Many are bemoaning the declining standard of written and spoken English in Malta, but I am afraid the same applies to Maltese, the national language.

Reading Maltese-language newspapers or watching or listening to Maltese programmes on TV and radio must surely be a test of one’s patience if one happens to take offence at the many ‘crimes’ committed against the language.

For example, the word ġewwa (inside) is being applied indiscriminately, such as ‘dis-sinjura qed iċċemplilna minn ġewwa ż-Żejtun’, instead of ‘qed iċċemplilna miż-Żejtun’. Or ‘mort ġewwa Lourdes’ (literally, I went inside Lourdes), when simply mort Lourdes (I went to Lourdes) is correct. Or ‘qiegħed inkellimkom minn ġewwa l-Gżira’ (I am talking to you from inside Gżira), when one should say ‘qiegħed inkellimkom mill-Gżira’.

And, speaking of gżira (island), I find the phrase ‘il-gżira Għawdxija’ most irritating when what is meant is Għawdex (Gozo). After all, we never refer to Malta as ‘il-gżira Maltija’, though the Maltese Islands collectively are known as ‘il-Gżejjer Maltin’. Also, the word persuna is always feminine and not change its gender according to who the persuna (person) is.

The list is neverending, unfortunately. The problem is that no matter the number of times mistakes are corrected, they seem to be endemic and difficult to shake off.

This must be a matter of concern to the Kunsill Nazzjonali tal-Ilsien Malti, which should not add to the confusion by decreeing that skond (according to) should now be written as skont (which in fact means discount) and the universally recognised Amen should be written Ammen, thus officially sanctioning one of the many mispronunciations we Maltese are so fond of.