english tesina
TRANSCRIPT
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UNIVERSITA’ DEGLI STUDI DI MODENA E REGGIO EMILIA
FACOLTA’ DI LETTERE E FILOSOFIA-CORSO DI LAUREA IN LINGUE PER
LA COMUNICAZIONE NELL’IMPRESA E NELLE ORGANIZZAZIONI
INTERNAZIONALI
Final tesina for the Intercultural communication course 2009/10:
Use of English as a lingua franca (ELF) in the international
communication: a case study on Spicchi di Sicilia, Talatta s.r.l. and
Casale di Villa Rainò websites.
Minelli Lisa Piampiano Antonella
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Preface
Our work comes from the study of English as a lingua franca (ELF)that today has become the main
vehicle for intercultural communication worldwide between a large number of multilingual
individuals, in fact as Crystal affirms “only one out of every four users of English in the world is a
native speaker of the language”. As a consequence most ELF interactions take place among ‘non-
native’ speakers of English not only in speeches and conversation but also in written texts such as
announcements, advertisements or websites. in particular, our analysis will focus on the use of ELF
in Italian websites aiming to the promotion of local culture and products.
In the first section we will be dealing with the main studies concerning ELF such as Kachru’s,
Quirk’s, Berns’ and Modiano’s theories; In the second section we talk about the use of ELF as a
medium of communication in a global market and its characteristics and usages; in the third
section we will analyze three commercial and touristic Sicilian websites using ELF an finally, in the
last chapter we will propose a re-writing of all the previously analyzed texts.
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Introduction
In the last decades, globalization and internationalization processes have extremely changed our
way of communication. In international communication English became the dominant language,
the language commonly used, in a nutshell: the “lingua franca”. ELF (English as a lingua franca) as it is
generally conceived of is essentially “a ‘contact language’ between persons who share neither a
common native tongue nor a common (national) culture, and for whom English is the chosen
foreign language of communication” (Firth, 1996: 240, original emphasis). It can, of course, also
include native speakers when they engage in intercultural communication (Gnutzmann, 2000: 357).
Like Firth, House defines ELF interactions as being “between numbers of two or more different
linguacultures in English, for none of whom English is the mother tongue” (1999).
The origins of the term "lingua franca" date back approximately to the fifteenth century when it
was adopted as the primary means of communication between merchants and sailors in the
South-East coast of the Mediterranean Sea who did not share the same mother tongue.
Considering the different origins between users from both a geographical and linguistic point of
view, the resulting language was a pidgin based on some Italian dialects including elements of
French, Portuguese, Spanish, Arabic, Turkish, Greek and Persian, a sort of "patchwork”.
English obtained the status of the world's lingua franca through globalization. Over the centuries
English has become widespread and it is used worldwide mainly for some socio-economic reasons
but also for political and cultural causes strictly interlinked with the British Empire hegemony in
the past and the United States hegemony in the last century.
As Crystal quoted “the one main reason” for the global recognition of a single language in “the
political power of the people who speak it”.
Furthermore, other additional factors have contributed to the spread of English as a lingua franca:
travel, migration, mass media, popular culture, Internet but also the using of English in the
international scientific community.
The success of English as global language also depends on practical reasons such as a rich
vocabulary (the Oxford dictionary counts 615,000 words) and its borrowing and incorporating
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nature (only 50-60% of English vocabulary is proper English, the other words came from Germanic
and Scandinavian idioms), the simplified morphology (free of gender and simplified verb system)
and syntax that make the usage easier and more flexible for non-native speakers.
Barbara Seidlhofer pointed out that ELF is preferred not so much “because most lingua franca
definitions restrict it to communication among non-native users as such, but because it best
signals that it is these non-native users that provide the strongest momentum for the
development of the language in its global uses”. In fact it is NNSs rather than NSs who contributes
the most to the evolving and changing of ELF, the majority of linguistic innovations come from the
development of American English, Singapore English, Indian English and so on and so forth. The
NNSs monopoly is due to the international rather than the intranational use of ELF.
Another element that can be taken in support of this thesis is the similarity of the linguistic
evolution processes in ELF and in the other Englishes which will be discussed in the following
chapter.
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1. Englishes and some theoretical points on ELF
Do the British speak the same English as the Americans, the Nigerians, the Singaporeans, the
Australians, the Irish, or the Indians? Is there a global standard for all English speakers or not? Can
we claim that one version of English is more correct, formal, or proper than other forms? Are
native speakers of English really the best English example to emulate for those who are learning
English? These questions are among the most frequent in the debates on the status of English
where the contrast between two radically opposed views emerges: Kachru’s pluralistic model and
Quirk’s monolithic point of view. The first one promotes the multiplicity of several “new Englishes”
through which individuality or nationality can be expressed.
On the contrary, the second one expresses fear of an eventual fragmentation of English which
would inevitably obstruct the role of English as the ‘word language’.
The most influential model of the spread of English has
undoubtedly been that of Kachru (1992)
Kachru divides World Englishes into three concentric
circles, the Inner Circle, the Outer Circle and the
Expanding Circle.
The three circles ‘represent the types of spread, the
patterns of acquisition, and the functional allocation of
English in diverse cultural contexts’, as the language
travelled from Britain, in the first diasporas to the other
ENL countries (the Inner Circle), in the second diasporas to the ESL countries (the Outer Circle)
and, more recently, to the EFL countries (the Expanding Circle). The English spoken in the Inner
Circle, English as a native language, is ‘norm-providing’, that in the Outer Circle, English as a
second language, is ‘norm-developing’ and that in the Expanding Circle, English as a foreign
language, is ‘norm-dependent’. In other words, English-language standards are determined by
speakers of ENL, ESL speakers are not totally dependent of ENL because their varieties are
characterized by robustness, sistematicity and creativity, and they made English the language of
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the institutions and bureaucracy, EFL speakers are the largest group of the three and they are also
the users of ELF.
In opposition to Kachru’s model it is important to talk about the famous view of Quirk. Although
he acknowledged an obvious degree of variety within English spoken worldwide, he expressed
some concerns on the fact that English could diversify and fragment into many mutually
unintelligible local forms (the same fate which affected Latin), which, according to him, could not
have had the status of standard language. He focused on the presence of a uniform standard, a
form of English that is both understood and respected in every corner of the globe, the only one
that can be considered as an international language. The position of Quirk can somehow be
justified if we take into account the fact that at the time of his studies, very little had been done in
research and analysis on ELF.
As previously explained, opponents to the ELF legitimacy do not only come from the group of
native speakers, a prominent example is Kachru himself. When it was first proposed, Kachru’s
concentric circles paradigm proved to be extremely useful as it helped promote varieties of
English, but his model tends to generalize: within the same circles there are not homogeneities.
The idea that English is a second language for someone and a first language for someone else can
create problems and discriminations, giving the impression that English belongs to the NSs who
hold it as their mother tongue and who are considered the owners of the “right” variety.
