Struggle with German language signs persists in South Tyrol region
In the picturesque Alps of South Tyrol, a region known to German hikers for its familiar-sounding peak names and German wayfinding, Italian hikers are facing a different challenge - navigational difficulties due to signage not in their native language.
The President of the Italian Alpine Club, Carlo Zanella, has raised concerns about poor orientation in the mountains of South Tyrol. He has criticized the increasing use of only German signage, stating that signs should not be put up if they're only for Germans.
South Tyrol, an autonomous Italian province, has a complex linguistic makeup, with about 57.6% German speakers and 22.6% Italian speakers. According to the autonomy statute, bilingual (German and Italian) place names are mandatory, and in Ladin areas, it's trilingual. However, certain areas like the Puster Valley and Ritten reportedly lack Italian names on signs, despite a significant number of Italian visitors.
Zanella believes that this lack of bilingual signage poses safety risks for Italian-speaking hikers unaccustomed to German toponyms. He stresses that adherence to bilingual standards is crucial to avoid such issues. For instance, Italian tourists have gotten lost in South Tyrol because signs only said "Laugenspitze" when they wanted to go to Monte Luco.
The regional context is rooted in South Tyrol’s history, as it was part of Austria-Hungary until 1919 and became Italian afterward. The region’s autonomy and language protections are considered a model for ethnic coexistence but still face challenges, especially in minority language visibility and public signage.
In summary, the core reason Italian hikers get lost in the Alps of South Tyrol is the insufficient bilingual (Italian-German) mountain signage, where German names often appear alone, causing confusion for those who know only the Italian place names. The Italian Alpine Club is advocating for improved bilingual signage to ensure the safety and enjoyment of all hikers in this beautiful region.
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- To address navigational issues faced by Italian hikers in the Alps of South Tyrol, it is crucial for community policies to include a commitment to bilingual (Italian-German) signage on mountains, as seen in the efforts made by the Italian Alpine Club.
- For a harmonious lifestyle in the multilingual region of South Tyrol, vocational training programs could incorporate courses on understanding both German and Italian toponyms, which would aid home-and-garden, travel, and sports enthusiasts in navigating the area more safely and enjoyably.
