Living languages in Malta

Abstract

Language constitutes an essential ingredient in the formation of culture, in its transmission and maintenance. It is the medium for primary socialization and interpersonal exchange and, as such, it encapsulates all the values of the group, open expressed in nuances that only 'insiders' can properly decipher. Languages often act as surrogates for group identities, whether the group happens to be a small isolated community speaking a variety of a major language, or a whole nation with an autonomous and long-standing linguistic tradition. Living Languages in Malta explores the role of languages spoken in Malta and Gozo and, specifically, traces how Maltese, the indigenous language, is developing and what the Maltese perceive its role to be, particularly as a result of its becoming one of the official languages of the European Union. Since language is itself content, this monograph also examines the processes taking place within the Maltese language itself, the interaction between languages resulting in code-switching, and the relative importance given to different languages by the Maltese. Living Languages in Malta offers a socio-linguisitic discussion of language as a unique vantage point for a deeper analysis of ongoing processes in Maltese society.