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Our Language Maltese were the first words coming from your lips and Maltese you spoke oh smiling boy. And that primary language grew with you and became one with your life...(translated from the poem Ghaliex - Why Dun Karm Psaila.) The Acts of the Apostles give a first inkling as to what the Maltese used as a language. The Maltese who welcomed St. Paul on the Islands were described as barbarians, which in those days meant people who did not speak Greek or Latin. Most likely they spoke Punic – that is to say Phoenician and Carthaginian. Hundreds of years later (AD 832) under Arabic rule, the language imbued the Arabic dialect. This was retained even after the expulsion of the Moslems (but not the Arabs) back in 1249. From that year onwards however one cannot refer to the Arabic articulated in Malta (like the Arabic conversed in Tunisia or Egypt) but to the Maltese language itself. This is the point in time where the Maltese language cut off its nexus and began to reckon with southern Europe particularly Sicily and Italy. Thus a language, in essence Arabic (having ties with Aramaic used in Lebanon and Syria), became the parlance of a Catholic and European community. Maltese continued to be influenced by Romance elements and this infusion continued throughout the hundreds of years to come. The Language Dispute gave rise to a contention whether Maltese should be written in Roman letters or go it alone and use different alphabetical letters. A definitive resolution was given in 1924 by l-Għaqda tal-Kittieba Maltin (Maltese Writers Association) in its publication It-Tagħrif fuq il-Kitba Maltija (Facts on Maltese Writing) based on rules worked out by Mikiel Anton Vassalli in 1791. Scholars felt the need to study and analyse the Maltese language. The first study of its kind was published in 1750, Della Lingua Punica by Ġan Franġisk Agius de Soldanis. The Mylsen, the first major grammar on the language was published by Mikiel Anton Vassalli in 1791, who also published the first ever Maltese dictionary, Ktieb il-Kliem Malti, back in 1796. In the mid-1900s, the first language groups came into being with the best authors at that time giving their due to create the first literary movement. Ludovik Mifsud Tommasi and Ġan Anton Vassallo were among the first to delve into religious and patriotic poetry and gained huge popularity. The Language Dispute established Maltese and <strong>English</strong> as the official languages in 1934. Maltese is now also one of the official languages of the European Union. Recently, mainly because of the interaction with the British and as a result of modern day developments, <strong>English</strong> words acceded into the Maltese language. The Maltese Language Act (Chapter 470), enacted unanimously by the House of Representatives in 2005, set up the National Council of the Maltese Language with the function and duty to update and promote the Maltese language.
Malta’s Coat of Arms Malta’s coat of arms is made out of a shield showing a heraldic representation of the National Flag of Malta; above the shield there is a mural golden crown with a sally port and eight turrets (only five are visible), which represent Malta’s fortifications and indicate a City State; around the shield, there is a wreath consisting of two branches, with an olive on the right and a palm on the left hand side, symbolising peace and traditionally associated with Malta, all in their true colours and are joined at the base with a ribbon which is white on one side and red on the other, on which there are the words Repubblika ta’ Malta (Republic of Malta) in black capital letters. A Presidential Proclamation showing the Seal The National Coat of Arms which is to be found in Parliament The Seal and the wax used by the Republic of Malta The law (Emblem and Public Seal of Malta Act, Cap. 253), establishes that no one can make use, whatever the purpose, or incorporate in any design, the Maltese Emblem, or any imitation thereof, without the Prime Minister’s written authority. For administrative purposes, it is used in various colours on official documents. If utilised by the President, then it is in its proper colours, while the Prime Minister uses it in gold, when used in other instances such as letterheads, it is is shown in dark blue, the same being used by Ministers. The Speaker uses it in green. On Government Departments’ letters and documents, only the black and white version is used.
Page 1: PAJJIżNA No.50
Page 6 and 7: Other Flags Presidential Flag of Ma
Page 8 and 9: The Maltese National Anthem Amongst
Page 10 and 11: The Blue Rock Thrush The blue rock
Page 12 and 13: Malta fl-Ewropa As from the 1 Janua
Page 14 and 15: Maltese....Too! The Compact Oxford

English - Doi-archived.gov.mt

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