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Michael's Italian Language Blog

By Michael San Filippo, About.com Guide to Italian Language since 1999

Gli Italiani Protestano Contro Il Weekend!

Friday September 19, 2008

Italians have voted for the ugliest English words, and the winners (or losers, depending on your point of view) include: 'weekend', 'welfare', 'OK', 'briefing', and 'mission'. The Società Dante Alighieri, over the past few months, has conducted a sondaggio (survey) asking readers to nominate their least favorite English expressions: Qual è la parola straniera che ritiene più inoppotuna nell'uso quotidiano della lingua italiana, scritta o parlata?

When announcing the voting results-to-date for the le parole straniere più inopportune (the most awkward (or unsuitable) foreign words), the Società Dante Alighieri noted that: "...è chiaro che gli italiani chiedono più rispetto e più tutela per la propria lingua, soprattutto quando debba essere rimpiazzata da vocaboli stranieri solo per presunta eleganza e non per concreta efficienza..."

For those still suffering from 'lo stress' from 'il weekend', voting continues for the ugliest English words.

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