Intercomprensione in contesto aeroportuale: uno studio esplorativo

The present paper describes the initial stages of a project devoted to the documentation of intercomprehension (a communicative mode in which participants use their respective native languages) in the context of an international airport in Italy. Data were collected through a structured survey as well as direct observation of interactions at a car rental desk. Intercomprehension proved virtually absent at the airport, in which communication is largely dominated by English as a lingua franca. In contrast, some of the interviewees report that they tend to use other foreign languages more often in different contexts. The paper further suggests that intercomprehension may be neglected because of scarce awareness as to its potentialities and puts forwards a few directions for future research.