Maltralian: the Maltese ethnolect of Australia

This analytical compilation of the Maltese language as it has developed within an Australian social environment is a revised and supplemented edition of its forerunner ‘The Maltese Language of Australia: Maltraljan’ published in 2001 in the series ‘Languages of the World 16’ by Lincom Europa. A completely new section has been added to this edition in which a more in-depth linguistics analysis of the original terminology along with added lexicographical material is included. Here one finds a comprehensive layout of one of Australia’s many migrant groups’ ethnolects - that of the Maltese - most of whom settled in Australia during the first six decades of our previous century. Various linguistic aspects of their Maltralian ethnolect are analysed together with added comparisons to Australitalian – the Italian ethnolect of Australia - as well as a fleeting look at Egyptian Maltese, another variety of Maltese that evolved along the north African littoral during the century prior to the Australian saga. As a language with a Semitic base of different strains of Arabic, superimposed by a mixed Sicilian lexicon with later additions from Italian followed by English as the latter language of influence, it is interesting to note how Maltese has adapted to its relatively recent Australian environment - away from its former direct Mediterranean influence of mixed Arabic and Romance superimposed by British English influence. This chronologically recent Australian saga is here examined in its historical, geographical and cultural background, remote from its former northern hemisphere language forces. The end result of this milieu is the emergence of this albeit transient Maltralian ethnolect; one of several such language developments amid Australia’s multifaceted demographic entity it has become in this 21st century.