So, according to reports from Brussels, the "government cannot unilaterally adopt a Maltese version of the European currency's name, as is being proposed by the Maltese language council".
How absolutely puerile! As if, for common parlance, in the mens popolaris, the official names of currencies mattered one iota! If the people at large decide that their beloved Maltese language's correct format for the new currency is ewro, and not whatever any European Central Bank, Commission, or laws, or Maltese government decides to call it, then that is what they will call it, and that is the way they will write it, and the Council for the Maltese Language's current insistence on what it sees as linguistically correct is more than correct!
The report in The Times (January 5) missed out on one very interesting item. If one looks at any euro bank note, bottom left, there one easily notes that alongside the number value of the note, and just below the word "EURO" in blocks there is what could be described shadow-below printing of the word "Eypo".
There is general recognition of the fact that acceptance that that particular feature be included on the euro notes is due to the Greek government's insistence at the Madrid 1995 summit which decided on the name of the new single European currency. The government could possibly do well to read The Economist's report of the time about what went on at that session of the summit, and it is from that report that I quote below.
Names of all sorts flew across the Council table - eurodollar, eurofranc, euromark, others - until one wise guy uttered: Why not just call it euro? Up on to his feet shot the Greek representative: Over our dead bodies will you call it euro! Does anybody here know what the word euro means in Greek? It is the first person singular of the verb to urinate!
And Greece, it seems, got her way as far as to get (a) her correct printing on to the notes and (b) the people in Greece still using their pronunciation of evro. And now the Latvian government too has decided to call it eiro. Why should Malta not call it ewro? Because the Commission or the ECB, says so?
Surely, the most sensible decision to be made should be one which, while considering with all due attention whatever recommendations (ultimately they are in no position to decide for the Maltese people what will actually happen!) are made by the European Commission and the ECB, fully respects the fact that language is basically a national matter, much before it is a European matter. You simply cannot ever pass any rule or law which will oblige the Maltese (when speaking, writing, or reading their own native and national language) not to say, write, or read the word ewro.
jconsiglio@camline.net.mt