Sprachlicher kommentar zu Panza Vecchias Maltesischer Übersetzung von Genesis 4, 1-16 (mit besonderer Berücksichtigung italienischer Elemente)

Abstract

The language of Malta - Maltese - is today a mixed language that consists of Arabic composed of Italian and English elements whose basic structures are mostly Arabic. The origin of Maltese is an Arabic dialect of Maghreb, which is evident from the historical development of the islands. Sicily was conquered by Arabs coming from Tunisia, who then occupied Malta and ruled and Arabized the islands until 1090. Christians, again from Sicily, conquered Malta and finally integrated the islands into Western culture. The influence of Sicilian, and later Tuscan Italian, lasted for very long, even after Malta was conquered by Charles V and handed over to the Order of St. John in 1535. Up until the early 20th century, Italian was the language of the educated in Malta. Although in morphology and structure Maltese still exceptionally resembles Arabic, the Italian influences become very apparent in the syntax and semantics of the Maltese language. This paper is a commentary on Can. Fortunato Panzavecchia's translation of Genesis 4:1-16 into Maltese, which includes special considerations on the Italian influence on Maltese that evidently come out in this translation.