contributed, in a mount, since, at a very high level, it colours and major way, to a lack of discussion and sharing of shapes any activity within any pedagogical institu- ideas in terms of language pedagogy, from which tion. In terms of 'paradigmatic shifts', over the last many degree programmes seem at times to suffer. few years there has been a push towards the need to On the contrary, one of the major strengths of the state clearly the 'ideology' of programmes of study newer, Institution-Wide Programmes, like Poly- in terms of aims and purposes. This has conse- lang, has always been their ideological adherence quently resulted in a push towards a strong sense of to a code of practice which favours and enhances accountability, in an attempt to make things as language education and is shared by all the lan- clear as possible to all parties involved in the edu- guages taught on such programmes. This code of cational process (students, teaching staff, adminis- practice revolves around the following points: trators, external agencies and so on). This trend towards transparency and accountability has taken a commitment to languages for all students and aback many people involved in Higher Education, staff in the University. The underpinning since, especially in the 'old' universities, 'tradition' assumption is that languages are a valid profes- per se, however vaguely defined, used to be the sional asset for anybody studying any disci- unspoken force driving the whole educational pline; process. Reflecting on this 'tradition' and relating a commitment to the students in terms of qual- it to the new societal needs has been a painful, but, ity in the design, administration and delivery of in my opinion, healthy process in which most of the courses. Over the years, this has meant the university sector is still engaged. The language pressure, within the university structures, from sector has not been alien to this move, but, far too the Institution-Wide-Language Programmes for often, as we shall see later, any attempt at stating equitable funding arrangements and recogni- the ideological premises of courses and pro- tion of the value of language learning; grammes has resulted in mere 'add on/ad hoc' a better commitment to the staff, both full and exercises'. Far from changing the reality of things, part-time. This stems from the great value Insti- this has often given way to a series of superficial, tution-Wide-Language Programmes have usu- cosmetic changes. However, a clear, thoroughly ally put on the teaching staff both in contractual thought out statement of the ideological premises and staff development terms, the latter being of any programme of study is the necessary especially important in establishing a necessar- premise on which an institution can base its bar- ily coherent pedagogic ethos in the whole gaining power with the surrounding societal forces. teaching team; All types of language programmes in the ter- a sharing of duties and full involvement of the tiary sector normally share a general aim: provid- whole staff in the decision-making process so ing excellent language education for their students. that all the teaching staff can feel a sense of However, a better clearly stated 'ideology' for lan- affiliation to the programme and consider it, as guages is often to be found in non-degree courses. far as possible, a fair, co-operative and democ- In fact, partly because the preoccupations of the ratic set up. degree courses have traditionally revolved around the so-called Area Studies, in all universities, new The adherence, as far as possible, to these four ideo- and traditional alike, and in spite of some good lan- logical premises has been, I think, one of the major guage tuition, there has usually been a lack of ideo- assets of Institution-Wide-Language Programmes logical cementing within the degree programmes, and their driving force: for example, people coming as far as language studies are concerned. The main in touch with Polylang, from course administrators "in spite of some reason for this is that the study of languages has to students, teachers and external examiners, have good language been considered as a mere accessory to learning been impressed by both the solid force of the 'ideo- tuition there has about a foreign culture, rather than the medium logical' component and by the ability of the Poly- usually been a through which a culture expresses itself in a rich lang Team to strive to put the ideological tenets into lack of ideological variety of ways which transcend the political and practice, while constantly trying to come to terms cementing within economic history of a country and its literary tradi- with all external, market-led forces. the degree tion (i.e. the main concerns of area studies). How- programmes, as ever, given the increasing request for more and The Ideational Component: according to Prabhu, far as language better language tuition coming from students and `consists of ideas and concepts about what consti- studies are society at large, the degree courses have recently tutes knowledge of a language and what the concerned" been under pressure to give themselves a better process of a language consists of (1995: 57). This language teaching profile. Unfortunately, as I have is a very important element in language education already said, in a lot of cases this has so far resulted as it states explicitly what beliefs are held within a in a series of 'ad hoc measures' which do not given programme or institution about the nature of amount to a clear 'ideological' statement about lan- language and the language teaching/learning guage education. Moreover, the fact that the differ- process. Even more than the Ideological Compo- ent degree programmes in the different language nent, the Ideational one goes often 'unspoken' and Fl I l .m No 16 December 1997 44 41. 33 "-t -1 R DiNAPOLI

