During these final weeks of Maltese language learning, Karen and I would like to squeeze in a couple of extra lessons to solidify what I have learned. I will be graduating this semester and putting my language learning on hold, but I feel very fulfilled in the progress I made during my senior year. I spent time during these two weeks preparing my final cultural presentation about Maltese cuisine and reviewing all of the materials that I have accumulated throughout the year. In preparation for the presentation, I learned a number of new food-related words and a couple of phrases while reading through websites online.

Last semester, I identified that my primary goal of taking this course was to gain a deeper understanding of the culture through the lens of language. I traveled to Malta over a year ago and was fascinated by the blend of various cultures that existed in the food and spoken language, prompting me to seek opportunities to pursue this new interest at the University of Richmond. Through the study of language, I have gained a deep knowledge of the Maltese traditions and customs that exist and I feel more connected to the native people. I only traveled to Malta for 3 days, but I knew it would be one of the most inspiring and memorable places I have ever visited. As I read news articles, analyze poetry, speak the language, and write cultural posts, I reflect upon my trip to the country and constantly make connections to my personal experiences. I look through my photos and can now identify important landmarks, the cultural significance behind the meals I tried, and key areas for tourism. The purpose of the language goal I set was to achieve an acceptable cultural competency for returning one day. If I were to return, I believe I could communicate basic phrases to show respect to locals. In addition, I am motivated to visit the historical and tourist landmarks that I missed the first time. Finally, I would seek ways to interact with the local people and better understand the perspectives of the Maltese. Although the Maltese language is on a global decline, I would strongly encourage language learners to consider adopting this study. There are admittedly limited opportunities to practice with natives and find resources online, but there is a very valuable history/culture behind this obscure language. I look forward to applying my own knowledge of Maltese culture and language to my future endeavors and hope that this is not the end of my learning!

During these two weeks, I caught up on my cultural artifact posts and tried to utilize sources that required me to interact with the Maltese language. For example, I tried to read through L-Innu Malti (the Maltese national anthem) while writing Cultural Post #7. Although I was not very successful, I think this is a very important piece of work to be able to recognize. I wrote the lyrics out in my Maltese binder and practiced speaking the words. An important learning challenge I have realized is that many of the most relevant Maltese texts are very old and the style is outdated. Modern Maltese language has developed significantly over time. Maltese is somewhat of a dying language, therefore there are not many modern texts available online. For example, the news and literature are frequently produced in other languages, such as English. In addition, I read Tal-ġelati by Adrian Grima to guide Cultural Post #4. I really enjoyed this poem because I recognized many vocabulary words and could provide an analysis of the writing style and word choice. I added the words I did not know to my Maltese binder and continue to study them during my weekly sessions. 

I find that exercises that are personal or of cultural significance are the most memorable to me. For example, I frequently use poetry lines I've read to recall familiar vocabulary words. Poetry often stylistically uses repetition and short phrases that make learning easier. I highly recommend that new language learners use publically available modern poetry to their advantage in learning. In combination, writing a literary analysis as a cultural post where I identified key phrases and word meaning was very successful. 

I applied my traditional strategies for Maltese learning during these two weeks, as well (reviewing the textbook, my notes and writing excerpts, vocabulary lists, etc.)

During weeks 9 and 10, I continued to apply the same strategies that I have previously identified. I utilized the EuroTalk computer software to reinforce vocabulary, although I've found that much of it is now familiar. In addition, Karen and I use my textbooks to guide our practice language sessions.

Based on my experiences during weeks 7 and 8, though, I dedicated a lot of time these two weeks towards practicing writing. First, I continued to pull sentences from my two Maltese textbooks and translate them. I am able to check my sentences by reading the book or using an online translator. This exercise is very simple and reinforces the basics. Second, I began to write a couple of sentences on various topics and keep them in my Maltese binder. In order to complete this task, I reviewed the sentence structures in completed chapters and vocabulary before beginning, then attempted to write 3-4 sentences. I tried to incorporate vocabulary words that I remembered so that they are reinforced and kept the sentences simple enough that I did not have to use a translator. I would check my assignments with an online translator and mark up the page with my corrections. In order to learn from my mistakes, I would rewrite the paragraph correctly. Repetition has been one of my most successful strategies in learning languages. 

At this point, I have a collection of short paragraphs and mini-dialogues that I like to review weekly. I can reflect back on my mistakes and build upon previous sentence structures. Additionally, it is helpful to have a couple of phrases perfected and memorized for multiple topics. Even when I do not fully understand every word of the phrases I know, I know the larger meaning and can express a thought. Collecting and organizing my writing samples is a very effective strategy that I would recommend to other students because it serves as a tangible representation of progress. 

The University of Malta textbook has continued to be helpful for guiding my language sessions with Karen. Last semester, I identified pronunciation and speaking as a challenge that I wanted to focus more effort on. At the beginning of the semester, I noticed this too. After continuously reading words and sentences out loud with Karen, though, my skill is improving. As a result of being called out on my mistakes, I am more motivated not to make them again. Additionally, repetition and applying the pronunciation of similar words facilitate my progress. During weeks 7 and 8, Karen and I worked on chapters in the Maltese textbook together. These chapters contained 1 page each of new vocabulary for me to memorize, a new grammatical topic, sentence examples, and explanations. We read through the vocabulary together and she quizzed me on the meanings and corrected my speech. Additionally, she provided her personal insight into how traditional grammar differs from Maltese in practice.

