Languages and Language Varieties in Malta

Autor/in	Vella, Alexandra
Titel	Languages and Language Varieties in Malta
Quelle	In: International Journal of Bilingual Education and Bilingualism, 16 (2013) 5, S.532-552 (21 Seiten)Infoseite zur Zeitschrift PDF als Volltext Verfügbarkeit
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	1367-0050
DOI	10.1080/13670050.2012.716812
Schlagwörter	Second Languages; Foreign Countries; Language Variation; Bilingualism; Official Languages; English (Second Language); Language Role; Diachronic Linguistics; Cultural Context; Language Usage; Geographic Location; Standard Spoken Usage; Semitic Languages; Malta + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Second language; Zweitsprache; Ausland; Sprachenvielfalt; Bilingualismus; Office language; Amtssprache; English as second language; English; Second Language; Englisch als Zweitsprache; Linguistics; Diachronische Sprachbetrachtung; Historische Linguistik; Sprachgebrauch; Gesprochene Sprache; Umgangssprache; Arabisch; Hebräisch
Abstract	Maltese, the national language of Malta, is, without doubt, the dominant language of most Maltese in most domains of language use in Malta. It however shares official status with English, which is also in regular use. Most Maltese can, in fact, be said to be bilingual to differing degrees. This article begins by providing some background information and a brief outline of the geographical and historical origins of Maltese. This separate "entity"--one which also has its own dialects--has developed by melding elements from different sources. The internal heterogeneity of Maltese can be seen to be a reflection of the complex external situation of language use on the Islands. Official bilingualism in fact gives rise to a rich linguistic context of use within which Maltese speakers, bilingual and/or bidialectal to different degrees, operate. The notion of a continuum of use is employed as a means of explaining the complex linguistic behaviour of bilingual Maltese speakers. The effects of regular use of English alongside Maltese on the English of speakers of Maltese are also discussed briefly. (As Provided).
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Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2017/4/10