You are middle class, ey?
At a lunch recently, the person sitting opposite me made a remark about an acquaintance of his who went to live in Żejtun. He rounded the remark with a snigger. “And we all know what the Żejtun people are like. I mean, their character, you know?”
As none of us acknowledged his point, he saw it fit to expand and said: “How shall I put it, they are certainly unlike the people of Sliema.”
It is so refreshing to come across blatant, in-your-face snobbery. The man was clearly unwilling, possibly unable to see other people except as stereotypes.
Here was a gentleman who actually believed that out there, away from the ‘civilised’ Sliema, it was all a jungle.
But what made me desperately want to burst out laughing was the fact that, with the exception of one or two, all the people in the room were from the so-called ‘rough’ south.
“Beware!” I wanted to whisper, “Even though we’re speaking English, believe it or not we’re from Qormi, Paola, and brace yourself, Żejtun!”
Discussing class in Malta is not something we usually do. Classes are incredibly obvious and intuitive, and barely worth mentioning (ħamallu, pepè, faux-pepè and neutral).
But just because we don’t talk about it, it does not mean it is not there. Ask any recruitment agency. Employers shirk when they are presented with ace candidates from the south of Malta.
In a couple of private schools, unless you’re in the Sliema-area circle, you will have a hard time to join in parents’ conversations and your child will be left out at parties. Even for my generation, the school we attended made a difference. I lost count of the number of times I’ve been told: “You went to Sacred Heart, ey?” No. “St Dorothy’s?” No.
I can see my status in their eyes being notched down when I say I went to the little known Church school in Tarxien that was only two doors up from where I lived and luckily I could get out of bed just as the school bell rang.
It’s not the first time I’ve been asked which school my parents went to. All these questions really mean one thing: “Before I give you more of my time, I need to know if you are in the same social class as ours.”
Which is probably why now in the pseudo-election campaign, the ‘middle class’ phrase gets bandied about left, right and centre.
But what exactly is middle class? Sometimes, when I’m stuck in traffic I like to mull over this one. What am I? Am I lower-middle or middle-middle. I know for a fact that I’m not upper-mid class. Although I’m not sure how that works.
Is it on the basis of my very blue-collar income? Or does it depend on the family connections?
Can I ever join the upper class? Or is one born there?
But, most importantly, I ask: do we really all want to be middle class?
To my mind, if we all become middle class, with the same earnings, that’s pretty much a communist ideal. Possibly politicians are tapping into our subconscious ambitions.
For a while there I used to think that language is a key indicator. One of the signs of social mobility was the language we spoke. If you wanted to be middle class, then you had to talk to your children in English.
But it’s not like that anymore – a new national identity is slowly taking over. And perhaps Alex Vella Gera’s highly recommendable book Is-Sriep Reggħu Saru Valenużi brings that to light.
Here is a novel in which the characters speak the language out there on the streets. It’s in Maltese. Only it isn’t: it’s a hotchpotch of English and Maltese. This is our new national identity. Perhaps slowly, slowly, we are solving the language questions.
Here is an example of the complexity of my day-to-day interactions. I was brought up in a Maltese-speaking household. I speak to my mother and my sister and my aunts, uncles and cousins in Maltese. I speak to my daughter in English. I swear in English.
I speak in English to some of my friends, but to others in Maltese, and with some other friends, I speak a bit of both, depending on what we’re talking about.
Interestingly a recent NSO poll, however, said that 91 per cent respondents prefer Maltese as their everyday language. Only six per cent prefer English as their everyday language.
I am not sure these statistics are right. I think in surveys we like to be patriotic. We like to fly the Maltese language flag. But perhaps it’s high time we accept the reality out there.
And now I’m off to Żejtun. Will I survive the experience to write another column?
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Steven Brockwell
Dec 12th 2012, 11:02
class is not something you choose but something you are brought up with, you could live in sliema and also be broke or live in the south and be rich, so it seems money is not the main player here.
i speak to my youngest 16-18 in Maltese and speak to my eldest mainly in English. i speak to my ex in English and swear at her in both !
Joe B Edwards
Oct 29th 2012, 23:35
In this context, the word class doesn't really fit. What you describe is a culture war and not a class war (despite its origins in class).
Mr Edward Caruana Galizia
Oct 29th 2012, 22:01
What I find interesting is the way some people will speak to their father in Maltese and to their mother in English, as though Maltese is the more masculine and serious language and English the feminine, softer and more polite one.
In fact, most men who were brought up speaking English will say they learnt most of their Maltese from football, where speaking English gets you labeled a sissy.
Karl Mercieca
Oct 29th 2012, 19:07
The language you speak has nothing to do with the *socioeconomic class* you are part of.
It's not so much a language question as it is an asset count.
Antoine Vella
Oct 29th 2012, 18:25
Unfortunately, the people of Zejtun gave themselves a very bad press during the 1970s and 1980s and some of it has stuck to this day.
KATRINA BORG BUHAGIAR
Oct 29th 2012, 17:57
To be honest through experience at my job, unpretentious village people come forward to my shop with cash in hand and buy their needs without any hesitation. Whereas people who grade themselves "high class" l want designer clothes at market prices, buy one item to be shared by half their family and demand a credit of 30 days for carrying a double surname. How laughable is that??
Stefan Vella
Oct 29th 2012, 16:49
Such things are trivial. If one considers himself of higher status than me just because I'm from the south (or anything else), He's just not worth my time.
