Accents can reveal a lot about a person. Not just about the person with the accent in question, but also about the person who questions it. Some people are mocked for how they pronounce their words, for the intonation in their voice, for a strong accent that overpowers the new language they are trying to speak – instead of assimilating completely. As stereotypes create constant barriers, our behaviors towards otherness shows how little we learn about each other.

For those who cannot yet distinguish the various accents we present to you, know that you have an advantage over the trained and native ears who will have the hurdle of preconceived notions to surmount.

In this lighthearted new series, we not only want to highlight the beautiful and unique characteristics of Italian accents, but we want to hear the foreign voices experiencing Italian culture as well. There are so many things we can learn from ones accent, if only we’d listen.

In this episode, Ludovica Vittoria hints at her disorientation in realizing she never really had a neutral Italian accent, while Emanuela speaks about the differences she sees between their shared Friulian heritage and her Roman upbringing.

Direction and photography by videomaker Silvia Tonelli. English translations by our contributor Bianca Pirrelli.