Recitiamo

Recitiamo is an Italian verb form meaning “we recite” or “we read aloud.” It is the first‑person plural present indicative of the verb recitare, which originates from the Latin recitāre, a frequentative of cīto “to utter.” In contemporary Italian the term is used in literary, theatrical, and educational contexts to denote collective vocal rendition of poetry, prose, or script.

The verb gained particular cultural visibility through several initiatives that adopted the name “Recitiamo” as a brand for community‑oriented projects. In the early 2010s a nonprofit organization in Milan launched a program called Recitiamo, aiming to promote literacy and oral expression among schoolchildren by organizing public readings in public squares and libraries. The initiative emphasized participatory performance, encouraging students and volunteers to recite classic Italian literature, contemporary works, and original compositions, thereby fostering a shared linguistic heritage.

A separate usage of Recitiamo appears in the Italian music scene. A small indie collective formed in 2015 adopted the name for a series of live sessions in which members perform spoken‑word interpretations of lyrical texts, blending poetry with acoustic accompaniment. These events have been noted for their emphasis on the auditory experience of language rather than traditional song structures.

In scholarly discourse, Recitiamo is sometimes referenced as a case study of modern revival of oral tradition in Italy, illustrating how collective recitation functions as a tool for cultural transmission, community building, and language preservation. The term therefore occupies a niche intersection of linguistics, education, and the performing arts within contemporary Italian society.