In 1995 Margie Berns, with reference to the available
literature, discussed some of her own research on the
uses of English in the 12 EU member nations. Originally
she wanted to classify the EU as a single sociolinguistic
entity, but she found that each country must be
considered its own entity. She found that Kachru’s
widely-used model is not quite adequate in accounting
for the situation in unified Europe problem areas:
Luxembourg, Germany, the Netherlands.
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She proposed a revised analysis:
• Inner Circle: English functions as a native language;
• Expanding/Outer Circle: a combination of Kachru’s original Outer and Expanding Circles
which shows their interrelatedness;
• Expanding Circle: English used as a foreign language.
More recently, in 1999, Modiano
proposed “the centripetal circles of
international English model, re-
establishing the notion that the language
is the property of specific groups and that
correct use is determined by experts who
speak a prestige variety”.
The centre is made up of those who are proficient in international English. That is, these speakers
function well in cross-cultural communication where English is the lingua franca. They are just as
likely to be non-native as native speakers of English.
The next band consists of those who have proficiency in English as either a first or second
language rather than as an international language. In other words, their communication is efficient
with, respectively, other native speakers (with whom they share English as an L1) or other non-
native speakers from the same L1 background as themselves.
The third circle is made up of learners of English, i.e. those who are not yet proficient in English.
Outside this circle is a final band to represent those people who do not know English at all.
Modiano was strongly criticized for this model, mostly by native speakers.
In reaction to the criticisms to his first model
Modiano proposed a new system in which English
as an international language (EIL) is illustrated by
those features of English which are common to all
native and non-native varieties. At the centre is EIL,
a core of features which are comprehensible to the
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majority of native and competent non-native speakers of English. The outer area consists of five
groups (American English, British English, other major varieties, local varieties, foreign varieties)
each with features peculiar to their own speech community and which are unlikely to be
understood by most members of the other four groups. But even in this model the scholars’
community underlined two main problems: the vague definition of the core and non-core varieties
and the assumption that native speakers were made equal to the ‘competent’ non-native
speakers.
For example, according to Barbara Seidlhofer, the use of International English “is misleading […] it
suggests that there is one clearly distinguishable, codified and unitary variety called International
English, which is certainly not the case”.
To conclude our theoretical approach we can say that ELF is the term that best fits a "new kind of
English" (different from EFL and ESL) used above all for communication purposes in interactions
among non-native speakers.
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2. ELF as a medium to reach the global market in internet websites
Given the growth of the global market, the effective international communication has become
imperative for companies. One of the most powerful tools at their disposal is undoubtedly the
World Wide Web which can be considered a means to “think locally and act globally” as Geert
Hofstede said. To put together local and global, English is the strategic medium not only for native
speakers companies and countries but also for non-native speakers ones who, as we said before,
use ELF in business and commercial communication to reach a global market.
The localization process is most generally related to cultural adaptation. Companies operate in a
number of countries, adjusting products and practices for each. Their main goal is to be present in
the markets of other nations with targeted products. While globalization aims is to sell the same
things in the same way everywhere in the world without paying any particular attention to the
local culture and demands (e.g. chain stores like Mc Donald’s).
The companies most interested in thinking locally and acting globally are those producing culture
specific goods such as drink or food that have to avoid neutralization and standardization in order
to convey the specific and unique cultural features of their products. The previously mentioned
local products are characterized by their particular capacity to transmit emotions and different
sensorial experiences, deep-rooted in specific periods and places. Furthermore they are often
conjugated to a high collective image of the territory and they are of great appeal in local terms;
actually, the product qualification and selling mechanisms can be activated thanks to the renown
of the product itself. In this case the consumer is primarily the tourist who visits or has visited the
territory and appreciates the cultural importance of the territory; this is a primary reason why the
product can be exported.
Since the territorial system plays a fundamental role in defining the prestige of the local products,
companies’ websites tend to focus on the typical and unique socio-cultural context.
The interconnection between the local culture and a company’s identity is the benchmark on
which management builds its strategy, structure and communication. Culture mirrors the
philosophy of past, present and future leadership styles and commitments to its core values.
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The corporate identity is the presentation of an organization to every stakeholder. It incorporates
the organization’s design, culture, behavior, structure and strategy.
Balmer and Soenen have illustrated all these components in
“the new identity mix” scheme which underlines the relation
between culture and all the other elements.
The corporate identity is promoted in all the companies’
websites (big, small and medium-size companies). The
corporate communication aims at strengthening its target audiences knowledge of the company’s
activities to gain competitive success, promote ethical codes, stress social responsibility and allow
stakeholders to play more active roles in corporate governance.
In order to spread their corporate identity and promote their culture and products non-native
speaker companies have to provide an English version of their websites to reach the greatest
number of potential customers.
Before starting the actual analysis of selected texts we would like to introduce another theoretical
concept concerning the practice of translation introduced by Lawrence Venuti: foreignization and
domestication. They provide both linguistic and cultural advice. According to Venuti, foreignization
refers to an ethnocentric reduction of the foreign text to target-language cultural values, while
domestication is an ethnodeviant pressure on those cultural values to register the linguistic and
cultural difference of the foreign text, sending the reader abroad. Generally speaking,
domestication designates the type of translation in which a transparent, fluent style is adopted to
minimize the strangeness of the foreign text for target language readers, while foreignization
means a target text is produced which deliberately breaks target conventions by retaining
something of the foreignness of the original. Venuti supports the foregnizing strategy: resisting,
and estranging translation against domestication in order to raise “an opposition to the global
hegemony of English”.
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After careful analysis of several sites of small and medium-sized Italian companies, we realized
that the English version is often a mere translation of the site’s Italian version. This kind of
translation causes a sense of uneasiness both linguistic and cultural under various aspects:
• The incorrect distribution of information in the text due to the adoption of an Italian
structure which goes against the theme-rheme rule of English;
• The presence of too long sentences which are sometimes divided in two, following the
Italian structure of inciso, cause a loss of coherence;
• Use of inappropriate or out-of-place words especially culturally bound terms which are
difficult or challenging to translate.
While the cited inaccuracies may compromise the text comprehension, there are is some
regularity in the use of ELF that does not hinder a successful communication; According to Barbara
Seidlhofer these typical traits or deviations include:
• Dropping the third person present tense –s;
• Confusing the relative pronouns who and which;
• Omitting definite and indefinite articles where they are obligatory in ENL and inserting
them when they do not occur;
• Inserting redundant prepositions;
• Overusing of certain verbs with high semantic generality (do, have, make…);
• Replacing infinitive constructions with that clauses (I want that…);
• Overdoing explicitness;
• Plural subjects + singular verb forms.
The ELF employed in companies’ websites is clearly subjected to many influences, above all the
writer’s native culture and language. Nonetheless, companies make efforts to adapt the language
in order to convey their specific identity to multiple audiences.
