Prehistoric Malta -- Malta fil-preistorja

Prehistoric Malta

 

One of my favourite subjects from my country of birth is its history, rich like no other, and which is taught to Maltese students at their school benches.  To me the most fascinating, and unfortunately the one treated in the least detail, is its prehistory.

 

I understand the difficulty in talking about a time when writing did not exist, and the difficulty we have in finding out what happened so many thousands of years ago, when literally many clues are buried underground, have become embedded in rock or are under water!

 

Recently a few books on the subject have come my way which I am relishing reading.  The first1 considers evidence for the presence in Malta of man of the Magdalenian culture (20 to 10 thousand years before present), in the last part of the paleolithic (from 3 million to 10 thousand years ago characterised by the use of stone tools).  These humans in Europe were associated with the hunting of deer and other large mammals towards the end of the Ice Age, when these cold-intolerant animals migrated down from the north of Europe towards the south.

 

Groups of these animals and possibly man probably crossed to Malta during the last two glacial periods.  It it thought that during the penultimate period (Riss, 180-130 thousand years ago), the sea level decreased by 50 metres compared to the present time, such as to form a land bridge between Sicily and Malta, and in the last glacial period (Würm, 70-10 thousand years ago) it decreased to 90 metres, such that the land bridge extended from Malta extended up to the mainland of what is now Italy.

 

In fact, not only deer were found in Malta, but also hippos, elephants, foxes, bears and wolves, primarily at Għar Dalam, but also amongst others at Imqabba, Mellieħa, Qrendi, Ħaż-Żebbuġ in Malta, and Dwejra and Wied il-Għasri in Gozo.

 

More fascinating was the discovery at Għar Dalam, in the archaelogical layer of the Würm period, that includes remains of the aforementioned animals, of human molars with a condition called 'taurodont', where the central tooth cavity is higher than normal and the roots are shallower than normal.  This is a characteristic of molars of the human Neanderthal species.  In animals, this condition is found in ungulates, where are hoofed animals like horses, cows and others which are generally herbivores, and use their teeth to chew well the grasses and leaves forming their diet.

 

In the case of the human Neanderthal, it is thought that these teeth were useful to chew animal skins in the necessary production of clothing in the cold of that era.

 

Another really interesting book was about the conclusion of Malta being one of the remnants of the island known as Atlantis.2  This island had been named Atlantika by the Greek philosopher Plato.  The authors explain that although the name is today associated with the omonimous ocean, in the past several ancient writers such as Seneca and Cicero used to refer to the Mediterranean sea as the Atlantic sea.

 

The authors' thesis is that the size of today's Malta is far too small to sustain the large and extensive amount of its megalithic architecture, the wide network of cart ruts that are still being discovered today, some of which reach the end of a cliff and terminate abruptly, and others lead into the sea.  All of this indicates that the Maltese land mass was much larger that it is today, most of which has lowered under the sea surface, under which not only cart ruts have been lost but also at least one temple at Xrobb l-Għaġin.

 

At the very least, the presence of cart ruts also on Filfla indicates that there was continuous land from Malta to this rock some 4 km away.

 

There are also similarities in the flora and fauna of the Pelagic Isles (Lampedusa, Pantelleria, Linosa, Lampione).  These include plants whose seeds are not consumed by birds and are not spread through wind action.  It also includes several related species of lizards, with each species being found in one group of islands but not in another.  This indicates a large territorial mass in the past, which fractured and resulted in the evolution of sub-species of lizards.

 

It is thought that the African continental shelf which is pressing on the Eurasian one leading to pressure towards the north-west, mainly between the Malta of today and the island of Linosa, and up to Pantelleria, with the last two islands becoming volcanic.  The land in between sheared and descended under the sea, with the Maltese islands ending up leaning towards the north-east and the Pelagic islands towards the south-west.  The cataclysm happened some time from 5000 BC onwards.

 

All of this demonstrates how the history of our forefathers' land is even more fascinating than we were taught in our childhood, and how proud we should be of the place we came from.

 

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Malta fil-preistorja

 

Wieħed mis-suġġetti l-iktar interessanti ta' pajjiż twelidi huwa l-istorja tiegħu, li għandha għana liema bħala, u li l-istudenti Maltin jitgħallmu mill-bankijiet tal-iskejjel.  Għalija l-iktar parti affaxxinanti, u li diżgrazzjatament l-inqas li kienet trattata fid-dettall, kienet il-preistorja.

 

Jiena nifhem id-diffikultà li titkellem fuq perjodu ta' żmien meta l-kitba ma kinetx teżisti, u d-diffikultà li għandna li nkunu nafu x'ġara fil-passat ta' tant eluf ta' snin ilu, meta litteralment ħafna ħjiel huma midfuna taħt l-art, saru parti mill-blat jew jinsabu taħt il-baħar!

 

Dan l-aħħar ġew f'idejja xi kotba fuq is-suġġett li tgħidx kemm qed nieħu gost naqrahom.  Wieħed minnhom1 jittratta l-evidenza għall-preżenza f'Malta tal-bniedem fil-kultura Magdalenjana (20 elf sa 10 elef sena ilu), fl-aħħar parti tal-Paleolitiku (minn 3 miljun sa 10 elef sena ilu kkratterizzat mill-użu ta' għodod tal-ġebel).  Dawn kienu bnedmin fl-Ewropa assoċjati mal-kaċċa taċ-ċriev u mammali kbar oħra lejn l-aħħar taż-żmien tas-silġ, fejn dawk il-ħlejjaq li ma jissaportux il-kesħa emigraw mill-Ewropa tat-tramuntana lejn in-nofsinhar.

