10 facts about the Maltese language
Maltese is significantly similar to the Phoenician language, which was once spoken in the ancient Mediterranean region.
The Maltese language is usually written in the Latin alphabet, like the English language.
The Maltese language has borrowed multiple words from Sicilian, Italian and English.
Maltese has a bit of French influence which is evident in words such asqasim (chemise shirt) andingravatta (cravat tie).
Approximately half a million people speak the Maltese language around the world.
After Malta joined the European Union, Maltese became an official language of the European Union.
Maltese is a co-official language of Malta, along with English.
The Maltese language is not only known as “Maltese,” but it is also called the Malti language.
Maltese is part of an Afro-Asiatic language family containing multiple other languages.
In Maltese, the articleil-becomesl-before or after a vowel in, for example, il-missier (the father) andl-omm (the mother).
Origin of the language
Maltese originated in the Emirate of Sicily.
History of the language
It is thought that Maltese originated in 750 B.C.
Learning the language
It takes about 50 hours to learn Maltese as an English speaker.
Maltese language for beginners
Ten basic words to start learning in Maltese:
Pretty=pjuttost
Father=missier
Care=kura
Girl=tifla
Flower=fjura
Mother=omm
Thank you=Grazzi
Hello=Bongu
Boy=tifel
Happy=kuntenti
Poetry should only aim to reach the heart of the heart of man, and even if it arrives at just once, then poetry would have reached its climax.
Rużar Briffa
Poet and dermatologist
And they bypass the poet’s silent burial place without ever looking.
Dun Karm Psaila
Poet
It’s a visual world, and people respond to visuals.
Joe Sacco
Cartoonist and journalist
Fun facts about the Maltese language
Contains Arabic influence
Arabic has had a great impact on the Maltese language in terms of food, music, and culture.
Increased number of letters
The Maltese language has 30 letters which are more than the 26 alphabet letters of English language.
Six popular dialects
The Maltese language has 6 popular dialects: Gozo, Port, Maltese, East Maltese, Zurrieq and West Maltese.
Oldest known document
The oldest known document in Maltese isIl Cantilena, a poem from the 15th century.
Official language of Malta
Maltese is the national and, with English, the co-official language of Malta. Until 1934, Italian had long been the official language.
Unique letters
Maltese has 6 unique letters, and each is pronounced differently. These are Ċ, Ġ, GĦ, Ħ, IE, and Ż.
Second oldest document
The second-oldest Maltese document is a poem written in the 17th century, titled Mejju gie bil-Ward u Zaharwhich is generally known as “May is Here.”
Presence of two patterns
Some aspects of Maltese grammar exhibit two patterns: a Semitic and a Romance pattern in the language.
Ancestor of Maltese language
Siculo-Arabic is known as the ancestor of the Maltese or Malti language and has contributed to the vocabulary.
Primarily a spoken language
For many years, the Maltese language was a language spoken but unwritten; during this time, no grammatical rules were followed.