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3. Analysis of Italian websites
Looking for a practical comparison of ELF theories, we decided to analyze a sample of Italian
websites’ English versions, both commercial and touristic. To better emphasize the importance
that culture plays in the export of typical products related to national and local identity, we
focused our attention on some Sicilian websites. Firstly, we examined the site “Spicchi di Sicilia”
(Wedges of Sicily), a citrus producing farm interested in the export of both raw materials and its
by-products (including retail). Secondly, we analyzed the site of another Sicilian company engaged
in selling and exporting ichthyic local products, such as anchovies and sardines, whose translation
appears to have been edited by the fishermen themselves and not by professional translators to
whom big firms generally turn to. Finally, to bring an example of translation for tourism, we chose
the site of farm holidays located in the small village of Gangi in the province of Palermo.
Considering that in the last decades, the visual and oral modes have received particular attention,
the first step in the analysis of websites has been the evaluation of their intrinsic multimodality;
According to Kress and Van Leeuwen multimodality is the use of a wide range of semiotic modes
(verbal, visual, and oral) and the way in which they are combined in a single communicative
process. This is considered a particularly important ongoing project to construct meanings and to
convey a complex image of the company in websites.
The result of all the components of a website (generally images or animations, sound and written
texts) is not simply the sum of the meaning of each one, because every part has to be interpreted
thanks to the presence of the others.
In the citrus producer’s site, multimodality can be immediately noticed in the home page, where
you are hit by the massive presence of orange (repeated throughout the website) that refers both
to the color of many citrus fruits and to the sun of Sicily tanks to which they ripen.
In fact, colors are not simply ornamental in websites, but are used as visual devices in order to
perform various communicative functions, such as cohesion.
The company’s mark (logo) is both textually and graphically reproduced.
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In the same page, next to the text, we find the image of an orange wearing a
typical Sicilian hat (coppola) and with a mustache. As expressed in Pierce’s
categorization of signs, this type of image also plays the function of an icon
because it is used symbolically to identify the origin and highlight the quality of
the product. This image is even maintained in the English version of the site as it refers to a
stereotype or a trademark universally recognized.
In the section dedicated to the farms there are some realistic pictures of land where citrus fruits
are grown as well as photos of the citrus trees. In each of the sub-sections devoted to the farms,
the images emphasizes faithfully and graphically what is described in the text.
The same choice was made by the owners/creators of the site of Villa Rainò: the text for each section is
enriched by pictures which show the inside and the outside of the farm which is surrounded by nature.
Villa Rainò’s owners have also chosen a family/friendly approach by including in the "Who We
Are" section some photos that feature them to establish a direct connection with its potential
customers.
In regards to the TALATTA’s website, there is an underlining
presence of the color blue in combination with red that emphasizes
their corporate logo.
Another strategy adopted by TALATTA’s website is the repetition of a slogan found in various
pages in order to emphasize the message that: “Mediterranean diet is good for your Heart. ”.
In addition to this the ichthyic company’s website is the only one that includes an animation which
shows the entire production process from the fish cleaning to the fish canning.
Another important property of computer-mediated discourse is granularity: the text is broken up
into basic units or grains which often correspond to the amount of text that can be displayed on
screen. This sort of structure presents a “meaning-by-degree” system (Lemke:2006).
Proceeding step by step, we analyzed each grain of the websites’ text starting from the home
page. We will now begin with the analysis of Spicchi di Sicilia web site.
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Home page
We are young and willing farmers who have recently decided to come in direct contact with you,
consumers(INAPPROPRIATE), to disclose (DEVIATION)to you the gates of our farms and to shorten the
supply chain, in order to be able to offer citrus fruits of high quality (WORD POSITION) at a price convenient
for both. The lands on which we grow citrus trees are particularly favourable and we, with the experience
inherited and following the scientific knowledge acquired with studies, (TOO LONG PARENTHETIC CLAUSE)
grow the varieties most suited (WORD ORDER) to each farm with that care that (OVERUSE OF “THAT”)
comes from passion. Our products grow and ripen in harmony with the environment, because nature is our
fellow (INAPPROPRIATE) and needs to be protected now, before it is too late. Our employees, with their
special care for the plants, make of our citrus fruits some real artworks(DEVIATION). We believe in
transparency so much that we invite you in Sicily to find out how we grow our oranges, because we have
nothing to hide but everything to tell (INAPPROPRIATE). To disclose the gates (DEVIATION) of our lands
means, therefore, to hope you would like to discover the treasures we are offering(ITALIAN SYNTACTIC
STRUCTURE).
About us section
We believe(REPEATED ANAPHORA) it is important to choose the most suitable lands for different
productions(INAPPROPRIATE), in order to have the best products without forcing plants
(INAPPROPRIATE).
We believe that the culture inherited (WORD ORDER) from the previous generations(OVERDOING
EXPLICTNESS) is a fundamental value also in agriculture.
We believe in the respect of the same rules that safeguard both the consumer and the
producer.(REPLACING –ING CONTRUNCTIONS WITH “THAT” CLAUSE)
We believe in that choices that (OVERUSE OF “THAT” IMITATING ITALIAN STRUCTURE ) allow (OMITTING
PRONOUN) not only to maintain the environment as it was given to us but, where possible, to
collaborate to improve it.( ITALIAN SYNTACTIC STRUCTURE)
We believe in science and progress, applied with knowledge, respect and clear rules.
We believe it is high time to (WRONG USE OF A FIXED ENGLISH STRUCTURE) cut the long supply chain,
which makes high-quality citrus fruits too expensive for consumers and the incomes too low for
producers.
We believe in transparency, as we think it is fundamental for consumers and because we have nothing to
hide and everything to tell.(INAPPROPRIATE)
We believe in respect (OMITTING DEFINITE ARTICLE) for people who work in our farms, as they represent
that added value which makes our citrus some real artworks.
We believe in the absolute respect for the consumer, because they give a reason (GRAMMAR INACCURACY)
to our efforts.(ITALIAN STRUCTURE)
We believe it is high time to raise heads (WRONG USE OF A FIXED ENGLISH STRUCTURE) against unfair
competition, which does not respect any of the values on which our job is founded. (INAPPROPRIATE)
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The anaphoric repetition of “We believe” aims at establishing credibility and trustworthiness,
trying to convince the audience by taking the responsibility for what they are saying (evaluative
language).
Our Farms section
Castiglione di Sicilia
Along the valleys at the (INSERTION OF PREPOSITION + ARTICLE WHERE THEY DO NOT OCCUR IN ENL) north
of Etna which run to the sea (INAPPROPRIATE), the Alcantara river flows jumping into bright rocks and deep
gorges, bringing (INAPPROPRIATE) nourishment to plants and animals which are (INSERTING UNNECESSARY
PRONOUN) , nowadays, protected by the Parco Fluviale. It is there that (UNNECESSARY STRUCTURE) we
grow our organic citrus fruits certified Ecocert,(OMITTING PREPOSITION) with the same love which
(OVERUSE OF “WHICH”) the ancient river gives (INAPPOPRIATE USE OF A HIGH SEMANTIC GENERALITY
VERB) to its creatures. Our farm consists of an orchard of Tarocco “comune”, which was established in
ancient times close to the Gole dell’Alcantara; it is watered with the same water that flows into the
river,(INCORRECT DISTRIBUTION OF INFORMATION) the freshness that comes through the rocks and the
special exposition (INAPPROPRIATE) allow our oranges to ripen with the long times of nature (OVERDOING
EXPLICITNESS), and to gain, just between the old and the new year, unique (OMITTING INDEFINTE
ARTICLE)aroma and taste.
