Italy: Language Barrier

Submitted by Elizabeth Watkins on the 2018 winter session program in Italy sponsored by the Department of Linguistics and Cognitive Science and the Department of English…

Landing in Italy was an absolute dream, not only because it was my first time out of the continental United States, but because I got to watch the sun rise over the Swiss Alps. I was surprised that all the signs in the airport had English translations under the Italian. I had tried my best to learn some Italian before I left, but of course there’s only so much you can learn in a few months. I studied Spanish in high school, which does help reading some words, but I’m still learning more every day.

The language barrier is tough. Language connects us to people, and when there’s a separation between you and everyone else in the country, it can feel isolating. I miss that the most about home, just being able to casually chat with people. Fortunately for me, many Italians are bilingual, but there’s something about speaking someone’s first language that allows you to connect more than trying to connect through short sentences in two different languages.

My favorite visit of the first week was to Venice. I had always been fascinated with the idea of a ‘floating city’.

Venice boats

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Of course, Venice is not actually floating. The islands, as they are called, are built on top of piles of petrified wood. But it is true that there are not cars or trucks in Venice, the only way to travel is by boat or on foot, and you have to take a boat into the city, which of course provided unbelievable views of the city. I was fascinated that Venice has piles of boardwalks along the sidewalks that have to be set up when it rains, because the city floods in the winter months. There is too much to write about Venice to describe how beautiful it was.

Doges Palace in Venice