Finally, the much-expected bus service is “up and running”, basically! There are many new and forward-looking renovations and appreciable aspects to the service but, unfortunately, there are many other issues that need immediate intervention before, as most things Maltese, they get into the run and become “impossible to change” – as usual, a fait accompli.
I am referring to “place names” and typology. The Cultural Act, issued by the Superintendent of Culture, defines cultural assets as both tangible and intangible. Place names are part of this intangible patrimony that needs to be defended and protected for posterity. Unfortunately, in one swipe we find that this asset/treasure has become compromised, corrupted and inexplicably altered without previous reference and arbitrarily for it to be so.
The “names” chosen for most bus stops are a collection of obscene, hilarious or erroneous inventions “created” ad hoc by a better not defined someone, most probably not Maltese. Just to give one example of incompetence we refer to the bus stop/stage at Valley Road, Birkirkara, known for the last 100 years or so as The Market. This stage/bus stop should have read Is-Suq but, no, someone precariously decided to remove the article leaving Suq – which in Maltese means “drive on”.
Other place names: It-Telgħa t’Alla u Ommu has become Ommu. In Maltese it either means familiarity with the person or else it becomes the basis for a serious insult and argument. In relation to mother being God’s Mother (t’Alla u Ommu), it is more of the latter than the former. Moreover, the subject of the place name is hill (It-telgħa).
The Maltese Language National Council has just published guidelines for local councils on how to write place names and the necessity to include articles and other before place names.
In one swipe, we find that, now, all place names and topological references have lost much more than their article, they have lost their meaning. How can you refer to Għar id-Dud as Dud?
Referring to saints in their name only is vulgar (Tereża – for Sta Tereża). Referring to them in “Italian” names they never had (Gejtano for San Gejtanu) is tantamount to loss of national pride. I have to say that during 100 years of British “imperialism” they never dared that much; translating place names at whim. Place names have always remained a Maltese people’s prerogative and, even when foreign names were involved, the Maltese always imaginatively modified them to their need (for example, the lands belonging to the Order of St John at Dingli recorded as Dell’Assemblea were transliterated by the locals to Is-Simblija – with the ever-present article “il-”).
Other topological abnormalities are related to places local people have always known as such – let us mention Mrieħel, limits of Birkirkara. The bus stop next to the Mrieħel school is now “Notabile”. How can you justify such a name in the heart of Birkirkara/Mrieħel without mention to the original name? Another title treasured by any Ħamrun resident worth his salt is “Strada Rjali”. Where has the name vanished?
Names of people have been dissected beyond recognition: Umberto Colosso has been changed to Calassa. You cannot expect the stage to be named Colosso, since it does not refer to a colosseum but the name and surname of an individual tied to the locality.
Then there is the mind-boggling issue of stages/bus stops referring to what. I mean do they refer to the actual point/spot you are alighting or stepping onto the bus or else do they indicate the place/locality you are meant to go to? Where is the logic and sense in certain way points?
How can stages (four of them to be exact) on the road to Rabat/Mdina be known as Qali, when the area known as Ta’ Qali is over a kilometre away?
Consultation has been lacking on this and other issues besides. It is very unfortunate that time and money could have been saved had one bothered to refer to professionals in these fields. I believe it is the responsibility of the Superintendent of Culture, the Maltese Language National Council, Heritage Malta and the Malta Tourism Authority to see that these horrendous errors are rectified immediately before they become part of our jargon and yet another essential aspect of our heritage goes down the drain. A board or team of experts should be set up to look into the matter and save what is rightfully ours. I would expect that Arriva would actively collaborate in such an endeavour.