Linguistic policies and teaching of Italian: the case of Italian immigration in Bahia

Abstract

For different reasons, including the intense emigration of Italian nationals to the farthest places around the globe, the Italian Language has made its way into a large numbe of communities out of Italy. Although unknown to most, between 1950 and 1970, the State of Bahia, in Brazil, also received an important flux of immigrants, who settled in the Bahian municipalities of Boa União, Itiruçu, Jaguaquara and especially Rio Seco during the government of Octávio Mangueira. Even today it is still possible to note a strong Italian presence there. Nonetheless, whether through inefficient or non-existent public policies for foreign language learning, Italian does not occupy an important space at the elementary-school education level in these cities. This article aims, therefore, at reflecting on the absence of Italian in the region´s elementary school system, since language program inclusion in the curriculum should take into account factors related to local communities.