L’italiano in Svezia: l’apprendimento linguistico nel contesto universitario

This article investigates the sociolinguistic status of the Italian language in Sweden, a traditionally multicultural country where, despite the impressive linguistic variety, foreign languages other than English are not highly regarded. On the one hand, it is hypothesised that the state of the Italian language and culture in Sweden reflects the general crisis of Italian in the world, caused by an ineffective language policy carried out by the Italian Government. On the other hand, it is believed that the learning of Italian is deeply hindered by several specific problems regarding the learning of foreign languages other than English in Sweden, such as the students’ insufficient motivation and inadequate mental approach, as well as the adoption of some education reforms which did not fulfil expectations. The data, collected through bibliographic, sitographic and empirical research, reveal a concerning situation both in qualitative and quantitative terms. After providing a general overview, this paper focuses on the learning of Italian at university and particularly at Stockholm University, where the research was conducted.