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In:Italo-Romance Heritage Languages: Multiple approaches
Edited by Eugenio Goria and Margherita Di Salvo
[Studies in Bilingualism 68] 2025
► pp. 101–129

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Parlare italiano a Malta è un extra benefit

The linguistic repertoire of Italians in Malta and the use and maintenance of their L1

 | University of Malta
Published online: 11 September 2025
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https://doi.org/10.1075/sibil.68.05car
Abstract
The recent influx of Italians in Malta is extraordinary insofar as numbers are concerned, to the extent that today they represent one of the the largest group of non-nationals in gainful occupation on the island. Their engagement within an Anglophone community broadens their linguistic repertoire and this can have long-term benefits, but they also have many opportunities to use their own language, both among other Italians and with the Maltese. In this contribution, based on data collected by means of an online questionnaire completed by 347 Italian nationals who reside, study or work in Malta, I investigate their language use, and I focus on how this is related to other variables including age, occupation, level of education and duration of stay. Results reveal that Italian is used widely, both through face-to-face interactions, social media and by accessing it via the media. Some also use their dialect/regional variety. Nevertheless, English is used extensively too, and could potentially represent a threat to Italian as a heritage language in the future.
Article outline
  • 1.Introduction
    • 1.1Recent migration and its effect on Malta’s demography
    • 1.2The recent wave of Italian migrants in Malta
    • 1.3Language use
  • 2.Methodology
  • 3.Results
    • 3.1Socio-biographic data
    • 3.2Information regarding the subjects’ use of Italian
    • 3.3The relationship between socio-biographic data and the use
      of Italian dialects/ regional varieties
      • 3.3.1Use of Italian and/or dialects/regional varieties
      • 3.3.2Access to Italian via media products
      • 3.3.3Use and comprehension of Maltese and English
    • 3.4Italian migrants’ reflections on the use of their L1:
      Identity and self-representation
  • 4.Summary of results and discussion
  • 5.Conclusion
  • References
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