is the results of cosmetic changes which are adopted and through the work of the different language as a superficial reading of 'innovation' in language co-ordinators who ensure that methodological teaching in a competing market. This has generally updating percolates through to their respective been the case of the traditional degree courses. They teams. In this way, the professional pride of have tended to rely on a Grammar and, more each language team and a sense of group recently, a Functional approach, along with some belonging are guaranteed. useful CALL activities. However, no clear, documented, coherent language policy is usually spelt: The Operational Component: accordingto out and adhered to. This has resulted in a series of Prabhu, there is a clear link between the 'Ideational 'ad hoc' measures which, rather than being the Component' and the 'Operational' one (1995: 61). result of internal discussions and decisions within This includes all kinds of classroom practice, and among the different language departments, have; including evaluation activities. In terms of 'para- usually been born out of individual initiatives by, digmatic shifts', 'operationally' we seem to be single members of staff. On the contrary, under the going towards ' student-centredness' and a varie- "'operationally' we unifying and collaborative mood of programmes gated array of evaluation practices. seem to be going like Polylang, the different language teams have In Polylang, for instance, one can safely say towards 'student- given themselves a solid pedagogical and theoreti- that, as far as possible, a coherent classroom action centred ness' and cal underpinning based on the following tenets: within the different language teams is ensured a variegated array through single language team-meetings, whole of evaluation a view of language learning both as a cogni- Polylang Team meetings, observation schemes, practices" tively useful tool and a professional asset for materials preparation, evaluation procedures and everybody; staff development. Through these activities, Poly- an interdisciplinary view of education: language lang has developed its own vision of language is perceived by the team not just as a separate teaching and learning. A positive effect has been entity to be learnt 'aside' from other disciplines, created, for example, by the observation schemes but as a bridge towards other disciplines. This is promoted by the Italian Team and the Staff Devel- basically a view of language as an educational opment sessions organised in close collaboration tool for the broadening of the minds of the stu- with the EFL Department in the University of West- dents, cognitively and culturally, and in terms of minster and International House, London. More- allowing them to become 'effective communica- over, specific classroom techniques have been tors' both in the workplace and in society at discussed and then put into practice for experimen- large. Through learning a foreign language, stu- tation. Feed-back has finally been distributed in dents can, it is believed, acquire communicative written form to the whole Polylang Team for people skills such as presenting themselves, their work to try out innovative techniques or methodologies and their thoughts, and become effective cross- (typical examples are the authentic listening/read- cultural communicators. Moreover, there is a ing techniques and the Lexical Approach tried out strong belief in the mental discipline that learn- by the Italian Team and then adopted, with creativ- ing a language can offer cognitively and emo- ity and success, by the German Team). tionally to the students. This, it is hoped, will contribute to making our students better work- The Managerial Component: this refers to 'the ers, thinkers and, ultimately, citizens in an ever- making of practical decisions of various kinds, both changing environment; at individual teacher's level and at institutional a commitment to a process of language teaching level' (Prabhu, 1995: 67). In other words, this con- and learning which will favour communicative stitutes the organisational spine of an institution methodologies and communication skills devel- and/or programme and its daily running. The trend, opment. In other words, we favour a vision of in this area, seems to be against autocracy and in the language teaching/learning process as a way favour of a more democratic approach to the deci- of helping students not only to learn a foreign sion-making process. language in a piecemeal fashion (so much advo- On degree courses, as Ron White has put it cated bythenotional-functionalsyllabus (1992: 18-21), the management structure is gener- approach, for example), but also to reflect both ally that of a 'role-culture' type, that is of a 'mild' on the language as a system and as the main vertical view of the structures of power and man- expression of a culture. Equally important is agement. This means that the Heads of Department any reflection on the process of learning a for- centre on themselves a series of roles and responsi- eign language and using it effectively; bilities, delegating some of these to the different a belief, in terms of teaching approaches, in members of staff teaching on the programme, eclecticism, experimentation and development. according to their individual abilities and seniority For example, in the Polylang Team the circula- within the structure. Institution-Wide Language tion of good practice and ideas is encouraged Programmes, on the contrary, tend to have a more through the possibility given to every member flexible structure. This can be represented as a spi- of the team to go to seminars and conferences der web (see Figure 1) with the person at the centre on language teaching in the United Kingdom (the Director) having more organisational and

