Actor Riccardo Angelini sparks debate over regional language usage
Riccardo Angelini Overcomes Dialect Barrier with Focused Training
Actor Riccardo Angelini, hailing from South Tyrol, has made a name for himself in the German-speaking world, particularly through his role in the RTL series "Alles was zählt" since 2024. However, his journey to success was not without challenges.
Initially, Angelini faced a significant dialect barrier in his acting career. His South Tyrolean dialect, while rich in cultural heritage, proved to be a hindrance when it came to speaking standard German (Hochdeutsch) clearly. This barrier was exposed during an unsuccessful audition, where Angelini was asked to speak Hochdeutsch, but his dialect was too strong and unintelligible to fit the role.
This setback prompted Angelini to seek help, and a friend introduced him to a speech therapist. Under the guidance of this language pedagogue, Angelini embarked on an intense training regimen. The first text he read was from Antoine de Saint-Exupéry's classic, "The Little Prince", a challenge due to the phonetic differences between his dialect and Hochdeutsch.
Angelini described being initially overwhelmed by the intricacies of the language, particularly the differences between open and closed "e" sounds. However, with dedicated practice and guidance, he was able to improve his pronunciation and language skills.
Thanks to this focused coaching, Angelini has been able to adapt his multilingual South Tyrolean background (German and Italian) into a clean, standard German suitable for television acting. Today, people from his hometown note that he has a strong German accent, a testament to his hard-earned linguistic skills.
Angelini's journey serves as an inspiration to many, demonstrating that with determination and the right guidance, one can overcome any barrier to achieve success.
[1] Source: Interview with Riccardo Angelini, 2022 [2] Source: "Alles was zählt" official website, 2024
Angelini's focused training, under the guidance of a speech therapist, wasn't limited to improving his pronunciation for acting; it also expanded his interests to include education and self-development. As he tackled the phonetic challenges of standard German, he discovered a love for books, specifically "The Little Prince," and began to value personal growth and the power of knowledge. Moreover, to complement his acting career, Angelini developed an appreciation for lifestyle, fashion, and beauty as he navigated the world of television and its glamorous industry.
