Outrageous howlers on television

jcmicallef

Jul 1st 2009, 07:56

@ charles sammut

thanks a bunch for the link!!!!

:-)

J S Borg

Jun 30th 2009, 21:43

Personally I am hopeless in languages, but don't you bother most of the announcers presenters and mouth twisters do not speak maltese or english, they speak a gibberish sort of new language. Do you want proof here we are: karnivil, kerils, silverstin, magrow, owropa and many more. It is no wonder that manytimes I do not understand the locals.

Frans Sammut

Jun 30th 2009, 20:13

I agree wholeheartedly with Mr Mifsud's comments. The Maltese language is literally going to the dogs. With the blessings of those who should be its guardians.It's patently the case of the blind leading the blind.

Charles Sammut

Jun 30th 2009, 19:35

@ Anthony Magri

Unless I am very much mistaken, Maltese language is no longer compulsory for some University courses, including Law. One wonders why.

But if it is any consolation, this sort of thing happens even to foreign government ministers, like this Australian onorevoli who, well listen to him - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_a0-N7j9v8U

Anthony Magri

Jun 30th 2009, 16:12

T.V. is public but the corruption of foreign words used as if they were Maltese is most common in the Courts of Law. Italian expressions abound when hearing a lawyer haranguing the court. Since even young lawyers are subject to this anomaly, it might mean that these expressions are learnt at the university, transmitted by Professors or lecturers of some standing. It is true that some words don't have their Maltese equivalent; however they could be translated by an expression in the vernacular.

Joseph Micallef

Jun 30th 2009, 16:08

L Galea- I don't agree with you about one word you list - verament. This word is totally Maltese though of Italian origin. We can't keep going on thinking that good Maltese is only that which has arabic origins. But that's another story. What I talked about in my letter is totally different. How about the phrase "Il-programm gie migjub lilkom minn..." for another outrageous example! Or "nieqfu ghal-waqfa qasira"!! - Which brings me to the word "Waqfa" which is usually pronounced "Wafqa" instead [These people don't know that the Mamma of the verb is "Waqaf" so that the Q has always to precede the F" - totally elementary stuff studied at primary school!]

c. camilleri

Jun 30th 2009, 15:44

With so many hundreds of foreign stations available and the Maltese continue to follow our local junk. Perhaps the language is the barrier.

jcmicallef

Jun 30th 2009, 15:11

@ E. Azzopardi - I fully understand, but, for heaven's sake, we are paying for the local rubbish - via taxes, adverts and sponsors.

I don't mind if people speak other languages, as long as these are spoken correctly.

Senseless cliches find their palces in the mouth of a number of ppl on radio and TV. One I particularly hate (which comes before 'ovvjament') is 'dik li hija' or 'dak li huwa' - what on earth do they mean by that?

example....

On the radio...."issa nkumplu b'dik li hija muzika..." bl**dy well right - it's a music program not a cooking program, so what the....??????

On tv...sports program....."issa nkomplu b'dawk li huma rizultati sportivi"...surprise!!! I almost expected you to tell us what you ate for dinner...!!!! Obviously something that he had not digested very well...

v.pulis

Jun 30th 2009, 14:00

How about this? Heritage was translated into 'eritagg!!!!!!!' instead of wirt and this on a Muftieh which is otherwise not a bad documentary.

E. Azzopardi

Jun 30th 2009, 11:21

I cannot comprehend why you watch all this local rubbish and waste your precious time. There is the other world of satellite which is really amazing !!!!!

Lawrence Mifsud

Jun 30th 2009, 11:02

The new regulations about the use of foreign words in the Maltese language has opened a can of worms. Soon more similar words, that are wrongly translated or misused in everyday speech, will be included in these regulations. This will make their use legal and will further degrade the Maltese language.

jcmicallef

Jun 30th 2009, 10:46

@ joseph micallef & L Galea - in total agreement.

Unfortunately, in Malta we are unable to dish out good talent at the same rate that we are dishing out licences for radio & TV stations.

And what about newscasters? They are a total disaster (TVM, Radio Malta and 101 have some pretty awful readers. I shall refrain from mentioning the others, except for One TV & One Radio who seem to have been able to fish out the best local talents). Why do ppl who cannot pronounce correctly and instead are able to lose the sense of what they are saying be employed as newscasters???

Boq!

Galea. L

Jun 30th 2009, 10:02

Joseph Micallef
You are 100% correct.
It's outrageous how newscasters and other persons are making mockery of everything they say on radio and tv.
When are they and the station going to be fined heavily for every howler they make?
We do not say "il-kwistjoni giet risolta" but "il-kwistjoni giet mahlula (or solvuta)".
We do not say "verament" but "tassew".
We do not say "pjanijiet" (which means PIANOS) for plans but "pjani"
How many persons continuously say "ovvjament" over and over again?
These are just a few instances that spring to mind.
Many simply parrot a word they heard especially if some politician or similar person had said it because they feel that they may impress others who may not know it. Some hope.