Dialects -- Djaletti

Dialects

 

Recently I encountered an article on the ABC called 'The story behind Australian English: why we talk the way we do'.1  The article discusses a publication by the author Kel Richards with the same name.

 

Richards says that to understand the sound of the language in this country, one must understand its recent history, that is starting with the arrival of the English two hundred years back.  These came on eleven ships from different locations in England, bringing with them the local English dialects.  They sounded different, and had different words as well, and in order to communicate, with time the dialect variations started to decline.

 

At the end of the nineteenth century, there was an attempt to establish a standard for spoken English in Australia.  The dialect of the educated classes in southern England was chosen, where the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge are located, which was considered 'correct'.  The rest of the dialects, naturally, were 'incorrect'.  This 'standard' dialect today is called Received Pronunciation - RP.

 

Today it is recognised that there are three principal accents for Australian English, even if these don't seem to be regionally-based2:

• •Cultivated (derived from RP), an example of which may be taken to be the actress Cate Blanchett; 

• •General, with an example being possibly the ex Australian Prime Minister, Julia Gillard; 

• •Broad, an example being the late personality Steve Irwin. 

 

Two thoughts sprang to mind as I was reading this.

 

The first was that there was no mention on the mass of Aboriginal languages and dialects in the country.  These naturally have nothing to do with English, except when lending to English their ancient words and names, such as 'billabong' for a lake, or Parramatta as a place name.

 

The second was that there are differences but also some similarities between the process behind, and the state of, Australian English and Maltese dialects.

 

One marked difference is that there is a larger variation in Maltese dialects, as well as dialects varying geographically.  At the same time that the English were 'discovering' Australia, Mikiel Anton Vassalli was already referring to Maltese dialects,3 and had already divided them geographically into five groups, with each group containing its own variations:

1. 1.dialects of Valletta and around the Grand Harbour 

2. 2.eastern dialects 

3. 3.central dialects 

4. 4.western dialects 

5. 5.Gozitan 

 

I can personally attest to the last group.  Both sides of my family are from Gozo, and when young often used to visit the island.  I remember very well my parents, upon hearing somebody speak, would immediately remart “Oh, I'm sure that guy is from Ta' Sannat”, or “She seems to be from Rabat (in Gozo)”.

 

Given they were specifically from Għarb in Gozo, sometimes I would hear somebody on the streets or the village square voicing a word with the Maltese silent consonants 'għ' or 'h' sounding like a hard 'ħ', like the Maltese word for 'his back' (dahru).

 

In these two years I've been teaching Maltese here in Sydney, I've marvelled at noting that the Maltese dialects are still very much alive here in Australia, and not only as you would expect amongs the first generation immigrants that came over, but also in those of the second and third generation, which were not born in Malta but in Australia.

 

Though naturally I teach the standard language and accent, I have to admit I enjoy hearing my students speak, one with the dialect from L-Imġarr (in Malta), another with the Mellieħa accent, another with her 'q' sounding like a 'k'.

 

A similarity with Australian dialects is some people's attitude that dialects are to be avoided, or are shameful.  I remember one of my grandmothers who, when I used to visit, used to be very careful to talk the 'proper Maltese', sometimes too proper.  I've also hear the case of a boy asking his mother why such a village person sounded so rude!

 

By the grace of God there's a renewal of interest in Maltese dialects.  There's a group on Facebook which discussed dialects (search for Djeletti Maltin).  There's also a project at the Maltese University radio Campus FM which broadcasts interviews with people speaking their native dialect from various villages around Malta and Gozo.  The program is called Kollu Malti (It's All Maltese),4 which is so true!

 

It's clear that dialects are alive and well even far from our ancestors' shores, still far from being dead, though their use is declining.  They are just waiting to be fully rediscovered and celebrated.  My dream is to be a part of celebrating this facet of our Maltese heritage.

