Are there any traces of Punic in Maltese?

Abstract

Ever since G. De Soldanis made the first attempt at a systematic study of Maltese over two centuries ago the conviction that the language which is presently spoken in Malta is somehow or other connected with Punic has never completely died out. The problem arises when we ask what language was spoken throughout the Byzantine occupation of the Islands up to the Arabic invasion to the Ninth Century. G. De Soldanis, A. Preca, and C. Caruana were convinced that Punic continued to be the language of the Maltese and that it developed into modern Maltese under the influence of Arabic. Unfortunately there is no historical evidence to verify this assertion. This article shall delve deeper in this discussion and shall conclude whether or not there are any evidence of traces of Punic in the Maltese language today.