Italian Language Research Articles

Dante 2021

Abstract The year 2021 witnessed the commemoration of the seven hundredth anniversary of Dante Alighieri’s passing. Across the globe, particularly in Italy, a plethora of undertakings were orchestrated to honor this significant milestone. This paper undertakes an examination of the primary events that transpired in homage to Dante. In particular, in juxtaposition to prior centenaries, the authors center their analysis on initiatives that highlighted the rekindling of interest in Dante within Italy as the progenitor of the Italian language, his pivotal role in the establishment of an Italian collective identity, and the broader proliferation of his literary oeuvre. Concurrently, the authors delve into the dissemination and reception of the Dante anniversary on the international stage.

L’é ciaro che se dise cusì. On Change in the System of Expletive Subject Clitics in Opitergino

Expletive subject clitics (ESCs) are pronominal elements that occur in impersonal contexts with which no individual reference is associated. Their presence strikingly distinguishes northern Italo-Romance varieties from standard Italian. We target this structural incongruence by studying the occurrence of ESCs in present-day Opitergino, a virtually unstudied Venetan variety. We explore the question of whether, in the wake of a profound transformation in the sociolinguistic environment that occurred between the first half of the 20th century and early 2020 years, the contact between Opitergino and now-dominant Italian has induced change in the Opitergino ESC system. To test whether change has occurred and to what extent, we compare the results of an extensive online survey we conducted in 2022 with the baseline rules we extracted from speakers born before 1942. We observe that while the system is overall stable, a thread of change is ongoing and manifests in (a) rule weakening in declaratives and (b) erosion of the obligatoriness of ESCs in interrogatives. We argue that this change is likely to be an effect of contact, resulting in structural convergence but not in loss, and affected the part of the ESC system that features more optionality, namely, the domain of declarative clauses.

To vote or not to vote in the homeland elections? Insights into voting abstention in Italy's constituency abroad

AbstractSince its introduction in the early 2000s, legislation relating to the voting rights of Italians abroad has enabled millions of residents of voting age outside of Italy to engage in homeland elections and elect their own MPs. The inclusion of Italian citizens abroad in the Italian polity has nevertheless translated into a patchy electoral engagement. This article does not intend to provide an analysis of the voting choices in Italy's overseas constituency. Instead, it delves into external vote dynamics to provide insights into overseas Italians’ abstention in parliamentary elections and referenda. After summarising the history of the introduction of Italy's peculiar model of external voting, drawing on the results of an online survey of Italians abroad, the article examines the factors influencing turnout, with specific attention to the eligible voters’ personal characteristics. It also focuses on the attitude of Italians abroad towards possible reforms aiming at increasing electoral participation. It concludes that country of birth and Italian language skills are among the most relevant variables not only to assess what fosters or inhibits external voting, but also to gauge the opinion of voters residing outside Italy about proposals to reform the procedures regulating the exercise of suffrage from abroad.

Usage of Video and Multimedia to Improve Listening Skills: The Perception of Foreign Language Students

The purpose of this study is related to the improvement of listening skills of the Faculty of Foreign Languages, University of Tirana, students, through the use of video and multimedia materials. To meet this purpose, the perceptions of those students who attend subjects such as "Listening Skills Development" as well as "Foreign Language" only with audio materials, were collected. The sample of the student population for this study was 159, including students of the first year of the Italian and English language branches of study as well as students of the third year of the Italian language. The study follows a cross-sectional research design for the collection of data regarding the perceptions of students. The tools used in this study were authentic didactic video and multimedia materials, as well as a questionnaire divided into two sections: the first part with four general questions and the second part with nine specific questions. During the realization of the video lesson, the students showed increased motivation, and the interaction was very vivid. This is confirmed by the analysis of the results of the questionnaire, which indicates that the majority of students agree that the use of video and multimedia materials in the language class helps them improve their listening skills, in line with previous studies. Finally, limitations and recommendations are provided for lecturers on the way video materials are applicable in the foreign language class, in order to realize an efficient teaching process based on the suggestions of the most recent glottodidactic approaches.
 
