Specialised Dictionary of Geography

The Department of Maltese at the University of Malta has just published its second specialised dictionary, produced with the support of the National Council for the Maltese Language. This second publication focuses on the field of geography and follows the one on economics, which was the first volume in this series.

The author of this dictionary is Edward Gilson, former Education Officer for Geography, while the editors are Prof. Michael Spagnol, Mr Thomas Pace and Mr Dwayne Ellul. The dictionary features around 600 terms drawn from a range of fields, including geology, meteorology, flora and fauna, energy, sustainable development, and other modern subjects related to geography, such as demography and ecotourism.

Most of these terms originate from the glossaries found at the end of the three secondary school textbooks Id-Dinja Darna – Niskopru l-Ambjent Ġeografiku ta’ Madwarna by the same author. These glossaries were originally compiled in 2010 by the author, the Heads of the Geography Department, and the Terminology Committee of the Maltese Language Council. The definitions have now been revised and expanded, and many additional terms have been included, both from the local context — such as andar, mixta and skal — and from the global context, including sulphur dioxide (diossidu tal-kubrit), central business district (distrett tan-negozju ċentrali) and golf (gulf). During the editing phase over the past three years, research assistant Ms Amy Borg and a number of experts in geography and linguistics also made significant contributions.

In addition to bringing together in one volume the terminology previously spread across three separate glossaries, this dictionary continues the work of standardising the vocabulary of another technical field for teachers and students, researchers, translators, journalists, and anyone interested in using Maltese in this area. The terms, together with their Maltese definitions and English equivalents, are also available online.

The publication also includes (a) a number of illustrations by Naomi Gatt explaining processes such as the water cycle, the food chain, and the parts of a volcano; (b) a list of countries, capital cities and demonyms; (c) a list of localities in Malta and Gozo; and (d) a list of several areas in Malta and Gozo whose Maltese names may be less widely known, such as Chadwick Lakes (Wied il-Qlejgħa).

Dizzjunarju Speċjalizzat: Ġeografija has been published by Klabb Kotba Maltin and is available online and leading bookshops.

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Dizzjunarju Speċjalizzat tal-Ġeografija

Id-Dipartiment tal-Malti fl-Università għadu kemm ħareġ it-tieni dizzjunarju speċjalizzat bis-sehem tal-Kunsill Nazzjonali tal-Ilsien Malti. Jittratta l-qasam tal-ġeografija u jsegwi d-dizzjunarju tal-ekonomija, li kien l-ewwel wieħed f’din is-sensiela.

L-awtur ta’ dan id-dizzjunarju hu Edward Gilson, li kien l-Uffiċjal Edukattiv tal-Ġeografija, u l-edituri huma Prof. Michael Spagnol, Mr Thomas Pace u Mr Dwayne Ellul. Fih madwar 600 terminu li jinkludu kliem minn oqsma differenti bħall-ġeoloġija, il-meteoroloġija, il-flora u l-fawna, l-enerġija, l-iżvilupp sostenibbli, u suġġetti oħra moderni li tmiss magħhom il-ġeografija, bħad-demografija u l-ekoturiżmu.

Il-biċċa l-kbira ta’ dawn it-termini huma mislutin mill-glossarji li hemm fi tmiem it-tliet kotba skolastiċi Id-Dinja Darna - Niskopru l-Ambjent Ġeografiku ta’ Madwarna tal-istess awtur, li jintużaw fl-iskejjel sekondarji. Dawn kienu tfasslu fl-2010 mill-awtur, il-Kapijiet tad-Dipartiment tal-Ġeografija u l-Kumitat tat-Terminoloġija tal-Kunsill tal-Malti. Id-definizzjoni tat-termini issa ġiet aġġornata, u żdiedu ħafna termini oħrajn kemm mill-kuntest lokali, bħal andar, mixta u skal, u kemm mill-kuntest globali, bħal diossidu tal-kubrit, distrett tan-negozju ċentrali u golf. Fl-aħħar tliet snin, matul il-fażi tal-editjar, taw sehem kbir l-assistenta tar-riċerka Ms Amy Borg u għadd ta’ esperti mill-qasam tal-Ġeografija u l-Lingwistika.

Dan id-dizzjunarju, minbarra li jiġbor f’post wieħed it-termini ta’ tliet glossarji separati, ikompli jistandardizza l-vokabolarju ta’ qasam tekniku ieħor għall-għalliema u l-istudenti, r-riċerkaturi, t-tradutturi, l-ġurnalisti, u kull min jinteressah iħaddem il-Malti f’dan il-qasam. It-termini bid-definizzjonijiet bil-Malti u l-ekwivalenti bl-Ingliż qegħdin ukoll fis-sit.

Il-pubblikazzjoni tinkludi (a) għadd ta’ illustrazzjonijiet ta’ Naomi Gatt, li jfissru aħjar proċessi bħaċ-ċiklu tal-ilma, il-katina tal-ikel, u l-partijiet tal-vulkan; (b) lista bl-ismijiet tal-pajjiżi, il-bliet kapitali u r-residenti; (ċ) lista bl-ismijiet tal-lokalitajiet ta’ Malta u Għawdex; u (d) lista b’numru ta’ nħawi f’Malta u Għawdex li isimhom bil-Malti forsi mhux magħruf daqstant, bħal Wied il-Qlejgħa (Chadwick Lakes).

Id-Dizzjunarju Speċjalizzat: Ġeografija ġie ppubblikat mal-Klabb Kotba Maltin u jinsab għall-bejgħ mis-sit u mill-ħwienet tal-kotba ewlenin.