“Ma chi l’ha messo il segno dove finisce il latino e comincia l’italiano?” : kunsiderazzjonijiet lingwistiċi dwar ‘Lettera ad una Professoressa’ tal-iskola ta’ Barbiana

Abstract

The authors of Lettera ad una Professoressa, as well as Don Lorenzo Milani himself, devote great importance to the use of language and to language teaching and learning. From the beginning of the Lettera, the authors observe that those who cannot express themselves coherently and do not learn ‘the art of writing’ are socially disadvantaged and that negative repurcussions that may result from linguistic deficiencies could affect one’s life. Even the language varieties used for everyday communicative purposes can become an instrument of discrimination, on the grounds that standard language forms (on the basis of which one determines ‘correct’ and ‘incorrect’ use of language) are often determined on the grounds of the status and prestige of language varieties that, in the course of time, become a reference point in order to establish grammatical rules. This paper (in Maltese) reflects on the language style of the Lettera ad una Professoressa, and reflects on social and educational implications of language use.