Sociolinguistics in Malta

Abstract

Lying at the heart of trade routes between North Africa and Sicily in the Mediterranean sea, the Maltese islands present a predictably rich history of sociolinguistic diversity and multilingualism stretching back several centuries. Today, Maltese and English dominate as official languages, but Italian also remains a much-loved language following centuries of use and close connections, and most Maltese will claim a working knowledge of at least two languages. Additionally, many village dialects, particularly in the smaller of the two islands, Gozo, are still well used and considered socially relevant, while the 2004 EU accession has resulted in other language communities becoming more evident. Amongst other issues, such variety makes for interesting theoretical and practical applications at the levels of education and policy, particularly with respect to the question of access to public services. Some advances have been made in both areas, if too slowly for some, and in the meantime, communities continue to maintain linguistic versatility as the only way forward.