 Received: 1 September 2023 / Accepted: 22 September 2023 / Published: 5 November 2023

Perceptual Evaluation of the Tracheoesophageal Voice: Italian Validation of the Sunderland Tracheoesophageal Perceptual Scale

This study aimed to validate the Sunderland Tracheoesophageal Perceptual Scale (SToPS) in the Italian language by checking the inter- and intra-rater reliability. Scale validation METHODS: The validation of the tool involved the following steps: (1) translation and adaptation of the SToPS into Italian language; (2) recruitment of participants (60 laryngectomized patients with a voice prosthesis and 12 health professionals-six speech and language therapists (SLTs) and six ear, nose, and throat surgeons-classified into experienced (Exp) or not at assessing voice; (3) recording of patients' speech samples; (4) perceptual evaluation of recorded speech samples (test and retest) performed by the 12 health professionals; and (5) statistical analysis (quadratic weighted Cohen kappa and weighted kappa of Light coefficients). When all raters were considered as one group, an agreement ≥0.50 was reached for all parameters. The "ExpSLTs" group rated more reliably than the other groups, achieving a "good" intrarater agreement for 9/10 parameters. Despite the interrater coefficients were lower than the intrarater ones for all rater groups, "ExpSLTs" obtained the best levels of interrater agreement, achieving a level of agreement ≥0.50 for all parameters. Finally, considering intrarater+interrater agreement ("good+good" or "good+moderate"), the "ExpSLTs" group showed the greatest agreement, attaining all parameters that met the criteria for "good" or "moderate" agreement levels. The Italian version of SToPS can be considered a reliable tool. As in the original version, expert SLTs are the better judges for tracheoesophageal voice assessment.

Exploring the Possible Use of AI Chatbots in Public Health Education: Feasibility Study.

Artificial intelligence (AI) is a rapidly developing field with the potential to transform various aspects of health care and public health, including medical training. During the "Hygiene and Public Health" course for fifth-year medical students, a practical training session was conducted on vaccination using AI chatbots as an educational supportive tool. Before receiving specific training on vaccination, the students were given a web-based test extracted from the Italian National Medical Residency Test. After completing the test, a critical correction of each question was performed assisted by AI chatbots. The main aim of this study was to identify whether AI chatbots can be considered educational support tools for training in public health. The secondary objective was to assess the performance of different AI chatbots on complex multiple-choice medical questions in the Italian language. A test composed of 15 multiple-choice questions on vaccination was extracted from the Italian National Medical Residency Test using targeted keywords and administered to medical students via Google Forms and to different AI chatbot models (Bing Chat, ChatGPT, Chatsonic, Google Bard, and YouChat). The correction of the test was conducted in the classroom, focusing on the critical evaluation of the explanations provided by the chatbot. A Mann-Whitney U test was conducted to compare the performances of medical students and AI chatbots. Student feedback was collected anonymously at the end of the training experience. In total, 36 medical students and 5 AI chatbot models completed the test. The students achieved an average score of 8.22 (SD 2.65) out of 15, while the AI chatbots scored an average of 12.22 (SD 2.77). The results indicated a statistically significant difference in performance between the 2 groups (U=49.5, P<.001), with a large effect size (r=0.69). When divided by question type (direct, scenario-based, and negative), significant differences were observed in direct (P<.001) and scenario-based (P<.001) questions, but not in negative questions (P=.48). The students reported a high level of satisfaction (7.9/10) with the educational experience, expressing a strong desire to repeat the experience (7.6/10). This study demonstrated the efficacy of AI chatbots in answering complex medical questions related to vaccination and providing valuable educational support. Their performance significantly surpassed that of medical students in direct and scenario-based questions. The responsible and critical use of AI chatbots can enhance medical education, making it an essential aspect to integrate into the educational system.

