It is most comforting to know that the president of the Maltese nation is ‘speaking out’ in defence and support of our indigenous Maltese tongue. Indeed!
I have written and spoken in several live interviews on radio, the internet, as well as on Maltese television in this very same line of thinking. In fact, at times in sheer frustration and with a considerable dose of disgust, I have openly accused those Maltese speakers who choose to “bastardise” our national idiom as traitors to their own selves first and foremost, to the Maltese nation, to our national identity and beguilingly to the Maltese language itself.
Amazingly but not unnoticed by the diligent yet mostly ‘silent’ patriots – unlike our president – I have from time to time been accused of “unashamedly” being a purist, simply because of my lifetime effort in using ‘good’ Maltese parlance. With the same token however, a considerable number of keen observers (most of whom I am not acquainted with) have occasionally come out in the open in support of my consistent stance.
The subject the president has taken on is indeed so vast that one cannot tackle it exhaustively in a mere appraisal of the president’s laudable public stand within the generous confines of a newspaper.
It is however most admirable to observe the leading citizen of the land, with all the weight and influence his social position intrinsically carries, speaking out in support of the good use of our national idiom while simultaneously condemning the laxity and disrespect by so many Maltese citizens towards the rich aesthetics of our ancient, historic, precious tongue.
Such a powerful public stance by our president bears the potential of a fatherly concern towards the offending segments of our Maltese society; an approach which hopefully could lead towards a long and deep self-introspection to remedy this national malady which sadly has penetrated all societal levels.
The myriad reasons leading towards this national tragic language phenomenon are mere symptoms involving historical, political, religious and umpteen other not so obvious causes from past centuries, so a thorough comprehensive national effort of reform is instantly needed.
I have openly accused those Maltese speakers who choose to ‘bastardise’ our national idiom as traitors- Roderick Bovingdon
Borrowing words from other language sources is in itself a healthy exercise so long as it is applied with a keen sensitivity towards the established structure of Maltese. Such exercise calls for an overall revision of our national soul; the entire nation’s psyche no less.
The president’s national alert is a far better mode of righting present and past language wrongs, than granting the National Council for the Maltese Language absolute power through the extreme use of legislation.
Devising whimsical rules imposed upon the very owners of our language – the Maltese people – is not only deeply disrespectful and insulting, it also has the potential to arouse the opposite response as indeed happened some decades ago when the national government tried to impose the compulsory study of Arabic in the normal schools curricula.
Several other Western countries with recognised language repertoires have similarly tried to enforce their misguided language planning modes; all ended in dismal failure and rejection by their users!
Ever the optimist in my Maltese language endeavours, I hope this renaissance call by our president finally stimulates the local authorities – be they public, Church-run establishments, private educational groups, the local business world, Maltese newspapers and publishers, all broadcasting networks, the legal fraternity, political parties and all others who have the power and influence – to reverse the current sickening and disgusting national trend towards the abyss of losing our identity!
Roderick Bovingdon is an Anglo-Maltese Australian writer, academic and promoter of Maltese culture.