 

Gruppi ta' dawn l-annimali u possibilment il-bniedem aktarx qasmu lejn Malta fl-aħħar żewġ żminijiet tas-silġ.  Huwa maħsub li f'ta' qabel tal-aħħar (Riss, 180-130 elf sena ilu), il-livell tal-baħar naqas b'50 metru taħt il-livell tal-lum, tant li fforma pont bejn Sqallija u Malta, u f'ta' l-aħħar (Würm, 70-10 elef sena ilu) naqas b'90 metru tant li l-pont minn Malta estenda wkoll sal-Italja.

 

Fil-fatt, mhux biss fdalijiet ta' ċriev ġew misjuba f'Malta, imma wkoll ippopotami, iljunfanti, volpi, orsijiet u lupi, f'Għar Dalam primarjament, imma wkoll fost l-oħrajn fl-Imqabba, il-Mellieħa, il-Qrendi u Ħaż-Żebbuġ f'Malta, u d-Dwejra u Wied il-Għasri f'Għawdex.

 

Iktar affaxxinanti kienet is-sejba f'Għar Dalam, mal-faxx arkeoloġiku tal-perjodu Würm, li jinkludi l-fdalijiet tal-annimali msemmija qabel, ta' dras umani b'kundizzjoni msejħa taurodont, fejn il-ħofra fiċ-ċentru tas-sinna tkun għolja iktar mis-soltu u l-għeruq tas-sinna jkunu iktar baxxi mis-soltu.  Din hija karatteristika tad-dras tal-ispeċje umana Neanderthal.  Fl-annimali, din il-kundizzjoni tinstab fl-ungulati, mammali b'dwiefer kbar bħaż-żwiemel, baqar u oħrajn li peress li ġeneralment huma erbivori, iridu jomogħdu sew il-ħxejjex u weraq li jieklu.

 

Fil-każ tal-bniedem Neanderthal, huwa maħsub li dawn is-snien kienu utli biex jomogħdu l-ġlud tal-annimali fil-produzzjoni neċessarja tal-ħwejjeġ fil-kesħa ta' dawk iż-żminijiet.

 

Ktieb ieħor interessanti ferm kien dwar il-konklużjoni li Malti hija waħda mill-fdalijiet li baqa' tal-gżira magħrufa bħala Atlantis.2  Din il-gżira hija msemmija Atlantika mill-filosfu Grieg Platun.  L-awturi jispjegaw li għalkemm l-isem illum huwa assoċjat mal-oċejan tal-istess isem, fil-passat diversi kittieba tal-antik bħal Seneca u Cicero kien jirreferu għall-baħar Mediterran bħala dak Atlantiku.

 

It-teżi tal-awturi hija li l-kobor tal-lum ta' Malta hija żgħira wisq biex issostni l-ammont kbir u estensiv tal-arkitettura megalitika tagħha, u x-xibka kbira ta' gandotti tal-karrettun (cart ruts) li għadhom jinkixfu sal-lum, uħud minnhom jaslu ta' xifer l-irdum u jintemmu ħesrem, u oħrajn jibqgħu sejrin fil-baħar.  Dan kollu jindika li l-massa tal-art Maltija fil-passat kienet ħafna ikbar milli hi llum, ħafna minnha tbaxxiet taħt il-livell tal-baħar, fejn intilfu gandotti kif ukoll mill-inqas tempju wieħed f'Xrobb l-Għaġin.

 

Xejn xejn, il-preżenza ta' gandotti fuq Filfla jindika li kien hemm art kontinwa minn Malta sa din il-blata xi erba' kilometri 'l bogħod.

 

Hemm ukoll similiaritajiet fil-flora u l-fawna mal-gżejjer Pelaġiċi (Lampedusa, Pantelleria, Linosa, Lampione).  Dawn jinkludu pjanti li ż-żerriegħa tagħhom ma jittiklux mill-għasafar u ma jitferrxux bir-riħ.  Jinkludu wkoll diversi speċji relatati ta' gremxul, li kull speċje tinsab fi grupp ta' gżejjer imma mhux f'oħrajn.  Dan jindika massa ta' territorju ikbar fil-passat, li inqasam u rriżulta fl-evoluzzjoni ta' sub-speċje tal-gremxul.

 

Huwa maħsub li l-ixkaffa kontinentali Afrikana li qed tagħfas fuq dik Ewro-Asjatika qed twassal għar-rassa sseħħ lejn il-majjistral l-iktar minn bejn Malta tal-preżent u l-gżira ta' Linosa, tippressa lejn Pantelleria, b'dawn it-tnejn tal-aħħar isiru vulkani.  L-art ta' bejniethom tqaċċtet u niżlet taħt il-baħar, bil-gżejjer Maltin jispiċċaw imilu lejn il-grigal u dawk Pelaġiċi lejn il-lbiċ.  Il-katakliżma seħħet f'xi żmien minn 5000 q.K. 'l hawn.

 

Dan kollu juri kemm l-istorja ta' pajjiż missirijietna huwa saħansitra iktar affaxxinanti milli tgħallimna fi tfulitna, u kemm għandna nħossuna kburin bil-post minn fejn ġejna.

