On landing in Malta you would be forgiven if you thought English was the lingua franca on the Island. All the signs and directions are in English and people confidently converse in English. Then just minutes down from the Customs area you start hearing people greeting other people in another language. They're speaking Maltese, the national language of Malta.
Although English is, along with Maltese, an official language, Maltese is the mother tongue of the vast majority of people. You'd even be surprised to learn that there are also different dialects of the language, with people in the south using completely different accents to those in the central and northern parts of the island. The Gozitan dialect is even more distinct.
The beauty of languages is nowhere more emphasised than Malta where most people learn three and four, sometimes even five, languages - a necessary tool in an island historically linked with all the transitory major world powers, and today almost totally dependant on a thriving tourism industry. Ironically, many foreigners living in Malta soon manage to get a grasp of the language which is often peppered with loan words from English, the colonial connection, and Italian, the geographical connection. The bravest attend Maltese Language classes for foreigners which are regularly held every year.
It is not an easy language to learn, but a bit of determination usually works. There have been many instances of foreigners in places like Finland, Italy, Greece and Germany, actually learning Maltese from just tuning in to the local radio stations. Professors at Oxford and Cambridge, Heidelberg in Germany and other high institutions have studied Maltese and been able to translate some of the best Maltese literary works, particular those of the national poet, Dun Karm.
For the rest, it's just fun to learn Maltese and to be able to surprise their affable grocer one morning......
The best way to learn Maltese is to find yourself a local coach so just ask around. You will be surprised how many people are willing to help you learn this unieque language.
If you are looking for something more formal, then get in touch with the local language schools who can certainly help.
It is not an easy language to learn, but a bit of determination usually works. There have been many instances of foreigners in places like Finland, Italy, Greece and Germany, actually learning Maltese from just tuning in to the local radio stations. Professors at Oxford and Cambridge, Heidelberg in Germany and other high institutions have studied Maltese and been able to translate some of the best Maltese literary works, particular those of the national poet, Dun Karm.
For the rest, it's just fun to learn Maltese and to be able to surprise their affable grocer one morning......