At the end of the more intermediate chapters, there are practice exercises. I really enjoyed the exercise for translating basic sentences from Maltese to English. The vocabulary and grammar come from previous chapters in the textbook, so it reinforces what I have learned. I have previously mentioned that I wanted to begin enhancing my reading abilities so these exercises helped me to do so. Translating the sentence grammar in the correct order was somewhat difficult for me because word placement differs from English. I was surprised to find, though, that I could largely interpret the meaning and most of the vocabulary words.

In order to keep practicing these skills during the week, Karen and I agreed that I would complete the English to Maltese sentence translations by myself. This was significantly harder because it required correct spelling and careful attention to syntax. Writing abilities is likely a good area of improvement for the future. Continuing to practice translating very basic sentences from English to Maltese, then checking my answers, would be a great way to do so. 

This post is dedicated to the continuously evolving nature of the Maltese language and the influence of the English language on local culture. I found an extremely interesting academic paper online about how the Maltese language spoken by younger people is rapidly converging with English. At this time, English is widely spoken and a confirmed national language. The influence of English, though, has extended into the linguistic structure of Maltese itself. The paper calls out elements such as verb structure in Maltese that matches English ways of expressing things, rather than traditional Maltese syntax structure. The paper suggests that there are a number of elements contributing to this pattern, such as efficiency, lack of Maltese terminology, the desire to demonstrate familiarity with English culture, and unintentionally applying English-language background. Other news articles that I read point out that many Maltese natives move to English-speaking countries and return with limited knowledge of the language. The Maltese-speaking community abroad is very small, therefore people lose their ability to communicate in their native language. Additionally, the Maltese economy has become home to immigrants who do not speak the language. Rather, they know or acquire English language skills to be able to communicate in business. As I have mentioned in previous articles, Malta's economy is heavily supported by tourism.

The academic paper notes that languages are always evolving. A couple of factors stood out to me, though, that may make this development very complex. In addition to its evolution, the Maltese language is also dying. Unlike other changing languages, this one is surrounded by pressures of both Italian and English. The dominance of these languages, particularly English, increases the vulnerability of the Maltese language. The convergence of English and Maltese reminded me of a similar situation between Spanish and English. The emergence of Spanglish is the result of Spanish natives adapting their language with English elements in the US. The phenomenon of convergence between Maltese and English may be comparable. The big difference, though, is that this transition is taking place within the home nation, as a result of an invading language. 

While the development of language is natural, the pressures Maltese language faces by more dominant languages could have a huge cultural impact in the long-run. The articles I read raise points that we discussed many times in 105 and reinforce the purposes for which we choose to study little-known languages. Language evolution and expression reflects power messages about cultural context. In order to fully understand the history of a culture, we can use language to supplement facts. The Maltese language is extremely diverse and historically rich. While I am inclined to say that language evolution is natural and should not be feared, I believe that there is significant value in preserving more obscure languages, such as this one.

In this cultural post, I will discuss a bit about the Maltese National Anthem: L-Innu Malti [The Hymn of Malta]. The national anthem dates back to 1923 when it was first performed and the song was declared the Maltese national anthem in 1945. The national anthem is strongly religious, referencing the Catholic God. In a sense, it serves as a prayer uniting the people of Malta under a common faith. In English, the poem translates to:

Guard her, O Lord, as ever Thou has guarded,

This Motherland so dear whose name we bear:

Keep her in mind, whom Thou hast made so fair.

May he rules, for wisdom be regarded, 

In master mercy, strength in man increase:

Confirm us all, in unity and peace. 

The lyrics are written by Dun Karm Psalia, a well-known figure in Malta for a number of accomplishments. Psalia held positions as a priest, assistant director of the National Library, lexicographer for the official English-Maltese dictionary, and Commander of Order of the British Empire. Additionally, he was a distinguished writer in Italian culture. Psalia resided in Valletta, Malta from 1910 to 1936 and is also famously known for helping to establish Maltese as an official language of Malta in 1934. As I have discussed in previous reflections, Italian and English are both widely spoken on the islands, but the Maltese language represents the unique cultural blend that exists in Maltese society. 

Sound Link [left column]: http://www.nationalanthems.info/mt.htm 

During this period of my Maltese study, I chose to work on my ability to read full sentences and phrases with my language partner, Karen. The pronunciation of full sentences continues to be a challenge for me, but I am getting better at eliminating my English and Italian-bias in pronunciation. I am still a bit slow to recall some of the sounds, but my accuracy seems to be increasing. In order to work on this skill, I asked Karen if we could practice saying the famous poem that I previously analyzed in Cultural Post #3: Il Kantilena by Pietru Caxaro. Karen and I both looked at the text, then line by line I would repeat after her. The task was more difficult than I had anticipated because the language was written in Medieval Maltese. She told me that it is important to recognize that this text would not be an entirely good example of Maltese grammar because a lot of the style is outdated. She compared the reading of this text to a foreigner reading Shakesphere. 

Although the task was really challenging, I enjoyed the practice of spending 50 full minutes reading Maltese writing. I have repeatedly mentioned that poetry has been very useful for me to pick up vocabulary and I have started to notice many central poetry themes in Maltese literature. For example, it seems as if geography and the sea play important roles in many famous pieces. Malta has a rich history of being built up by various conquerors over time and its place as an island in the Mediterranean sea has significantly shaped the development of the society. Studying poetry has been a valuable tool for understanding the perspectives of native Maltese people and accumulating vocabulary sets on relevant topics. 

