The top 5 Maltese language errors

Language Malta — 18 September 2011

A few weeks ago, one of those pestilential Facebook groups was set up. You know the ones; the groups you just love to hate and which notify of every damn post your damn friends share, even if you’re not a member. The group I’m talking about is called Maltisms, and although I’m not sure what it purports to do, I’m fairly certain that it’s raison d’etre is to piss me off with the amount of stupid mistakes people share on it. Now I understand that Maltese can be somewhat idiosyncratic in its spelling, but what I can’t understand is the plain idiocy behind most of the posts. It’s bad enough you don’t read or write proper English because it’s ‘tal-pepe’; you also write shameful and atrociously incorrect Maltese. Here are the top 5 Maltese language errors.

1: Mitet Star

Lord Jesus how many times did we spot this gem a few months ago. And how many times did I headbutt my laptop thinking, “You idiots, ‘mitet’ is not written that way! It’s got a fricking ie, not an i!” Same applies to ‘bix’ and ‘xix’. Sound it out, it’s not hard, and it stops you from looking stupid.

2: Ġbajt

I’m fed up. That’s what ‘ġbajt’ is supposed to mean. Of course it would if it were written correctly. Xbajt. That’s how you write it. If you really want a word that starts with ġb, try ġbara, that should suit you more.

3: Ajjejt

Ajjejt, or, I’m tired/fed up. Of course, so am I, tired of people who simply drop the għ whenever it suits them. Listen guys, I know it’s a pain to type two more letters, but you know what, that’s the correct way to write the word. I don’t see people writing ‘nife’ just because their sympathies for the silent k are gone. And this applies to a whole host of words, such as the equally cringeworthy ‘tijek’, ‘ax’, ‘ala’, ‘tajd’ and ‘axar’.

4: Iskom

I sometimes think no one was ever actually taught to sound words out when spelling. Seriously, who in the hell actually thinks that ‘qiskom’ or ‘qisek’ sounds like ‘iskom’ or ‘isek’. It’s a Q stupid, and there’s a sound to it. And while I’m on the subject ‘qett tejt’ sounds like what a Gozitan would tell you when you tear something, not that I’m having a dig at the other islanders. Seriously dude, “x’qed tgħid?”

5: Żewġ ġranet

One way to demonstrate just how poor your Maltese is: invent words and phrases for things we already have words and phrases for. Example, why say ‘żewġ ġranet’ when we have ‘jumejn’. Why invent ‘nikkalerjaw’ when we can just say ‘inpenġu’? And one last thing, if you mean to say ‘ħamallu’ and instead write ‘ħammallu’, guess who’s been outed there?

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About Author

Mark

Mark is a hyperactive child of the internet, a great fan of entropy and a Grammar Nazi. Interested in disasters and perfection, which have a closer relationship than you might think. Pertinent and irreverent, I'm doing this for the LULz.

(8) Readers Comments

Kenneth
September 18, 2011 at 11:56

I’d rather have ‘żewġ ġranet’ (instead of the correct ‘jumejn’) rather than ‘ġixt iġranet’. I just can’t stand it. “Kemm jiswa l-bluwmer l-aħmar ħij?” “Ġix’ liri għalik, sinjura.”

The only misspellings I tolerate are ‘alġolħajt’ and ‘alażobbi’. Somehow they lose part of their identity (for need of a better word, imma abż) when written correctly.

Reply
Audri
September 18, 2011 at 12:56

I agree, but let’s not forget that language is always evolving, and that for all we know “aħba” might be the new “qaħba”.

Reply
- Mark
  September 18, 2011 at 12:58
  
  Which it obviously is not, as ‘aħba’ does not sound the same as the perfectly serviceable ‘qaħba’, no pun intended.
  
  Reply
  - Kenneth
    September 18, 2011 at 13:04
    
    The classic case is ‘skont’ (discount; sconto) vs. skond (according to; secondo a). They have officially become one, dropping ‘skond’ because of evolving phonetic patterns or some sorry excuse like that.
    
    It’s a pity if we were to lose the ‘q’ though. The little minx made life hell for foreigners trying their hand at Maltese pronunciation. ‘Twas all good, harmless fun, ‘qalla.
    
    Reply
    - Mark
      September 18, 2011 at 13:07
      
      I can understand the newly revised and updated spelling of skond, but I admit that I do not like the look of that word now.
      
      And yes, it’s a shame to lose that q. It was awesome for a time. Which reminds me, ever heard your typical Pepe person say Ta’Qali? Hilarity ensues.
      
      Reply
    - Manuel
      September 21, 2011 at 00:24
      
      There are very cogent reasons why we should be writing ‘skont’, not ‘skond’. There is a basic rule in Maltese orthography: words derived from Romance should be written phonetically, whilst those of Semitic origin should be written according to etymology. Since we say ‘skonti and ‘skontok’, it is obvious that that final consonant in skont is pronounced as a t.
      
      The q is still going strong, as far as I can see, despite the semi-illiterate middle-class dolts who seem oblivious to its presence in words.
      
      P.S. thaxwix.blogspot.com -- a landmark in the blogosphere
      
      Reply
Neil
September 19, 2011 at 15:09

i’ve heard and read worse. Words like ‘niddancejaw’ or ‘nissingjaw’ are just UNBELIEVABLE!

Reply
Nickie Luedecke
January 20, 2012 at 21:14

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