Use of the "V-word" in Italy - equivalent to the "F-word" in the United States and Britain - is no longer a crime following a ruling handed down yesterday by Italy's highest court.
In a decision that had many politer Italians cursing under their breath, the court overturned a 2006 ruling in favour of a deputy mayor whose honour had been deemed offended by a foul-mouthed city councillor. Article 594 of Italy's penal code includes such offences under a category of honour crimes which carry fines or even jail time in severe cases.
But the high court ruled that the use of vaffanculo, generally translated as "f*** off", was too common in Italy these days to justify penal action.
"Its unfortunately frequent use ... has changed its impact," the court ruled, while lamenting the "deterioration in language and good manners".
Italy's main consumer rights organisation warned of a cultural slide toward "increasingly vulgar language".
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