34 Tuttitalia (.;20 REFLECTING ON LANGUAGE PROGRAMMES: CHANGE AND INNOVATION IN HIGHER EDUCATION

administrative responsibilities than those positioned around him/herfurther afield, so to speak, in the web (Language Heads and lectures). The position of the latter is simply determined by the fact that they do not have any overall administrative duties. In this way, such an organisational culture makes sure that the aims of the programme are met. The decisional `movements' are two-directional, as ideas and suggestions coming from the grass-roots are discussed within the individual language teams and then further elaborated by the steering group (which in Polylang, for example, includes the Director and the Language Heads) and implemented by the Director in concert with the Head of School. Similarly, suggestions made at the steering group meetings reach Figure 1 the grass-roots through individual language meetings, where suggestions are also made by all the disparate demands and needs, without, however, teachers of a particular language. Finally, whole- losing their basic profile and philosophy. In this team meetings can be another arena where discus- sense, the market forces have had a positive sions can take place openly and democratically. influence on the growth of these programmes, In programmes like Polylang, the organisational as they have made them react positively and structure also allows the existence of a 'task cul- critically to 'tradition' in an effort to overcome ture' which is typically 'project-oriented'. By this I and/or modify it in a principled way. Moreover, mean that space is given to individuals to fulfil pro- Institution-Wide Language Programmes were jects more in line with their professional interests. born and act as purely language programmes. For example, within the Staff Development pro This puts them in an advantageous position, in grathme, individual teachers are encouraged to pre- terms of language teaching, in comparison to sent their ideas and discuss them either within their the traditional degree programmes, where alle- respective language teams or within the Polylang giances, interests and research are shared team as a whole. In this way, not only is good prac- between Language Studies and Area Studies tice spread throughout a single language team but it (with the consequent, traditional emphasis put reaches all the languages represented on the Pro- on the latter). It is desirable, of course, that in gramme. It is also worth noting that all the mem- the near future a closer relationship and cross- "It is desirable, of bers of the Polylang team, both full-timers and fertilization should take place between these course, that in the part-timers, are actively engaged in teaching at dif- two different kinds of programmesthere is a near future a closer ferent levels and actively participate in the planning lot we can learn from each other; relationship and and delivery of those courses they do not directly Institution-Wide Language Programmes were cross-fertilization teach. This again guarantees an overall method- born in an age in which market philosophies should take place ological and philosophical unity within the team. were already widespread within society at large. between these two As a consequence, it has been easier for these different kinds of programmes to adapt both to changes within programmes CHANGE AND INNOVATION society at large and to the new educational there is a lot we needs. can learn from From what I have said so far, it is obvious that there each other" exists a tension between the 'traditional' paradigm However, I would like to underline that pro- in language education, usually represented by the grammes like Polylang have managed to go beyond degree courses, and the 'new' emerging one, repre- a strict adherence to the 'new' paradigm in lan- sented by Institution-Wide Language Programmes. guage education, a paradigm which advocates, as The differences I have outlined are related to we have seen, a sense of 'accountability', 'flexibil- specific factors which could be usefully underlined ity', 'skill-based learning', 'transferability' and so to contextualize better and more fairly the adher- on. The move is towards what I would like to call, ence of programmes like Polylang to the 'emerging for lack of a better word, an 'attitude' of openness paradigm' as opposed to the 'old' one: and reflection which has, over the years, endowed Polylang with an ability to control change proac- the very fact that Institution-Wide Language tively and, in fact, promote it as innovation. Para- Programmes are so large, spanning several fac- phrasing Ronald Barnett (1994: 179), the major ulties and departments, has made them very features of this 'attitude' towards change can be receptive to market requests and student needs, summarized as follows: in an effort to make the languages on offer more marketable across the university as a whole. an openness to reflection on one's own actions; This sensitivity to market forces has made such a willingness to re-interpret present situations in programmes flexible enough to meet several the light of one's educational philosophy and

