Maltese in Michigan

Appendix 4: Language

61 Appendix 4 Language B ilingualism was often necessary in the workplace and the written language , until mid-1860, was never Maltese.Prior to 1934, Italian was used in the workplace, taught in the schools, and was the official language of the courts until replaced with English. The Maltese language is derived from the Arab dialect spoken during the early Middle Ages. The language has strong Italian and English influences. It is the only Semitic language written in the Latin alphabet. Maltese and English are the official languages of Malta. There are some variations in the sounds of letters. For speakers of American English to pronounce Maltese, they need to recognize the following sounds of letters: • [ċ] is pronounced like our “ch.” • [h] is silent within a word and pronounced like our “h” when at the end of a word. • [j] is pronounced like our “y.” • [gh] is mostly silent but prolongs the sound of a vowel when it proceeds the vowel; when [gh] is at the end of a word, it is pronounced as a soft “h.” 62 Joseph M. Lubig • [q] used in a way similar to our (’) in words to denote sudden separation of sounds. • [r] is trilled like the Scottish “r.” • [x] is pronounced like our “sh.” • [ż] is pronounced like our “z.” • [z] is pronounced like our “ts.” Basic Words and Common Expressions in Maltese english maltese pronunciation Simple words Yes Iva iva No Le le Please Jekk joghbok yek yo : jbok Thank you Grazzi gratsi You’re welcome M’hemmx mn’hiex memsh mni : sh Greetings How are you? Kif inti? kiyf inti Very well, thanks. And you? (male) Tajjeb hafna. U inti? tayeb hafna u inti Very well, thanks. And you? (female) Tajba hafna. U inti? tayba hafna u inti Good morning Bongu bonju Good evening Bonswa bonswa Good-bye Sahha sahha I beg your pardon? Skuzi? skuzi Excuse me! Skuzi! skuzi Sorry Skuzani skuza : ni Questions Do you speak English? Titkellem bl-Ingliz? titkellem bl ingli : s Can you tell me? Tista’ tghidli? tista teydli Can you help me? Tista’ tghinni? tista teyni Can I help you? Nista’ nghinek? nista neyneyk How much? Kemm? kem How long? Kemm iddum? kem iddu : m MAL TESE IN MICHIGAN 63 The oldest known literary text in the Maltese language, “Il Cantilena,” dates to the fifteenth century and is credited to Pietru Caxaro. The text in Maltese with an English translation follows. The poem is said to speak through metaphor of a failed romance. Xideu il cada ye gireni tale nichadithicum Mensab fil gueri uele nisab fo homorcom Calb mehandihe chakim soltan ui le mule Bir imgamic rimitne betiragin mucsule Fen hayran al garca nenzel fi tirag minzeli Nitla vu nargia ninzil deyem fil bachar il hali. Huakit hi mirammiti lili zimen nibni Mectatilix mihallimin me chitali tafal morchi fen timayt insib il gebel sib tafal morchi vackit hi mirammiti. Huakit by mirammiti Nizlit hi li sisen Mectatilix li mihallimin ma kitatili li gebel fen tumayt insib il gebel sib tafal morchi Huakit thi mirammiti lili zimen nibni Huec ucakit hi mirammiti vargia ibnie biddilihe inte il miken illi yeutihe Min ibidill il miken ibidil i vintura haliex liradi ’al col xibir sura hemme ard bayad v hemme ard seude et hamyra Hactar min hedann heme tred mine tamara. ————— Witness my predicament, my friends (neighbors), as I shall relate it to you: Never has there been, neither in the past, nor in your lifetime, A [similar] heart, ungoverned, without lord or king (sultan), That threw me down a well, with broken stairs Where, yearning to drown, I descend the steps of my downfall, 64 Joseph M. Lubig Climb back up, only to go down again in this sea of woe. It (she) fell, my edifice, [that] which I had been building for so long, It was not the builders’ fault, but (of) the soft clay (that lay beneath); Where I had hoped to find rock, I found loose clay. It (she) fell, my building! It (she) fell, my building, its foundations collapsed; It was not the builders’ fault, but the rock gave way, Where I had hoped to find rock, I found loose clay It (she) fell, my edifice, (that) which I had been building for so long, And so, my edifice subsided, and I shall have to build it up again, Change the site that caused its downfall. Who changes his place, changes his “vintura”! For each (piece of land) has its own shape (features...