 

 

 

 

Id-Djaletti

 

 

Dan l-aħħar, inzertajt artiklu fuq l-ABC, imsejjaħ 'L-Istorja tal-Ingliż Awstraljan: għaliex nitkellmu kif nitkellmu'.1  L-artiklu jitkellem fuq pubblikazzjoni tal-awtur Kel Richards bl-istess isem.

 

Richards jgħid li biex tifhem kif il-lingwa tinstema f'dan il-pajjiż, trid tifhem l-istorja riċenti tal-pajjiż, jiġifieri mill-wasla tal-Ingliżi mitejn sena ilu.  Dawn ġew fuq ħdax-il bastiment minn postijiet differenti fl-Ingilterra, u lkoll kellhom id-djaletti Ingliżi tagħhom.  Kienu jinstemgħu differenti, u kellhom kliem differenti wkoll, u biex ikunu jistgħu jikkomunikaw, biż-żmien il-varjazzjoni fid-djaletti bdew jitnaqqsu xi ftit.

 

Fl-aħħar tas-seklu dsatax kien hemm attentat sabiex jiġi stabbilit mod standard kif jiġi mitkellem l-Ingliż fl-Awstralja.  Intgħażel id-djalett tal-klassi edukata tan-nofsinhar tal-Ingilterra, fejn hemm l-Universitajiet ta' Oxford u Cambridge, li ġie kkunsidrat bħala it-'tajjeb'.  Il-bqija tad-djaletti, naturalment, kienu 'ħżiena'.  Dan id-djalett 'standard' illum jissejjaħ Pronunzja Rċevuta (Received Pronunciation - RP).

 

Illum jingħad li hemm tliet aċċenti prinċipali għall-Ingliż Awstraljan, anke jekk dawn ma jidhirx li huma bbażati fuq reġjuni ġeografiċi2:

• •Ikkultivat (li ġej mill-RP), li eżempju tiegħu tista' titqies l-attriċi Cate Blanchett; 

• •Ġenerali, eżempju jkun l-ex Prim Ministru Awstraljana, Julia Gillard; 

• •Wiesa', eżempju jkun il-persunaġġ Steve Irwin, illum mejjet. 

 

Ġewni żewġ ħsibijiet meta kont qed naqra dan kollu.

 

L-ewwel hu li ma kien qed jissemma xejn fuq il-massa kbira ta' lingwi u djaletti Aboriġini tal-pajjiż.  Dawn naturalment m'għandhomx x'jaqsmu mal-Ingliż, ħlief li sellfu lill-Ingliż il-kliem u l-ismijiet antiki tagħhom, bħal billabong għal għadira, jew Parramatta bħala post.

 

It-tieni kien li hemm differenzi imma anke xi similaritajiet bejn il-proċess u l-istat tad-djaletti fl-Ingliż Awstraljan u dawk ta' Malta.

 

Differenza li tispikka hi li hemm varjazzjoni ikbar f'Malta, kif ukoll li d-djaletti ivarjaw ġeografikament.  Fl-istess żmien li l-Ingliżi kienu qed 'jiskopru' l-Awstralja, Mikiel Anton Vassalli kien diġa semma d-djaletti Maltin,3 u kien qasamhom f'ħames gruppi fuq bażi ġeografika, u kull grupp ikollu l-varjazzjonijiet tiegħu:

1. 1.Djaletti tal-Belt Valletta u ta' madwar il-Port il-Kbir; 

2. 2.Djaletti tal-Lvant 

3. 3.Djaletti Ċentrali 

4. 4.Djaletti tal-Punent 

5. 5.l-Għawdxi 

 

Jien personalment nista' nikkonferma dan tal-aħħar.  Jien il-familja tiegħi minn Għawdex, miż-żewġ naħat, u meta kont żgħir kont immur spiss sa din il-gżira.  Niftakar sew lill-ġenituri tiegħi jisimgħu lil xi ħadd jitħaddet, u minnufiħ jirrimarkaw “Eh, dak żgur minn Ta' Sannat”, jew “Dik qisha mir-Rabat (t'Għawdex)”.

