Italy's lawmakers will meet today to try to halt the wave of English words which are infiltrating Italian dictionaries in record numbers.
More than 4,000 foreign words and phrases are included in the latest Devoto-Oli dictionary of the Italian language, renewing fears of cultural attack.
Entries such as "outing", "question time", "mobbing", "transgender", "carbon tax", "new economy", "friendly" and "blockbuster" are infuriating politicians and intellectuals.
A cross-party group of deputies will meet in parliament to discuss why Italian translations could not have been found.
The new entries bring the number of foreign words and expressions to an unprecedented 4% of the total.
Critics complain that existing Italian words were being displaced and that not enough effort was being made to coin new ones.
Conversations, advertisements and manuals are routinely peppered with "last minute", "call centre", "chat-line", "newsgroup", "grunge", "megastore", "new age", "piercing", "squatter" and "vintage".
The popularity of transatlantic sport and entertainment is blamed for "fusion", "infotainment" and "unplugged".
Vittorio Sermonti, an authority on the medieval writer Dante, told La Repubblica that he objected to "contamination" when Italian words were dumped in the name of modernity.
High street barbers that replaced parrucchiere in favour of "hair dresser" made him want to scream. "I think the moment has arrived to put an end to this excess. It is really too much," Mr Sermonti said.
Foreign words in new editions of two other dictionaries, Lo Zingarelli and De Mauro, respectively amount to 2% and 3% of the total. Around two thirds of the foreign expressions are English.
Campaigners have also expressed concern about the impact of excessively literal translations of English phrases, which distort Italian syntax and deprive the language of its nuances.
The Italian parliament has unsuccessfully tried to limit the spread of English twice since 1997 but politicians have been accused of exacerbating the problem in their efforts to sound hip. At its last convention the ruling Democratic Left party adopted the slogan "We care".
