Un imperfetto indicativo, ovvero il fondo ideologico della lingua. Sottofondo italiano di Giorgio Falco

«Un imperfetto indicativo», or the ideological background of language. Giorgio Falco’s Sottofondo italiano This paper shows how the Italian writer Giorgio Falco uses the Imperfect indicative in his essay-memoir Sottofondo italiano (2015). This peculiar stylistic use of a verb form whose aspect is generally imperfective as a narrative verb causes the background of narration to gain importance on foreground. A similar effect of political criticism is obtained through the metalinguistic questioning of the corporate jargon. In this way, the author reinforces his narrative of a particular unionist defeat, both a literal (personal and collective) and an allegorical fact.