'Ill No 16 December 1997 35 'AI MI 121 R Dl NAPOLI

sense of professionalism; ence, Liverpool John Moores University. a genuinely open dialogue with all the parts R. Barnett (1994). The Limits of Competence. SRHE and Open University Press. concerned, staff and students alike; F. Coffield and B. Williamson (eds.) (1997). Repositioning a willingness to develop positive appraisal Higher Education. SRHE and Open University Press. strategies for all parties involved in the educa- J. A. Coleman (1994). 'Institution-Wide Language Programmes tional process: the students, the staff and the in British higher education: national problems and perspec- programme in its entirety; tives', in G. Parker and C. Reuben (eds.), Languages for the International Scientist. AFLS/CILT. a healthy cultivation of a 'sceptical' outlook on J. A. Coleman (1996).'University courses for non-specialists', in what presents itself as 'innovation' tout court; E. Hawkins, 30 Years of Language Teaching. CILT. the exploration of the implications (educational, G. Cook and B. Seidlhofer (1995). Principle and Practice (in social and economic) of the Programme's choices Applied Linguistics). OUP. so as to assess the overall validity of these. M. Dickison (1993). 'Integrating authentic material and new approaches in the teaching of Engineers', in J. Coleman and A. Rouxville, Integrating New Approaches: The Teaching of It is this critical attitude and its strong philosophi- French in Higher Education. AFLS/CILT. cal underpinning that gives programmes like Poly- B. M. Dwyer (December 1994). 'A paradigm for our times: the lang their solidity and their leading role, helping urgent need for educational change', Education Today, them to resist all kinds of pulls towards more or less 44(4), 37-40. B. M. Dwyer (August 1995). 'Preparing for the 21st century: a imposed choices from without. For example, any paradigm for our times', in Innovation in Education and argument towards specialised language teaching Training International, 32(3), 269-277 for the different faculties and departments of the B. Everard (1995). 'Team-buildinga powerful tool for educa- University of Westminster has been critically tional development', Educational Change and Develop- rejected (with the exception of English for Acade- ment, 15(2), 21-24 D. Ferney (ed.) (1994). Proceedings of the 4th National Institu- mic Purposes and Languages for Musicians). This tion Wide Language Programmes Conference, Anglia Poly- is because Polylang sees itself as a provider of lan- technic University. guage education, and this is considered by the Pro- M. Gibbons et al. (1994). The New Production of Knowledge. gramme to be a valid experience in itself, rather London: Sage. than a service to other disciplines and faculties. P. D. Hartley (ed.) (September 1991). Institution-Wide Lan- guage Programmes. Proceedings of Conference, Wolver- This 'principled' flexibility has thus made it hampton Polytechnic. possible for the programme to face 'change' and E. Hawkins (ed.) (1996). 30 Years of Language Teaching, CILT. transform itinto 'innovation'. In fact, while A. B. Henkin and C. L. Wanat (July 1994). 'Problem-solving change conjures up ideas of a shift of a rather pas- teams and the improvement of organisational performance sive kind, in direct response to contextual evolu- in schools', School Organisation, 22(3), 121-139 W. J. Keenan (July 1993). 'Principles of Post-modern Pedagogy: tion, innovation has a more positive and assertive towards a constitution for university classroom culture in "while change ring to it. I see innovation as the key term and con- the new age', Reflections on Higher Education, 5,90-103 conjures up ideas cept to at least some of the problems facing Higher T. S. Kuhn (1996). The Structure of Scientific Revolutions. The of a shift of a Education, and especially language education University of Chicago Press. S. Pile (1993). 'Polytechnic, ethos, research, quality: a comment rather passive kind today. In order to survive in a fast changing soci- on the future for the "New Universities", the morning after ... innovation has a ety, it is important for programmes and institutions selectivity', Journal of Geography in Higher Education, more positive and of tertiary education to elaborate a self-critical 17(2), 192-195 assertive ring to it" apparatus which allows them to filter societal N. S. Prabhu (1995). 'Concept and conduct in language peda- demands and respond to them adequately. This is, I gogy', in G. Cook and B. Seidlhofer (eds.), Principle and believe, the move that we, as (language) educators, Practice (in Applied Linguistics). OUP. G. Rigby and R. G. Burgess (1991). Language Teaching in have to make if we care not only for survival but Higher Education. A Discussion Document, University of also for an active role in the educational debate. Warwick Centre for Educational Development, Appraisal Market and societal forces can exert an enormous and Research. pull on education, but a sense of direction and pro- K. Tester (1993). The Life and Times of Post-Modernity. Lon- fessional worth is badly needed if we want to don, Routledge. R. Wakeley, A. Barker, D. Frier, P. Graves and Y. Suleiman (eds.) engage in a dynamic exchange with society at (1994). Language Teaching and Learning in Higher Educa- large. This will allow us to innovate actively rather tion. CILT. than accepting change passively. But it requires a K. Wheldall (December 1994). Addressing quality in academic lot of continuous effort and energy, and often teaching contexts', Education Today, 44(4), 33-36. things are not as simple as they seem or sound. R. White, M. Martin, M. Stimson and R. Hedge (1991). Man- agement (in English Language Teaching). CUP. However, any conscious effort of this kind guaran- H. G. Widdowson (1986). Explorations in Applied Linguistics 2. tees, in my opinion, a sense of purpose and direc- OUP. tion which is badly needed in today's changing H. G. Widdowson (1990). Teaching Language as Communica- educational system. tion. OUP. H. G. Widdowson (1990). Aspects of Language Teaching. OUP. J. A. Willis (1996). Framework for Task-Based Learning. Long- REFERENCES man. D. Willis and J. Willis (eds.) (1996) Challenge and Change in L. Archibald (ed.) (1993). Conference Proceedings of the 3rd Language Teaching. Heinemann. national Institutional Wide Language Programmes Confer-

