“Pasta ‘Fazool’ and the Congiuntivo: The Disparity between the Representation of Italian in the American Media and Italy’s Historical Devotion to Grammar”

WEBINAR RECORDING | “Pasta ‘Fazool’ and the Congiuntivo: The Disparity between the Representation of Italian in the American Media and Italy’s Historical Devotion to Grammar”

Presented by Dr. Erin McCarthy King
With Additional Commentary by Dr. Rocky Ruggiero

With film, music, and humor, this webinar will examine representations of the Italian language in the American media and how they affect Americans’ perceptions of the language and culture. In contrast to these portrayals of Italian as truncated, fragmented, and unrefined, we will consider how grammar has been embraced by Italians historically as a means of unifying Italy when it lacked a centralized government and clear political borders. Finally, we will look at the congiuntivo, or subjunctive, as a contemporary example of Italian’s elegance and complexity, and discuss the centrality of the Italian language to Italians’ conception of national identity.

The webinar recording consists of a 45-minute lecture.

UNLIMITED ONLINE ACCESS