Translation to practice : phonological analysis of the speech of multilingual children in Malta

Abstract

Malta has a complex language learning context since there are two national languages (Maltese and English), most children are bilingual to varying degrees in that they have some knowledge of both languages but one of the languages may be dominant. Parental reports indicate that one of the languages may be used consistently at home while other families use both languages (Grech & Dodd, 2008). Maltese is acquired as a first language by more than 90 per cent of the population (Borg, Mifsud & Sciriha, 1996). Language mixing is typical in the Maltese culture; with English carrying a higher social

status child-directed speech tends to embed English words in the ‘spoken Maltese context’. Children are increasingly, and particularly at an early age, using Maltese with amalgamated English words when speaking (Gatt, 2010).