Fun with Maltese
I think it has become pretty evident that I am a big language nerd. So I plan to have a recurrent series on the Maltese language from time to time.
I continue to study it on my own, and continue to make progress despite finding it hard to find people who are willing to let me practice. The other day I once again tried, at the post office, and the post office man (What would he be called? Not the postman, as he is the one who delivers the post…) did understand me but he repeated everything back to me in English. I still count that as a success, as I was able to convey what I wanted in Maltese.
As far as listening comprehension, however, I can now sit through the news broadcast and understand everything. Well, not every single word perhaps, but I do get the meaning of the news stories. The same applies to reading newspaper articles. So the listening/reading part is doing well, now I only need a way to practice speaking and writing! Any volunteers out there? M and I do try to have conversations in Maltese every now and then, but it never lasts. Once you are used to speaking a language with someone, it is practically impossible to change. I wonder if linguists have written about this.
While doing my Maltese lesson, I came upon the verb “xegħel” (shel) which apparently meant “to light”… well, it does, but according to the dictionary it means: “to kindle, to light, to illume, to illuminate, to switch on, TO RAISE OR STIR UP A REBELLION.” The first set of meanings are all related, but then it really gets interesting! I wonder if this can cause misunderstandings, and if ever the request to kindle a fire was responsible for starting a rebellion.