 

 

1Dossier Malta: Evidence for the Magdalenian; A. Mifsud & S. Mifsud; Proprint Co Ltd; 1997

2Malta: Echoes of Plato's Island; A. Mifsud, S. Mifsud, C. Agius Sultana &C. Savona Ventura; The Prehistoric Society of Malta; 2001

1Dossier Malta: Evidence for the Magdalenian; A. Mifsud & S. Mifsud; Proprint Co Ltd; 1997

2Malta: Echoes of Plato's Island; A. Mifsud, S. Mifsud, C. Agius Sultana &C. Savona Ventura; The Prehistoric Society of Malta; 2001

Personal pronouns and gender -- Il-pronom personali u l-ġens

 

Lately I have been writing about the Maltese language, please indulge me in continuing on the theme.  There is one particular subject that has long been on my mind, which is the personal pronoun.

 

One of the first discussions I have with students of Maltese in Australia, especially those to whom the subject is completely new, and even with some for whom it isn't, is the personal pronoun.  More specifically, one has to appreciate that while English has the 'he' (in Maltese hu/huwa) and she (hi/hija), there is also the 'it', which refers for example to objects and sometimes to animals, whereas Maltese has no equivalent.

 

Students are usually curious to discover that any object named in Maltese needs to have a gender and therefore a table (mejda) is feminine while a chair (siġġu) is masculine.  Similarly the sun (xemx) is feminine while the moon (qamar) is masculine.  This begs the question as to how one might know which gender to assign a particular object.  Probably the answer would be that one might need to have encountered the use of this word and so would have heard the pronoun used in reference, or have heard any adjective or verb associated with it, which naturally would also need to demonstrate the same gender, and therefore recognise the appropriate gender.

 

My interest is how will the Maltese personal pronoun develop in future to linguistically reflect trends happening around the world to accomodate gender identities that have existed in mankind since time immemorial but for a minority were, or still are, more or less hidden or silent in an environment of discrimination and even persecution by the minority and civil, political and religious authorities in society.

 

I am referring to people who identify with at least one of the letters in the acronum LGBTIQ, which are people along the whole spectrum of gender (that is being non-binary) and/or sexuality (that is not being heterosexual).  The letters of the acronym refer to lesbian (that is a female sexually attracted to another female), gay (a homosexual, that is someone attracted to another of the same sex, mostly used for males), bisexual (a person sexually attracted to people of both sexes), transgender (someone feeling having a gender different to that assigned at birth), intersex (those whose physical characteristics do not tally with those expected from a masculine or feminine person) and queer (which can include all the above).

 

Today in a more open environment where civil rights of these minorities have been enhanced in several countries, including Malta and Australia, it can be noted how LGBTIQ people are referring to themselves.  Just one example was an article on MaltaToday1, where the activist Mina Tolu spoke about herself.  She said she was born a woman, but now no longer identifies as a woman and neither as a man.  She regards herself as 'non binary', that is neither masculine nor feminine.

 

Therefore, she continues that the pronouns that are normally used, 'he' or 'she', do not apply to her, and prefers to use 'they' instead, which is a pronoun that is usually used in the plural and not in the singular.

 

Permit me to rewrite two sentences from before in order to show respect for the choice of pronoun by Mina (which respect was missing before) to show the difficulty that arises:

 

“The activists Mina Tolu spoke about themselves.  They said they were born a woman, but now no longer identify as a woman and neither as a man.  They regard themselves as 'non binary', that is neither masculine nor feminine.”

 

I have sympathy for Mina and so many others who are living a reality that they did not choose, and are telling us with sincerity what they are feeling.

 

My curiosity lies in how the Maltese language will form around the need to include these persons in daily life and discourse, when even the conjugation of verbs depends upon the personal pronoun, which is not the case in English.

 

I have to add that this is only one of the many pronouns that are being mentioned, such as fae, per, ve, xe, ze and others.2  I imagine, hope, that the Kunsill Nazzjonali tal-Ilsien Malti (National Council for the Maltese Language) and the Department of Maltese at the University of Malta are following this subject and will eventually issue guidelines as to what needs to be used and written.

 

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Dan l-aħħar kont qed nikteb fuq l-ilsien Malti, u ppermettuli nkompli fuq it-tema.  Hemm suġġett partikulari li ilu fuq moħħi, u dan huwa l-pronom personali.

 

Waħda mill-ewwel diskussjonijiet li jkolli ma' studenti tal-Malti fl-Awstralja, speċjalment għal dawk li għalihom dan huwa suġġett kompletament ġdid, u anke għal xi wħud li għalihom mhux, hija l-pronom personali.  Iktar speċifikatament, wieħed irid bilfors japprezza li filwaqt li l-Ingliż għandu he (fil-Malti hu/huwa) u she (hi/hija), l-Ingliż għandu it, li jirreferi għal per eżempju għal oġġett u kultant għal annimal, mentri fil-Malti m'għandniex ekwivalenti.

 

L-istudenti jkunu kurjużi li jiskopru li kwalunkwe oġġett fil-Malti irid ikollu ġens (jew ġeneru), u għalhekk mejda hija femminili filwaqt li siġġu huwa maskili.  L-istess xemx hija femminili waqt li l-qamar huwa maskili.  Il-mistoqsija mallewwel tqum kif wieħed ikun jaf liema ġens ikun oġġett partikulari.  It-tweġiba aktarx tkun li wieħed irid ikun iltaqa' magħha l-kelma u għalhekk ikun sema' l-pronom li jintuża għalija, jew ikun sema' xi aġġettiv jew verb marbut magħħa, li naturalment irid ukoll ikollu l-istess ġens, u għalhekk jieħu l-għarfien tal-ġens partikulari tal-kelma.