Toward French and Italian language validations of the Conspiracy Mentality Scale (CMS)

The growing scientific interest in conspiracy beliefs calls for validated measures of conspiracy mentality, the tendency to believe any conspiracy theory. In this study, we validate a French and Italian version of the Conspiracy Mentality Scale (CMS). French (N = 160) and Italian (N = 114) speaking residents of Switzerland filled out a questionnaire, including measures of the need for social validation, compliance with COVID-19 preventive measures, perceived severity of the pandemic, and functional literacy. The two-dimensionality of the scale (conspiracy theory ideation and skepticism) was validated by confirmatory factor analysis. As predicted, conspiracy theory ideation was negatively related to functional literacy and compliance with pandemic control measures, and positively related to social validation. Measurement invariance indicated metric, scalar, residual and strucutral equivalence across the two samples. We conclude that the French and Italian versions of the CMS lend a valid assessment of people’s general tendency to believe conspiracy theories.

Getting closer: compassion training increases feelings of closeness toward a disliked person

Evidence-based interventions to favor more harmonious interactions in difficult relationships remain scarce. This study examined whether compassion training may have beneficial effects in an ongoing tense relationship with a disliked person, by reducing schadenfreude toward them and increasing felt interpersonal closeness. 108 participants were assigned to one of three 5-week trainings in a longitudinal randomized controlled study: compassion training, reappraisal training (emotion regulation control condition), or Italian language training (neutral active control condition). The disliked person was not targeted during the trainings to test potential transfer effects. Misfortune scenarios and a measure of interpersonal closeness were used to test whether schadenfreude and closeness feelings toward a disliked person changed from pre- to post-training, across different experimental and control groups. Only compassion and reappraisal trainees reported a decrease of schadenfreude feelings toward the disliked person compared to their pre-training ratings, no changes were observed in the Italian language training. Importantly, feelings of closeness toward the disliked person increased in the compassion training group compared to the other two groups. This increase of closeness feelings could be a central mechanism for improving social interactions. These transfer effects open new perspectives concerning emotion regulation interventions in conflict resolution.

Pediatric injuries classification using openAI: new opportunities for epidemiological surveillance

Abstract Background The burden of unintentional pediatric injuries remains a significant concern for healthcare systems worldwide. Timely and accurate surveillance is critical for injury prevention and resource allocation. However, the diagnosis reported in the emergency department records is often not coded, and the manual coding of these records is labor-intensive, time-consuming, and prone to errors. To implement an automatic coding system using GPT-based models to extract and classify injury data in the Italian language from pediatric emergency department records. Methods The study included 283,468 admission records to the pediatric Emergency Department of Padova University Hospital from 2007 to 2018. Each access is mandatorily registered in an electronic data collection system. For each emergency department access, both coded (administrative and demographic data) and free-text (diagnosis) information are reported. A random subset of 40,030 records underwent classification of free-text diagnosis (as injury or not) by an expert clinician (gold standard). OpenAI was used for the classification task. OpenAI is an extensive language model based on the GPT architecture. Specifically, the GPT-3.5 variant was employed for the present work. openAI was accessed through a public application programming interface (API) using R software. Results Preliminary results showed a classification accuracy of 96.2%. The tool's ability to correctly classify the injuries (sensitivity) was 95%, while the specificity was 96.5%. Conclusions The performance of the classification task was excellent. The present results demonstrate the feasibility of GPT-based models for processing unstructured free text information from medical records. Key messages • OpenAI would represent a promising opportunity to improve pediatric injuries surveillance • OpenAI would improve the classification of unstructured information from medical records

Italian translation and cultural adaptation of health literate organisation self-assessment tool