36 `x22 Tuttitalia Tuttitalia, December 1997, No 16, 37-40

News and views

Viva l'italiano! things were a bit serious and analytical. ing on a project which we presented on The consensus was that the intermediate the last day of the course, in Italian, to Words like let loose' and 'asylum' group was the place to be, or so those of the group and course staff. To have had a spring to mind. A right collection we us in it felt. Our warm and lively tutor focus, whether on food, art history, were and at first viewed each other Guya familiar with current British tourism or whatever, added to the whole cautiously:someseemedserious- language teaching methods used a experience: you looked around you, minded and academic, others earthy and great variety of stimuli: opera extracts, always interested in finding answers to cynical. Then there were the younger, horoscopes, magazine articles,role- particular questions. The result was that cooler types probably wondering how plays, etc. We had to write plays, do a the presentations were, in general, well they'd survive two weeks surrounded by character analysis of Don Giovanni worth seeing and hearing, not only for middle-aged sad people. We came from (which probably revealed more about us the information they imparted, but also all over the UK, so perspectives had to than him), and even tell jokes in Italian. for the chance to admire the talents of be adjusted. We bounded back to thepensionefull of people we had come to feel we knew like What we all had in common was the how wonderful our lessons were and old friends. chance to soak ourselves in Italian life as eager to do our homework. Needless to As all groups in such situations, we no tourist could possibly hope to do. say, we got up the noses of the others. were asked if we'd like to write a report. Okay, so we were stuck with each other, The logistics of the whole programme Not really, we concluded over dinner on but what an opportunity! The went like a dream. What bliss for those the last night. What could we write that programme looked promising: trips to of us used to having to organise parties hadn't already been said by previous pasta and olive oil factories, Alpine of children to be shepherded here and course participants: delightful scenery, retreats and beautiful gardens on the there by course staff who managed charming Italians, blah, blah, blah (see shores of the Mediterranean. And all the everything so beautifully. above). So we decided to record some of time the chance to work at the Italian our more memorable experiences in language. We would go to school daily As for the social side of things, well the first evening was rather subdued. verse, with a brief introduction: Imperia and like good children we would be a challenge to the liver' (see below). Most of us were staying in apensione, taken on trips by the staff. Imperia itself, The whole experience was wonder- the rest lodging with Italian families. By on the Ligurian coast, was stunning ful. Viva l'italiano. sudden views of blue, blue sea through the second night, our polite teacherly chit-chat had burnt itself out and, under DOROTHYMcCARTHY the old-town buildings and arches, Imperia Course stirring long-neglected urges to paint or the benign care of thepensionehost and lubricated by his very nice wine, we photograph. Colours were everywhere: IMPERIA A challenge to the liver ochres, pinks, yellows and hundreds of begananeveningprogrammeas shades in between: it was like walking intensive as the daytime one. This Although the course members came through an opera set. The word 'Riviera' involved sittingin nearby tavernas, fromdifferentbackgroundswith conjures up images of the vastly rich and singingmostly Irishsongs, accom- different expectations, we soon found sun- tanned, palm trees and glorious panied by two superb fiddle players, common ground and workedwell flowers. Imperia manages to have all occasionallydancing (joined by together. Some members may have been these except, thankfully, the ghastly rich, Italians), researching local drinks and apprehensive at first, but a warm and who would appear to have given it a talking non-stop. After a few days this good humoured welcome from our hosts miss.Itisa working town which all seemed to be a perfectly normal way in thepensionesoon put us at our ease happenstohavegreatviews and to live. and set the tone for the rest of the delightful natives. We had to do something to show that fortnight. During our stay we followed a As for the classes, the styles of we had actually used our timeand the programme of language lessons, tours teaching varied. In the advanced group EU's moneywisely. This meant work- and project work which, to our surprise,

