Having been among the first to throw in my whatever worth in this argument about the correct spelling to be used for the single European currency to be hopefully adopted in Malta after January 2008, I have really enjoyed the contributions (including those of the hotheads) that have appeared about the subject.

But the cherry on the cake was that statement by whoever (officially authorised, powerful, qualified or not, or whatever) who said (wherever) that in legal and official texts it will have to be spelt "euro", but it's worth encouraging (how condescending!) its use as "ewro" in other Maltese texts.

Excuse me, but which legal and official texts? Those written/printed in the English language, or those written/printed in Maltese? If it is EU law texts, or Maltese law texts, or even throw in official correspondence, which are written in the English language, then yes the correct spelling should be euro.

But if it is official EU legal texts which have been translated into Maltese, and any other material which has been written or translated into the Maltese language, plus the Maltese versions of the laws of the people of Malta as enacted by the Maltese Parliament, plus other official or unofficial material written in the Maltese language, then we are in duty bound to follow the correct linguistic spelling of the Maltese language, that is ewro. And this in full respect to, and compliance with, the grammatical rules and principles that govern the Maltese language, as enunciated by the Akkademja tal-Malti and by the government's own appointed National Council for the Maltese Language.

On this matter, the National Euro Changeover Committee (NECC) would do well to realise that it is very much on trial before all citizens who have true Maltese blood in their veins and also not to kowtow to any EU body that happens to bleat at it, officially or through the pen of any Brussels-based correspondent. The use of the spelling euro in the Accession Treaty is an absolutely feeble and irrelevant argument to justify not following a policy of full respect to our language's principles and does not in fact on its own preclude the use of the correct Maltese spelling when writing the word in material written in the Maltese language.

On another note which, I know, some will describe as tangential thinking, I would like to point out that in this country we also happen to have an Interpretation Act. This essentially provides that where a Maltese legal text might clash in its interpretation with the interpretation of the English language version of the same law, then it is the Maltese interpretation of said law which should prevail. Now in the case of whichever court (Maltese or European or whatever) that might some day be required to deliberate on the meaning of either ewro or euro then I have no doubt that the learned judges will easily decide and interpret euro and ewro as exactly the same common currency of the eurozone member states of the European Union. So there really should be no problem in writing ewro in all Maltese legal texts and all other material written in Maltese.

Early in March I will be in Luxembourg giving, at the request of the Commission's DG-Translations, a seminar to the Maltese translators group there on the issues and problems inherent in the translation into Maltese of the EU Banking Directives. My credentials in this area probably originated from when the late much-loved Guzè Aquilina had constantly used my services for translation of all banking and economic words and phrases now found in his eminent English-Maltese dictionary. I will have no hesitation in telling them that in all Maltese legal texts the name of the common European currency should correctly be spelt ewro, as in Ewropa, Ewropew or Ewropej.

On a final note, and this if my memory serves me right, I distinctly recall the former Minister of Education and President Emeritus - and a sincere lover of both our Maltese and European cultural heritage - Ugo Mifsud Bonnici pulling me up at a packed Chamber of Commerce meeting to insist that when speaking in Maltese I should say ewro and not euro. Yes, I strongly believe that his correct position then for the spoken word is also the correct one for the written word... as in Ewropa or Ewropej

Sign up to our free newsletters

Get the best updates straight to your inbox:
Please select at least one mailing list.

You can unsubscribe at any time by clicking the link in the footer of our emails. We use Mailchimp as our marketing platform. By subscribing, you acknowledge that your information will be transferred to Mailchimp for processing.