Abstract Background The International Working Group Health Promoting Hospitals and Health Literate Healthcare Organizations has developed an English-language self-assessment tool for Organizational Health Literacy of Hospitals, designed to quality managers of healthcare organizations. It aims to diagnose strengths and weaknesses of the organization's health literacy, and our goal is to translate and culturally adapt it for Italy. Methods We have been following the Translation, Review, Adjudication, Pretesting, and Documentation team model for cross-cultural translation of questionnaires. Initially, two separate teams of translators worked independently to translate the tool from English to Italian. Next, the national coordinator organised six meetings to discuss, integrate, and unify the two versions, and any translation difficulties and suggested solutions were reported in the supporting tool that will be sent along with final agreed version of the tool to the International Coordination Centre. Finally, two experts will review the translation for the cultural adaptation. Results Difficulties related to comprehension in translation can arise from ambiguity in word choice, the need for contextual precision, and a lack of cultural appropriateness. The translation of English words that have become part of Italian language (e.g. ‘feedback', ‘stakeholder', ‘management', ‘standard') was also hugely discussed between the teams. Finally, to categorize the information entered into the supporting tool, 50% pertains to adaptation to context, 30% to simplification or clarification, and 20% to non-applicable items. Conclusions Cultural adaptation will improve the translation by reducing ambiguities, providing contextual clarifications, and rephrasing items to make them more appropriate for Italy. The Italian version of the tool will be piloted in local hospitals to support healthcare operators, patients, and the community in better managing the complexities of healthcare organizations. Key messages • Translation of health literacy self-assessment tool for Italian hospitals, aiming to reduce ambiguity and increase appropriateness for local context. • Culturally adapted tool to diagnose organizational health literacy in Italian hospitals will help healthcare organizations deal with complexity of healthcare and improve patient outcomes.

CONcreTEXT norms: Concreteness ratings for Italian and English words in context.

Concreteness is a fundamental dimension of word semantic representation that has attracted more and more interest to become one of the most studied variables in the psycholinguistic and cognitive neuroscience literature in the last decade. Concreteness effects have been found at both the brain and the behavioral levels, but they may vary depending on the constraints of the context and task demands. In this study, we collected concreteness norms for English and Italian words presented in different context sentences to allow better control and manipulation of concreteness in future psycholinguistic research. First, we observed high split-half correlations and Cronbach's alpha coefficients, suggesting that our ratings were highly reliable and can be used in Italian- and English-speaking populations. Second, our data indicate that the concreteness ratings are related to the lexical density and accessibility of the sentence in both English and Italian. We also found that the concreteness of words in isolation was highly correlated with that of words in context. Finally, we analyzed differences between nouns and verbs in concreteness ratings without significant effects. Our new concreteness norms of words in context are a valuable source of information for future research in both the English and Italian language. The complete database is available on the Open Science Framework (doi: 10.17605/OSF.IO/U3PC4).

Does your regional variety help you acquire an additional language?

Abstract This study investigates Differential Object Marking (DOM) in Italian speakers from two dialectal areas–North and South Italy–learning Spanish. Southern Italo-Romance varieties exhibit a DOM system through a-marking, like Spanish, whereas the Northern varieties, like Standard Italian, only allow DOM with pronouns. Given the structural differences and similarities among these typologically close languages, we ask whether a stigmatized oral regional variety has the potential to transfer in the acquisition of additional languages. Participants (n = 103) completed an acceptability judgment task (AJT) and an oral production task testing DOM in [±animate, ±definite] DP contexts. The results revealed differences modulated by proficiency in the written AJT that moderately favored the Northern learners and in the oral production task that favored the Southern learners. These findings suggest that low-prestige varieties may not have the full potential to transfer at early stages of acquisition due to their inhibition in formal contexts, but that they can emerge in less formal tasks. We argue that current theoretical models that prioritize linguistic proximity as the primary source of transfer at initial stages of L3 acquisition are unable to capture revealing patterns from understudied sociolinguistic contexts that bring new light to the study of multilingualism.

Using "functional hand" protocol to improve hand function following a spinal cord injury: an explorative study.