 

L-interess li għandi jien huwa kif il-pronom personali Malti għad jiżviluppa 'l quddiem biex jirrifletti xejriet lingwistiċi li qed iseħħu madwar id-dinja biex jakkomodaw identitajiet ta' ġens li ilhom jeżistu minn żminijiet bikrin tal-istorja tal-bniedem imma li għal minoranza kienu, jew għadhom, xi ftit jew wisq moħbijin jew baqgħu siekta f'ambjent ta' diskriminazzjoni u anke persekuzzjoni tal-maġġoranza u l-awtoritajiet ċivili, politiċi u reliġjużi tas-soċjetà.

 

Qed nirreferi għall-persuni li jidentifikaw rwieħhom ma' mill-inqas waħda mill-ittri tal-akronimu LGBTIQ, li huma nies fuq l-ispettru sħiħ ta' ġens (li mhumiex binarji) u/jew sesswalità (li mhumiex eterosesswali).  L-ittri tal-akronimu jirreferu għal lesbian (lesbjana, jiġifieri mara li tinġibed sesswalment lejn mara oħra), gay (omosesswali, jiġifieri persuna tinġibed lejn persuna oħra tal-istess sess, l-iktar li tintuża għall-irġiel), bisexual (bisesswali, persuna li jinġibed għal persuni taż-żewġ sessi), transgender (persuna li tħoss li għandha ġens differenti minn dak attribwit lilha mat-twelid), intersex (dawk li għandhom karatteristiċi fiżiċi li ma jaqblux ma dawk li wieħed jistenna minn persuna maskili jew femminili) u queer (li tista' tintuża biex tinkludi dan kollu).

 

Illum f'ambjent iktar miftuħ fejn id-drittijiet ċivili ta' dawn il-minoranzi ġew miżjuda f'diversi pajjiżi, inklużi Malta u l-Awstralja, qed jiġi nnutat kif persuni LGBTIQ qed jirreferu għalihom infushom.  Eżempju wieħed kien artiklu fuq il-MaltaToday1, fejn l-attivista Mina Tolu tkellmet fuqha nnifisha.  Hi qalet li twielded mara, imma m'għadhiex tidentifika bħala mara u lanqas tidentifika ruħha bħala raġel.  Tħares lejha nfusha bħala 'mhux binarja', jiġifieri la maskili u lanqas femminili.

 

Għalhekk, tkompli tgħid li l-pronomi li nużaw normalment, hu jew hi, ma japplikawx għaliha, u tippreferi li jintuża they (huma) minflok, li huwa pronom li usually jintuża fil-plural u mhux fis-singular.

 

Ippermettuli nerġa nikteb żewġ sentenzi minn ta' qabel b'mod li bih nuri li nirrispetta l-għażla ta' pronom ta' Mina (b'li ktibt qabel dan m'urejtux) u nuri d-diffikultà li tinħoloq:

 

“L-attivisti Mina Tolu tkellmu fuqhom infushom.  Huma qalu li twieldu mara, imma m'għadhomx jidentifikaw ruħhom bħala mara u lanqas jidentifikaw ruħhom bħala raġel.  Iħarsu lejhom infushom bħala 'mhux binarji', jiġifieri la maskili u lanqas femminili.”

 

Jien għandi simpatija lejn Mina u tant oħrajn li qed jgħixu realtà li mhux huma għażlu, u qed jgħidulna sinċerament dak li qiegħdin iħossu.

 

Il-kurżità li għandi hija kif il-lingwa Maltija se tifforma madwar il-ħtieġa li jiġu nklużi dawn il-persuni fil-ħajja u fit-taħdit ta' kuljum, meta anke l-konjugazzjoni tal-verbi tiddependi fuq il-pronom personali, mhux bħall-Ingliż.

 

Irrid inżid li dan huwa wieħed biss mill-ħafna pronomi li qed jissemmew, bħal fae, per, ve, xe, ze u oħrajn.2  Nimmaġina, nispera, li hemm min fil-Kunsill Nazzjonali tal-Ilsien Malti jew id-Dipartiment tal-Malti tal-Università ta' Malta qed isegwi dan is-suġġett u li eventwalment jinħarġu linji gwida ta' kif għandhom jintużaw u jinkitbu.

 

 

 

1https://www.maltatoday.com.mt/news/interview/93389/mina_tolu_respecting_my_gender_pronouns_means_people_see_me#.XwRZ-N9fjRY, retrieved 8/7/2020

2https://uwm.edu/lgbtrc/support/gender-pronouns/, retrieved 8/7/2020

1https://www.maltatoday.com.mt/news/interview/93389/mina_tolu_respecting_my_gender_pronouns_means_people_see_me#.XwRZ-N9fjRY, retrieved 8/7/2020

2https://uwm.edu/lgbtrc/support/gender-pronouns/, retrieved 8/7/2020

The suspension of Maltese as an HSC subject -- Is-sospensjoni tal-Malti bħala suġġett tal-HSC

 

As you probably know, the teaching of Maltese at HSC level in NSW will terminate after the 2021 examinations.  This decision by the NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA) was communicated to the Maltese Consul in Sydney Mr Lawrence Buhagiar.1  The reason given was the low candidature for this exam over three consecutive years.

 

This suspension came suddenly, but was not really unexpected.  Nearly every year organisations involved in the teaching of Maltese in Australia used to receive a warning letter due to the number of enrolled students being less that the minimum amount prescribed (fifteen students).

 

In each 3-year period, a huge effort used to be made to have more than fifteen students in at least one of the three yers, and this seems to have made the authorities stop the guillotine from falling, postponing the chop to the next period of three years.

 

It seems that while this tactic worked several times, now it is no more.

 

The letter continues to declare the procedure with which Maltese could be considered once again to be inserted at this level, which includes:

• •there being no less than fifteen candidates expected from around the country for three consecutive years; 

• •there be sufficient expertise around the construction of a curriculum and organisation of exams; 

• •there be sufficient level of teaching of the language. 

