Il-Malti vs English: The Battle for Malta’s Linguistic Soul in a Globalized World

**Il-Malti is our identity, not English: Why our language matters more than ever**

The elderly man at the Ħamrun bus stop switches effortlessly from Maltese to English mid-sentence, a linguistic dance that would confuse any tourist. “Mela, I’m telling you, the bus is late again,” he tells his companion, embodying Malta’s bilingual reality. Yet beneath this casual code-switching lies a deeper concern shared by many Maltese: is our native language losing ground to English?

Walk through Valletta’s bustling streets on any given morning and you’ll hear it – the distinctive cadence of Maltese, that unique Semitic tongue peppered with Italian, Arabic, and English influences. But listen closer, and you’ll notice something else. Young professionals clutching coffee cups speak exclusively in English. Shop assistants automatically greet customers in English first. Even some local children struggle to express themselves properly in Maltese, their vocabulary dominated by Netflix shows and TikTok trends.

“We’re witnessing a gradual erosion,” says Professor Ray Fabri, a linguist at the University of Malta who has studied Maltese language trends for decades. “Not of the language itself, but of its domains of use. Maltese is increasingly becoming the language of the home and marketplace, while English dominates education, business, and digital spaces.”

This linguistic shift carries profound implications for Maltese identity. Our language is more than communication – it’s the vessel of our collective memory, carrying within it centuries of foreign rule, resilience, and adaptation. When elderly fishermen in Marsaxlokk describe the weather using ancient Arabic-derived terms, or when village festa organizers use Italian-influenced phrases passed down through generations, they’re not just speaking – they’re preserving living history.

The impact reaches into every corner of Maltese society. In Gozo’s villages, traditional storytellers struggle to find young audiences who can fully appreciate the nuances of Maltese folktales. Local authors face shrinking readerships as Maltese-language books compete with English alternatives. Even our unique place names face gradual Anglicization – how many young people know that “Rabat” means “suburb” in Arabic, or that “Mdina” shares etymological roots with Medina in Saudi Arabia?

Yet declaring Maltese endangered would be premature. The 2021 census showed 90% of Maltese nationals still speak the language at home. What’s changing is its perceived value, particularly among younger generations who view English as the ticket to international opportunities. “My parents insist we speak Maltese at home,” explains 16-year-old Martina from Sliema. “But with my friends, even the Maltese ones, we mostly use English. It feels more modern, more international.”

This generational divide reflects broader socioeconomic changes. As Malta’s economy increasingly relies on iGaming, financial services, and tourism, English proficiency becomes not just advantageous but essential. The result is a society stratified by language preference, where Maltese dominance often correlates with age, education level, and economic sector.

The government has taken notice. Recent education reforms emphasize Maltese language proficiency, while cultural initiatives like the Malta Book Festival and local poetry slams celebrate Maltese literature. The National Council for the Maltese Language continuously works to modernize the language, creating new terms for technological concepts while preserving linguistic integrity.

But perhaps the most powerful preservation force comes from unexpected quarters – social media. Young Maltese content creators are increasingly using their native language on platforms like TikTok and Instagram, creating memes, comedy sketches, and music that resonate with local audiences. These digital natives are proving that Maltese can be as versatile and contemporary as any global language.

As Malta continues its rapid transformation, the relationship between Maltese and English remains fluid, complex, and deeply personal. Our challenge isn’t choosing one over the other, but ensuring that Maltese remains a living, evolving language that reflects our unique identity in an interconnected world. The elderly man at the bus stop understood this instinctively – his casual code-switching wasn’t confusion, but cultural richness.

In the end, preserving Maltese isn’t about rejecting English or retreating into nostalgia. It’s about recognizing that our language carries something irreplaceable: the wisdom, humor, and worldview of countless generations who called these islands home. Lose that, and we lose ourselves.