 

Peress li huma kienu speċifikament mill-Għarb, Għawdex, kultant kont nisma' f'xi triq jew pjazza xi kelma bl-ittra 'għ' jew 'h' jinstemgħu qishom 'ħ', meta illum ikunu mistennija li ma tinstemgħux, bħall-kelma 'dahru' (his back) tinstema 'daħru'.

 

F'dawn is-sentejn li ilni ngħallem il-lingwa Maltija hawn ġewwa Sydney, bqajt immeraviljat ninnota li d-djaletti Maltin għadhom ħajjin anke hawn l-Awstralja, u mhux biss kif tistenna fl-immigranti tal-ewwel ġenerazzjoni li ġew hawn, imma wkoll f'dawk tat-tieni u anke t-tielet ġenerazzjoni, li ma twildux Malta imma l-Awstralja.

 

Għalkemm jien naturalment ngħallem il-lingwa u l-aċċent standard Malti, ikolli nistqarr li nitpaxxa nisma' lill-istudenti jitkellmu, min b'djalett mill-Imġarr (ta' Malta), oħra b'aċċent mill-Mellieħa, oħra titkellem bil-'k' minflok bil-'q'.

 

Similarità mad-djaletti Awstraljani hija l-attitudni ta' xi wħud li d-djaletti huma ta' min iwarrabhom, jew huma tal-mistħija.  Jien niftakar lil nanna waħda tiegħi, li meta kont inżurha, kienet toqgħod attenta ħafna li titkellem 'bil-Malti pulit', kważi pulit (pooleet) iżżejjed.  Smajt b'każ ieħor ta' tifel li staqsa lil ommu għaliex it-tali persuna raħlija 'titkellem bil-pastaż'!

 

Għall-grazzja t'Alla qed ikun hawn qawmien ta' interess fid-djaletti Maltin.  Hemm grupp fuq Facebook fejn jiġu diskussi d-djaletti (fittex għal 'Djeletti Maltin').  Hemm ukoll proġett mir-radju tal-Università ta' Malta Campus FM biex jiġu mxandra intervisti ma' nies b'djalett minn diversi rħula madwar Malta u Għawdex.  Il-programm jismu 'Kollu Malti',4 u hekk hu!

 

Huwa ċar li d-djaletti għadhom qawwija anke 'l bogħod minn xtut missirijietna, u għadhom ukoll il bogħod milli jmutu, għalkemm l-użu tagħhom jonqos.  Qed jistennew biss biex jerġgħu jiġu misjuba fis-sħiħ, u ċċelebrati.  Il-ħolma tiegħi hi li nkun parti miċ-ċelebrazzjoni ta' dan il-wirt qawwi tagħna l-Maltin.

1http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-03-16/the-story-behind-australian-english/6315078, retrieved 24/3/2015

2http://dialectblog.com/2011/07/10/types-of-australian-accents/, retrieved 24/3/2015

3Ktŷb yl klŷm Mâlti mfysser byl-Latîn u byt-Taljân; Michaelis Antonii Vassalli; 1796; p16

4http://campusfm.um.edu.mt/pages/webcastspages/kollumalti.htm, retrieved 24/3/2015

Maltese Surnames in Australia -- Kunjomijiet Maltin fl-Awstralja

Maltese Surnames in Australia

 

Recently, my wife arrived back home from work.  I realised something had happened, as she was muttering under her breath.

 

I asked her straight away what had happened, and that's what she was waiting for!

 

She works in a pharmacy in Toongabbie, where many Maltese are clients, some of whom ask for her to be served.  One female client had her surname Buttiġieġ, and my wife called her by her surname to pick up the medicine she had ordered.

 

One of her colleagues, and immigrant like her and myself, told her in English, that that was not the right way to pronounce the surname, which was Butt-ee-gig, as that was how the client had pronounced it.  My wife told her that the Maltese method of pronunciation was Boot-ee-gee-g, but her colleague did not seem to accept this.

