During the live broadcasts of the Malta Eurovision Song Contest the Maltese name for “stage” was conspicuous by its absence. Why do we have to listen to a foreign word when the simple expression palk is still alive in the vernacular and daily use of our language? Besides, the word stejġ (as pronounced in Maltese) has through the years gathered a different interpretation by the man-in-the-street, replacing the proper meaning of “bus stop”.

Without really trying to count the number of Anglicised words and phrases subsituting their Maltese counterparts like “support” for appoġġ and “baby” for tarbija the latest umbrage inflicted adds more weight when presenters, singers and other public figures pronounce these expressions “on air”, watched by thousands of televiewers.

The above unfortunate quotes cannot be listed as archaic let alone, as critics may argue, that the Maltese language has a limited vocabulary. The sin of omission comes from those who like to mix foreign words and phrases in their conversation, a common occurence practised for good measure during social functions, mostly in high society to rise above the Joneses!

It will be a sad day if this trend of illegitimate birth of phrases continues to spoil and harm Malta’s own language and national identity.