MALTESE QUIRKS 11

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Maltese use English for many purposes. In her 1992 book L’Inglese di Malta, Gabriella Mazzon suggests an interesting and highly readable socio-linguistic analysis. On page 70, she writes that Maltese adults switch to English also because of “an element of taboo on certain words and locutions” (“Gli adulti, oltre all’elemento del tabù su alcune parole e locuzioni che fa sì che queste vengano usate in inglese…”). Professor Mazzon noted that to refer to certain notions surrounded by taboo, the Maltese switch to English. The native speaker of Maltese instinctively realises that in particular contexts, the English word is serving the purpose that Professor Mazzon refers to here.

Indeed, every native speaker of Maltese knows that when we have a headache we take a “panadol”. I would argue that “panadol” has actually entered the lexicon as it’s used instead of “mediċina” to refer to medicine that helps with dizziness and headaches in general. We consider “panadol” not so much a trademark as a Maltese word.

On the other hand, we don’t consider “medication” a Maltese word – it’s a word in English. Now, if Professor Mazzon is right in her analysis that the Maltese use English words when dealing with certain taboos, the recent use of “medication” by the Prime Minister raises a number of questions. What’s the taboo involved here?

Or perhaps I’m completely wrong. Frankly, I detest such analyses, but if there’s something wrong with the Prime Minister, I think the Cabinet of Ministers and the electorate ought to be told. It’s not a question of prying; it’s a question of national interest coming first.