In addition to reading the poem, Karen and I continued to work through a chapter in my Maltese textbook. Each chapter is formatted as a new grammar topic, so we discussed some of the concepts and read through the example phrases together. Moving forward, I would like to shift my focus on practicing writing sentences in Maltese. 

This cultural post focuses on Malta's role as a top film-making destination for many Hollywood movies. The historic style of the architecture and beautiful, aquamarine waters serve as an ideal backdrop to a number of famous scenes. The website Visit Malta posted a mini-podcast series highlighting landmarks and geographic features filmmakers capitalize on when traveling to the country. In this post, I will recap some of the most interesting facts I learned!

Beginning with the Island of Camino, there are three primary features that have been captured in a number of movies: The Blue Lagoon, St. Mary's Tower, and the Santa Maria cave system. During my time in Malta, I recall going on a boat tour in which I actually got to see many of these features. The Blue Lagoon, my personal favorite spot in Malta, was most notably featured in Troy (starring Brad Pitt) and Swept Away (featuring Madonna). The crystal waters and delicate, sandy beach was used to create a sense of luxury and seclusion in Swept Away and the rocky entrance to the island was used as a backdrop in Troy. Additionally, St. Mary's Tower and elaborate cave system play an important role in the 2002 film Count of Monte Cristo. 

Next, the origin of Popeye Village is an extremely interesting story. In 1980, Popeye Village was constructed entirely from scratch for the film Popeye the Sailor Man featuring Robin Williams. A construction crew spent 7 months building the fictional village that included a church, tavern, post office, school, and more. The village is located in Anchor Bay, Malta, which was also perfect for shooting nautical scenes. After the filming ended, the village was preserved and redeveloped as a theme park for kids and families. Activities have been added to the village and a boat departs every hour for tourists to visit. For both domestic people and tourists, the village is an extremely popular place to go.

The third movie destination worth mentioning is Fort Ricasoli, which has been preserved incredibly well since its historic origins. Originally, the fort was built by the Knights of Malta, in order to protect the harbor against foreign naval attacks. The fort is not open to the public but is repeatedly used to build historical Greco-Roman styled movie sets. The location is ideal because it is secluded, very large, and historically-intact. In addition to utilizing The Blue Lagoon of Camino, the production of Troy primarily took place in Fort Ricasoli. The entire space served as a foundation for the 10-acre city that was built for the production. Maltese locals worked with the producers and director throughout the process to accommodate the needs of the movie. In the final scene of the movie, Troy is burnt down in a series of explosions, so Fort Ricasoli was a perfectly-contained space to carry out these effects. Similarly, the producers of Gladiator used the Fort for filming. Most notably, the Fort space was used to construct the Roman Coliseum featured in the final scene. The coliseum constructed was approximately 1/3 the size of the real one and digital animation was used to enhance the structure during editing. Two other famous movies that were shot at Fort Ricasoli include Agora, a historical drama depicting the Roman Empire's Alexandria, and Cut Throat Island which utilized the baroque-style entryway to the fort. 

The podcast series details the history of 9 major film locations in Malta, although this post only highlights 3 of my favorite from the series. For anyone considering visiting Malta, I highly recommend listening to this mini-series on the Visit Malta website so that you can appreciate the attractions when you get there! Without researching the role of the film-making industry in Malta ahead of time, there is a lot that one might miss out on. Below are a couple of pictures I took of famous film locations when I traveled to Camino Island. 

Podcast Link: https://www.visitmalta.com/en/podcast-movie-locations 

This cultural post is dedicated to exploring the impact of global climate change on Malta. I was inspired to research the challenges Maltese locals are facing, as a result of global climate change, after reading a poem entitled Tal-ġelati. The poem was written by a well-known literature professor at the University of Malta, Adrian Grima, and published in an edition of Euro Abstracts. His poem is inspired by this central topic of the journal edition: The heat is on: the race to find innovative solutions to climate change. Some of the most critical implications of climate change in the Mediterranean include intense, frequent heat waves, coastal flooding, water scarcity, extreme weather events, and changes in biodiversity. This poem utilizes repetition of il-baħar [the sea] to emphasize the changes it is experiencing. Considering Malta is made up of islands, warming and rising sea conditions could have a devastating impact on society. Grima also creates a list of things Maltese children can no longer do because of the extreme heat. He says, mhux jgħoddsu [no diving], mhux jibnu l-kastelli u jħaffru l-passaġġi [no building castles and digging paths], and m’hawnx tal-ġelati [there is no ice cream]. Malta is most admired for its beautiful geography and Mediterranean warmth, but climate change poses an extreme threat to this critical aspect of the culture. I found the end of the poem very meaningful because it seemed to suggest to me the way in which we blame climate change on nature. The sea is described as bla ndiema [without repentance] and blah ħniena [ruthless] as if there is an outside force controlling these changes, rather than ourselves. 

TAL-ĠELATI

Il-baħar qed jogħla, qed jibla’ r-ramliet,
fejn bejtu minn dejjem il-fkieren
li jieklu mill-bram bil-mijiet.
Il-baħar qed jisħon, qed jikber, u miegħu
il-bram qed jiżdied;
ifekren bla sabar fejn qabel kont tara kif folla 
tinvadi bla ħniena l-bajjiet.