Giarre
The ancient Greek sailors who passed by the east coast of Sicily, were terrified at the sight of the giant
Polifemo who, with his eye dripping blood red as fire,(INAPPRIOPRIATE VERB + POMPOUS LANGUAGE)
threatened whoever dared to step on his land. That same giant that we call “Mongibello”, the Etna volcano,
has created in thousand years (GRAMMAR MISTAKE) a stripe (SPELLING MISTAKE) of volcanic soil between
itself and the sea. It is just on this soil that we lead our farm where, together with cherries, we grow
beautiful citrus fruits which are refreshed by the air that comes up from the sea in the morning, the
“grecalata”, and by that coming from the volcano in the afternoon, the “ricalata”. With all our pride of old
citrus growers, we present the variety of products chosen for this farm: clementine apirene “spinoso”, taclè
from east Sicily, the late mandarins of Ciaculli from west Sicily.
Motta sant’Anastasia
South of the volcano, in the Piana di Catania, there exists an area characterized by pedoclimatic conditions
which are unique on earth.(INCORRECT DISTRIBUTION OF INFORMATION) Here, during the neverending
(INAPPROPRIATE) sicilian summer, the day brings a dry climate and unimaginable temperatures, while at
night the air becomes fresh in a inconsueta way for our latitudes. The snow that in winter covers the south
side VERSANTE of our volcano, melts in spring filtering between the volcanic rocks and reaching the planes
(SPELLING MISTAKE)south of Catania, were it waters (INAPPROPRIATE) our luxuriant orange orchards.
Thanks to the special composition of the soil in this area, to the temperature excursions (DEVIATION) and to
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the presence of the volcano, the red oranges gain a pigmentation of the pulp (OVERDOING EXPLICITNESS)
and a sugar degree (DEVIATION) that make them famous worldwide. It is in these lands (IMITATING
ITALIAN STRUCTURE) that we produce our Tarocco “nucellare” oranges, with all the heart and passion of our
Sicilian spirit.
All the words highlighted in yellow are clear examples of Venuti’s domestication strategy. The
translator’s decided not to translate these words in order to give the reader a better idea of Sicily’s
particular cultural context.
Our analysis continues with TALATTA’s website:
Company section
Talatta has been active (INAPPROPRIATE) in the quality fish preservation industry(DISTRIBUTION
OF INFORMATION) for half a century, particulary that of Anchovies and Sardins, both salted and in
oil.
The Company follows all the stages of productio from the purchase of the eatch (TAPING MISTAKE?)
to the marketing(INAPPROPRIATE) - now on a world scale(DEVIATION) - of is (TAPING MISTAKE?)
products.
The care and attention with which the lengthy(INAPPROPRIATE) processing phases are carried out,
plus the high quality of the fish itself, give the final product unique qualities of fragrance and
taste.(INCORRECT DISTRIBUTION OF INFORMATION)
In recent years, in order to satisfy new customer demands(WORD ORDER), but still using
(INAPPROPRIATE) the (INSERING ARTICLE WHERE IT DOESN’T OCCUR) traditional methods, the
Company has tried out new eclectic (INAPPROPRIATE) flavors (SPELLING MISTAKE) for the
preservation of Anchovy Fillets in Olive oil, paprika, parsley, and summer truffles in Worcester
sauce, as well as aromatic vinegar, Provençal herbs, capers, rosemary, oranges and other
specialities known and appreciatef by connoisseurs of the sea.
It could hardly be otherwise, for (INCORRECT) TALATTA is the Ancient word for SEA.
Mediterranean diet is good for your Heart.
Production section
Anchovies under salt (DEVIATION): the product consists of (DEVIATION) anchovies fished in the
Mediterraneo sea. The fish arriver(TAPING MISTAKE?) witthiu (SPELLING MISTAKE) 24 hours after
haring (GRAMMAR/SPELLING ERROR) caught. The anchovies are immediately selected, decapitated
by hand, whashed (TAPING MISTAKE) in pickled (INCORRECT) water. Ther arether put in appropriate
(TAPING/GRAMMAR MISTAKE) containers made from tipplate (SPELLING/GRAMMAR MISTAKE) and
set to salt down (LITERAL TRANSLATION?) this phase differs for various reasons (SYNTACTIC
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STRUCTURE): fishing zone, season, temperature, fish dimension, final use of (OMITTING ARTCLE)
product. At the begning (TAPING MISTAKE) the tin plate conteiners (SPELLING MISTAKE), several
positions according to (LITERAL TRANSLATION) the conservation tower " Torre di Maturazione "
during this plase (TAPING MISTAKE) the towers are watered everyday with saturate (WRONG
ADJECTIVE/NOUN OMITTED) of NaCl. Once ready (a person in charge decides wher) (WRONG
TRANSLATION/SPELLING MISTAKE) the containers are closed and staked (WRONG TRANSLATION) in
the warehouse.
Casale Villa Rainò home page
...... to travel it is to feel every breath of wind to tell centuries to us of history whispers to you
between the trees… (POMPOUS AND INCORRECT TRANSALTION)
Who we are section
One autumn afternoon, Aldo and Nina Conte fell in love with this old farmhouse situated in the
Rainò valley and decided to bring back life the rooms (WORD ORDER), the walls, but above all the
warm family atmosphere af Villa Rainò which once belonged to the Li Destri family and Aldo and
Nina decided to share this ancient dream with travellers... (TOO LONG SENTENCE)
The rooms section
The villahas maintained its original structure and each room has a ladies name (GRAMMAR
ERROR). Elisabetta has a beautiful view of the valley, Diletta is the most romantic, Ursula….well you
just cannot describe her(ORAL FORM), but afterall you have to live ther (TAPIMG
ERROR:THERE/HER?) to decide which (MISSING WORD) you prefer. All the rooms have “en suite”
and central heating. The real (DEVIATION) bonus though, reserved (DEVIATION) only to (WRONG
PREPOSITION) a few spring mornings, is the natural early morning wake-up call made by the
woodpeckers.
The restaurant section
Our restaurant offers traditional Sicilian dishes, typical menus include a variety of hors d’ oeuvres
like “caponata”, fresh vegetables cooked in a number of ways, and ricotta cheese, all local products
of the land. (ITALIAN STRUCTURE) First courses are enriched with natural spices. Filled aubergine
rolls, risotto with pumpkin sauce, pasta with ricotta cheese are just a few of the variety of recipes.
