https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/697 2026-08-07T13:02:35Z 2026-08-07T13:02:35Z Gatt, Judith Stivarou, Varvara https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/148422 2026-08-06T11:04:23Z 2026-01-01T00:00:00Z

Title: Through the eyes of wanderers : the contribution of travel literature to the study of ancient Cypriot harbours Authors: Gatt, Judith; Stivarou, Varvara Abstract: This article explores the contribution of travel literature to the diachronic study of ancient Cypriot harbours (Classical-Late Roman period), highlighting its potential to complement archival, archaeological and geoarchaeological research. While often regarded as unreliable due to exaggerations and biases, travel accounts provide valuable insights into harbour landscapes. By analysing references from the 13th to the 19th centuries, this study categorizes relevant observations into five themes: harbour identification, structural descriptions, construction techniques, accessibility, and environmental changes. Cross-referencing these accounts with archaeological data offers new perspectives on harbour evolution, demonstrating that travel literature remains an underutilized yet crucial resource in harbour archaeology.; Résumé. Cet article explore la contribution de la littérature de voyage à l'étude diachronique des ports antiques de Chypre (période classique-antiquité tardive), en mettant en évidence son potentiel à compléter les informations fournies par les archives, l'archéologie et la géoarchéologie. Bien que souvent considérés comme peu fiables en raison d'exagérations et de biais, les récits de voyage fournissent des informations précieuses sur le paysage portuaire. En analysant des références datant du xIIr au siècle, cette étude classe les observations pertinentes en cinq thèmes : identification des ports, descriptions structurelles, techniques de construction, accessibilité et changements environnementaux. Le recoupement de ces témoignages avec les données archéologiques offre de nouvelles perspectives sur l'évolution des ports, démontrant que la littérature de voyage reste une ressource sous-exploitée mais essentielle pour l'archéologie portuaire.

2026-01-01T00:00:00Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/148400 2026-08-05T07:21:45Z 2024-01-01T00:00:00Z

Title: What would a new, attention-driven pedagogy look like? Abstract: In this long-form piece, Dr Benjamin Nickl, Discipline of Comparative Literature and Translation Studies (University of Sydney), Dr Christopher John Miller, Discipline of Media Studies (Macquarie University) and Dr Marija Grech, Department of English (University of Malta) explore the attention ecology within higher education, from current challenges to new ages. Through their interdisciplinary lens, they discuss the effects of our current ‘attention haze’ on learning environments and the necessity of recalibrating our educational approaches to foster sustainable attention and meaningful interactions amidst the clamour of modern distractions.

2024-01-01T00:00:00Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/148393 2026-08-04T09:03:05Z 2026-08-02T00:00:00Z

Title: Electricity infrastructure is social Abstract: Electricity infrastructure is far more than cables, substations and engineering. It is also profoundly social. When electricity fails, its impacts are not experienced equally. Housing conditions, health, age, disability, work, caring responsibilities and social inequality all shape who bears the greatest burden. Infrastructure reflects political choices about investment, resilience and whose needs are prioritised. In this article, I argue that debates on electricity should move beyond technical fixes to include the lived experiences of people and communities. Building resilient infrastructure also means building a more socially just society.

2026-08-02T00:00:00Z Ellul, Dwayne https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/148391 2026-08-04T08:16:30Z 2026-01-01T00:00:00Z

Title: Functional trade-offs in bilingual lexicography : a theory-based criticism of Aquilina's Maltese–English dictionary Authors: Ellul, Dwayne Abstract: This article presents a theory-based criticism of Aquilina's Maltese–English Dictionary (AMED), the most authoritative bilingual dictionary in Maltese lexicography. Grounded in Function Theory, it evaluates AMED in relation to communicative and cognitive functions, with particular attention to the interaction between structure, access, and lexicographic information costs. Methodologically, the study combines Tarp's (2017) model of dictionary criticism with Nielsen's (2009) framework of significant features and information costs. Drawing on a systematically con structed sample, it analyses AMED's dictionary concept, structural design, and functional performance across text production, reception, proofreading, translation, and cognitive consultation. The findings show that AMED's authority rests primarily on its cognitive strengths, including encyclopaedic scope, morphological coherence, and historical depth. At the same time, elevated search related and comprehension-related information costs reduce its effectiveness in punctual communicative use. These limitations arise not from a lack of information, but from its structural organisation. More specifically, they reflect an implicit, historically grounded polyfunctional concept that prioritises documentary completeness over functional differentiation. By making these trade-offs explicit, the article contributes to theory-based dictionary criticism and demonstrates how functional analysis can provide explanatory insight into uneven lexicographic performance. It also offers implications for the design of future Maltese–English lexicographic resources better aligned with contemporary user needs.

2026-01-01T00:00:00Z