Istanbul - As part of a series of initiatives promoting Italian language and culture, a conference titled "The Language of Youth: An Old Reality?" will be held today, October 22 at 10:30 AM, at the Department of Italian Language and Literature of the University of Istanbul. Organized by the Italian Cultural Institute, the event will be led by linguist and Italian language scholar Michele Cortelazzo.
Youth language has long been a subject of social and linguistic fascination. Its prominence surged notably in the 1980s and 1990s, when young people's expressive styles gained widespread visibility far beyond their own generation, sparking intense academic interest. However, during the first two decades of the new century, the phenomenon seemed to lose some of its vitality and creativity, and linguists' attention gradually began to wane. In recent years, youth language has staged a strong comeback, fueled largely by the rise of social media and the new communication channels it has introduced. Cortelazzo will present examples of contemporary youth speech, drawing on fresh evidence gathered from first-year university students that has not yet been explored in academic circles. (9colonne)