I can make only a modest contribution to any debate on Maltese orthography, but I hope that this could provide significant food for thought. Whether a loan word should be spelt phonetically in Maltese or left in its original, unadulterated spelling, but italicised will, in my humble opinion, very much depend upon the extent of integration of that word within the grammatical context of the Maltese language.

Notary Dr Sammut ended his learned contribution with the question “What about shock absorber? Is it... xokabsorber... or italicised shock absorber?” (TMIS, 4 May)

If we ask what the plural of that object is, we find that we say shock absorbers. We use the English grammar, the addition of an “s” to the singular. This can never be accepted as Maltese by any measure.

I would therefore favour leaving the words in their original form, i.e. shock absorber, but italicised as an indication that these are foreign, loan words. Other examples would include such words as cupboard (cupboards), even computer (computers) I dare say.

If however, a word has become so well integrated, or naturalised, into the Maltese language to the extent that we can apply the Maltese grammatical rules naturally to that word, then that loan word ought to be spelt in Maltese.

This would hold water whether the word is a noun e.g. garage – garaxx (garaxxijiet) or verbs (we printed – ipprintjajna, the computers crashed and I had to reboot them – il-computers ikkraxxjaw u kelli nerga’ nibbutjahom).

This simple rule should serve as a good guide to the way we ought to spell loan words.

Mark Bugeja

PEMBROKE