ABSTRACT
This chapter focuses on the construction of cultural identity as it appears in narratives written in Italian by writers who are variously described as 'migrant', 'Italophone' and, more recently, 'translingual'. Migration is directly and inevitably a process of cross-cultural translation, a passage between different languages, cultures, and worlds. Acclaimed writers like Lakhous, Lamri, and Scego, amongst others, challenge the grand narrative of multiculturalism and reveal the limited permeability of Italian society through representations of multi-ethnic and polyphonic urban scenarios. The new language acquired by migrants shapes the passage into the new society: for the individual, who is obliged to learn a new way of communicating, translating between different linguistic and cultural codes becomes a way of life. The depiction of the polylingualism characteristic of multi-ethnic neighbourhoods invites readers to reflect on how the symbolic intersection between different languages and cultures redefines the forms of multiculturalism.
