Use of the Maltese language needs to be boosted on digital platforms and applications

Measures taken by government with respect to Maltese language contradict steps ahead taken over the past years.

“The Maltese language needs to be boosted on digital platforms and mobile applications in the face of a deepening digital divide between widely-used and lesser-used languages. This is necessary to ensure that the Maltese language is considered equal with other languages in an ever increasing digital world. Failing to do so, the Maltese language will become extinct from such media”. Nationalist Party MEP Francis Zammit Dimech made these remarks after tabling a series of amendments on a report addressing challenges faced by languages in the digital age. He expressed concern over the current widening technology gap between well-resourced and less-resourced languages.

MEP Francis Zammit Dimech compared and contrasted the different measures taken with respect to the Maltese Language over the past years. "Whereas a PN government worked to make the Maltese language an official language of the EU, the Labour government wants to make the Maltese language a foreign language in Malta", said MEP Zammit Dimech.

Francis Zammit Dimech made reference to his work on the Committee on Culture and Education at the European Parliament which also deals with issues related to languages. In this regard, he met various stakeholders and tabled amendments to reflect their views. He thanked the various academics for their feedback. Among such amendments, Francis Zammit Dimech called on Member States to invest more in research, assist educational institutions to improve the digitalisation of languages and to give priority to language technology especially in member states that are small in size and have their own language.