Ways to say it
| Italian | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| essere di ruolo | /ˈɛs.se.re di ˈrwɔ.lo/ (word by word) | |
| titolare di una cattedra | masculine |
The phrase essere di ruolo is the standard way to express the state of having tenure, particularly in the context of public administration or teaching. For a more technical term meaning an indefinite-term appointment, one would use L'incarico a tempo indeterminato.
What does it mean word for word?
The component di ruolo literally means 'of role' or 'of position', indicating that the person holds a permanent, official position within a specific organizational structure.
Which one should you use?
While essere di ruolo describes the state of having tenure, you can also use the masculine form titolare di una cattedra to refer specifically to a tenured professor or a chair holder. In an educational context, essere di ruolo is the direct opposite of being a supplente, which refers to a substitute or temporary teacher.
Did you know?
- Italian academic tenure is governed by a process called abilitazione scientifica nazionale. This is a national certification that a scholar must earn before they can even apply for a cattedra.
- In Italy, a supplente is often seen as a precarious worker. The distinction between essere di ruolo and being a supplente is a major point of social and political tension in the Italian education system.
- The Greek root of cattedra also appears in English through the word 'cathedra', which refers to the official seat of a bishop.
Examples in context
- Lei spera di essere di ruolo entro l'anno.She hopes to have tenure by the end of the year.
- È difficile essere di ruolo in questa università.It is difficult to have a permanent post at this university.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “tenure” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (essere, di, ruolo) and can differ in connected speech.