A4. No 16 December 1997 0 ON 37 NEWS AND VIEWS we actually enjoyed. A long list of facts http://www.istat.it Anna Proudfoot. Martin McLaughlin and a eulogy of everything we did would Finally, the homepages of the Italian selected a number of short passages not do justice to our Ligurian exper- political parties can be reached from fromCalvino'sworkinorderto ience. Suffice it to say that at the end of http://www.dada.it/partiti.html. illustrate some of the recurrent themes the programme we were inspired to and ideas that were reflected in the use write these few words and compose the Discussion lists of language. The approach was lively following poems. Discussion lists aim to encourage lively and helpful to those who teach Italian debate on a wide range of issues. If you literature to A level students. Anna The Good Woman have e-mail you might like to join the Proudfootgaveastimulatingand There was once a good woman who came to mailbase discussion list for Italianists. interesting insight into 'anglicisms' that Imperia, To do so send the message: appear in the Italian media. Her talk Whose previous sex life had been quite inferior. highlighted the fact that you need, in She went out for a drink join italian-studies Apostolo Zeno most cases, to be 'in the know' to To develop her link (replacing `Apostolo Zeno' with your understand theimplications of the And said"L'italiano 6 motto superior." name) anglicisms that are used. Session 2 was the only 'plenary' on the Ode to a Zombie to: [email protected] Toladies went a wandering Those with an interest in assessment programme, and it thus gave everyone the One evening late in May, might like to subscribe to the discussion opportunity to attend Chris Wagstaff's They came upon a shady spot list for computer assisted assessment. In talk on the Italian cinema. Chris made the To while some time away. this case the message to send the audience aware of how important it is to "My project is a-paining me," mailbase address given above is: look at the images and the staging of the Said one lass to the other. Italian cinema. He involved us by freezing "Oh never mind," her friend replied, join computer-assisted-assessment a number of frames and trying to get us to "Shut up and drink another." Apostolo Zeno (once again replacing predict the dialogue and the sequence of NB: Zombie = very powerful drink concocted by nice man in bar. Apostolo Zeno' with your name). events, techniques which will enable us as teachers to involve our students more Cementing relations Report directly. Welsh Willy had a fiddle, After lunch there was the chance to Our Frankie had one too, ALL Italian Day, London, 21 June digest what Cathy McLaughlin had to Every night they came along 1997 say on the transition from A level to And showed us what to do. The 1997 Italian A Level and Cultural university, or savour the talk on Italian A We sang and danced outside the bar, Day was held at the Italian Institute in Not at all gentile, levels,a modular approach by Nia Italians flocked from near and far, London by kind permission of the Griffith, who is Senior Examiner for the To watch the Irish reel. Director who, despite feeling unwell, Oxford Delegacy. Both talks proved to came along to welcome the participants. be informative and provided a lot of The wine that washed down the buffet relevant information to those present. More on the Internet lunch was once again kindly provided by In the finalsession, Martin The following publications are now the Institute. The lunch break was an McLaughlin kindly repeated his talk on online: opportune time for the participants52 at Calvino. For those interested in Italian this year's event who represented a wide politics there was a very good well Panorama range of educational sectors to mingle and prepared presentation of this http://www.mondadori.com/panorama/ exchange ideas about current develop- complicated area given by Aldo Amati, La Stampa ments and also browse at and even Consigliere at the Italian Institute. http://www.lastampa.it/ purchase a range of teaching materials The overall feedback on the day was La Repubblica displayed by the Italian Bookshop. generally positive. Some participants http://www.larepubblica.it/ This year's event was different in did express their disappointment that Siena News formatfromanythingpreviously more sessions were not delivered in http://www.sienanews.it/ arranged by the Italian committee in so Italian, and this is a point that the Italian Other sites of interest include: far as the participants were offered a committee should take on board. Our http://www.comune.sienait/ variety of options from which to choose. thanks to Ernesto Macaro, who put the where you can see the Palio live as well The idea was to cater for different tastes. programme together, and to those at the as obtain much useful information about After the initial welcome there was ALL Officewhohelpedinthe Siena and the surrounding area. an opportunity to attend a talk on Italo organisation of the day. For access to many of the online Calvino by Martin McLaughlin, or one DEREK AUST bookshops in Italy try on the language of the Italian media by South Devon College http://www.alice.it/bookshop/net.bks/ librita.html Can you help? A particularly useful one is La Bancarella Italian teacher of German seeks school/college contact in the UK for exchange purposes, which can be found at age range 16-18. Also interested in the possibility of taking six months off to work in a http://www.interware.it/bancarella British school. Could teach German or Italian. The Istituto Nazionale di Statistica If interested, please contact Emanuela Perna, Via Sassi 26,1-71100 Foggia, Italy. can be reached on

