Onomastic references in Maltese proverbs and idioms

Abstract

The importance of Maltese folklore is intrinsically related to various branches of knowledge, mainly local history, language and literature. The traditional lore that has come down from one generation to another sheds light on the inner life of the people, their way of living, their popular pastimes, food and dress, beliefs, traditions and superstitions. To a certain extent, traditions, legends, beliefs and popular sayings reflect the influence historical events had on the Maltese lifestyle. The science of linguistics and folklore are intertwined as proverbs and idioms have both a linguistic and anthropological value. How can phraseology reflect our ancestors’ past? Maltese proverbs already define our forefathers’ wisdom. In the field of linguistics, onomastics is the study of the history and origin of proper names. For the purpose of this research, onomastics will be studied in relation to Maltese phrasal expressions. I have always been interested in Maltese history and in all the aspects which make us Maltese. The science of linguistics is an area of study which is very close to my heart and in my previous research entitled ‘Il-Varjazzjoni Djalettali fil-Qasam Lessikali tal-Ħelu’ (2013), I have conducted an intensive study related to the Maltese language, particularly dialectology. In linguistics, phraseology is the study of set or fixed expressions as phrasal verbs, proverbs and idioms. Following discussions with my supervisor, it was determined that this dissertation should focus on a particular branch of linguistics, in other words, onomastics within Maltese proverbial and idiomatic expressions. The aim of this dissertation is to collect a wide range of Maltese proverbial and idiomatic expressions, which include onomastic component units, and analyze their origin and motivational value. Therefore, this dissertation will focus on comparing the relationship between Maltese proverbs and idioms and their relevance to Maltese cultural identity.