Origins of rumour

Rumours may be natural or artificial. Rumour-mongers are creators of false phenomena who avoid thinking that most rumours have a Macchiavellian purpose. Obviously even devils dislike being called devilish.

A Macchiavellian rumour is created by one person or a group of persons. S/he or they may tell a few known gossips "I heard that..." The gossip replies, "Oh yeah?! Incredible!" and goes to tell it to many others by direct transmission, telephone, e-mail, pigeon, smoke signal or SMS, while the rumour-monger rubs his hands in glee.

Later the rumour somehow comes back to the rumour-monger who, in great surprise, exclaims "Oh yeah?! Incredible!" as if s/he wasn't the one who had fabricated it in the first place. Thus, the full rumour circle has been accomplished. I have known even journalists who have gulped down and seriously investigated silly, unlikely rumours. "Oh yeah?! Incredible!"

Term of respect

Dun Karm, the national poet, starts his poem of love for his country by addressing it as "Lil din". Indeed this expression - and its masculine and plural forms "lil dan" and "lil dawn" - can be a term of respect. In some areas of Malta it is used more than in others, but it certainly has this purpose.

Once I helped someone in a difficult situation who, in front of family and friends, said "Lil dan qatt ma nixba' nirringrazzjah". (I can never stop thanking him). "Lil dan" was indeed an emphasis on "him" expressed by an "h" at the end of "nirringrazzja". I understood his intentions and found nothing strange in his words - except for the fact that I thought he was exaggerating his thanks as if I had saved his life.

A newspaper editor (not The Times) some time ago found very bizarre - if not downright impolite - the fact that some politicians say about their wives in socio-political gatherings "Lil din nirringrazzjaha". The editor wrote solemnly as if he were exposing the results of an enthusiastic political analysis. Pity!

Political animals

In kindergarten it is to be expected that children call each other animal names during puerile schoolyard quarrels. Correspondents in some papers sometimes tend to do this in the case of politicians. Probably these are very young and not even adolescent yet. In their opinion, we have in Parliament 69 politicians who resemble some animal. Thus Noah's Parliament may not have flora but a variety of fauna.

If you show the photo of the 69 MPs (and of the Speaker) to kindergarten children, they will compare each member to some animal. It is normal for kids to do this as a kind of entertainment. Usually most kids stop doing this on reaching the ripe old age of 10.

Families

With the rapid increase in the number of civil marriages, free relationships and children born out of free unions, Malta is looking more like Europe with different types of families. For housing purposes, however, it seems as if the state recognises only traditional families - which is a contradiction.

Civil bathing

The police this summer are increasing efforts to render our beaches safer and more civilised. This, hopefully, will include the control of loud music, animal roaming, football/rugby hopping, beach furniture monopoly and smoking - which is already an infringement of the pollution/litter act. A beach should be a peaceful place where people rest.

Beaches are also closely related to tourism and these efforts should satisfy both locals and tourists. The Parliamentary Secretary for Tourism, Mario de Marco, has, in his usual well-mannered way, expressed appreciation of initiatives by all stakeholders in tourism. Voices in the grapevine are saying that this is promoting him within and without his party.

Chimed departures

A correspondent who wished to register his protest even after his departure, somehow indicated to a relative that she must write to a paper to complain about ceremonial discrimination. The relative knew that funerals at a particular village ended with a few chimes of salute to the departed. Her relative's departure was followed by a deadly silence - if you will excuse the unintended pun.

Thus, the relative, as was her right, expected an explanation as to why certain villagers were sent off accompanied by a few chimes while hers was waved goodbye in silence. The answer she obtained was that the chimes were reserved for those who were born and died in that village.

Which encourages me (1) to die in the town where I was born in order to have the pleasure of moving on musically and (2) to suggest an energetic discussion on national TV about the rights of the departed and the ungratefulness of those who remain for a while longer.

Dr Licari teaches psycholinguistics, sociolinguistics and geolinguistics at the Department of French of the University of Malta.