The spread of English in Italy: an overview of the role of English in Italian history, education system and media

In 2018, English remains essential for international communication by being the language of trade, science, business, and diplomacy. Europe has a high level of English proficiency due to cosmopolitanism and international cooperation which are the hallmarks of modern Europe, and the globalised world of today requires this cooperation to happen in English. This paper focuses on the spread of English in Italy, with particular reference to historical context and to the socio-cultural and linguistic profile of present-day Italy.