Formalità e informalità nelle e-mail accademiche in italiano L1 e L2

This study analyses the level of formality in e-mails sent by 378 university students (246 Italian-speaking and 132 international) to lecturers, with the aim of assessing adherence to textual norms of the academic communication via e-mail. The analysis focuses on the detection of specific linguistic parameters, such as lexical choice and the use of politeness formulas, which contribute to defining the formality of the text. The results show that, although both groups present some struggles in adopting an appropriately formal register, international students tend to show a greater use of textual formulas of e-mail conventions. This study contributes to filling a gap in existing literature, offering an indication to support the design of educational interventions aimed at improving the communication skills of university students, particularly with regard to the production of written texts in academic contexts.