(ITALIAN STRUCTURE) Meat dominates(INAPPROPRIATE) our main courses, why not taste our
“stigliole”, “mutton” and “sausages”. (INACCURATE INTERROGATIVE FORM). Accompanied
(DEVIATION) with home made (INCORRECT FORM) local wine that tastefully complete your meal.
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The swimming pool section
Villa Rainò is situated on (INCORRECT PREPOSITION) a beautiful Valley, dominated by Mount
Marone. The countryside, (INACCURATE PUNCTUATION DIVIDING SUBJECT AND VERB) is a
flourishing abundance of vegetation which culminates in a forest of oak (PLURAL FORM MISSING)
and fir trees, giving the valley beauty, colour and tranquillity (INCORRECT USE OF THE VERB). In
spring and summer time you can enjoy all this (ITALIAN STRUCTURE) while sunbathing by the pool
which (INCORRECT USE OF WHICH INSTEAD OF AN –ING FORM) reflects the spectacular
surroundings. Just a few metres along, (INCORRECT PREPOSITION) you can admire “la rotonda” of
the age-old trees and by shutting (INCORRECT FOR THE CHOSEN REGISTER) your eyes for just a few
seconds you can feel you are part of a period which has no present or future, just a continuity
between one era and another, very different but united under the same sky and surrounded by the
same nature….. (DEVIATION/ITALIAN POMPOUS STRUCTURE)
History and legend section
For many years the villa was (WRONG VERB TENSE) the residence of the Li Destri family who
originaly (TAPING MISTAKE?) came from Spain, and had a prominent rote (TAPING MISTAKE?) in
Sicily in that period (ITALIAN PHRASAL STRUCTURE). It was an old letter addressed to Antonio Li
Destri, came of Villa Rainò that gove (TAPING MISTAKE) the present structure its name (ITALIAN
STRUCTURE). Many legends are told about the villa and its inhabitants (ITALIAN STRUCTURE). There
are stories of brigands that hid outside the main town and used tunnels under the villa that
(OVERUSE OF “THAT CLAUSES” INSTEAD OF –ING FORMS) took them to safer places. There are
stories of great festivities (INACCURATE) organized in honour of renowned guests; like the reception
in honour of the Zar (ITALIAN FORM) visiting the Baron, or the lunch with Mussolini in the shade of
“the Rotonda”. There are stories of balls and conspiracies…. We don’t know just how much is true
and how much is just fruit (DEVIATION) of collective imagination, for certain entire generations, day
after day have designed the present form that has established the true identity and authenticity of
the Villa. (LITERAL TRANSLATION)
Where we are section
Villa Rainò is just 4km from Gangi, that was original (INCORRECT) founded by the Cretans. Its
distant origins today permit us to boast of special treasures, like churches, a sign of distant religious
traditions (ITALIAN STRUCTURE). The museum that has collected traces of an ancient city. The
works of many local artists like the famous “zoppo di Gangi” and the latest picture gallery that
possesses numerous works of the Sicilian painter Gianbecchina. (INACCURATE PUNCTUATION IN
TRANSLATION) Gangi is also proud of its variety of charming countryside. From a distance Gangi
looks more like a Christmas crib nestling around(WRONG PREPOSITION) the summit of Monte
Marone; from the peak of Gangi you can admire vast green countrysides (GRAMMAR ERROR) and
19
when the sky is clear the blue Tyrrhenian Sea and the silhouette(ITALIAN STRUCTURE) to
(UNNECESSARY PREPOSITION) of the Eolian Islands. Rich in history but also in traditions,(ITALIAN
STRUCTURE WITHOUT THE SUBJECT, important festivities, like:(UNECESSARY PUNCTUATION) the
Corn festival, Palm Sunday and the festivity of the Holy Spirit. On the outskirts of Gangi there are
many more interesting places to visit like, Petralia, Sperlinga, Polizzi Generosa and Geraci Siculo.
Thanks to its position it is also ideal for lond (TAPING MISTAKE) walks through the vast Madonie
Park.
How to find us:
☺Travelling from Palermo, after driving 100km along the Palermo-Catania motor-way turn off at
Tremmonzelli and Gangi is just another 38km away.
☺Travelling from Catania along the Catania-Palermo motor-way, turn off at Mulinello.
All the words highlighted in fuchsia are a clear example of Venuti’s foreignization strategy.
20
4. Re-elaboration of Italian websites
Bearing in mind the above theories and the errors we have analyzed, we will now try to propose a
better approach to rewriting of all sections of each website.
Spicchi di Sicilia
Home page
We are a group of young farmers
willing to come in direct contact with
our customers in order to shorten the
supply chain.
Our main mission is to offer high-
quality citrus fruits at a fair price
convenient both for you and for us.
Thanks to the fertile and fruitful lands
and our scientific knowledge,
experience and passion, our products
grow and ripen in harmony with the
environment which is aligned with our
attention to sustainability.
Our experts take care of the citrus
fruits turning them into some real
masterpieces.
Waiting for you to come and visit us
and our farms, to see our treasures
with your own eyes, discover our
values and products in the website!
Siamo dei produttori giovani e volenterosi e, da
qualche tempo, abbiamo pensato di metterci in
contatto diretto con voi consumatori per aprirvi
le porte delle nostre aziende e tagliare la
filiera, in modo da offrirvi agrumi di qualità ad
un prezzo conveniente per entrambi. Le terre
su cui produciamo gli agrumi sono
particolarmente vocate e noi, ricchi
dell’esperienza tramandataci e della scienza
appresa con gli studi, coltiviamo le varietà più
adatte ad ogni azienda con quell’amore che solo
un appassionato può avere. I nostri prodotti
crescono e maturano senza pesare
sull’ambiente, perché la natura è la nostra
compagna di strada e va protetta oggi, prima
che sia troppo tardi. Gli uomini che lavorano da
noi, curano le piante con quell’attenzione che
rende i nostri agrumi delle vere opere d’arte.
Crediamo nel valore della trasparenza tanto da
invitarvi in Sicilia a vedere come produciamo le
nostre arance, perché noi non abbiamo nulla da
nascondere e tutto da raccontare. Aprirvi le
porte delle nostre terre significa infine avere
la speranza che vogliate scoprire i tesori che
oggi vi offriamo.
21
About us
We believe in the importance of choosing
the most suitable lands for each
plantation in order to obtain the best
organic fruits.
We believe that our inherited age-old
culture is a fundamental value for our
mission.
We believe in the value of transparency
for the sake of both the customer and the
producer.
We believe in the choices allowing us to
safeguard and improve the environment
even for the future generations.
We believe in science and progress ,
applied with knowledge, respect and
clear rules.
We believe it is high time we cut the long
supply chain which is detrimental to
both consumers and producers.
We believe that people who work in our
farms are the real added value of our
company.
