Billingualism can scotch Maltese-language learners, but migrants know its value

The widespread use of the English language in bilingual Malta can sometimes hinder migrants in their quest to learn Maltese. A recently published study on the experiences of migrants following a language course finds its 15 participants questioning the need to learn the native language in an English-speaking country.

“When Maltese people see you struggling to speak Maltese, they switch to English, which is why it’s so difficult to learn,” said Maria, a 22-year-old migrant interviewed in the study.

Gary, another participant, notes that as soon as he tries to speak in Maltese, people often get confused. “So I switch to English... perhaps English is our support so maybe we are a bit lazy and just revert to English.”

Yet for other migrants, Malta’s bilingualism is an advantage. With English widely spoken in the community, it tends to re-enforce comprehension and aid communication. For example, Teodora says she often code-switches between English and Maltese when she is talking to a Maltese person. “I say things like: jiena need to go out with il-kelb” (I need to go out with the dog) – somewhat untidy perhaps, but decipherable.

For these migrants, English makes communicating in Maltese easier without the pressure of having to exclusively communicate in one language to be understood.

The study by Phyllisienne Gauci and Bradley Vella, published in the latest edition of the Malta Review of Educational Research, sheds light on the challenge of learning Maltese in a bilingual society and the difficulties experienced by third-country nationals in learning it.

The study is based on interviews with 15 such non-EU migrants following the ‘I Belong’ Maltese-language integration programme. Participants aged between 26 and 45 hailed from 10 different countries including Serbia, Armenia, Costa Rica, Eritrea, India, Ivory Coast, Nigeria, Venezuela, Libya and Cameroon. Most of the participants were either manual workers or working in the health sector.

The study suggests that the migrants’ interest in the Maltese language goes beyond the acquisition of their long-term residence certificate, but also out of a genuine interest in the Maltese language and way of life.

But participants reported different levels of interaction within the community, with their exposure to Maltese varying according to the locality of residence, type of employment, and the prevalence of English-language speakers.

While some have daily contact with Maltese speakers, other pointed out that they are rarely exposed to Maltese in their neighbourhood. Vlado and Teodora, who live in the northern part of Malta, both stated that they do not ever hear the Maltese language in their community because of the number of foreigners that live in their neighbourhood: “In my area, I hear more Serbian around me than Maltese,” reported Teodora.

But this is not the case for other migrants like Maria, who lives in a small village: “I hear it everywhere around here.”

Most also concurred that speaking Maltese enhances their integration in community life to the extent that even before starting the language course, they often memorised particular phrases, which they frequently use in their daily interactions.

Teodora, a hairdresser, said that Maltese people love it when she tells them that they have “xagħar sabiħ” (nice hair). And Maria has learnt how to talk about work shifts with her colleagues and ask questions such as “inti għada xogħol?” (are you working tomorrow?)

The study shows that the main motivation to attend the programme is that better proficiency in the Maltese language would lead to more job opportunities, but some also think that speaking Maltese would help them integrate better with their colleagues or clients: “I want to improve Maltese so I can better understand some patients, particularly older people – this is a golden opportunity for us,” Ramon a healthcare worker said.

But speaking Maltese is also seen as a gateway to the shared cultural experience of their work colleagues. Sonja, who works with mostly Maltese colleagues, shared an anecdote related to the popularity of the Maltese television series “L-Għarusa” at work. She said she loved hearing about the story but could not follow and talk about the show with her colleagues, thus often feeling excluded from the conversation.