Standard

MT

Republic of Malta

Malta

Summary

Official Name
Republic of Malta
Population
514,600
Principal Languages
English, Maltese
Literacy Rate
95% (2018 UNESCO)
International Conventions
CDE (1960), CPPDCE (2006), CSICH (2012), FCPNM (1998), ICCPR (1966), UNCRPD (2006), UNDRIP (2007)
General References
Bateson 1967, Campbell and King 2011
Deaf Population
1,000
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: 2,400 in Malta (2018). Status: Unestablished. Classification: Afro-Asiatic, Semitic, Central, South, Arabic
English eng
Users: 440,300 in Malta, all users. L1 users: 8,300 in Malta (2018). 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: 58,200 in Malta (Marcoux et al 2022), L2 users. 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: 263,000 in Malta, all users. L1 users: 1,000 in Malta (2018). 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: 1,200 in Malta (2018). 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

    English
    [eng] 1 (National). Statutory national working language (1964, Constitution, Article 5(2)). 440,300 in Malta, all users. L1 users: 8,300 in Malta (2018). L2 users: 432,000 (European Commission 2012).
    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.
    French
    [fra] 4 (Educational). 58,200 in Malta (Marcoux et al 2022), L2 users.
    German, Standard
    [deu] 5* (Dispersed). 9,500 in Malta (2018 Eurostat), L2 users.
    Italian
    [ita] 5* (Dispersed). 263,000 in Malta, all users. L1 users: 1,000 in Malta (2018). L2 users: 262,000 (European Commission 2012).
    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).
    Arabic, Egyptian Spoken
    [arz] Unestablished. 2,400 in Malta (2018).
    Somali
    [som] Unestablished. 1,200 in Malta (2018).
    Spanish
    [spa] Unestablished. 7,760 in Malta (2018).

Maps

    Graphs

    • Language Vitality Profile

    • Language Status Profile

    Resources

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      Digest of the languages of Malta ($149.95, 21 page PDF)