We believe in respect for our customers
since they are the reason behind our
efforts.
Last but not least, we believe it is high
time we raised up against unfair
competition which conflicts with the
valuable objectives of our work.
Crediamo che sia importante scegliere le
terre adatte alle produzioni, al fine di
avere i migliori prodotti senza
forzature.
Crediamo che la cultura tramandataci dalle
generazioni precedenti sia un valore
fondamentale anche in agricoltura.
Crediamo nel rispetto di quelle stesse
regole che proteggono il consumatore e
il produttore.
Crediamo in quelle scelte che ci
permettono non solo di conservare
l’ambiente come ci è stato lasciato ma,
ove possibile, di collaborare a
migliorarlo.
Crediamo nella scienza e nel progresso
applicati con cognizione, rispetto
e regole chiare.
Crediamo che sia ora di tagliare quella
lunghissima filiera, che rende cari gli
agrumi di qualità per i consumatori e
miseri gli incassi per i produttori.
Crediamo nella trasparenza, perché
riteniamo sia fondamentale per i
consumatori e perché non abbiamo nulla
da nascondere e tutto da raccontare.
Crediamo nel rispetto per le persone che
lavorano nelle nostre aziende, perché
sono quel valore aggiunto che rende i
nostri agrumi delle opere d’arte.
Crediamo nel rispetto assoluto per il
consumatore, perché senza di lui il
nostro impegno non avrebbe senso.
Crediamo sia ora di ribellarci a quella
concorrenza sleale, che non ha rispetto
per nessuno dei valori su cui si fonda il
nostro modo di fare.
22
Farms
Castiglione di Sicilia
Along the valleys north of Etna the
Alcantara river flows down to the sea
jumping into bright rocks and deep gorges,
providing nourishment to plants and
animals nowadays protected by the Parco
Fluviale. There, with the same love given by
the river, we grow our organic citrus fruits ,
certified by Ecocert.
Our farm is composed by an ancient
orchard of Tarocco “comune” located close
to the “Gole dell’Ancantara “; the river
itself irrigates the orchard and the
freshness coming from the rocks and the
peculiar exposure to the sunlight, allow our
oranges to ripen naturally. Thus, they gain
the unique aroma and taste.
Motta Sant’Anastasia
The area south of the volcano in the Piana
di Catania is characterized by unique soil
and climate conditions. Here, during the
endless Sicilian summer, days are dry and
hot, while nights are surprisingly fresh.
Thanks to the soil’s special composition in
the area, to the temperature range and to
the presence of the volcano, red oranges
gain a particular pigmentation and a
percentage of sugar that makes them
known all over the world.
In these very lands we produce our Tarocco
“nucellare” with all our heart and passion.
Lungo le valli, che poste a nord dell’Etna,
corrono verso il mare, scorre saltellando tra
rocce lucenti e profonde gole il vorticoso fiume
Alcantara, da sempre ricco di nutrimento per una
flora ed una fauna protette oggi dal parco
fluviale. Proprio lì coltiviamo i nostri agrumi
biologici certificati ecocert, con lo stesso amore
con cui l’antico fiume nutre le sue creature. Si
tratta di un impianto di tarocco “comune”
situato vicino alle gole dell’Alcantara da tempi
remoti; la stessa acqua che da vita al fiume lo
irriga, la frescura che sale attraverso le pareti
rocciose e la particolare esposizione consentono
alle arance di maturare con i lunghi tempi della
natura, sì da assumere, a cavallo tra vecchio e
nuovo anno, un aroma unico ed un sapore
inconfondibile.
Esiste una zona a sud del vulcano, all’interno della
piana di Catania, caratterizzata da condizioni
pedoclimatiche uniche al mondo. Qui, durante
l’infinita estate siciliana, di giorno si ha un clima
asciutto e dotato di temperature inimmaginabili, di
notte, per contro, l’aria si rinfresca in modo
insospettabile per le nostre latitudini. La neve che
d’inverno si accumula sul versante meridionale del
nostro vulcano, si scioglie in primavera, penetrando
tra le rocce vulcaniche e giungendo fino alla pianure a
sud di Catania, dove tra l’altro, disseta i nostri
rigogliosi aranci. Grazie alla particolare composizione
delle terre di queste zone, all’escursione termica ed
alla presenza del vulcano, le arance rosse assumono
una pigmentazione della polpa e un grado zuccherino
tali da renderle famose in tutti i continenti. Proprio in
queste terre produciamo le nostre arance Tarocco
“nucellare”, con tutto l’ardore e la passione del
nostro cuore siciliano.
23
Giarre
The ancient Greek sailors who passed
by the east coast of Sicily, were terrified
at the sight of the giant Polifemo who,
with his eye steaming with blood
threatened whoever dared to step on
his land. That same giant that we call
“Mongibello”, the Etna volcano, has
created in thousands of years a strip of
volcanic soil between itself and the sea.
It is just on this soil that we lead our
farm where, together with cherries, we
grow beautiful citrus fruits which are
refreshed by the air that comes up from
the sea in the morning, the
“grecalata”, and by that coming from
the volcano in the afternoon, the
“ricalata”. With all our pride of old
citrus growers, we present the variety of
products chosen for this farm:
“clementine apirene spinoso”, taclè
from east Sicily, the late mandarins of
Ciaculli from west Sicily.
TALATTA
Company section
Talatta has been engaged in high-
quality preservation of ichthyic
products for half a century, above all
Anchovies and Sardines, both salted
and in oil.
Gli antichi marinai ellenici che
costeggiavano la Sicilia orientale,
rimanevano atterriti alla vista del gigante
Polifemo che, con il suo occhio grondante
sangue rosso come il fuoco, minacciava
chiunque osasse mettere piede a terra.
Quello stesso gigante che noi chiamiamo
“Mongibello”, l’Etna, ha creato nel corso dei
millenni una particolare striscia di terreno
vulcanico posto tra sé ed il mare. E’ qui che
possediamo un’azienda in cui, in
consociazione con i ciliegi, coltiviamo
splendidi agrumi che vengono rinfrescati
dall’aria che sale dal mare la mattina
“grecalata” e da quella che scende dal
vulcano il pomeriggio “ricalata”. Con tutto il
nostro orgoglio di vecchi agrumicoltori, vi
presentiamo le varietà di prodotti che
abbiamo scelto per quest’azienda: le
clementine apirene “spinoso”, i taclè
originari della Sicilia orientale, i mandarini
tardivi di Ciaculli originari della Sicilia
occidentale.
Talatta si occupa da 50 anni di produzioni
ittico-conserviere di alta qualità, con
particolare focalizzazione sulle Acciughe e sulle
Sardine sia sotto sale che sott'olio.
24
Talatta takes care of all the
production stages, from the purchase of
the catch to the distribution of its
products in a global market.
The final products unique quality,
fragrance and taste are due both to
the care and attention in the long
seasoning process and to the high-
quality of the fish itself.