38 Tuttitalia 424 NEWS AND VIEWS Italian Weekend in reports on Tangentopolithe corruption quite possible to catch everything, so I Reading of public officials, and the first Prime didn't manage to attend Anna Bartrum's 20-21 September 1997 Minister, Silvio Berlusconi, got into session on 'New GCSEs: Reading and power through the propaganda of his Listening', or Dr Shirley Vinall's lecture Reading University was a beautiful own TV channels. I was glad to find out on'ContemporaryItalianWomen setting for the Italian weekend. The sun that it is also difficult for Italians to Novelists', both of which were very was shining on the green campus with know what each political party really much appreciated. treelined walkways, where students and represents, with the right-wing and left- I learned a great deal from Derek children played sports in the grounds wingformingcoalitions.Itwas Aust's clear presentation of the Italian and some muscular young men practised disappointing to hear that the reading of education system and the proposals for marshal arts on the terrace of the FURS Italian newspapers had fallen back to its reform, where input from the audience building where the working sessions low level of 1984, although we all was very revealing they've been took place. agreed that the language of the Italian intending to implement the reform of The only thing that marred a well- press is of a higher standard than British education in Italy for 30 years, and ordered weekend was the horrendous tabloids, making it harder to read and maybe itwill happen soon, if this rail crash in Paddington, which meant difficult to use with early learners. government stays in long enough. I hope that London participants had to leave Edward Williams' talk on the Italian so, for the sake of Italian students, who from Waterloo and consequently lost `A' levels brought the new syllabus into have a much heftier syllabus than our the Saturday morning sessions. The 43 perspective and he gave us insights into home students do, especially at the participants from schools, colleges and marking, after the first session of that upper secondary stage; sometimes 30 universities in England, Scotland, Wales exam, and some very helpful tips on hours' classes a week as compared to an and Ireland made for variety and lively teaching how to exploit a topic in average 'A' level student's 15 hours! discussion. The accommodation at St. different ways, practising the various We had a very lively and stimulating George's Hall was superlative: una skillsneededtogive a good workshopwithMariolinaFreeth, camera singola con bagno e balconcino performance in the exam. practising_ vocabulary and dictionary a change from my university days After successfully negotiating the skills at the 'A' level standard. She gave when you had to pad down an airy maze of walkways to find lunch in the us many many ideas for helping students corridor to find communal bathrooms. Orange Room (no political connotations to use a dictionary in the most fruitful The food was goodtoo good for my attached), some of us had an interesting way. The most memorable was a game slimming diet, which I ignored all session with Jocelyn Wyburd surfing the where we were each given a card with weekend.Will I be able to face my Internet. Many of our fears of using this about nine definitions from a glossary in Scottish Slimmers class manager at the facility were lost as she took us on a Italian on one side and six words in weigh-in next Monday? fascinatingjourney through the English on the other. The purpose of the The lectures and workshops were excellent programme she had prepared game was to go round everyone in the excellent, as usual, and everyone had an for us, and gave us an opportunity to class until you had found the correct opportunity to attend almost all of them, make Berlusconi say what we liked! definition for each of your English as most were repeated at a later time. Thefinalworkingsessionon words. We left with lots of good ideas There was a continuous intelligence test Saturday was exchanging materials. Not plus more in a handout which Mariolina built in, where you were rewarded by only was original and interesting written provided for everyone. food, coffee