Malta

Summary

Official Name

Republic of Malta

International Conventions

CDE (1966), CPPDCE (2006), CSICH (2017), FCPNM (1998), ICCPR (1990), UNCRPD (2012), UNDRIP (2007)

Population

485,000

Principal Languages

English, Maltese

Literacy Rate

95% (2018 UNESCO)

General References

Bateson 1967, Campbell and King 2011

Language Counts

The number of established languages listed for Malta is 6. All are living languages. Of these, 2 are indigenous and 4 are non-indigenous. Furthermore, 3 are institutional and 3 are developing. Also listed are 3 unestablished languages.

Languages

Arabic, Egyptian Spoken arz: Users: 2,100 in Malta (Leclerc 2016). Status: Unestablished. Classification: Afro-Asiatic, Semitic, Central, South, Arabic
English eng: Users: 439,200 in Malta, all users. L1 users: 7,200 in Malta (Leclerc 2016). L2 users: 432,000 (European Commission 2012). Status: 1 (National). Statutory national working language (1964, Constitution, Article 5(2)). Alternate Names: Ingliż Classification: Indo-European, Germanic, West, English
French fra: Scattered. Users: 56,900 in Malta, all users. L1 users: 30,600 in Malta (2014 UNSD). L2 users: 26,300 (2018). Status: 4 (Educational). Classification: Indo-European, Italic, Romance, Italo-Western, Western, Gallo-Iberian, Gallo-Romance, Gallo-Rhaetian, Oïl, French
German, Standard deu: Users: 9,500 in Malta (2018 Eurostat), L2 users. Status: 5* (Dispersed). Classification: Indo-European, Germanic, West, High German, German, Middle German, East Middle German
Italian ita: Widespread. Users: 262,900 in Malta, all users. L1 users: 900 in Malta (Leclerc 2016). L2 users: 262,000 (European Commission 2012). Status: 5* (Dispersed). Alternate Names: Italiano Classification: Indo-European, Italic, Romance, Italo-Western, Italo-Dalmatian
Maltese mlt: Widespread. Users: 454,000 in Malta (European Commission 2012). Total users in all countries: 533,280. Status: 1 (National). Statutory national language (1964, Constitution, Article 5(2)). Autonym: Malti Classification: Afro-Asiatic, Semitic, Central, South, Arabic
Maltese Sign Language mdl: Scattered. Users: 200 (2014 Malta Deaf People’s Association). 200 deaf signers, less than 0.1% of the total population. Another estimate: 2,000 (2014 IMB). Status: 5 (Developing). Recognized language (2016, Maltese Sign Language Recognition Act No. XVII of 2016), declared LSM as an official language, established a Sign Language Council to promote and develop it, and to regulate interpreting services. Alternate Names: Il-Lingwa tas-Sinjali Maltija, LSM, Lingwa tas-Sinjali Maltija, Lingwi tas-Sinjali Maltin Classification: Sign language, Deaf community sign language
Somali som: Users: 1,000 in Malta (Leclerc 2016). Status: Unestablished. Classification: Afro-Asiatic, Cushitic, East, Somali
Spanish spa: Users: 7,760 in Malta (2018). Status: Unestablished. Classification: Indo-European, Italic, Romance, Italo-Western, Western, Gallo-Iberian, Ibero-Romance, West Iberian, Castilian

Languages by Status

1 (National)

Maltese

[mlt] 1 (National). Statutory national language (1964, Constitution, Article 5(2)). 454,000 in Malta (European Commission 2012). Total users in all countries: 533,280.

English

[eng] 1 (National). Statutory national working language (1964, Constitution, Article 5(2)). 439,200 in Malta, all users. L1 users: 7,200 in Malta (Leclerc 2016). L2 users: 432,000 (European Commission 2012).

4 (Educational)

French

[fra] 4 (Educational). 56,900 in Malta, all users. L1 users: 30,600 in Malta (2014 UNSD). L2 users: 26,300 (2018).

5 (Dispersed)

German, Standard

[deu] 5* (Dispersed). 9,500 in Malta (2018 Eurostat), L2 users.

Italian

[ita] 5* (Dispersed). 262,900 in Malta, all users. L1 users: 900 in Malta (Leclerc 2016). L2 users: 262,000 (European Commission 2012).

5 (Developing)

Maltese Sign Language

[mdl] 5 (Developing). Recognized language (2016, Maltese Sign Language Recognition Act No. XVII of 2016), declared LSM as an official language, established a Sign Language Council to promote and develop it, and to regulate interpreting services. 200 (2014 Malta Deaf People’s Association). 200 deaf signers, less than 0.1% of the total population. Another estimate: 2,000 (2014 IMB).