The national economy

The forty-first entry is la vigilanza bancaria, and the noun in the middle of it covers ground that English parcels out among several words. First it is what a public authority does to a regulated trade: l’autorità di vigilanza, la banca è sotto vigilanza, gli obblighi di vigilanza. That is « supervision », or « oversight » when a parliament is doing it. Second it is guarding, and also the firm that sells guarding: un istituto di vigilanza employs uniformed men, la vigilanza notturna walks the corridors at night, and English calls both of those « security ». Third it is the duty of keeping an eye on people in one’s charge — la vigilanza sui minori, il dovere di vigilanza of a teacher — which is « supervision » once more, except in an examination hall, where the job keeps the Latin vigilare and is called « invigilation ». What the English word « vigilance » never does is any of this. It names a state of alertness and nothing besides, so no bank can be placed under it and nobody can be employed in it.