 

This procedure says nothing new, the biggest problem by far is the first condition, as the other conditions were already being achieved.  To be exact, the problem is that if the quantity of named students were not reached in the recent past, how would they be achieved in future?  What different conditions can be created for them to be reached?

 

And how can these students be grouped when the HSC course in Maltese is terminated?  Which school can take this work?  In the whole of NSW, there is just one school that had an HSC course in Maltese, the Saturday School for Community Languages in Seven Hills.  This will also go walkabout.  How can everything start again?

 

Naturally one prays for a miracle.  From my perspective, one who works in the field, I'm pessimistic.  I say this as apart from the above, one also needs to observe what is happening in the education system in the state of NSW.

 

In the same days where the decision on Maltese was being announced, the NSW government published a report by the same NESA2 and its reaction to it.3  The main conclusions were that the school syllabi in NSW schools were spread too thin which didn't allow sufficient time for focussing on the basics, and that not all HSC subjects provide a clear link to subsequent studies and a career.

 

In my opinion, Maltese in this country can be condidered as falling into this category, and probably will continue falling in this category in the years to come.

 

Although I am pessimistic, this does not mean that nothing can be done.  We can try, and I feel we should consider the following.

 

The number of students of Maltese in NSW, and in Australia, is low in its totality, especially considering that only a small percentage of these would be motivated to continue their studies at HSC level.  Therefore for there to be a larger number of advanced students (continuers), there needs to be an increase of students that start at the very beginning (beginners).

 

One big problem community schools have in teaching Maltese is that these are based on the traditional system of a student needing to physically go to a class and learn there.  This mean that if there is someone interested that lives a bit far, he or she could be discouraged and not enrol, even if really interested.  Today there are technologies through which the teaching is carried out online, and this period of restrictions caused by the coronavirus has shown us that people actually have turned to these technologies, even if they are seen as inferior to the traditional class.

 

It seems to me that we can use these technologies more effectively to reach new markets for students for whom it was almost impossible to physically atten lessons in Maltese.

 

When the number of beginner students is big enough, I think that the wish of some of them, after two or three years, would emerge to continue their Maltese studies leading to a certificate that is accepted in this country.  It would be at that stage that we might then approach again NESA (and the VCAA in Victoria if they are in the same situation).

 

One can only do the best he or she can, and try.

 

Work and plan.  Pray and hope.

 

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Bħal ma probabbilment tafu, it-tagħlim tal-Malti fil-livell tal-HSC f'NSW ser jintemm wara l-eżamijiet tal-2021.  Din kienet deċiżjoni li n-NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA) ikkomunikat lill-Konslu ta' Malta f'Sydney ias-Sur Buhagiar.1  Ir-raġuni li ngħatat kienet in-numru baxx ta' kandidati għal dan l-eżami fuq tliet snin konsekuttivi.

 

Din is-sospensjoni ġiet għall-għarrieda, imma ma nistax ngħid li ma kinetx mistennija.  Kważi kull sena l-organizzazzjonijiet involuti fit-tagħlim tal-Malti fl-Awstralja kienu jirċievu ittra ta' twissija minħabba n-numru ta' studenti miktuba kien inqas mill-ammont minimu preskritt (ħmistax-il student).

 

F'kull perjodu ta' tliet snin, kien isir sforz ta' barra minn hawn biex ikun hemm iktar minn ħmistax-il student talinqas f'sena waħda minnhom, u din jidher li kienet tagħmel l-awtoritajiet irażżnu l-id bil-minġel, u jipposponu l-ħsad għall-perjodu tat-tliet snin ta' wara.

 

Jidher li din it-tattika ħadmet għal diversi drabi, imma issa daqshekk!

 

L-ittra tkompli biex tiddikjara l-proċedura li bih jista' jerġa' jiġi kkunsidrat li l-Malti jiddaħħal mill-ġdid f'dan il-livell, li jinkludu:

• •li jkun hemm mill-inqas ħmistax il-kandidat proġettat madwar il-pajjiż għal tliet snin konsekuttivi; 

• •jkun hemm biżżejjed għarfien dwar kif jissawwar il-kurrikulu u l-organizzar tal-eżamijiet; 

• •ikun hemm livell suffiċjenti ta' tagħlim għal-lingwa. 

 

Din il-proċedura mhi xejn ġdida, l-ikbar problema hija l-ewwel kundizzjoni, għax il-kundizzjonijiet l-oħra diġà kienu qiegħdin jintlaħqu.  Preċiżament, il-problema hi li jekk in-numri ta' studenti msemmija ma ntlaħqux fil-passat riċenti, kif se jintlaħqu fil-futur?  X'kundizzjonijiet differenti se jinħolqu biex jintlaħqu?

 

U kif se jinġabru dawn l-istudenti meta l-kors tal-HSC tal-Malti se jitwaqqaf?  Liema skola se tieħu dan ix-xogħol?  F'NSW kollu, hemm skola waħda biss li kellha kors tal-HSC tal-Malti, is-Saturday School for Community Languages f'Seven Hills.  Dak sejjer bonswa issa.  Kif se jerġa' jinbeda kollox?

 

Naturalment wieħed jitlob li jsir miraklu.  Ngħid għalija, li naħdem fil-qasam, ninsab pessimist.  Ngħid hekk għaliex apparti dan ta' fuq, wieħed irid ukoll josserva x'qed jiġri fis-sistema edukattiva tal-istat ta' NSW.

