Maltese or English?
The coexistence of Maltese and English as Malta's two
official languages may lead to the conclusion that both
have the same reputation and importance. But in fact
each of them serves a different purpose. Maltese is
utilized as the national language on the islands in
areas like politics, work and daily communication, whereas
English is used predominantly as an international language
to communicate with countries across Maltese boundaries.
On the island itself, English is not only the language
of instruction and education, but has gained the status
of a lingua franca, mainly supported by tourists from
all over the world visiting Malta. Notwithstanding that
English was to a considerable extent imposed on the
Maltese by the British a long time before the island's
sovereignty, today the islanders are aware of the importance
of English and understand their second language as an
asset to stay internationally communicative.
Anja Münch
Tip:Read through the interviews under our menu point
"Malta and the EU" to see what the Maltese
themselves say about their bilinguality!
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