Shifts and Patterns in Maltese

Published by De Gruyter Mouton 2016

Shifts and Patterns in Maltese

Edited by: Gilbert Puech and Benjamin Saade

Volume 19 in the series Studia Typologica [STTYP]

https://doi.org/10.1515/9783110496376

Overview
Contents

About this book

The linguistic description of Maltese has experienced an invigorating renaissance in the last ten years. As an Arabic language with a heavily mixed lexicon, Maltese serves as a laboratory for questions of linguistic variation on all linguistics levels, bilingualism, and language contact.

This present volume showcases the variety of up-to-date linguistic research on Maltese. Starting with a tribute to the late David Cohen, influential French Semiticist, the remainder of the book is divided into three parts: Phonology, Morphology & Syntax, and Contact, Bilingualism & Technology.

The papers in the phonology section comprise a minimalist representation of Maltese sounds from Gilbert Puech, a detailed account of phonological changes in Maltese based on onomastic data by Andrei Avram, and the description of lengthening as a discourse strategy by Alexandra Vella et. al.

The section on morphology and syntax includes both synchronic and diachronic approaches to variation in Maltese. Maris Camilleri provides a detailed formal account of the paradigm in Maltese verbal inflection using a multidimensional model which accounts for subcategorization frame variation. Döhla's contribution traces the development of Differential Object Marking (DOM) in Maltese and draws parallels between similar phenomena in other varieties of Arabic. Wilmsen provides a detailed history of the polar interrogative marker –š in Maltese. The article by Stolz & Saade investigates the variation between long and short independent pronouns in Maltese taking into account phonological factors, text-type, and grammatical person. Lucas & Spagnol tackle the variation of Maltese numerals with respect to phonological and morphological criteria in their study of the connecting /t/.

The section on Contact, Bilingualism & Technology starts with Farrugia's description of variation in the assignment of gender for loanwords in Maltese. Comrie & Spagnol place the make-up of the borrowed part of the Maltese lexicon in a wider typology of loanwords in the world's languages. The study by Azzopardi-Alexander gives detailed insights into bilingual practices in Malta, placing usage patterns on a continuum between single language use and different code-switching and code-mixing practices. In the final paper, John Camilleri shows how the computational modelling of Maltese grammar has both theoretical and practical repercussions for the study and teaching of Maltese.

As can be gathered from the wide variety of topics presented in this volume, Maltese Linguistics has developed from a subdiscipline of Arabic linguistics to a full academic subject in its own right. This volume presents an ideal introduction to the wide range of linguistic topics Maltese has to offer.

Author / Editor information

Gilbert Puech, Université Lumière Lyon 2, France; Benjamin Saade, Universität Bremen, Germany.

Reviews

"This volume does an excellent job of representing some of the most recent research on Maltese linguistics, and research that should be of interest to other linguists in a variety of subfields. The research presented may be incorporated into a variety of theories and compared to many other languages. The chapters together also provide a robust overview of much of the previous research in Maltese for readers who are interested in more."
Shiloh Drake in: Linguist List 29.536, 31.08.2018, https://linguistlist.org/issues/29/29-536.html

Topics

Frontmatter Publicly Available Download PDF	i
Contents Publicly Available Download PDF	v
Preface Gilbert Puech and Benjamin Saade Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	vii
From Maltese phonology to morphogenesis: A tribute to David Cohen Martine Vanhove Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	1
Part I: Phonology
Minimalist representation of Maltese sounds Gilbert Puech Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	19
Phonological changes in Maltese: Evidence from onomastics Andrei A. Avram Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	49
Lengthening as a discourse strategy in Maltese: Phonetic and phonological characteristics Alexandra Vella, Flavia Chetcuti and Sarah Agius Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	91
Part II: Morphology & Syntax
How inflectional morphology meets subcategorization frame distinctions in Maltese Maris Camilleri Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	115
The origin of differential object marking in Maltese Hans-Jörg Döhla Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	149
Polar interrogative -š in Maltese: Developments and antecedents David Wilmsen Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	175
On short and long forms of personal pronouns in Maltese Thomas Stolz and Benjamin Saade Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	199
Connecting /t/ in Maltese numerals Christopher Lucas and Michael Spagnol Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	269
Part III: Contact, Bilingualism & Technology
Languages in contact George Farrugia Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	293
Maltese loanword typology Bernard Comrie and Michael Spagnol Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	315
Language profiling: The weaving of Maltese and English in Maltese children’s conversations Marie Azzopardi-Alexander Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	331
Digitizing the grammar and vocabulary of Maltese John J. Camilleri Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	359
Index of Authors Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	387
Index of Languages Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	391
Index of Subjects Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	392

(Deutsch)

Language: English
Publisher: De Gruyter Mouton
Audience: Scholars interested in Arabic Linguistics, Maltese Linguistics, Typology, Contact Linguistics, and Romance Languages
Pages
- Front matter: 8
- Main content: 393
Illustrations
- Illustrations: 20
Keywords: Maltese; Arabic; Romance Languages; Language Contact

eBook

Published: September 12, 2016
ISBN: 9783110496376

Hardcover

Published: September 12, 2016
ISBN: 9783110495638