 

Fl-istess ġranet fejn id-deċiżjoni fuq il-Malti kienet qiegħda tiġi mħabbra, il-gvern ta' NSW ħareġ fil-pubbliku rapport tal-istess NESA2 u r-reazzjoni tiegħu għalih.3  L-iktar konklużjonijiet importanti kienu li hemm wisq tifrix fil-sillabi fl-iskejjel ta' NSW li ma jħallix biżżejjed ħin biex wieħed jiffoka fuq dak li hu bażiku, u li mhux is-suġġetti kollha tal-HSC jipprovdu ħolqa ċara għal studju aħħari u karriera.

 

Fl-opinjoni tiegħi, il-Malti f'dan il-pajjiż jiġi kkunsidrat li jaqa' f'din il-kategorija, u probabbilment jibqa' jaqa' f'din il-kategorija jekk tħares 'il quddiem fis-snin li ġejjin.

 

Għalkemm jien pessimist, dan ma jfissirx li naħseb li ma jista' jsir xejn.  Nistgħu nippruvaw, u inħoss li għandna nikkunsidraw dan li ġej.

 

In-numru ta' studenti tal-Malti f'NSW, u fl-Awstralja, huwa baxx fit-totalità tagħhom, speċjalment meta tikkunsidra li persentaġġ baxx minnhom biss ikunu motivati li jkomplu l-istudji tagħhom fil-livell tal-HSC.  Allura biex ikun hemm numru ikbar ta' studenti avvanzati (continuers), jridu jiżdiedu l-istudenti li jibdew mill-bidu (beginners).

 

Problem kbira li għandhom l-iskejjel komunitarji li jgħallmu l-Malti, hi li dawn kienu bbażati fuq is-sistema tradizzjonali li l-istudent irid imur fiżikament ġewwa klassi u jitgħallem hemm.  Dan ifisser li jekk hemm xi ħadd interessat li joqgħod daqsxejn 'il bogħod, jista' jaqta' qalbu u ma jinkitibx, anke jekk interessat sew.  Illum hawn teknoloġiji li bihom it-tagħlim jista' jsir onlajn, u dan il-perjodu ta' restrizzjonijiet ikkawżati mill-koronavirus uriena li ħafna nies fil-fatt daru għal dawn it-teknoloġiji, anke jekk jarawhom bħala inferjuri għal klassi tradizzjonali.

 

Jien jidhirli li nistgħu nużaw dawn it-teknoloġiji b'mod iktar effettiv biex nilħqu swieq ġodda ta' studenti li għalihom kien kważi impossibbli fiżikament li jattendu għal-lezzjonijiet tal-Malti.

 

Meta n-numru ta' studenti beginners ikun kbir suffiċjenti, jien naħseb li waħidha toħroġ ix-xewqa ta' wħud minnhom, wara xi sentejn jew tlieta, biex ikomplu t-tagħlim tal-Malti b'ċertifikat li jiġi aċċettat f'dan il-pajjiż.  Ikun f'dak l-istadju li nkunu nistgħu nerġgħu navviċinaw lin-NESA (u lill-VCAA f'Victoria jekk ikunu fl-istess sitwazzjoni).

 

Wieħed jista' biss jagħmel mill-aħjar, u jipprova.  

 

Jaħdem u jippjana.  Jitlob u jittama.

 

1letter reference D2020/98647 dated 19/6/2020 from Paul Martin, CEO NESA to Mr Lawrence Buhagiar, Consul General of Malta

2NSW Curriculum Review; April 2020; NSW Education Standards Authority

3NSW Government response to the NSW Curriculum Review final report; 2020; p.8

1letter reference D2020/98647 dated 19/6/2020 from Paul Martin, CEO NESA to Mr Lawrence Buhagiar, Consul General of Malta

2NSW Curriculum Review; April 2020; NSW Education Standards Authority

3NSW Government response to the NSW Curriculum Review final report; 2020; p.8

Changes in the Maltese language -- It-tibdil fil-lingwa Maltija

 

Language is a very important aspect of culture in mankind, and reflects social, political, geographical, cultural and historic realities that occupy volumes.  It is also one of the most important aspects of a person's identity, and gives an idea of his or her origins as from the very first word uttered.

 

I had become conscious from an early age of language differences, dialects of this or that village in Malta or Gozo, or the use of different words which have the same meaning, or having a different accent while saying the same things.  I remember my parents remarking while walking on the side of the road and hearing someone speak “that person is from Sannat” or “I think she's from Xewkija” after having heard but half a sentence.

 

Language changes and develops with time, and reflects changes in technology in its wider sense, the exchange of ideas, mixing of races and peoples, the start of and morphing of activities of any type and so on.  In order that one might speak about all this, it's clear there need to be appropriate words.

 

What form these words take, in the spoken as well as the written language, there is a big debate.  It can be said that there are two philosophies that can be applied.  The first is prescriptive, where there is a decision by some authority on how words should or should not be construed.  The second is descriptive, where the authority sees its role as one of describing and defining the language as being utilised by the people.

 

With the Maltese language, the authority up till a few years ago was considered to be the Akkademja tal-Malti (Maltese Academy), which originally was named Għaqda tal-Kittieba tal-Malti (Maltese Writers Union).  In 2005 the National Council for the Maltese Language was set up by an act of law, and since then there have been two initiatives of significance.1

 

The first was called Deċiżjonijiet 1 (Decisions 1) which took place in 2008,2 which focused upon orthographic variants, which is when there are words which can be written in a number of ways.  The vast majority of decisions taken I agreed with, like filgħodu instead of fil-għodu (in the morning), and others where decisions might seem arbitrary (such as standardising the use of capital letters) with which at least one would know the established ways words would be written.