A cervical spinal cord injury often affects hand control, causing ineffective grasping and handling functions, with a negative impact on patient's independence and quality of life. Literature recognises scientific evidence only for surgical or instrumental re-education approaches. The purpose of this study is to present the "functional hand" protocol, a physiotherapy tool that, to date, represents a good clinical practice but has no supporting literature. a longitudinal-single cohort study was conducted at Spinal Unit- Azienda Usl Piacenza. Patients with spinal cord injury at C5-C7 neurologic level, older than 18 years, with correct comprehension of Italian language were recruited. All patients were evaluated with Action Research Arm Test (ARAT) scale to state hand functionality; positive/negative history of Functional Hand protocol was deducted by physiotherapy discharge letters on first spinal unit hospitalisation. six patients were involved in the study; three of them had a positive history of protocol application. ARAT scores differences showed that patients who underwent functional hand protocol had a lower impairment, a better ability to produce cylindrical and cuboid sockets. Functional hand protocol reached a preliminary evidence as effective tool to improve hand recovery in tetraplegic patients; future studies should confirm these conclusions on larger samples, and verify protocol effectiveness in addition to other treatment strategies (functional electric stimulation/ transcranial direct current stimulation/robotic assisted therapy).

Classroom Introduction of a Video Game on Italian Grammar

Despite Italian teachers’ strong interest in the use of games, especially the digital ones, there are several critical issues due to their lack of familiarity with games/video games thus making games’ adoption in teaching complex because teachers have only limited time to prepare and play a game-based learning game. Therefore they feel uncertain about using games in class due to their limited knowledge of digital games and find it difficult to identify appropriate assessments, they also find it difficult to integrate video games effectively and efficiently into their classroom, it is also difficult for them to choose appropriate games for teaching. Additionally the school/administration doesn’t assist their effort to support and improve their skills in game-based learning. The learning of the fundamentals of the Italian language and grammar are described and defined by the Italian Ministry of Education within the “National Indications for the ‘Italian Language’ Curriculum”. However, multiple difficulties often make it arduous to learn the basics of the Italian language. The video game “Ross and the Sgrammanebbia” - which can be translated as “Ross and the Un-grammar-Fog” - is a didactic grammar web video game that has a correspondence between the levels and the topics of the textbook as well as giving the teacher a valid help to organise a didactic path studied on the curricular skills. In order to define the useful guidelines for an effective introduction of the game in the classroom, participatory qualitative-quantitative research was prepared on the methods that a small group of teachers put in place to design the training activity with video games. The research focused on: analysis of the educational design skills for the use of games: definition of learning goals, assessment methods and identified teaching strategies; evaluation of the pedagogical activities implemented to facilitate the introduction of games in the classroom; analysis of the roles played by the teacher during all the phases of the training activity - from the design of the training activity to the introduction of the game in the classroom, to evaluation.

Fostering well-being in the university L2 classroom: the “I am an author” project

Abstract This study explores the effect of a project-based learning module informed by the principles of the Deep Approach to World Language Education on students’ well-being in an advanced Italian language subject. Data were collected via a questionnaire (n = 21) created in light of Oxford’s EMPATHICS model of well-being. As part of this module, students were tasked with creating and self-publishing an illustrated story in Italian. Results indicate that the project contributed to students’ well-being, mostly because it enabled them to have an experience of authorship while also making a difference by supporting the local Italian community. Students were able to gain control of their learning by engaging in a task that they perceived as enriching and socially meaningful. The project also had a positive influence on students’ self-efficacy and self-concept, on their intrinsic motivation for learning Italian, as well as on their overall sense of belonging and accomplishment.

‘After the fashion of Italy’: Richard Brome and Italian culture

AbstractThe article discusses Richard Brome's engagement with Italy and its cultural legacy in his corpus. Apparently, the playwright's interest in Italy does not seem particularly profound since his works offer several examples of well‐known and worn‐out cultural stereotypes. Nevertheless, at a closer look, the dramatist may be indisputably listed among the early modern English playwrights who were drawn to Italian culture, art and language. Brome's use of Italian settings and his references to Italy and its literary, cultural and theatrical tradition work as a vehicle for a form of political and moral ideology which reflects the concerns of his country in the 1620s and 1630s. As happened for many playwrights from the period, Italy became a screen for the projection of moral, political and social anxieties as well as a mirror to look at England from another perspective. The analysis of Brome's oeuvre offers a fresh and unexpected angle on an area dominated by Shakespearean criticism while re‐igniting the interest in a playwright who has been an understudied figure in the critical debate, despite his contribution to the development of the Anglo‐Italian discourse in the Caroline age.