It-tfal mhux qed jgħumu, 
mhux jgħoddsu bil-flippers,
mhux jibnu l-kastelli u jħaffru l-passaġġi
li jċedu bħas-silġ taħt in-nar;
mhux jiġu t-turisti, bil-ġilda ġa roża,
bl-umbrella tal-kiri, bit-tifel jippoża,
bis-sunblock jiddewweb
taħt xemx tarmi r-raġġ’ ultra vjola.

U m’hawnx tal-ġelati.
Qed jarma, qed jgħidu,
faċċata tal-bieb ta’ l-iskola,
Il-baħar bla ndiema, 
bla ħniena,
qed jogħla.

I continued my research of the subject on the Times of Malta website. I found an article entitled Malta needs to prepare for climate change, experts say, written by Philip Leone Ganado in October 2018. The problems associated with climate change could be detrimental to Malta for a number of reasons. First, degradation to the Mediterranean ecosystem would have severe impacts on the Maltese economy, which relies heavily upon tourism and aquaculture. Decreased biodiversity in native species would have a considerable impact on Malta. Next, the domestic people of Malta face the risk of extreme heat and weather patterns. Positioned in the Mediterranean, Malta is already prone to high temperatures, so the small .5-degree movements can be devastating. Advocates for addressing the problem insist that cleaner energy (reduction in carbon emissions) is the most valuable solution.

A climatologist from the University of Malta states, "“Even if statistically our size means our impact is small, we could have a major impact in terms of influence,” he said. “If we make the changes we need, the impact is not just the emissions we release, but the image we give to the world.” Although Malta's contribution alone is not enough to alter global climate change, acknowledgement and support towards the cause can inspire larger changes in the EU, resulting in a global movement. On a local level, techniques such as green infrastructure, coastal defenses, more efficient buildings, and secured water supplies have all been considered by governmental strategists. In reality, though, Malta has missed its EU emission targets and struggled to impose change. 

Sources:

https://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20181015/local/malta-needs-to-prepare-for-climate-change-experts-say.691503 

https://www.lyrikline.org/en/poems/tal-elati-6908 

In this post, I will discuss what it is like to experience Christmas in Malta. The people of Malta are primarily Roman Catholic, therefore the holiday is widely celebrated on the islands and very important to the culture. Similar to cities in Italy, the islands are streamed with Christmas lights and decorated for the holiday. There is Christmas caroling, church festivities celebrating religious events leading up to the birth of Jesus, and extravagant displays. In addition, Christmas markets have become increasingly popular during December. Malta Artisan Markets, launched in 2011, puts together one of the largest Christmas-themes venues of all the market groups who offer seasonal products from local craftspeople, small business-owners, producers. Two of the most well-known Christmas displays are located in The Pjazza Tigne Market in Sliema and Mellieħ's Popeye Village, which are both converted into beautiful winter wonderlands for the holiday. Popeye Village is a center for celebrating many Maltese holidays but is particularly known for its annual pantomime comedy at the Manoel Theater during Christmas time. 

The many churches of Malta also play a critical role in celebrating Christmas in Malta. On Christmas Eve, most families choose to attend the Midnight Mass Service. Families often attend the Christmas markets and festivities together, then head over to church. Immediately following the midnight mass, it is also a tradition to enjoy an early Christmas breakfast together. The churches are decorated to honor the nativity story and strung with Christmas lights. Elaborate nativity cribs, called il-Presepju in Maltese, are featured at the church and a figure of baby Jesus is displayed at the altar during midnight mass. One of the largest ceremonies is held at St. John's Co-Cathedral in Valletta. 

Christmas Day is a much more intimate event where families come together to enjoy a large Christmas lunch. Traditionally, Christmas lunch consisted of a casserole containing potatoes, vegetables, and a chicken. More recently, modern families have transitioned to consuming a roast, followed by many desserts. These desserts include a hot chestnut and cocoa soup [Imbuljuta tal-Qastan],date-filled pastries [imqaret], bread pudding, and Italian sweet loaf bread [panettone]. 

Sources: 

https://www.visitmalta.com/en/christmas 

https://www.maltauncovered.com/culture/christmas-new-year-malta/ 

I really enjoy poetry, so this post is dedicated to analyzing one of the most famous poems in Maltese history: Il Kantilena. Il Kantilena, written by Pietru Caxaro, is the oldest known literary text composed in the Maltese language. It is dated back to the 15th century but was not recovered until hundreds of years later. The original text is written in Medieval Maltese (Latin script), which is very antiquated but has many times been translated into modern Maltese and English. Kantilena translates to il cantilena (Latin root), which is defined as follows: a smooth flowing style in the writing of vocal music (British Dictionary). Specifically, this style of poetry is rhythmic and utilizes a number of literary elements to produce song-like verse. The original text was written before the Italian language influenced Malta, so the sounds and words are particularly Semitic-sounding. 

Literary scholars have proposed various meanings to this poem, but have largely struggled due to the levels of translation and various cultural changes in society. For example, the modern Maltese text varies significantly from the original Maltese text due to the fact that it was discovered and translated 500 years after being written. The Arabic language and tradition were woven into the poem, while modern Maltese language and culture are more heavily based in Western European culture. Literally, the poem references the collapse of a building or house due to the use of loose clay. Caxaro cites that he thought he built the walls with rock, but he was, in fact, wrong and now faces responsibility. While it is speculated that there is a deeper meaning behind the poem, historically the physical walls of Mdina (a city in Malta) began to crumble in 1454. It is often questioned if this event is being referenced in the poem, and if so, what is the deeper significance of the city deteriorating?