 

My wife continued sadly that the majority of Maltese that go there don't help in providing the right pronunciation, as they use an Anglicised version of the surname.  Hence Baldacchino is pronounced Bal-da-chee-no instead of Bal-dak-ki-no, Borġ is pronounced Bor-g instead of Bor-ch, Grech sounds like Gre-ch instead of Gre-k, Ebejer becomes E-be-ger instead of E-be-ear, and the list never ends.

 

The extreme case occurs when surnames are even formally changed, that is not only do they sound different but also are written differently from the original, like Mercieca which changes to Mercia, Bajada becoming Baiada, etc.

 

Naturally, I do understand the difficulty in people born with the primary language being English pronouncing Maltese surnames.  This is caused by Maltese surnames being written to follow Italian phonetics.

 

In order to explain myself, consider the Italian word 'chi', which is translated to min in Maltese and 'who' in English, which sounds like 'key' in Italian, however English speakers who have words like 'cheetah', pronounce it as 'chee'.  This explains why my surname Cauchi is pronounced by Australians as Cow-chee and not Cow-key as the Maltese do.

 

There are various other letters in Maltese that sound very different to their equivalent in English, like the 'j', 'q' and others, which my Maltese students quickly find out.

 

I've heard many Maltese people here in Australia (and probably any other country with a substantial Maltese population) say they're fed up of not being understood when giving their name, or having to spell it every time, and so just pronounce it in Anglicised form.

 

This process was probably also influenced by the immigration policy by the Australian governments, in the period when immigration from Malta reached its peak, that is after the Second World War.  This policy, called assimilation, aimed for immigrants slowly becoming similar to English-origin Australians in values, behaviour, way of life and ultimately, speech1.

 

The pressure on the Maltese to become accepted in a society that derogatively called them 'wogs' couldn't have been small, and one thing that made them different without a doubt was their surname.

 

I have to say that this process is also evident in other cultures, sometimes manifestly more extreme especially in Asian immigrants, where people commonly have an English name apart from their Asian one, and quote the former and not the latter.

 

In my experience in with world of work here, I can say my colleagues used to do everything they could to pronounce my name correctly.  My name Ivan in English sounds Aye-vin (rather than Ee-vun), and I used to appreciate my colleagues try to pronounce my name in the Maltese traditional way, and keep trying until they got it.  I remember feeling really grateful they took the time to do so - perhaps I was lucky to have colleagues who were open to other cultures.

 

My fellow Maltese, my hope is to treasure our name and how it sounds in our language, as this is unique in this world, and a small part of the tremendous heritage we carry from that island in the middle of the Mediterranean, so brimming with cultural wealth.

 

I'm proud to be called Ivan, and that it sounds Ee-vun and not Aye-vin.

1Class and Class Conflict in Australia; Longman, 1996: Migrants and Class in Postwar Australia; Robert Tierney -  available at http://www.anu.edu.au/polsci/marx/interventions/migrants.htm, retrieved 8/3/2015

Spring Hunting Referendum -- Ir-Referendum fuq il-Kaċċa fir-Rebbiegħa

Spring Hunting Referendum

 

This year, April will bring a historic referendum in Malta on hunting in spring, where the Maltese will be asked whether they want this tradition to continue.1  This period is important for Malta as during this time, may birds would be migrating from winter in Africa back to summer in Europe to beget the next generation, using Malta to stopover and rest.

 

Currently, hunting is lawfully permitted in this period due to a Derogation on the EU Birds Directive, which the Maltese Government had negotiated prior to accession to the European Union.  This Derogation, when applied, permits the hunting of turtle doves and quail for a limited time in spring.  With this referendum, the government will find out whether people want this derogation to continue to be requested (to enable spring hunting to continue) or not (which will end it).

 

Those against the derogation, say that it is abused with the hunting of many more species of birds, and that the only solution is for the practice to be abolished.2  Those in favour of the derogation argue that abuses need to be controlled, and shouldn't reflect upon the majority of law-abiding hunters, who are enjoying a tradition that should be maintained.3

 

It's good that traditions are maintained, as these help to preserve the culture of a nation, as distinct from another nation, and leads to a sense of identity.  However it also needs to be said that traditions should be evaluated with time, in the light of a better understanding of any negative impacts these might have.