or a good lecture if you material made available, but a lot of Rossana McKeane demonstrated how managed to find your way in the maze of lively ideas on practising structures, simple pictures cut out of a magazine, corridors, stairs which led nowhere and numbers and vocabulary were pasted onto card and cutintwo, winding campus lanes. This is probably exchanged, some of which we enjoyed revealing the situation little by little, Reading's way of sorting out the good trying out, from noughts and crosses to a could stimulateoralproductionin from the bad among first-year.students. standing and sitting game practising Italian. Chi e questo uomo? Qual e it suo I don't know which category I came numerals, where each person in turn can aneggiamento? Che cosa dice? A chi under, because I discovered that I was say up to three numerals and the person parla? Then you see the other half: Chi surrounded by Italian native speakers who lands with 10 or 20 sits down. I e questa donna? etc. Then the two who went under innocent-sounding tried it out with a beginners' group this halves are put together and another story names like Mrs A. A. Sim or Mrs C. week and it went down well. Derek Aust emerges. We looked at many of her Waters, and beat me hands down at all encouragedusing humourwhen materials which she uses year after year the language games. Seriously, it was teaching something grammatical: with additions. She made you feel that a terrific having so many native speakers practisingpastparticiples:parlare little cutting and pasting could go a long on the course, who could add their first- parlato, cenare cenato, tomare...! way, and also gave a big handout of hand experience of the Italian Education We got our own back in the evening, many of her ideas. system or Italian politics and the Press when in a session called 'Networking Ernesto Macaro,who was hosting us to those excellent lectures. over refreshments' we presented 'Derek at Reading, gave a very interesting talk It was appalling to discover how AustThis is Your Life' in Italian, of on 'Training students to use learner much power the media has in Italy, course. strategies', based on a programme they where, according to Aldo Amati from Sunday was quite a busy day, which used with about 200 secondary school the Italian Embassy, the press brought we spent mostly catching the sessions children in Reading. He first made us down the First Republic with all its we'd missed. Unfortunately, it wasn't say how we would go about learning 44. No 16 December 1997 4,25 39 NEWS AND VIEWS various things: a reading passage for boys used more strategies. A package other Italian teachers what is going on in homework, oral instructions from the was given to these students to monitor our areaexchanges? Italian Days? Any teacher, and vocabulary to learn. It was their own learning, and many of them photocopiable material could go into a quite difficult to put oneself in the acquired new skills after using this pull-out centre feature. So give it a go! learner's position, and I think most of us package, particularly the boys. We'll look forward to reading YOU in learned a most salutary lesson from that. What was emphasised this weekend the next edition. And meeting you at the They had asked their sample of students is that we all have something to offer. next Italian weekend. CIAO! how they went about learning a foreign We were encouraged to share our ideas KATI McHARDY language, and found more girls than by means of Tuttitalia. And also to tell College of Further Education, Dundee

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Contents Page Editorial 2

Sara Chorley, DanielleCarrots and sticks:motivations and Hipkins, Kate Lyons expectations in the Italian and Gabriella Procidaundergraduate experience 3

Howard Moss Lexical borrowing: research and teaching 8

R. Hastings Italian and dialect in Abruzzo 12

Loredana Polezzi Neo-italiano in the classroom 17

G. Paola Pinna La lingua e l'immagine nel testo cinematografico 26

Roberto Di Napoli Reflecting on language programmes: change and innovation in Higher Education 31 Homework Pack sample 19

News and Notes 37

Notes for Contributors 25

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