Your correspondent M. Charles stated that “the Maltese language is a modern Arabic vernacular closely related to western Arab dialects” (TMIS, 28 August).

Most words used in current Maltese do not have an Arab or Semitic origin, but a Romance origin mainly from Italian/Sicilian sources. Maltese has changed over the ages, and this European influence has left its indelible mark on our language. Language is often a product of geographic and historical circumstances.

Therefore Maltese is no longer a Semitic language and was described by the late Prof. Joseph Aquilina as a ‘mixed language’ (Papers in Maltese Linguistics p 42). He also states that “modern Maltese is basically Semitic but the superstructure is Romance forming likewise a homogenous admixture of Semitic and Romance – and this disposes of the facile description of our tongue as either Phoenician, Arabic, Sicilian, or a hotch-potch” (ibid, p.188).

Not all place names have a Semitic origin (eg. Attard, Balzan, Lija, Birgu, Isla, Dingli, Florian, Valletta, Paola). And what about Maltese surnames where many Maltese surnames are also found in Sicily?

Prof. Aquilina asserts that anthropologically the Maltese ethnic group is Armenoid but biologically the Maltese ethnic group is mixed (ibid, p. 188).

Finally I think the language and race issue is irrelevant to the illegal immigrants/asylum seekers issue and I am against any form of racism or racist discrimination. This issue is a matter of legal and moral principles.

David A. Borg

ATTARD