 

For example, in some societies including Malta, it was common for marriages to be arranged by parents or a match maker.  Today we can say that this tradition has practically disappeared in Malta, as parents are realising that their children should have the right to choose their future partners themselves.

 

Another example, by the grace of God not found in Malta, is female genital mutilation, where at least part of the female genitalia is cut off, usually when the girl is still young, as a control measure over their sexuality.  This happens as a tradition in parts of Africa and Asia.  This barbaric tradition, which causes much pain and suffering for the women on whom undertaken, is slowly being discontinued, as people are becoming aware that women also should have the right to enjoy their own sexuality.

 

On the topic of hunting, one has to keep in mind that the killing of animals has the primary function  of providing humans with food, whether carried out by shotgun or otherwise.  With time, the activity also developed into a sport, naturally not only in Malta.

 

It's well known today that shooting does not always lead to the death of birds, who may end up only wounded and may continue living in great pain, for a short or long time.  This is distinct from the killing of birds kept for human consumption, as is the case with chickens, where their slaughter may be carried out in a controlled 'humane' manner, causing the animal the minimum of suffering.

 

Killing of animals for food is the only motivation I find ethically acceptable, based on the majority of humans being omnivores, and this only when their suffering is minimised.

 

Beyond this exception, I find the killing of birds (and any other animal) as a sport to be unacceptable, whether called a pastime or passion.  Apart from the suffering of birds shot and not killed straight away, I feel that killing of birds as a sport is egoistic, as when a bird is shot as a pastime, this is being enjoyed only by the shooter, whereas when a bird is being enjoyed by observers that do it no harm, the bird can continue to be enjoyed by others and live to bear its chicks.

 

For this reason, if I were eligible to vote in the spring hunting referendum, I would be voting NO.  What about you?

 

 

--------------------

Ir-Referendum fuq il-Kaċċa fir-Rebbiegħa

 

F'April ta' din is-sena se jsir referendum storiku f'Malta dwar il-kaċċa fir-rebbiegħa, fejn il-poplu Malti qed jiġi mistoqsi jekk iridx li din it-tradizzjoni titkompla.1  F'Malta dan il-perjodu huwa importanti għaliex f'dan iż-żmien tas-sena, ħafna għasafar ikunu qed ipassu minn xitwa fl-Afrika lura għas-sajf fl-Ewropa sabiex inisslu ġenerazzjoni ġdida, u jużaw lil Malta bħala post tas-serħan.  

 

Bħalissa, il-kaċċa hija permessa f'dan il-perjodu skont il-liġi għax hemm Deroga tal-UE fuq id-Direttiva fuq l-Għasafar tal-UE, li kien innegozja il-Gvern Malti qabel ma l-pajjiż issieħeb fl-Unjoni Ewropeja.  Din id-Deroga, meta applikata, tippermetti l-kaċċa tal-gamiem u s-summien f'perjodu limitat fir-rebbiegħa. B'dan ir-referendum, il-gvern se jsir jaf jekk il-poplu jridx li din id-deroga tkomplix tintalab (u għalhekk il-kaċċa fir-rebbiegħa tkompli) jew le (u għalhekk tispiċċa).

 

Min jopponi din id-Deroga, jgħid li din tiġi abbużata bil-kaċċa ta' ħafna aktar speċi ta' għasafar, u li l-unika soluzzjoni hi li din il-prattika tiġi abolita.2  Min hu favur id-deroga, jgħid li l-abbużi għandhom jiġu kkontrollati, u m'għandhomx jirriflettux fuq il-maġġoranza ta' kaċċaturi li jobdu l-liġi, li qed igawdu minn tradizzjoni li għandha tiġi miżmuma.3

 

Huwa tajjeb li t-tradizzjonijiet jinżammu, għax dawn jgħinu biex jippreservaw il-kultura ta' poplu li jiddistingwi ruħu minn poplu ieħor, u jwassal għal sens ta' identità.  Biss irid jingħad ukoll li t-tradizzjonijiet għandhom jiġu evalwati maż-żminijiet fid-dawl ta' għarfien aħjar dwar xi impatt negattiv li jista' jkun hemm.