This poem was quite challenging for me to read through and understand in Maltese. After attempting to read through it on my own, I found an audio version of the poem, which I have included below. One of the most beautiful, prominent elements of this poem is the soft and melodic sound. It is often noted that many smooth m and n-sounds are used to create humming behind the words. Additionally, there is alliteration such as nitla' u nerġa’ ninże. The poem repeats phrases for emphases, such as waqgħet hi (it fell) and merħi (clay) to   central meanings. These two words are fundamental to the poem, which centers on the importance of a solid foundation (physical and metaphoric). The beauty of the poem is also carried through the rhyme of the final words of phrases. For example, la mula/muħ sula, ibniha/jewtiha, ħamra/tmarra, and nħadditkom/f’għomorkom. 

https://vassallohistory.wordpress.com/history-of-the-maltese-language/the-cantilena/

Below is the modern translation (Maltese) and English translation of the poem: 

Xidew il-qada, ja ġirieni, tale nħadditkom,
Ma nsab fil-weri u la nsab f’għomorkom
Qalb m’għandha ħakem, sultan u la mula
Bir imgħ ammiq irmietni, b’ turġien muħ sula,
Fejn ħ ajran għ all-għ arqa, ninż el f’ taraġ minżeli
Nitla’ u nerġa’ ninżel dejjem fil-baħar il-għoli.
Waqgħet hi, imrammti, l’ ili żmien nibni,
Ma ħtatlix mgħallmin, ’ mma qatagħ li tafal merħi;
Fejn tmajt insib il-ġebel, sibt tafal merħi;
Waqgħet hi, imrammti.

Waqgħet hi, imrammti, niżżlet hi s-sisien,
Ma ħ tatlix l-imgħallmin, ’ mma qatagħ li l-ġebel;
Fejn tmajt insib il-ġebel, sibt tafal merħi;
Waqgħet hi, imrammti, l’ ili żmien nibni.
U hekk waqgħet hi, imrammti! w erġa’ ibniha!
Biddilha inti l-imkien illi jewtiha;
Min ibiddel l-imkien ibiddel il-vintura;
Għaliex l-iradigħ al kull xiber sura:
Hemm art bajda, w hemm art sewda u ħamra.
Aktar minn hedawn hemm trid minnha tmarra.

Witness my predicament, my friends (neighbours), as I shall relate it to you:
never has there been, neither in the past, nor in your lifetime,
A [similar] heart, ungoverned, without lord or king (sultan),
That threw me down a well, with broken stairs
Where, yearning to drown, I descend the steps of my downfall,
Climb back up, only to go down again in this sea of woe.
It(she) fell, my edifice, [that] which I had been building for so long,
It was not the builders’ fault, but (of) the soft clay (that lay beneath);
Where I had hoped to find rock, I found loose clay
It(she) fell, my building!

It(she) fell, my building, its foundations collapsed;
It was not the builders’ fault, but the rock gave way,
Where I had hoped to find rock, I found loose clay
It (she) fell, my edifice, (that) which I had been building for so long,
And so, my edifice subsided, and I shall have to build it up again,
change the site that caused its downfall
Who changes his place, changes his “vintura”!
for each (piece of land) has its own shape (features);
there is white land and there is black land, and red
But above all, you must stay clear of it.

As suggested by my language partner, I focused these two weeks on retaining vocabulary that I learn from my new textbooks and practicing speaking with the digital EuroTalk Now program on my computer. I created both hand-written lists for the vocabulary and downloaded a Chegg Flashcard app on my phone that allows me to create categories of vocabulary lists with pictures. For example, categories that I have created based upon my learning resources are colors, greetings, transition words, relationships, and body parts. This app has been helpful because I can review my Maltese on-the-go even when I only have a couple of free minutes. 

The EuroTalk Now program has been an extremely useful tool for me because it includes real audio clips of Maltese speakers pronouncing each vocabulary word. In addition, I am able to practice saying a word, then hear my audio recording compared to the recording of native speakers. This helps me to improve my intonation and accent. There are ten primary categories for vocabulary in the program: first words, food, time, colors, phrases, body, numbers, shopping, countries, and miscellaneous. Within each category, there are learning sessions (speaking and reading), games, and a picture dictionary to print. On Sundays, I try to set a couple of hours to practice my Maltese using this program. Overall, I find it a great resource because I always have my laptop with me and it is very interactive. 

Moving forward, I would like to focus more on reading and speaking in sentences. I am retaining vocabulary well and can start to recognize bits and pieces of phrases, but want to work on a more holistic understanding of dialogues and texts. For example, in writing my last cultural post, I watched a Maltese cooking channel with subtitles and understood small bits. As I accumulate my vocabulary base, I would like to take these next steps in putting together longer strings of words. 

My language partner brought to my attention that one of the most important components of traditional Maltese cuisine is something called pastizzi. The word directly translates to English as cheesecake, but pastizzi are sold in great variety throughout the islands of Malta. The most traditional form of this tasty food consists of a fluffy round pastry dough filled with a ricotta-based cream. In Maltese, this is called pastizzi tal-irkotta. Popular Maltese recipes note that a generous amount of salt and pepper should be used in the cream, rendering it a more savory treat. Modern pastizzi resemble Italian ravioli or Spanish empanadas and often incorporate parsley and a pea-based spread. Additionally, various types of cheese and spices can be blended into the center. 