Nicholas Grech
Oct 29th 2012, 15:32
I don't normally post any comments, but this is personal and . I was born, bred and raised in Zejtun. I never had any problems whatsoever, life was uneventful verging on the boring sometimes. And to those who think that only low-life comes out of Zejtun, may I point out that I have an engineering degree, a masters degree and a phd, and now work for Rolls-Royce, designing jet engines for a living.
J Grima
Oct 29th 2012, 18:39
I want to buy you a beer mate! Keep up your good work Mr. Grech!
R Axisa
Oct 28th 2012, 20:27
And now I’m off to Żejtun. Will I survive the experience to write another column?
Actually I was born and bred in Zurrieq but have been living in Zejtun for nearly 22 years now. All I can say is that my experience with the Zejtun people is the best experience and I consider myself one of them - and proud.
cettina portelli
Oct 28th 2012, 20:01
how well i can relate to this article!! i happen to be from bormla. we speak english at home and maltese outside so we can be fluent in both. i, and my children are, i hope, well mannered and educated. my neighbours are quiet, polite people. bormla has been used as a dumping ground for "problem" people to the extent that most of the social cases here arent even FROM bormla! stop unloading on us!
Ivan Lomax
Oct 28th 2012, 19:35
Kburi b zewgt unuri ax hammalu u zejtuni mela :))))))))
Francis Sammut
Oct 28th 2012, 18:58
''Beware, I wanted to whisper!'' But why didn't you? Or better still, why didn't you tell him to his face that ''you were from Qormi, Paola and Zejtun?''
Anthony Camilleri
Oct 28th 2012, 18:52
Why is it that sliema has to be mentioned in a hated manner Every-time it is mentioned in a conversation, doesn't that make it also racial. What is wrong with being educated and well mannered?
M Fava
Oct 28th 2012, 19:29
Well the "educated" person in question mentioned Sliema. He shed bad light onto it. And just because one is from Sliema does not mean that person is educated and well-mannered, like you have implied.
J Grima
Oct 29th 2012, 18:42
Since when does residency in Sliema automatically grant you an education and good manners?
If I had to judge you by your statement, I'd say that Sliema residency grants you delusions & nothing else.
Cheerio Sir
Lucienne Dimech
Oct 28th 2012, 17:14
There is a difference between not being a hamallu and being a snob. Normally a snob is one that is full of himself with very little reason for being so. Those who have a reason for being proud of themselves about something know better than to be snobs because its so stupid.
Lucienne Dimech
Oct 28th 2012, 17:13
There is a difference between not being a hamallu and being a snob. Normally a snob is one that is full of himself with very little reason for being so. Those who have a reason for being proud of themselves about something know better than to be snobs because its so stupid.
JOSEPHINE FARRUGIA
Oct 28th 2012, 16:02
Well, it's not only the zejtun people that get such remarks. I'm from Tarxien, and , it happened circa 25yrs ago when my then boyfriend introduced me to his university friends. When I was asked where I lived , I actually saw a disgusted look on their faces when I answered that I'm from Tarxien!! So there you are!Tarxien or SLIEMA, we all wake up in the morning scratching where it itches and yawn!
Carmen Cachia
Oct 28th 2012, 14:39
I can comment better as I was actually born in Zejtun! No one can ever judge others or feel any better. If we are all perfect, we will have the same face, body and character! I never had any problem mixing with all kinds of people from all walks of life, I always respect and love my family and all the people that I come in contact with. I have so many lovely memories growing up in Zejtun!!!!!!
Nicola Vella
Oct 28th 2012, 14:33
I think the problem is these so-called "upper class" snobs to be honest. Their mentality is that basically if someone does not speak English properly then they are nothing but savage "hamalli". I went to an English speaking private school, I speak English very well but just because I was capable of reading and speaking in Maltese properly because thats how I was raised I was looked at as a hamalla
Charlene Abdilla
Oct 28th 2012, 14:23
This is sadly very true. I am from Zejtun and have had people smirking when I say this many many times. When I was in Junior College people would blatantly say that people from Zejtun are 'hamalli'. But it's people from Zejtun who give ourselves the stereotype as well. A shop owner recently said to me "oh you're from here? I thought you weren't you seem so well educated and polite". WTH!!
Paul Cave
Oct 28th 2012, 11:02
As a middle class Englishman who lived in Malta for 4 years and has followed recent affairs in Malta, I' d say Zejtun would probably struggle to reach MC status. The current acid test should surely be 'would a judge effectively let someone in this village/town off attempted murder with a car if the intended victim had implied that the accused might be gay?' Then again, Sliema may struggle also!
Carmen Cachia
Oct 28th 2012, 21:56
Who classes people, how is this grading done? I just wonder!!! Life is not perfect, bad and good exist all over the world and even kind hearted people live everywhere even in Zejtun, Sliema and from where you come and it is always heartless to tread on people's feelings.
Chris Coleiro
Oct 29th 2012, 06:46
As a middle class Englishman you should have checked your facts before posting on the comment pages of a newspaper. That village was actually Mellieha and not Zejtun.
And frankly, I'd rather live in quiet Zejtun next door to your typical chav family who actually find the time to greet you as the sun rises, than in Sliema where I would be looked down upon just because I come from Tarxien.
Please choose the reason of your report below: