Local dialects are still a living language
Scholars of the 1970s had predicted that Maltese and Gozitan dialects would die out by the following generation but nearly half a century later they are thriving, according to a University project.
The project, rolled out last year, includes a one-stop-shop website with all the research carried out on Maltese and Gozitan dialects, including sound clips collected by Professor Ġużè Aquilina and University of Leeds scholar Benedikt Isserlin in the 1960s.
The website, www.um.edu.mt/card, archives dissertations, theses, books and papers to serve as a base for more research on the regional variations of Maltese.
In the past, those who did not speak standard Maltese were referred to as speaking bl-ikreh (in an ugly manner) or even bil-pastaż (rudely), but today dialects are seen as part of our heritage.
They started attracting scholarly attention in the late 18th century when Ġan Franġisk Agius De Soldanis distinguished between the language used in the villages and in the city, and suggested differences between eastern and western dialects.
Mikiel Anton Vassalli also identified five dialect regions: the cities, Gozo, the upper villages, the lower villages and the central villages.
In the 1960s Prof. Aquilina and Prof. Isserlin carried out a survey on dialects in 61 localities. Sound clips will be uploaded on the website.
On the site, which is a “work in progress”, people will be able to click on a locality and hear a short piece of audio in dialect. When clicking on Żebbuġ, for example, they will hear a man talking about the saltpans.
Researchers are also urging anyone who has audio of someone speaking in dialect to e-mail [email protected].
Carried out by five people, this Institute of Linguistics project, called Collecting and Archiving Research Data on the Dialects of Malta and Gozo, was financed by the University of Malta’s Research Fund.
William Incorvaja, who carried out undergraduate and postgraduate studies on the Marsaxlokk dialect, found the number of monolingual people that speak in dialect only are on the decline but bilingual people still speak in dialect.
The 27-year-old, who speaks in dialect himself, said some people are not aware that they switch from dialect to standard Maltese in different situations.
Project coordinator Alexandra Vella believes dialect is still alive, “but we still do not know the where and the when”.
She added that, according to recent studies, dialect in Gozo was used in formal settings, even by teachers, while students who spoke in standard Maltese could be pushed to the side or bullied until they learnt the dialect.
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Phil Zammit
Feb 28th, 05:29
Like Joe Cini's comment below, I'm stuck in 1970 when I left the island.
Born in Zebbug, we said "ma nufx" for "ma nafx", "unfaq" for "onfoq", "usma" for "isma", "hdux" for "hdax"etc.
So, is this slang or a dialect? In any case, I don't give a rip! It's snobs who love to narcissize themselves with feeling superior for speaking maltese "bhal tal-belt".
Good to see more open mindedness!
Gustav Svensson
Feb 27th, 22:34
If you keep on marrying someone from the same village, then the dialect will stay.. well maybe not so good in the long run.
Joseph Cini
Feb 28th, 09:44
Don't you worry...it's people who live isolated on mountainstops and beyond who are guilty of your allegation; the Maltese are known for casting a wider net, have been doing so for hundreds of years - it's the nature of island life.
Mr Andrew Camilleri
Feb 27th, 16:15
Its a pity that we are so late in researching the Maltese language. It is a shame that the pre-war 'intelligentsia' saw Maltese as rubbish as they did our folk ways. They wished to be Italian and looked to Italy for their culture. Except for the few, no one bothered to study or research Maltese. The Partito Nazzionalista was at the forefront of the battle against Maltese being taight in schools.
Sylvana Camilleri
Feb 27th, 13:14
I totally agree with this article. Dialects are something we have to treasure, not condemn. I am more then proud to use my slang with my family and friends from my village, but unfortunately, for some it's like you're using rude words. And then it's becoming more common for new generations to use english instead of maltese, our mother language!
Joseph Cini
Feb 27th, 10:31
As languages evolve over time, I have noticed that my Maltese, which is theoretically frozen in time to 1965, is somewhat different to the way Maltese is spoken nowadays in Malta-even by some people of my own age group.
I too remember referring to "jitkellem bl-imghawweg" or "bir-rahli"...I have never heard of "bl-ikrah"..perhaps it's a relatively new term?
victor caruana
Feb 27th, 09:40
As far as I know those who did not speak standard maltese were referred to as 'jitkellmu bl-imghawweg'.
Up to 12 years I used to speak 'bl-imghawweg' but after entering the then Lyceum I had to swithc to 'pulit'. Yet I can still carry a conversation 'bl-imghawweg' all the way....not like those who try the trick in plays in Maltese.
[email protected]
Michael Pace
Feb 27th, 14:07
Slang is something different. Maybe one could speak of accents. But it's fine to work for giving different ways of speaking their true worth. Anyone who listens to the BBC knows there's no BBC English anymore, and it's so good to here English spoken in so many different accents. When are more Maltese "imgħawweġ" speakers - UNFORTUNATELY I'm not one - to shed off their inferiority complex?
Josephine Bonnici
Feb 27th, 09:11
Slang not dialect.
JC Sullivan
Feb 27th, 08:41
Before emigrating to Canada I couldn't have known. But, spending the late 80s and the 90s in Malta I fell in love with the dialects.
I too wondered whether these dialects would be lost with the growth of larger towns like Qormi and Zebbug and Siggiewi but I think NOT.
If anything, many of the towns' people should and will encourage their youth to protect their culture, heritage AND dialect.
Pauline Peterson
Feb 27th, 08:37
This project will also be much appreciated for the Maltese who live abroad. Well done.
effie stafrace
Feb 27th, 00:27
For me these are not dialect but country slangs.implying that these slangs are dialect is an insult to real dialect found for example in italy or the basque region.
JC Sullivan
Feb 27th, 08:30
There are slang and there ARE dialects.
M Sciberras
Feb 27th, 09:02
ETA, the Basque separatist group will not be happy to hear you describe their unique language as dialect! As for the dialects spoken in Italy, most that survive are indeed dialects but have a sad provenance similar to the English spoken in Ireland & Scotland - they are what's left when a local language was snuffed out by an invasive dominant language. The line between dialect & language is fine
Charles DeMicoli
Feb 26th, 20:27
I think we also used to say 'titkellem bl-imgħawweġ'.
Mr Kevin Zammit
Feb 26th, 21:36
jiena f rahal twelidt u qraba mil belt kelli u qatt ma smajta din tal ikreh jew pastaz. Dejjem bl imghawweg kont nisma jew 'bir-rahhal'
Wally Vella-Zarb
Feb 26th, 23:08
I have never hear the term "bil-pastaz". I think that it applies in the opposite direction. In Gozo, for example, it is quite likely for someone who speaks standard Maltese to be described as "Jitkellem bil-pilit" (Jigiefieri mhux bl-imghawweg).
Carmen Borg
Feb 27th, 03:16
Jiena imwielda Tas-Sliema, missieri Sliemiz, ommi Qormija, missiera Qormi u omma Rabtija. Jien qatt ma smajt iz-zijjiet li kienu twieldu u ghexu Hal Qormi jitkellmu bir-rahhli.
Qatt ma smajt min jighid bl-ikreh jew bl-imghawweg, dejjem "bir-rahhli" kont nismahhom jighdu. Jew inkella, dawk jitkellmu bl-ghawdxi, jew bir-rabti etc.
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