The late Mikiel Anton Vassalli, father of Maltese language, would have surely been alarmed by the way our written and spoken language is being swept by a sly lexicon wind. I have hoped that I would never come to a point in my life when I will be writing this piece but, alas, here I am, alone with my thoughts and with my fingers on the keyboard. With a sense of remorse I foresee that our dear language is slowly but surely being eroded.

There are a number of factors leading to this reality. The mass popularity of the English language is one sure factor. The ease with which one can write in English has made it comfortable enough for many to use it instead of Maltese, which, to be fair, is harder to put on paper.

Other influences, such as foreign business deals, American movies, the international media and the internet have all contributed to this state of affairs.

Another disturbing factor is a fake status symbol embedded in the psyche of some English-Maltese language speakers. It is an evident fact, which is dangerously damaging our lingual heritage. Believe me, it is not just a perception but a sure fact that has been cultivated through the years and is now growing stronger in certain circles. Over the last half a century or so, this was originally attributed to a strong British colonial influence, right after replacing the Italian one.

Nevertheless, from whichever perspective one looks at it, over the last 20-odd years, the use of English dealt a hard blow to the Maltese language.

Mobile messaging and the internet language proved to be one strong factor that has also lead to a vicious habit of shortening, de-phrasing and mixing English with Maltese. So much so that, today, we have a situation in secondary schools where only one in four students pass their Maltese language O level examination. In contrast, a higher percentage of students get more marks in their English language paper.

The situation, as Labour MP Evarist Bartolo described it a few weeks ago, is truly “worrying”. It is worrying indeed considering that Maltese language is localised, meaning it is spoken only on our islands. Thus, if we do not protect what we have, we might end up with nothing.

Those Maltese people who immigrated to Australia, the UK and the United States way back in the 1950s and 1960s may have passed on their lingual heritage to their first generation offspring or even their second but time is a silent killer and the probability is that, today, most of the third generation offspring of those expats do not speak Maltese at all.

Nevertheless, we need to be facing this troubling scenario with courage and a proactive approach to work out the best possible policies in conserving our national language. Also, we must define new ways how our language can become more popular, more attractive and more accessible, for example, to the descendants of Maltese families living abroad. It is high time that we should encourage them to know about our language and the importance it played in the history of their ancestors.

We cannot just let go and give up simply because the English language is more diffused, more popular or even because it is easier to use. I stress that it is up to us to finally offer opportunities to all those wanting to explore the history of our language and learn more about it. Can there be perhaps some sort of museum and/or cultural centre that delves into the Maltese language, its history and its future in the world of tomorrow.

Last but not least, we must stress that our language be taken very seriously in Malta, even by the foreign families relocating to Malta for job, business or marital purposes, especially when these have children of a young age. We cannot let this escape us and then start complaining that we did not do enough to fix it or, even worse, use the “old excuse” that we did not see it coming.

There has to be more programmes promoting the Maltese language. There is need for more funds being allocated for the encouragement of its lexicon in promoting local products both here and abroad. More money must be allocated to film productions in our language and there must be more creative ideas that can boost interest and create a sense of pride in the use of our mother language. The Maltese language can play an important role in our own national identity and even in Europe if we just give it more space.

From kindergarten through all the stages of primary and secondary education, the Maltese language must be given its deserved importance and its due respect. The rest of the civilised world is proud to have and to speak its own unique language but, somehow, in Malta that feeling is not that grand. No other country in the world will help us safeguard our own language as much as we want or need to. I hate to think that, one day, our children or their children, or even the generation after that, might no longer have this unique language.

Let’s not allow this to happen. Let’s protect the Maltese language. Grazzi.