 

There were some other decisions which jarred I have to say.  An example is the removal of the apostrophe in the negative personal pronoun with a verbal function, such as mhux instead of m'hux (he/it is not) and mhix instead of m'hix (she/it is not) whereas other persons retain the apostrophe, such as m'jienx (I am not) and m'aħniex (we are not).  Wouldn't it have been simpler, one of the principles adopted by the Council, to retain the rule that when the negative operator ma is shortened, it should be written as m' always?

 

Two years ago, there was I would say a harder exercise by the Council, called Deċiżjonijiet 2 (Decisions 2),3 which dealt with the writing of words originating from English into Maltese.  The first principle espounded by the Council, a rather wise one, was that whenever an existing word in Maltese for a meaning or concept, we should be using this rather than some other coming from English, such as 'rigal' rather than 'present'.  Sacrosant.

There were then decisions on words that were grouped into three categories.  In the first category are words that have been well established into the Maltese grammar, which should continue to be written in Maltese.

 

In the second category are words being groups of two or more, which should be written in English, such as 'fire extinguisher'.

 

In the third category are words that can be written either in Maltese or in English, such as 'computer(s)' or 'kompjuter(s)'.

 

I have to say these last two categories raised by ire.  Why should we accept words with foreign characters, which don't follow Maltese phonetics?  It is frustrating enough when perhaps Maltese does not have a word that describes a word or concept, and therefore the need arises to assimilate a foreign word (rather than create a new one), but at least we might use the Maltese phonetics to have something of our own.

 

With this decision, there has been introduced the complication in the teaching of Maltese, where we used to say for example that in Maltese the letter 'c' does not exist, whereas another letter 'ċ' exists that sounds different, and now we also have the 'y'.  Also while we teach with difficulty that in Maltese, the letters 'sh' sound like the single letter 's' as the 'h' is silent, now we have to be careful whether the word is coming from English.

 

To compound the matter, there is another decision that words that are allowed to be spelt in English, would not have to be marked in inverted commas or in italics, except in books for young children.  What pride is this in the Maltese heritage?

 

We had a way of clearly demonstrating that a word is coming from English, and therefore was being written according to English language laws, and now we're incorporating these laws into Maltese.

 

I simply cannot stomach this last decision.

 

Maltese is already with its back against the wall, with many Maltese people asking themselves why to they need to learn it when they can get by completely in English.  The assimilation of English words without any adaptation into Maltese, not containing the slightest Maltese component and without even any marker of being alien, to me gives the message that English can push our own tongue aside.

 

To me, this was a step too far, unnecessary, and one I think that future generations will regret, if they still care.

 

The rot has well and truly begun.

 

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Il-lingwa hija aspett importanti ħafna fil-kultura tal-bniedem, u tirrifletti realtajiet soċjali, politiċi, ġeografiċi, kulturali u storiċi li jinkitbu l-volumi fuqhom.  Hija waħda mill-aspetti l-iktar importanti tal-identità ta' persuna, u tagħti idea tal-oriġni tiegħu jew tagħha mal-ewwel kellma li titnissel.

 

Kont ġejt konxju minn età żgħira ta' differenzi fil-lingwa, dawk ta' dijaletti ta' raħal jew ieħor f'Malta jew Għawdex, jew għax jużaw kelma differenti biex jirreferu għall-istess ħaġa, jew għax ikollhom aċċent differenti anke meta jgħidu l-istess affarijiet.  Niftakar lill-ġenituri jgħiduli waqt li jkunu għaddejjin minn xi triq u jisimgħu 'l xi ħadd jitkellem “Dak minn ta' Sannat”  jew “dik naħseb li mix-Xewkija” wara li jkunu lissnu biss nofs sentenza.

 

Il-lingwa tinbidel u tiżviluppa maż-żmien, u tirrifletti bidliet fit-teknoloġija fis-sens wiesgħa tagħha, il-qsim ta' ideat, it-taħlit tar-razez u popli, il-bidu jew tibdil ta' attivitajiet ta' kwalunkwe tip, u l-bqija.  Biex wieħed ikun jista' jitħaddet dwar dan kollu, huwa ċar li jrid ikun hemm kliem adattati.

 

X'forom dawn il-kliem għandhom jieħdu, fil-lingwa mitkellma kif ukoll dik miktuba, hawn dibattitu sħiħ.  Wieħed jista' jgħid li hawn żewġ filosofiji li jiġu applikati.  L-ewwel waħda hija dik preskrittiva, fejn ikun hemm deċiżjoni ta' xi awtorità fuq kif għandu jew m'għandux jissawwar il-kliem.  It-tieni hija dik deskrittiva, fejn l-awtorità tara r-rwol tagħha jkun li tiddeskrivi jew tiddefinixxi l-lingwa kif tkun qed tintuża mill-poplu.

 

Fil-Malti, l-awtorità sa ftit snin ilu kienet meqjusa li kienet l-Akkademja tal-Malti, li fil-bidu tagħha kienet tissejjaħ l-Għaqda tal-Kittieba tal-Malti.  Fl-2005 twaqqaf il-Kunsill Nazzjonali tal-Ilsien Malti b'att ta' liġi, u minn dakinhar kien hemm żewġ inizjattivi sinifikanti.1

 

L-ewwel waħda kienet imsemmija Deċiżjonijiet 1 li saret fl-2008,2 u kienet iffokata fuq il-varjanti ortografiċi, jiġifieri fejn ikun hemm kliem li jkun hemm iktar minn mod wieħed kif jinkitbu.  Kien hemm il-maġġoranza l-kbira tad-deċiżjonijiet meħuda li qbilt magħhom, bħal filgħodu minflok fil-għodu u oħrajn fejn deċiżjoni tidher arbitrarja (bħall-użu standard tal-ittri kapitali) imma talinqas tkun taf li hemm mod stabbilit kif għandhom jinkitbu.