Although the treat resembles a pastry, it is typically viewed as a snack that can be eaten at any time of day and purchased from a pastizzeria, which are found all over Malta. These shops sell pastizzi and other traditional Maltese snacks at very low prices. The art of creating the perfect pastizzi dough is very important to Maltese natives and this step can take 24+ hours to complete. Based upon popular recipes I browsed, the mixing of the cream filling and baking time is very quick (approximately 20 minutes). Included below is a YouTube demonstration of the process. 

Aside from being a delicious and popular treat that you can purchase anywhere in Malta, there is an important cultural significance of pastizzi. The traditional form of this snack represents a blend of Arabic pastry crust (flaky and crunchy) and Italian filling (ricotta, parmesan, mozzarella). It is documented that the snack was likely popularized during the Arab conquest of the Rabat and has remained a popular snack since. There is even a common saying in Malta that goes, jinbieghu bħal pastizzi, which translates to selling as fast as pastizzi. 

When I traveled to Malta, I recall tasting a small pastizzi and really enjoying it! Additionally, I brought home a selection of tasty pastizzi so that my family and friends could get a taste of Malta too.

Below is a video demonstrating the process of making the perfect Maltese pastizzi:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bgo1MMN8KT0

My first cultural artifact is a sound recording of a traditional Maltese folksong by Frans Baldacchino, also known as il-Budaj. The song I chose to listen to, one of his most popular, is called Lament. It was written and interpreted by Baldacchino, but is inspired by a traditional Maltese tune called għana. Many folksongs adopt this tune that blends influences from Southern Europe and Northern Africa. Il-Budaj lived from 1943-2006 and was recognized on a local and international scale for his participation in folklore festivals. He was born in Żejtun (Malta), emigrated to Australia while in his 20s to form a folklore group with other Maltese emigrants, and then returned to Malta 10 years later. 

Maltese folk music often contains rhythmic poetic singing and various instruments such as the guitar to carry the traditional tune. While the popularity of Maltese oral tradition has declined, the preservation of Maltese folk music helps to carry forward the culture. Lament is taken off of an album called Żifna (meaning dance) which brought together many famous Maltese folk artists to revive the traditional sound. The organization that brought together the various musicians on the album is called Etnika. Etnika is also responsible for many other larger efforts to preserve Maltese tradition. 

In addition to exploring the sound of il-Budaj, I listened to a couple other publically available clips of traditional Maltese folklore music on Smithsonian Folk Ways Recordings. The sound of traditional music is extremely unique and it is hard to compare it to other folk music I have heard before, which I think is because of the various cultural influences. 

Biography and Sound Link - Frans Baldacchino Lament 

https://wirtizzejtun.com/2012/06/21/ghannejja-frans-baldacchino-il-budaj/

Traditional Folklore Music - Folk Songs and Music from Malta

https://folkways.si.edu/folk-songs-and-music-from-malta/world/album/smithsonian

Sound Clips - Żifna [Etnika album]

https://www.cdroots.com/etnika2.html

This semester I have taken a couple of really important steps in enhancing the strength of my language learning. I am working closely with my language partner (Karen) to improve my pronunciation and speaking abilities in Maltese because I identified these elements as potential areas of improvement last semester. Additionally, my language partner was able to give me recommendations for three very helpful resources in self-studying: a textbook from the University of Malta, beginner audio disks, and an overview book for the Maltese language. 

During the first two practice sessions, Karen and I focused heavily on pronunciation. She provided me with an overview of different dialects that exist on mainland Malta versus the other smaller islands. Karen's family is from Gozo- the same region that I believe my ancestors were from- so I am choosing to learn her dialect. An important feature of the Maltese dialects, though, is that the dialects are similar enough across islands for all people to understand. In comparison to a language like Spanish, the linguistic differences are very subtle. For example, in Maltese, the letter q is not pronounced on Gozo or the Mainland, but certain villages on the other islands sound q as a -k sound. Most of the lesson was actual pronunciation practice, but this cultural element is very important to my learning because Maltese resources are so scarce. When I listen to various clips online, I noticed these differences and have trouble identifying the correct way to say things. Listening to Karen speak is helping me to keep a consistent dialogue. 

To begin working together, we worked through pronouncing the sample phrases and words from my new Maltese textbook. I read a word, then Karen would repeat the word in the correct accent. I could not move on to the next word until I correctly pronounced the letters in each word. This exercise helped me to learn that the Maltese b is pronounced very soft, like an English p. Additionally, I learned that the letter u is pronounced very long, as in Kung Fu. Another mistake I identified was how I pronounce the letter i. I was previously saying "-ee" like in Italian, but the letter functions more like the English letter i - typically it is soft, but can occasionally take on the "-ee" sound. Another important element of pronunciation is knowing where to put the inflection on words. I marked these inflection points in my notes as we went along. 

In regard to practicing this week, Karen and I agreed it would be helpful to independently review the pronunciation of the word sets we went over. In addition, I suggested that I could memorize the definitions and quiz myself on the meanings of the vocabulary. 

Final Reflection - SDLC 105

Overall, I do not think I have reached the point yet where I can write my own thoughts in Maltese. In comparison to my class studies, I am studying Maltese closer to the way I learned my primary language, English. I have been focusing on learning important phrases in the context of a dialogue and vocabulary, more than grammar. For example, one exercise that has been helpful for me is writing out sample dialogues with the phrases that I know. Through these dialogues, I have been able to pick out keywords that will be important for when I do go more in-depth with grammar. As I notice these words, such as tajba (good) and int (you), I add them to a big list. Another writing exercise I have been doing is poetry translation to pick up vocabulary. I write out the poem in Maltese, translate in English, and highlight important vocabulary words. It has also been helpful for me to see how phrases are structured.