More recently, in order to satisfy the
customers new demands without
abandoning our traditional methods,
the Company has tried out new aromas
for the preservation of anchovy fillets
in olive oil: paprika, parsley, summer
truffles in Worcester sauce, aromatic
vinegar, Provençal herbs, capers,
rosemary, oranges and other
specialities for each and every expert of
the sea.
It could hardly be otherwise,
considering that TALATTA is the
ancient word for SEA!
“Mediterranean diet is very good for
your Heart “
Production section
Salted anchovies: our anchovies are
fished in the Mediterraneo sea and
within 24 hours they are selected,
beheaded and washed in salted water.
L'Azienda controlla tutte le fasi del processo
produttivo, dall'acquisto del pescato. fino alla
distribuzione, ormai su scala mondiale, dei
propri prodotti.
L'attenzione e la cura con cui viene portato a
termine il lungo processo di stagionatura, unito
a materie prime di elevate doti organolettiche,
conferiscono al prodotto finito caratteristiche
uniche per fragranza e gusto.
Negli ultimi anni per interpretare le esigenze
del consumatore moderno ha sperimentato,
mantenendo invariato l'antico processo
produttivo, nuovi ed eclettiche aromatizzazioni
per le sue conserve di Filetti di Acciughe in Olio
di Oliva, che spaziano dal peperoncino al
prezzemolo, dal tartufo estivo alla Worcester
sauce, passando per l'aceto balsamico, le erbe
provenzali, i capperi, il rosmarino, l'arancia e
ancora tante altre specialità conosciute ed
apprezzate dagli intenditori del mare.
Non potrebbe essere altrimenti perchè
TALATTA significa MARE.
La dieta Mediterranea fa bene al tuo
Cuore.
Acciughe sotto sale: il prodotto consiste di
acciughe pescate nel mare Mediterraneo. La
materia prima arriva nel nostro stabilimento
entro 24 ore dalla cattura.
25
Our experts gather them in tin-plate
containers suitable for the salting
process. The salting phase very much
depends on: the fishing zone, season,
temperature, fish dimension and final
use of the product. During the process,
tin-plate containers’ location in the
conservation tower ("Torre di Torre di Torre di Torre di
MaturazioneMaturazioneMaturazioneMaturazione") is changed several
times, throughout this phase the tower
is regularly watered with NaCl
solution. Finally, the anchovies are
ready to the sealed and stored in our
warehouse.
CASALE VILLA RAINO’CASALE VILLA RAINO’CASALE VILLA RAINO’CASALE VILLA RAINO’
Home section
Travelling is like hearing every breath
of wind whispering centuries of history
among the trees…
Who we are section
One autumn afternoon in the Rainò
Valley, Aldo and Nina Conte fell in
love with this ancient farmhouse,
which once belonged to the Li Destri
family. So, they decided to bring the
rooms and walls back to life by
restoring a warm familiar atmosphere.
Now Aldo and Nina want to share with
travelers the ancient dream of the
historical Villa.
Le acciughe vengono immediatamente selezionate,
decapitate manualmente, lavate in salamoia satura.
Vengono quindi riposte in idonei contenitori in
banda stagnata e sottoposte al periodo di
maturazione. Questa fase ha tempi estremamente
variabili, dipende da molteplici fattori: zona di
pesca, stagione, temperatura media ambientale,
dimensione del pesce, destinazione finale del lotto
di produzione. Nei primi giorni i contenitori in
banda stagnata vengono più volte cambiati di
posizione in seno alla " TORRE DI
MATURAZIONE ". Durante tutto il periodo le
torri vengono quotidianamente innaffiate con
soluzione satura di NaCl. A maturazione avvenuta,
stabilita dal nostro responsabile di ciclo di
produzione, i contenitori vengono chiusi e stoccati
in magazzino.
Home page
Siamo lieti di presentarvi un piccolo angolo di
magia tra le vette delle Madonie e ... l’Etna
Chi siamo
In un pomeriggio autunnale, Aldo e Nina
Conte, si innamorano di questo casale nella valle
di Rainò e decidono di far rivivere le stanze, le
mura ma soprattutto il calore dell'antica Villa
Rainò della famiglia Li Destri e di condividere
con i viaggiatori questo sogno antico.........
26
The rooms section
The original structure of the Villa has
remained unchanged, but the rooms
have found new life bearing ladies’
names: Elisabetta has the most
beautiful view on the Valley, Diletta is
the most romantic and the beauty and
magic of Ursula cannot be described.
It is up to you to decide which one fits
you the most, whatever your choice
may be. In the springtime you will be
welcomed by the early morning wake-
up call of the woodpeckers.
Our restaurant section
Our restaurant offers a true taste of
traditional Sicilian dishes such as
caponata, risotto with pumpkin sauce,
pasta with ricotta cheese, fresh locally-
grown vegetables, and many more...
Meat has also a great importance in
our courses: you can taste our stigliole,
mutton and sausages while drinking
our home made wine, a perfect match
for the flavors and perfumes of our
cuisine.
The swimming pool section
Villa Rainò is located in a beautiful
Valley, dominated by Mount Marone.
Le camere
La Villa ha mantenuto la sua struttura originale
e le camere si differenziano con nomi di donna.
Elisabetta ha una splendida vista sulla valle,
Diletta è più romantica, Ursula....non si può
descrivere, ma del resto bisogna viverle per
decidere quale si preferisce. Tutte riscaldate e
con il bagno in camera. Il vero optional è, però,
riservato a poche mattine primaverili, quando i
Picchi fanno un servizio di sveglia naturale.
Il ristorante
Il nostro ristorante offre piatti della
tradizione siciliana. Un tipico menù comprende
vari antipasti che vanno dalla caponata, alle
verdure cotte con diverse ricette, alla ricotta,
tipico prodotto della vita agricola. I primi si
arricchiscono con i sapori della natura; involtini
di melanzane, risotto alla zucca e pasta con
ricotta sono alcune delle svariate ricette. Tra i
secondi domina la carne; da assaggiare "le
stigliole", "il castrato" e la salsiccia. Ad
accompagnarli un ottimo vino che completa
gradevolmente il pasto.
La piscina
Villa Rainò si trova in una vallata di rara
bellezza dominata dal monte Marone.
27
The surrounding and flourishing
countryside turns gradually into a
forest of Oaks and Firs. During spring
and summer, you can enjoy the beauty,
colors and calm of the Valley while
sunbathing near the pool.
Nearby, you can admire La Rotonda, a
circle of age-old trees, whose magic
works if you just close your eyes: there
you will feel part of the Valley and of
its history.
History and Legend section
For many years the Villa has been the
residence of the Li Destri, a spanish-
native family who played a very
important role in Sicily at that time.
In fact, the name of the Villa comes
from and old letter addressed to
Antonio Li Destri.
Many stories and legends are told
about the Villa and its inhabitants:
people used to say that local brigands
used the tunnel system under the Villa
to escape, and that even the Tsar of
Russia and Mussolini were guests of the
Baron.
