Public talk on Maltese and other languages

Did the builders of Ġgantija speak Maltese? What is Maltese, and how did it develop over a thousand years? Why did Maltese survive under the Normans and the Knights? Was the Language Question harmful to Maltese? Why was Anglicisation resisted under British rule, and why has Maltese flourished since Independence?

Professor Joseph M. Brincat will seek answers to these questions as he discusses Maltese and other languages in a public talk taking place on Saturday 24 October 2026 at 11:00 am at Il-Ħaġar Museum. Joseph M. Brincat is Senior Fellow at the University of Malta, where, as full professor, he taught Italian linguistics.

He holds degrees from universities in Malta, London, and Florence, and has presented papers at conferences held in Europe and the USA, as well as having delivered courses and seminars at various Italian universities.

His main publications include the edition of a Florentine poet of the 15^th century, a history of linguistics, and a linguistic history of Malta, published in Maltese, Italian and English (Maltese and Other Languages, Midsea Books, Malta, 2011, 2021²).

In 1990, he brought to light a previously unknown passage by al-Himyari concerning the Arab conquest and colonisation of Malta (published in 1991 and 1995).

Admission is free, but pre-registration is encouraged by sending an email to events@heartofgozo.org.mt. Pre-registration does not guarantee a seat reservation; it is intended for logistical purposes.