One component of the language that is especially tricky for me is the gendered nature of the words. In comparison to Spanish or Italian, which I have previously studied, there are more parts of speech that are fluid based upon gender. It has been a challenge to learn both the masculine and feminine version of words when it is not as simple as “a” for feminine and “o” for masculine. Based upon my poetry readings, though, I am finding that there are similarities between Maltese and Italian grammar. There is the use of “il” or “l” before nouns in sentences and prepositions function similarly. For example, “the” is dropped in the phrase “in the bay” (fil-bajja) similar to the way Italian drops “the” in a phrase such as “in the bank” (in banco). The way Maltese reads seems a bit choppy in comparison to English and the translation is not very clear, but my previous study of languages is making it a little bit more manageable.

In order to keep facilitating my ability to read Maltese and understand the grammar, I think I will focus next on learning the prepositions/pronouns. I have been able to pick up a handful of these words through phrasal context and reading, but it would probably be helpful to memorize them concretely. Tal (of) and fil (in) are examples I picked up through context and wrote down on my vocabulary list. Similar to the way babies learn their first language, I picked up these words through repetition and context. My learning process has been a balance between deductive reasoning and vocabulary memorization. I find it very enjoyable and interesting to learn this way.

On a final note, I have not been doing any typing in my target language. I find that it is definitely more helpful for me to write things out in my notebook, or on a whiteboard. Physically writing out words and drawing visuals has been most helpful for me. In addition, Maltese has a handful of characters that are difficult to type on the computer.

Based upon the readings, it seems as if languages go extinct for two primary reasons. First, as the NYT article notes, many local native languages are under threat because of globalization. The article identifies English, Spanish, and Mandarin as “winners” of this global movement because of their prevalence across knowledge. I would agree with this statement because English is a very prominent language in conducting cross-cultural business. Based on my own experience in business, I’ve observed that firms often seek to hire people who are familiar with either Spanish or Mandarin. As business and communication technology becomes globalized, rather than each culture learning multiple new languages, people come together to seemingly “agree” to learn one dominant language (ex. English). On a smaller scale, it is practical to assume that if smaller, local communities want to trade with larger neighboring powers, they need to learn the languages of the dominant culture. For example, in the case of Malta, a majority of the people communicate in Italian because of the proximity to Sicily, Italy. In addition, English is even considered an official language of the country.

A second reason that languages go extinct is that cultures of people go extinct. For example, this is occurring in the United States with Native American languages. As a result of Native American’s losing dominance over the New World, much of their language has been lost and continues to become critically endangered. The US was once considered the home base of their language, but it has dwindled in correlation with the population of Native Americans. Based on an article I found on National Geographic, Recording a Dying Language (June 2017), 130 of their languages are considered “at risk” and 74 are “critically endangered.”

The extinction of language is very significant because it carries along with it the extinction of a culture. Through language, we are able to learn more about the values, practices, and histories of the community that speaks the language. Languages reflect unique ways of perceiving the world around us and influence the way we interpret reality in the present. For example, many languages refer to colors and emotions in unique ways. The lack, or specificity, of describing these aspects could say a lot about a culture. Another prominent feature that differentiates the English language from many others is the insistent gendering of nouns and adjectives. All of these small subtleties are very important in interpreting the social/cultural nuances that differentiate cultures.

After watching the video and reading the article, I noticed that creating digital dictionaries with auditory clips for endangered languages is an extremely important method for preservation. The video notes that many nearly extinct languages exist only orally. In transcribing the language and providing it to people digitally, linguists create a permanent record and allow more people to have access to the information. I assume it is very unusual and challenging for “dead” languages to be revived, unless there is a specific reason for doing so. Although there have been instances in which a language is revived, I think the majority of languages will remain dormant if they go extinct. As discussed at the beginning of this post, globalization is an extremely prominent, inevitable force blending together cultures of people and their languages.

In relation to my study of Maltese, I think this discussion topic is extremely relevant. Although Maltese is the language that reflects the culture of Malta, English and Italian are prominently spoken throughout the country. Most notably, tourism in Malta has facilitated the use of the two alternative languages, in place of the traditional Malti. I chose to study the Maltese language, Malti, because I think it is extremely unique and reflective of Malta’s complex history and rich cultural tradition. If it were to die off, I think it would be extremely unfortunate because this language, in particular, reflects the development of a very unique society.

A key goal that I have done well maintaining throughout my study Malta is better understanding the complex political and cultural influences that have impacted the language and society, as a whole. I expressed in my original learning plan presentation that I wanted to learn about the history and I feel as if I have done this through research in English and the target language. As I study the Maltese language, I try to pick up on linguistic subtleties that connect the Maltese to the Italians, French, and Arabs. When I write out the vocabulary words in Maltese, I try to compare them to the Italian words that I know. I have found that there are a handful of cognates in Maltese and Italian, which is very interesting, but one challenge I did not foresee is the unpredictable nature of the language. For example, some vocabulary words are the near-same to French and Italian counterparts, but other words have completely unfamiliar roots and sounds. I believe this challenge stems from the fact that I have not studied Arabic, but hopefully, it is a skill that improves over time as I see more vocabulary.