Legend mingles with history and we
are not able to tell the difference
between actual facts and people’s
beliefs. What we know for sure is that
the true identity of the Villa has been
shaped by the past generations.
Il paesaggio è un crescendo di vegetazione che
culmina in una foresta di querce e abeti donando alla
valle bellezza, colore e tranquillità.
In primavera e in estate si può assaporare tutto
questo ai bordi della piscina nella quale si rispecchia
lo spettacolare ambiente circostante.
Lì a pochi metri , inoltre, si può ammirare una
"rotonda" di alberi secolari, e chiudendo per un
attimo gli occhi, si può provare a sentirsi parte di un
corso che non ha nè presente, nè futuro, solo
continuità tra un epoca e un'altra, molto diverse ma
unite sotto lo stesso cielo e circondate dalla stessa
natura...
Storia e leggende
La Villa fu per molto tempo residenza della famiglia Li
Destri. I Li Destri, di origine spagnola, ebbero un ruolo di
spicco nella Sicilia del tempo. Durante i moti rivoluzionari
contro i Borboni, in Sicilia si era formato un comitato
rivoluzionario;Gangi era rappresentata dal Barone Salvatore
Li Destri di Rainò. Il governo italiano come benemerenza
garibaldina pregiò il Li Destri di medaglia d'argento: era il
1860. Chi visse maggiormente nella villa, però, fu il figlio
Antonio. Dopo aver studiato a Catania il Barone Antonio
intraprese a Gangi una fiorente carriera di notaio. E'
proprio il ritrovamento di una lettera indirizzata al Barone
Antonio Li Destri presso Villa Rainò che dà il nome
all'attuale struttura. Molte sono le leggende che si narrano
sulla villa e i suoi abitanti. Ci sono storie di briganti che si
nascondevano fuori dal centro abitato tramite cunicoli che
dalla villa li portavano in posti più sicuri. Ci sono storie di
grandi feste organizzate in onore di ospiti illustri; come il
ricevimento in onore della visita dello Zar al Barone o il
pranzo con Mussolini all'ombra della rotonda di alberi
secolari. Ci sono storie di balli e di intrighi ... noi non
sappiamo quanto ci sia di vero e quanto sia invece frutto
dell'immaginario collettivo, di certo intere generazioni,
giorno dopo giorno, hanno disegnato la forma attuale che
costituisce l'identità più vera e autentica della Villa.
28
How to find us section
Villa Rainò is just 4 km away from the
village of Gangi, whose origin dates
back to the Cretans rule. Its
architecture and shape prove this
ancient identity, and the local
museum has collected many precious
evidences. Gangi also looks to the
present and the future with a gallery
featuring several paintings of local
artists, including the renowned Zoppo
di Gangi and of the famous Sicilian
painter Gianbecchina.
Thanks to its location, Gangi looks like
a Christmas crib set around the
summit of Monte Marone. The
landscape is charming: in clear days
you can admire the flourishing
countryside, the Tyrrhenian Sea and
the Eolian Islands’ silhouette.
Gangi’s main festivities like Corn
Festival, Palm Sunday and the festivity
of the Holy Spirit witness its richness
and attachment to traditions. The
countryside also offers many
interesting places to visit, such as
Petralia, Sperlinga, Polizzi Generosa
and Geraci Siculo. Last but not least,
Gangi is the ideal place to start
exciting long walks through the vast
Madonie Park.
Dove siamo
Villa Rainò si trova a 4 km da un piccolo
centro di fondazione cretese, Gangi. Le sue
lontane origini gli permettono, oggi, di
vantare tesori speciali come le chiese,
segno di una lunga tradizione religiosa; il
museo che raccoglie tracce dell'antica
città; le opere dei tanti artisti locali come i
dipinti del rinomato "Zoppo di Gangi"; fino a
tracce più recenti come la pinacoteca
contenente numerose opere del pittore
siciliano Giambecchina. Gangi vanta inoltre
una varietà di paesaggi molto suggestivi, ad
iniziare dalla vista del paese che da lontano
sembra un presepe realizzato sul monte
Marone; dalla cima di Gangi poi si possono
ammirare le distese verdi e, quando il cielo
è limpido, il blu del Tirreno con le sagome
delle Eolie. Ricco di storia ma anche di
tradizioni, le ricorrenze più importanti
sono: la Sagra della Spiga, la Domenica
delle Palme e la festa dello Spirito Santo.
Nei dintorni di Gangi ci sono altri centri
molto interessanti come le Petralie,
Sperlinga, Polizzi Generosa e Geraci Siculo.
Per gli appassionati la posizione è ideale per
lunghe passeggiate nei sentieri del Parco
delle Madonie.
29
Conclusions
Having carefully reviewed all English versions proposed by the translators of the examined Sicilian
websites, we could find some lexical and cultural inappropriateness that may be solved with an
attentively considered re-elaboration of the texts, taking into account the fact that we don’t share
the same cultural backgrounds with the target audience and considering also the extra-linguistic
context.
Otherwise, if the addressee is not able to read the text easily because he/she has to make an
effort to interpret it and to identify him/herself with the conveyed values , he/she will quickly lose
interest and probably turn to another website. This could happen especially if the surfer belongs
to the NS category who still considers her/his self as a custodian of the language and s/he doesn’t
make any effort to interpret possible deviations, in other words, without applying the “let it pass”
and “make it normal” principles (Firth).
Actually, from the point of view of efficiency, NNSs should not be considered as inferior to NSs in
international communication since the message in itself can pass from the addresser to the
addressee even in the presence of some deviations from standard English.
The language of the websites (ELF) is used for the instrumental purpose of communication and
differently from ENL, that aims to establish a national identity, EFL sets out “to make oneself
understood in international encounters” (House, 2003).
English used as a lingua franca has the potential to bring people together and to break down many
linguistic barriers of communication. In the modern global context, studies on lingua franca
communication are bound to increase and ELF will continue to grow and change with the same
force that has always driven the patchworking of language: the natural desire to exchange goods
and ideas.
30
Bibliography:
• Bamford, J., Salvi, R. (eds.) (2007), Business Discourse: Language at Work, Roma: Aracne
Editore. ;
• Jenkins, J. (2007), English as a Lingua Franca: Attitude and Identity. Oxford: Oxford: Oxford
University Press;
• Knapp, K. and Meierkord, C.(eds.) (2002), Lingua Franca Communication , Peter Lang:
Frankfurt a.M. Mein;
• Notes from the Intercultural Communication course of the academic year 2009/10
delivered by Professor Franca Poppi.
Webliography:
• http://eltj.oxfordjournals.org/
• http://www.globalenvision.org/
• http://peo.cambridge.org/
• http://www.linguistics-journal.com/
Analysed websites:
• http://www.spicchidisicilia.com/
• http://www.talatta.it/
• http://www.villaraino.it/