The dialect becomes interactive.
Resto del Carlino, January 9th, 2025
“WhatYouSay,” the result of the Marche Love initiative, was designed to celebrate the Macerata dialect and local cultural roots.
It is a journey through stories and words used in our province, brought to life by combining various products with the opportunities offered by the digital world.
Each product, whether a mug with the word “Vergara” or a bag with a dialect phrase like “De do si?”, speaks through a QR code: scanning it provides the explanation of the dialect word or phrase.
“The Macerata dialect is like a secret garden: it preserves ancient stories, but it can speak to everyone. With ‘WhatYouSay,’ we want to make it accessible, fun, and alive, thanks to technology and people’s participation,” says Romina Mitillo, the founder of the project, currently involving four people, including illustrator Cristiana Cestola (pictured together).
“Initially, this started as a creative project with graphics celebrating Marche identity. Presenting it this year at the University’s Career Day, we realized we had sparked the students’ curiosity. In fact, today young people don’t really know the dialect: it seems that, in a world where we increasingly speak English and other languages, there’s almost a shame about our Marche identity,” continues Mitillo. “But we must not forget our tradition, our roots, because if we think about it, that is who we are, and it is this that has contributed to Italian quality, to ‘Made in Italy’.”
By scanning the QR code printed on these products, in addition to obtaining the explanation of the dialect form, you also enter a world full of anecdotes and authentic stories where the goal is to create connections between various linguistic traditions, precisely to understand ‘How do you say it?’. In fact, every user can contribute by sharing their own version of a dialect word.
“The aim is precisely to connect people, to showcase different identities and traditions. Inspired by Matteo Ricci, who created connections between East and West, we, in our small way, want to connect the various regions of Italy, starting from Macerata.” It is a way to transform tradition into an open and inclusive dialogue, thanks to a project that unites local craftsmanship, digital innovation, and the authentic culture of the Marche.