I would like to point out that the word ‘Tritoni’ is the Italian name for Tritons. The correct Maltese word is ‘Trituni’.

Both the Maltese dictionary by Prof. Joseph Aquilina and the ‘Miklem Malti’ by Erin Serracino Inglott use the word ‘Trituni’ to explain in Maltese what the Tritons are.

The latter uses the Tritons Fountain as an example. He says, and I quote: “Funtana tat-Trituni: funtana, hekk msejħa mit-tliet trituni qed iwieżnu bħal vaska mfawra bl-ilma dejjem ġej, li tinsab barra Bieb il-Belt, dari Putirjal; (illum mkissra)”, which means: “The Tritons Fountain: so-called because of the three Tritons which are holding a basin always overflowing with water, located outside Valletta Gate, which used to be called ‘Putirjal’; (now broken).

The structural collapse of the fountain occurred in March 1978. The ‘Miklem’ was published between 1975 and 1989.

I notice too that there is some confusion regarding the actual name of the fountain. I know it as the Tritons Fountain. Now it is being called Triton Fountain. But there are three Tritons, so why is its referred to in the singular?

May I finally congratulate all those who were involved in the lengthy and difficult conservation project of the Tritons Fountain to bring it back to its original splendour.