Journal of Maltese Studies : On Maltese syntax : volume : 30

Abstract

This volume of the Journal of Maltese Studies aims at presenting the reader with a selection of studies focusing on selected issues in the morpho-syntax of Maltese, with contributions by linguists who are currently active in research. The aims of this volume are threefold: a) to showcase current research on Maltese syntax, both for a general and for a specialised audience, b) to provide an update of current, state-of-the-art descriptions and analyses of a selected set of topics in syntax in order to stimulate further research within these areas, especially among young scholars of Maltese linguistics, and c) to provide a general introduction to the study of the specific areas chosen while placing the study within a larger picture, and setting the stage for further studies in other related areas. Maltese has a long and intriguing history going back to its Arabic roots in the 11th century. Through the centuries up to the present, it has gone through phases of intense contact with non-Arabic languages, mainly Sicilian, Italian and English, that have sculpted its unique character and moulded it into a language that has achieved the status of national language and, together with English, official language of the Republic of Malta. Maltese is spoken by a large majority of the Maltese population on a daily basis and boasts a rich literature and a diverse media landscape.