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Maltese Language

Maltese CD-ROM
RRP: £24.95
Our Price: £19.99
with FREE P&P

Where does Maltese come from?
Maltese (Malti) is a unique language which is an amalgam of Roman, Arab and Sicilian influences. As a result, Maltese is the only Semitic tongue officially written in the Latin alphabet (although it actually has 30 letters). It is a modern Arabic vernacular closely related to the western Arabic dialects but with strong Sicilian components. There are also a number of lwords borrowed from English and French.

The Maltese alphabet was standardised only in 1924 and another ten years had to pass before the language was officially recognised as the language of the Maltese people. One consequence was that Maltese literature was very late in developing.

How many people speak Maltese?
The Maltese islands have a population of about 375,000 of whom a proportion speak Maltese either as a first or second language, although virtually all Maltese also speak English which is the joint official language.

In how many countries?
Maltese is spoken only on the islands of Malta, Gozo and Comino which make up the country.

Maltese Culture

Maltese Music and Dance
Folk song and dance still have an important place in Maltese culture and there are festivals and competitions throughout the year.

Maltese Food and Drink
The strongest influence on Maltese cuisine is Sicilian, though the popularity of grilled chops and roast meat reveals a strong partiality to all things British.

Local specialties include pastizzi (savoury cheese pastries), timpana (a macaroni, cheese and egg pie), and fenek (rabbit), which is usually fried or baked in a casserole or pie.

Maltese Attractions
Valletta Valletta became the city of the Knights of the Order of St John and the seat of Malta's government after the defeat of the Turkish siege in 1565. It is a beautifully preserved 16th-century walled city, whose streets were carefully laid out to channel cool breezes in from the Grand Harbour. It has a series of squares surrounded by palaces and cathedrals. One of the grandest is the Auberge de Castille, once the palace of the Spanish and Portuguese langue (a division of the Order of St John).

Medina This 3000-year-old city, once the political centre of Malta, is filled with Norman and baroque buildings and narrow cobblestone streets. Perched on a rocky outcrop about 15km (9mi) west of Valletta, the so-called Citta Notabile - Noble City - has a commanding view of the island.

Hagar Qim Dating from as early as 3800 BC, Hagar Qim and the other Neolithic temples on Malta are the oldest known human structures in the world.

Gozo The small island of Gozo has a distinct character all its own. The countryside is prettier than that of its larger neighbour, the pace is slower and there are far fewer tourists. The island has its share of medieval architecture and prehistoric temples.

About Talk Now! Language CD-ROMs
This is an excitingly different language learning series. Talk Now! uses games and quizzes as a basis for making the learning process fun, easy and relaxing. There is no better way to teach an old dog new tricks and this fun element of the program means that your fears are forgotten as you absorb words and phrases without even realising you are learning them.

Talk Now! is the world's best selling language learning CD-ROM series for beginners, used by more than three million people to date. It's ideal for travellers, holidaymakers, business people, schoolchildren, students and families.

Anyone over 10 years of age will find the disc indispensable for improving listening, understanding and spoken language skills. There are nine topics: first words, food, colours, phrases, parts of the body, numbers, time, shopping and countries.

The games and quizzes included on the disc ensure that users have fun whilst using the disc, without realising that they're learning. The "intelligent" software feature remembers words you get wrong and targets your weak points.

"This is an excitingly different language learning series. Talk Now! Uses games and quizzes as a basis for making the learning process fun and relaxing." - PC Answers

"I bought your Learn Malay CD today - I've only just begun, but I wanted to say how much I am enjoying it. I studied Malay from a book all day yesterday, making some 25 pages of notes on grammar and vocab, but I remember more from your CD from just an hour!" - James Bryce

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