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MALTESE RECIPES | |
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WHY WOULD ANYONE WANT TO LEARN MALTESE?
By Celeste Bonnici - Srudent of the MNaltese School of Adelaide
Malta has both a distinctive identity and a distinctive language; this is one reason why people choose to learn Maltese. Maltese is related to both the Arabic and the Romance languages causing Maltese to be a unique language. Also by learning Maltese, people are able to endorse self expression and it can also help with employment. By learning the Maltese language people are also able to learn about the culture and lifestyle of the Maltese people. Finally by learning Maltese an individual is able to learn about Malta's history.
The language of Maltese opens a window to many other languages. This is because it is related to most of the languages spoken in North Africa and there are approximately 200 of them spoken in countries such as Morocco, Kenya, Somalia, Egypt, Algeria and Ethiopia. Not only is Maltese related to these countries languages, but it is also related to the languages spoken in the Middle East, for example Iraq and Syria. All of the languages spoken in these countries belong to the Arabic family of languages, and thus the Maltese language is part of this family. Although unlike the other languages belonging to the Arabic family of languages, Maltese is also influenced and related to some of the languages spoken on the northern side of the Mediterranean Sea.
These include such languages as Portuguese, Catalan, Spanish, Italian, Latin and Romanian. All these languages belong to the family of Romance languages, which were originally spoken by the Romans, and so Malta does not only have a unique language but also a unique identity as it occupies a distinctive place in the Mediterranean because it is not only an Arabic language but also a Romance language. As Maltese is a language which is related to so many other languages, learning Maltese is able to be a stepping stone for learning many other languages.
Self-expression and communication is one of the strongest and most natural desires which all humans have. By learning Maltese people are able to promote self expression as not only does a person learning Maltese get to know the language itself but they are also able to learn another way of looking at the world. Learning a second language is also able to help an individual not only develop self expression but also develop a sense of individualism.
Another reason why people may be interested in learning a second language is because they may be fascinated by their family's background. Many people may have been descendents of people who have moved to other countries in the world. These people may like to learn Maltese so that they can develop a sense of their family's background, culture and history.
The history of Maltese is also very interesting and so this may urge people to learn Maltese. The history of the people who have travelled and lived in Malta have influenced the language of the Maltese people. Malta has a farming heritage, and eighty percent of the farmers had an Arabic background. These farmers had varied languages, which influenced the Maltese language owing to the poor communication, so regions of Malta still have various dialects to this very day. These variations in the dialects help the Maltese people be able to know what region of Malta the person they are talking to is from.
Learning Maltese is also able to help on an economic level, as many businesses and organisations are now looking for people who are able to speak bilingual languages. This means that they are looking for people who have the ability to use either one of two languages and speak them both fluently. Research shows that a bilingual person is able to think more flexibly and creatively and is a sign that the person has culture. Also if a person is bilingual they are able to communicate with a wider variety of people than a person who can only communicate in one language. For example my mum is a career who uses her Maltese in her job as she is able to communicate with people who talk English and also those who can only speak little English and so she is able to speak to them in Maltese.
Because of Malta's location, many of countries have had huge impacts on the Maltese culture and so it had made it what it is today, being unique and special in its own way. This is why a person who wants to learn a second language and become bilingual may find Maltese a great and beautiful language to learn.
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