 

Biex nagħti eżempju, kien komuni f'ċertu soċjetajiet, inkluża dik Maltija, li ż-żwiġijiet ikunu irranġati mill-ġenituri jew minn xi ħuttab.  Illum nistgħu ngħidu li din it-tradizzjoni prattikament inqatgħet għalkollox f'Malta, għax il-ġenituri qed jirrealizzaw li wliedhom għandu jkollhom id-dritt li jagħżlu huma s-sieħeb jew sieħba tagħhom.  

 

Eżempju ieħor, għall-grazzja t'Alla mhux misjub f'Malta, huwa l-mutilazzjoni ġenitali femminili, fejn mill-inqas parti mill-ġenitalja tan-nisa tkunu maqtugħa barra, ġeneralment meta jkunu għadhom tfal, bħala kontroll fuq is-sesswalità tagħhom.  Dan iseħħ bħala tradizzjoni f'partijiet mill-Afrika u l-Ażja.  Din it-tradizzjoni barbarika, li tikkawża wġigħ u tbatija kbira fin-nisa milquta, bil-mod il-mod qed tinqata, għax qed tiżdied l-għarfien li n-nisa wkoll għandu jkollhom id-dritt igawdu s-sesswalità tagħhom.

 

Fuq il-kwistjoni tal-kaċċa, wieħed irid iżomm quddiem għajnejh li l-qtil tal-annimali għandu primarjament il-funzjoni li jipprovdi lill-bniedem bl-ikel, bis-snieter jew mingħajrhom. Maż-żmien, żviluppa wkoll bħala sport, u naturalment mhux f'Malta biss.

 

Illum huwa magħruf li l-kaċċa bis-snieter mhux dejjem twassal għall-qtil tal-għasfur, li jista' jispiċċa ferut biss, u jista' jibqa' jgħix fi tbatija kbira, għal żmien qasir jew twil.  Dan huwa differenti mill-qtil ta' għasafar miżmuma għall-ikel, bħal ngħidu aħna t-tiġieġ, fejn il-qtil jista' jsir b'mod ikkontrollat, b'mod 'uman' u li jikkawża l-inqas tbatija lill-annimal.

 

Il-qtil tal-annimali għall-ikel huwa l-uniku motivazzjoni etikament aċċettabbli għalija, abbażi li l-biċċa l-kbira tal-bnedmin huma omnivori, u dan biss fejn it-tbatija tal-annimali tiġi mminimizzata.

 

Lil hinn minn din l-eċċezzjoni, il-qtil tal-għasafar (u kwalunkwe annimal ieħor) bħala sport għalija mhuwiex ġustifikabbli, la jekk imsejjaħ delizzju u lanqas namra.  Apparti t-tbatija għal dawk l-għasafar li jintlaqtu fil-kaċċa b'xi tir u ma jinqatlux mallewwel, inqis li l-qtil ta' għasfur bħala sport fiha egoiżmu, għax meta għasfur jinqatel bħala delizzju, dan qed jitgawda mill-kaċċatur biss, mentri meta l-għasfur qed jitgawda minn osservaturi li ma jagħmlulux ħsara, dan jista' jkompli jitgawda minn oħrajn, u jkompli jgħix biex inissel il-frieħ.

 

Għalhekk, kieku kont eliġibbli biex nivvota fir-referendum fuq il-kaċċa fir-rebbiegħa, kont nivvota LE.  U int?

 

 

1http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20150112/local/referendum-question.551635, retrieved 23/2/2015

2http://www.birdlifemalta.org/Content/hunting/springhunting/995/#.VOprxzVZ6PQ, retrieved 23/2/2015

3http://www.huntinginmalta.org.mt/index.pl/traditional_hunting_practices, retrieved 23/2/2015