Asterisk and schwa banned from official school communications where the rules of the Italian language must be respected. This is what the Ministry of Education and Merit communicates in a circular sent to all schools, reminding that "the use of non-compliant graphic symbols, such as the asterisk (*) and the schwa (ə), is in contrast with linguistic norms and risks compromising the clarity and uniformity of institutional communication".
In a note, the ministry emphasizes that "the Accademia della Crusca has, in fact, repeatedly highlighted that these practices are not grammatically correct and that their use, especially in official documents, hinders the readability and accessibility of texts . The arbitrary use of these symbols introduces elements of ambiguity and inhomogeneity, making communication less comprehensible and less effective."
The Ministry therefore invites "all educational institutions to maintain the use of correct and accessible language, in compliance with current linguistic norms".
(Unioneonline/vl)
