Let’s stop resisting being bilingual

English is spoken, with varying degrees of success, throughout Malta and Gozo. Some are fluent, grammatically correct and probably even dream in English, while at the other end of the spectrum are those who know a few words which they slip into their colloquial conversation, especially when speaking to children, as a form of optimistic encouragement that they will eventually become bilingual: “Ejja ha mmorru naghmlu sleep.” Some don’t speak English at all, or refuse to learn.

In between these two spectrums is the average Maltese person who can speak English adequately enough to communicate with others and even use it in his/her work. It might not be 100% perfect, the accent and pronunciation may not be to everyone’s liking, but it is good enough for everyday purposes. 

I would say the opposite also holds true for Maltese speakers – they range from those who use it as their primary language, to those who are shaky at best, or who only resort to Maltese for its choice swear words and vulgarity. So for all intents and purposes, we are technically bilingual, aren’t we? Some people are yes, but let’s face it, not everyone is. 

And yet, for so many, acknowledging our bilingualism continues to be an issue, for reasons and socio-political roots which go so far back it would require a lot more than this article to delve into. You would think, however, that we would have got over this hang-up over which language we choose to converse in by now.

But there it is, lingering, ever present, and lately, due to the influx of so many other nationalities living and working here, I keep coming across this bristling indignation of those who protest, “well, they should learn to speak Maltese”. I find this absurd and even childish. When you yourself are perfectly capable of communicating in English why are you trying to prove some kind of half-baked “patriotic” point by demanding that someone from Spain (for example) should learn Maltese? English is an official language here, remember?

Why are we so ready to bend over backwards for tourists when it comes to speaking English because they are our bread and butter, but will not extend the same courtesy to those who have chosen to make Malta their home? And no, you really don’t have any basis for your indignation because they are “taking our jobs” either, because Malta has an all-time record low rate of unemployment.

What many self-proclaimed defenders of the Maltese language fail to appreciate is that many foreign nationals actually make an effort to learn a few words in Maltese once they feel at home here. I hear these efforts all the time, so I really don’t understand this misplaced resentment. 

Instead of embracing what should be one of our national advantages, we seem to be determined to shoot it down and trample it underfoot. This can be seen the most starkly when it comes to the written word, which is not simply necessary to pass exams, but for practically every single job imaginable. A rudimentary knowledge of English is crucial at the workplace. According to a recent study, the National Commission for Further and Higher Education found that “Poor writing skills are making it hard for employers to fill vacancies. The survey identified shortcomings in written communication as the main reason for vacancies not being filled (32.9 per cent).” 

When it comes to passing written exams or even when it comes to writing properly in English, we are obviously floundering. The recent, dismal ‘O’ level results are ringing alarm bells so loud that it would be a grave mistake not to sit up and take notice. Leave your prejudice and inverted snobbery about the use of English at the door, because the sooner we accept that it is a prerequisite to have good writing skills in this language in order to get ahead in life, the better it will be for all concerned. We obviously also have a problem with written Maltese, but that is its own (sad) story which has been dealt with excellently by Chris Gruppetta in Friday’s Times of Malta. 

It is for this reason that I think the time has come to seriously consider a proposal I read about a few weeks back from Cambridge University experts, that English should be taught as a foreign language (TEFL). 

According to The Times, “The review, commissioned by the Education Ministry, assessed Maltese students aged nine and 14 on their command of the language as “non-native speakers”. It found that, overall, Maltese youths had a good level of language proficiency but highlighted particular gaps in their abilities, the way they were being taught and the assessment models used in exams.

“There might be some controversy over us having chosen a model which assesses Maltese youths as speaking English as a secondary rather than a primary language. However, this was the only model that could give us a real picture of students’ proficiency across a number of areas of ability,” Ian Mifsud, from the Directorate for Quality and Standards, said.”

Now I know that this caused dismay within the Department of English at the University, with the lecturers saying that it would be a “downgrading of English” to foreign language status. However, while I understand their concerns, I feel that we need to accept that English is not a primary language for a lot of people. What we would like to be the case, as opposed to the reality of the situation as it is, are two different things.

As someone who taught TEFL for a brief period to Swiss and German students, I was constantly amazed at how their grasp of grammar and vocabulary was so high compared to many Maltese teenagers, considering that English is not considered their second language. I think that in certain cases, the TEFL model would considerably improve the ability of more Maltese students to become more at ease with English, rather than simply assuming that those who only speak Maltese at home will automatically become proficient in their verbal and written skills in what to them is, yes, a foreign language.

The lecturers wrote that “In the spirit of the Constitution, we believe in an educational system that aims at, and fosters, bilingualism, which has many benefits both for individuals and the country as a whole.” I completely agree. But in a scenario where standards are falling, maybe it would help to consider other teaching systems, not to lower the standards, but to take a different approach which just might improve English across the board.