Maltenglish
{{Short description|Phenomenon of code-switching}}
{{Refimprove|date=September 2008}}
{{distinguish|Manglish|Maltese English}}
{{Infobox language
|name=Maltenglish
|nativename = Manglish, Minglish, Maltese English, Pepè
|region=Malta
|speakers=?
|familycolor=mixed
}}
Maltenglish, also known as Manglish, Minglish, Maltese English, {{lang|en-MT|Pepè}} or {{lang|mt|Maltingliż}} refers to the phenomenon of code-switching between Maltese, a Semitic language derived from late medieval Sicilian Arabic with Romance superstrata, and English, an Indo-European Germanic language with Romance superstrata. It is separate from the local dialect of English, which is also called Maltese English.
Both Maltese and English are official languages in Malta, and about 88% of the Maltese people can speak English as a second language.{{Cite book| edition = 1| publisher = Cambridge University Press| isbn = 978-1-107-02120-4| editor-last1 = Williams|editor-first1 =Jeffrey P.| editor-last2 = Schneider|editor-first2 = Edgar W.| editor-last3 = Trudgill|editor-first3 =Peter | editor-last4 = Schreier |editor-first4 = Daniel | last1 = Krug| first1 = Manfred| title = Further studies in the lesser-known varieties of English| chapter = Maltese English| location = Cambridge, New York, NY Port, Melbourne, New Delhi, Singapore| series = Studies in English language| date = 2018|page=13}} Various Maltese social groups switch back and forth between the two languages, or macaronically mix lexical aspects of Maltese and English while engaging in informal conversation or writing.{{cite book|editor1-last=Lasagabaster|editor1-first=David|editor2-last=Huguet|editor2-first=Angel|title=Multilingualism in European Bilingual Contexts: Language Use and Attitudes|date=2007|publisher=Multilingual Matters|isbn=9781853599293|page=189|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=XDodTJ1B5AEC&pg=PA189}}
The term Maltenglish is first recorded in 2007. Other colloquial portmanteau words include (chronologically): Minglish (2006), Malglish (2016), and Manglish (2016).{{Cite journal |last=Lambert |first=James |date=2017 |title=A multitude of "lishes": The nomenclature of hybridity |url=https://benjamins.com/catalog/eww.38.3.04lam |journal=English World-Wide |language=en |volume=38 |issue=3 |doi=10.1075/eww.38.3.04lam |issn=0172-8865}}
Maltenglish can also refer to English loanwords in the Maltese language.{{cite news|last1=Palma|first1=Alfred|title=Growing list of Manglish monstrosities|url=http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20111127/letters/Growing-list-of-Manglish-monstrosities.395650|accessdate=13 March 2015|work=Times of Malta|date=27 November 2011}}
Prevalence
Code-switching is practiced by at least a third of the population regularly.{{cite web|last1=Brincat|first1=Joseph M.|title=Maltese – an unusual formula|url=http://macmillandictionaries.com/MED-Magazine/February2005/27-LI-Maltese-print.htm|publisher=MED Magazine – Issue 27|date=February 2005}}
The most common areas where code-switching occurs are in part of the Northern Harbour District, mainly in the towns of Sliema, St. Julian's, Pembroke, Swieqi, Madliena, San Ġwann and Kappara. These areas are sometimes stereotyped as {{lang|mt|tal-pepé}}.{{cite web|last1=Leone-Ganado|first1=Philip|title=Exploring a Stereotype: Sliema Girls Say|url=http://www.sundaycircle.com/2012/06/exploring-a-stereotype-sliema-girls-say/|website=Sunday Circle|accessdate=13 March 2015|date=21 June 2012}}
Examples
| class="wikitable"
! style="background:#efefef;" | ! style="background:#efefef;" | English ! style="background:#efefef;" | Maltese ! style="background:#efefef;" | Maltenglish |
| Mixed case
|{{lang|en-MT|Give mummy a kiss.}} |{{lang|mt|Tiha bewsa 'l ommok.}} |{{lang|mul-MT|Tiha kiss 'ill-mummy.}} |
| In a Maltese sentence
|{{lang|en-MT|The actor of that film took the limo to meet the director.}} |{{lang|mt|L-attur ta' dak il-film mar jiltaqa' mad-direttur bil-limużin.}} |{{lang|mul-MT|L-actor ta' dak il-film mar jiltaqa' mad-director bil-limo.}} |
| In an English sentence
|{{lang|en-MT|So tell him I'm coming now, you know, because I can't make it tomorrow.}} |{{lang|mt|Mela għidlu li ġejja issa, ta, għax ma nistax għada.}} |{{lang|mul-MT|Mela tell him I'm coming now, ta, għax I can't make it tomorrow.}} |
While code switching in English sentences is most predominant in the Northern Harbour District, code switching in a Maltese sentence is much more common throughout the country. This is usually because the Maltese word is not so well known or used. Examples include:
- the Maltese word for a mushroom is {{lang|mt|faqqiegħ}}, but most people still tend to call it a mushroom in Maltese.
- the proper Maltese word for television is {{lang|mt|televiżjoni}} (as derived from Italian), but most people still call it a television, for example {{lang|mt|Rajt film fuq it-television ilbieraħ}} ("I saw a film on television yesterday").
See also
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20080819213926/http://www6.gencat.net/llengcat/noves/hm04primavera-estiu/docs/a_badia.pdf Ignasi Badia i Capdevila, "A view of the linguistic situation in Malta", Noves SL: Revista de Sociolingüística (2004)]
- [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9cs7A40oDHU YouTube video on tal-pepé Maltese people with examples of Maltenglish]
- [https://www.maltishlanguage.com/ Maltinglish - A dictionary of literal and silly Maltese to English translations]
{{English dialects by continent}}
{{Maltese dialects}}
{{interlanguage varieties}}
Category:Macaronic forms of English
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