“Mediazione linguistica: riflessioni su una denominazione”

This paper focuses on the expression “mediazione linguistica” (ML) [Linguistic Mediation], used in the current name of the degree-course class number 3 (recently renumbered as L-12) in Italy. The analysis carried out shows that the introduction of an expression of the kind is based neither on normative grounds, nor on other official italian institutional documents. Furthermore, the label does not seem to have been accepted or adopted by professionals, and contrasts with the definitions of the European Council Common European Framework for Languages, the only official document in which the espresion ML has been defined and institutionally adopted. The inappropriate use of this label has opened up the way to a variety of often arbitrary interpretations of the expression by numerous Italian Faculties, and ML often tends to be confused with Cultural Mediation. Moreover, the conception of the linguistic mediator as a lower level professional in comparison to translators or interpreters seems to be utterly unjustified and unsatisfactory. Italian universities should therefore consider the origin and the meaning of the expression ML with care and precision, and it would be highly desirable to use it as little as possible in the names of the different degree courses or curricula. Finally, wide convergence as to its interpretation ought to be sought.