La storia in milanese non è in milanese

Abstract

This paper examines the orthographic choices involved in the adaptation of a Scrooge McDuck story into Milanese dialect. The characters' speech is rendered using two distinct systems: a classical orthography based on the writing tradition of Carlo Porta and Francesco Cherubini, applied to the urban variety of Milanese, and a more modern, phonetically phonetic script used for more contemporary or peripheral dialects. The focus lies on the symbolic dimension of these writing systems and their reception by readers. In particular, the classical orthography appears to carry a perceived sacrality, prompting criticism even in response to minor deviations from established norms. Such reactions suggest that dialect script functions not merely as a technical transcription tool, but as a symbolic marker of identity and cultural legitimacy. Far from being neutral, writing becomes a means of social positioning, where notions of correctness intertwine with prestige, memory, and group belonging.