 

Kien hemm deċiżjonijiet oħra li ngħidilkom id-dritt darrsuni xi ftit.  Eżempju kien it-tneħħija tal-appostrofu tan-negattiv tal-pronom personali fil-funzjoni verbali, bħal 'mhux' minflok 'm'hux', mhix minflok m'hix, filwaqt li għandhom jinkitbu m'jienx u m'aħniex.  Ma kienx iktar sempliċi, wieħed mill-prinċipji miżmuma mill-Kunsill, li tinżamm ir-regola li meta l-kelma 'ma' tan-negattiv titqassar, tinkiteb 'm'' dejjem?

 

Sentejn ilu, kien hemm eżerċizzju naħseb iktar inkrepattiv mill-Kunsill, imsejjaħ Deċiżjonijiet 2,3 li ttratta l-kitba ta' kliem mill-Ingliż fil-Malti.  L-ewwel prinċipju li saħaq il-Kunsill, wieħed għaqli ħafna, huwa dak li jekk teżisti kelma fil-Malti għal xi tifsira jew kunċett, għandna nużawha minflok nużaw waħda li ġejja mill-Ingliż, bħal 'rigal' minflok 'present'.  Prinċipju sagrosant.

 

Imbagħad kien hemm deċiżjonijiet fuq kliem li jistgħu jinqasmu fi tliet kategoriji.  Fl-ewwel kategorija hemm kliem li daħlu sew fil-grammatika Maltija, u jibqgħu jinkitbu bil-Malti.

 

Fit-tieni kategorija, kliem magħmula minn żewġ kelmiet jew iktar għandu jinkiteb bl-Ingliż, bħal 'fire extinguisher'.

 

Fit-tielet kategorija hemm kliem li jista' jinkiteb jew la Maltija jew bl-Ingliż, bħal 'kompjuter(s)' jew 'computer(s)'.

 

Dawn l-aħħar kategoriji tellgħuli l-mirra jkolli ngħid.  Għalfejn għandna naċċettaw il-kitba bil-karattri barranin, li ma jsegwux il-fonetika Maltija?  Paċenzja li forsi l-Malti ma kellux kelma biex ifisser oġġett jew ħsieb, u għalhekk nassimilaw kelma barranija, imma talinqas stajna nużaw il-fonetika Maltija biex ikollna xi ħaġa tagħna.

 

B'din id-deċiżjoni, iddaħlet il-kumplikazzjoni fit-tagħlim tal-Malti, fejn konna ngħidu per eżempju li l-ittra 'c' fil-Malti ma teżistix, u teżisti oħra 'ċ' bit-tikka li tinħass differenti, u issa għandna wkoll il-'y'.  Ukoll waqt li ngħallmu b'diffikultà li fil-Malti, l-ittri 'sh' jinstemu qishom 's' waħedha minħabba li l-'h' m'għandhiex ħoss, issa rridu noqgħodu attenti li l-kelma ma' tkunx ġejja mill-Ingliż.

 

Biex tagħqad, hemm deċiżjoni oħra li l-kliem li jitħalla li jinkiteb bl-Ingliż, ma jiġix immarkat bilfors bil-virgoletti (inverted commas) jew il-korsiv (italics) ħlief f'kotba għat-tfal żgħar.  Din xi kburija fil-wirt tal-Malti hi?

 

Kellna mod ċar kif nuru li kelma ġejja mill-Ingliż, u għalhekk qed tinkiteb skont liġijiet tal-Ingliż, u issa qed ninkorporaw dawn il-liġijiet fil-Malti.

 

Din l-aħħar deċiżjoni ma tista' tinżilli b'xejn.

 

Il-lingwa Maltija diġà b'daharha mal-ħajt, b'ħafna Maltin jistaqsu lilhom infushom għalfejn għandhom jitgħallmuha meta jistgħu jinqdew kompletament bl-Ingliż.  L-assimilazzjoni ta' kliem Ingliż mingħajr mittiefsa fil-Malti, u mingħajr l-iċken komponent Malti fih, u l-anqas l-immarkar li huwa barrani, għalija jagħti l-messaġġ li l-Ingliż jista' jagħti fil-ġenb lil ilsienna.

 

Jien għalija dan kien pass żejjed, bla bżonn, u li għad jagħti sogħba lil ġenerazzjonijiet ta' warajna, jekk ikun għadu jimpurtahom.

 

It-taħsir beda ġmielu.

 

 

1http://www.kunsilltalmalti.gov.mt/news-details?nwid=166&ctid=17&ctref=ortografija, retrieved 9/6/2020

2http://www.kunsilltalmalti.gov.mt/file.aspx?f=203, retrieved 9/6/2020

3http://www.kunsilltalmalti.gov.mt/filebank/documents/filebank/documents/decizjonijiet2/dec2shih.pdf, retrieved 9/6/2020

1http://www.kunsilltalmalti.gov.mt/news-details?nwid=166&ctid=17&ctref=ortografija, retrieved 9/6/2020

2http://www.kunsilltalmalti.gov.mt/file.aspx?f=203, retrieved 9/6/2020

3http://www.kunsilltalmalti.gov.mt/filebank/documents/filebank/documents/decizjonijiet2/dec2shih.pdf, retrieved 9/6/2020