In addition, the last blog post I wrote really inspired me to do a lot of research about the Maltese political system and economy. My classes this semester focus on international business issues and the economics of developing nations, so I tried to apply what I have learned towards an analysis of Malta. Beginning to research the HDI, GDP, and natural resources of the country led me to want to become more of an expert on the subject. In order to continue this theme and apply the subject with my language studies, I am going to focus this week’s vocabulary on geography and basic economic terms. Conducting this type of research was really interesting for me because it is relevant to my larger college studies.

At this point, I have focused a lot on studying basic phrases, vocabulary, and culture/history. One element that I think I can begin to focus more on is understanding the grammar of Maltese language through reading. One problem I have run into is contradicting basic grammar structures online The language is not widely spoken, therefore there are fewer resources than I expected for learning. I have been able to memorize certain phrases for basic communication and recognize vocabulary, but I think the missing link is truly understanding the syntax. As I write this post, I am considering that this week I should read basic texts about the geography of Malta. This would be extremely interesting for me, considering I traveled to all parts of the island and visited the capital city. In addition, I mentioned in my learning plan presentation that I wanted to be able to talk more knowledgeable about the places I visited in Malta last year. For the presentation, I envisioned pulling up some of the many beautiful pictures I took of the country and being able to describe the history behind each location.

As I have discussed, in order to strengthen my Maltese linguistic abilities, I need to make a strong effort in improving my abilities to put together sentences. After reviewing some of the original language exercises I outlined in my plan, I want to start applying the idea of reading interesting texts in the target language to learn faster. I am making it my priority this week to find a couple of unique writings (poetry or historical) that highlight the geography or political climate of Malta. At the start of the semester, I identified myself as a very tangible and visual learner, so I want to continue incorporating learning elements that are unique and keep up my interest.

One thing in particular that interests me about Malta is that despite a chaotic history of political rulings, it has been able to develop successfully as a nation. The country has existed independently, as a republic, for less than 50 years (December 1974) and joined the EU in 2008. Over the course of history, Malta has been conquered by multiple other countries that have had a tremendous impact on the development of Maltese culture. It is surprising to me, though, that the disorganized political ownership has not left the country in worse shape.

Malta was first discovered around 5200BC and was first colonized by the Phoenicians around 800BC. Following this, the Roman domination started in 218BC, followed by the Arab (870) conquests until 1090. During the Middle Ages, Malta was conquered by four different groups (Normans, Swabians, Angevins, Aragonese). It was said the Arab rule was one of the harshest, resulting in the migration of many people to nearby Sicily and significant death. In 1530, though, the Knights of St. John arrived in Malta to revive the society and introduce Renaissance ideals. The population experienced significant growth during this time period and the reign was more positive than the last. The period under St. John was short-lived, as Napolean Bonaparte conquered Malta from the Knights in 1798. Similar to the last, the French occupation of Malta only lasted a couple of years until the British officially established Malta as a British Crown Colony. It was during this political period that the Maltese natives begin to fight for self-government and independent ruling. It was in 1964 that Malta was granted independence within the British Commonwealth and in 1974 that Malta became its own republic. From this point onward, Malta has pushed to become its own independent nation within the EU/Eurozone.

It strikes me as unusual that an island in the Mediterranean, conquered by so many other large world powers, is functioning fairly well and developed today.  It seems more typical that small island regions, like Malta, are left extremely resource-depleted, dependent, and underdeveloped after experiencing the political rulership of so many different parties. On multiple development indexes, Malta tends to fall just below Italian rankings and above some of the other countries in the Mediterranean. For example, Malta’s GDP per capita for 2017 was approximately $27,145.81 and Italy’s GDP for 2017 was $34,877.83. Other close GDP per capita approximates include Cyprus at $29,432.67 and Greece at $23,027.41. Although the GDP figures appear low compared to US per capita GDP ($53,128.54), it is important to consider factors such as nation size and adjusted rate for PPP, that can render Malta’s GDP more valuable that it seems at first glance. On the Human Development Index, Malta ranks an overall .878, in comparison to Italy that ranks .88 and the US at .924. In the areas of life expectancy at birth and inequality-adjusted HDI, Malta actually ranks higher than the US.

The first area that I looked towards to better understand what features of Malta left it stable, despite thousands of years of political conquest, is geography. I am studying the effect of the “natural resource curse” in my Economics of Developing Nations class and one thing I noticed about Malta is that it is not particularly rich in any one natural resource. I researched online and discovered that tourism, small-scale agriculture, and some manufacturing are the primary sources fueling GDP. The service industry (88.1% of GDP) makes up most of the economy, manufacturing (10.6%) comes in second, and agriculture comes in third (1.3%). This type of GDP composition, service-oriented, is reflective of a very industrially developed country. The fact that Malta was not rich in resources such as metals, agricultural products, or oil could have possibly protected it from exploitation over time. As a next step, I am very curious to better understand the development of similar island-nations, with a disorganized political histories.

Another factor of the Maltese economy I would like to explore more is the potential impact of immigration. Malta has been considered a discouraging addition to the EU because of its role in North African immigration into Italy. Malta is located conveniently close to Libya and Tunisia (North Africa), so it serves as a first stop for illegal immigrants. Surprisingly, it seems that the Maltese economy may actually have a need for migrant workers, considering it has an extremely low unemployment rate filled by its large working-age population and increasing economic growth. While conducting research online, I found that the Maltese government is outwardly very resistant to African immigration, but many workers are slowly becoming integrated into the informal economy. I hope to do more research about how the culture and backgrounds of these people will become a part of the larger Maltese story.