Italian Outside of Italy: Power or Resilience? The Role of Italian Emigration in Toronto: A Case Study

Abstract This article presents a case study of the relationship between the Italian community and the Italian language in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) conducted through a qualitative and quantitative analysis. It examines reasons for a serious crisis in enrollment in Italian at the college and university level in a major North American university through an analysis of attitudes of Italian immigrants in the GTA by exploring generational layers. The enrollment situation in Italian is due to pragmatic considerations by students, who seek a curriculum that offers employment opportunities after graduation. A suggestion to increase the marketability of Italian as a language of study is the implementation of a more business- and economics-centered curriculum. The qualitative component consists of interviews with seven members of the Italian community who offered their perspectives on the role of the community and on the possible solutions to the ongoing enrollment crisis.

Near-merger of /s: ʃ/ in Veneto Italian: A preliminary cross-generational acoustic investigation

Italian contrasts /s:/ and /ʃ/. Although in standard Italian (SI) the two phonemes have distinct places of articulation (laminal denti-alveolar and laminal post-alveolar, respectively), early descriptions of the Italian spoken in the Veneto (VI) report a near-merger due to the absence of /ʃ/ in the regional substratum dialect (Canepari 1984). Accordingly, /s:/ is retracted and aplicalized, and /ʃ/ is advanced and in some cases also apicalized in VI. To investigate this phenomenon, an acoustic and statistical analysis of spectral Center of Gravity (COG), known to increase with more advanced constriction location for coronals, is conducted on 192 /s:/ and /ʃ/ tokens produced by six VI speakers (three males and three females) of varying ages (34 to 68) producing eight repetitions of /ˈkassa kasˈsata ˈlaʃa laˈʃata/ ‘case, cassata cake, he/she/it leaves, left’ within carrier sentences. Results show that, regardless of sex, the two older speakers (50 and 68) but not the four younger speakers (34 to 44) produce statistically similar COG values for the two consonants, indicating similar constriction locations. This preliminary study suggests that the near-merger may be produced by older speakers but not younger speakers today, in an ongoing process of standardization of Italian pronunciation across regional varieties.

Recruitment strategies and interventions to increase participation in lung cancer screening programmes: a systematic review protocol

IntroductionDespite strong evidence for the efficacy of low-radiation dose CT (LDCT) in reducing lung cancer (LC) mortality, implementing LC screening (LCS) programmes remains a challenge. We aim to systematically review...

Humanities Pedagogy in a Pandemic Context: Maintaining High-impact Practices in Virtual Classrooms

The arrival of the COVID-19 pandemic and its disruption of post-secondary education turned future planning for online courses into an immediate reality. Given the in-person limitations, courses centred on experiential learning (EL) opportunities were challenging to offer without their curricula undergoing extensive reconsideration. This article highlights how two Italian Studies courses at the University of Toronto (U of T) and University of Toronto Mississauga (UTM), known for their in-person EL opportunities and study abroad, were able to provide highly interactive, global learning spaces online through the deployment of digital technologies and inclusion of redesigned high-impact practices (HIPs). What emerged from these new virtual spaces and adjacent components (e.g. virtual lectures, tours, workshops, assessments) were models for the preservation of academic integrity, frequent peer-to-peer interaction, and innovative ways to put learners into direct contact with Italian culture. Drawing from these successes and from current scholarship in teaching and learning, the courses at the centre of this article – Modern Italian Culture (ITA358/9Y0, U of T) and Italian Culture through Food (ITA235H5, UTM) – are presented as case studies which champion the inclusion of digital learning tools, open access and virtual opportunities across humanities curricula, regardless of delivery mode.