An analytical and comparative study of contemporary journalistic Maltese

Abstract

The present thesis aims at analysing the 'non-normative' aspect of the Maltese language as it is actually used in the contemporary Maltese newspapers. The method followed is that of surveying samples from the present-day Press in matters of phonology, orthography, morphology, syntax, vocabulary including some phraseological material, and style. For this purpose, the month's run of August, 1973, of the three daily newspapers ‘L-Orizzont’. ‘Il-Ħajja’ and ‘In-Nazzjon Tagħna’ were selected and studied individually. It is hoped that sufficient proof has been presented to demonstrate not only the separate existence of contemporary journalistic Maltese, but also that it is not a half-way type of language between literary and spoken Maltese.