CALL FOR PAPERS Tastes of language. Past and present Italian culinary discourse in Anglophone contexts 17th-18th September 2026, Sapienza University of Rome
This conference seeks to explore the dynamic and complex ways in which Italian culinary discourse was and is constructed, translated, and consumed within Anglophone contexts. The journey of Italian food language, from recipe titles, ingredient names, and menu descriptions to broader gastronomic narratives, presents a rich areafor interdisciplinary study, as it crosses linguistic and cultural borders. We are interested in examining the linguistic, semiotic, and cultural transformations that occur when the microlanguage of Italian food enters English-speaking spheres, both in the past and now. This includes, among others, the processes of domestication and foreignisation of Italian culinary terms, the role of media (from early cookbooks to blogs, television and social media) in shaping perceptions, and the construction of authenticity and identity through food language. This conference aims to bring together scholars from various fields – from translation studies to sociolinguistics, historical linguistics and discourse analysis, from food and cultural studies to culinary anthropology – to investigate how the tastes of language were and are perceived, interpreted,and ultimately, eaten by an Anglophone audience. Possible contributions may address:• Translation and adaptation of Italian recipe texts and cookbooks into English,• Authenticity and identity: The role of language in constructing or challenging notions of ‘authentic’ Italian food for an Anglophone audience,• Lexical borrowing and code-switching/-mixing/translanguaging: The use and function of Italian culinary loanwords in Anglophone food writing, both from historical and contemporary perspectives,• The role of ELF in spreading Italian culinary language in global Englishes,• Neologisms and hybridity: The creation of new, hybrid culinary terms and food concepts in English based on Italian originals (e.g., Italo-American, Indo-Italian, Aussie-Italian dishes, etc.),• Menu semantics and discourse: Analysis of how menus in English-speaking countries represent or market Italian cuisine,• The language of food critique: Analysis of reviews and critiques of Italian restaurants in Anglophone print and digital media,• Media and culinary representation: The linguistic and visual portrayal of Italian food on Anglophone television, films, and social media platforms. We are pleased to announce that our two confirmed keynote speakers will be Marco Bagli (University for Foreigners of Perugia) and Siria Guzzo (University of Salerno). Potential contributors are invited to submit their abstract (150-200 words in English, the conference’s working language) for a 20-minute paper and their bio (100 words) electronically to fabio.ciambella@uniroma1.it by April 30, 2026. Submissions should include the title and abstract of the paper, the contributor/s’s name, and their affiliation/s. Selected papers will be considered for publication.
