Watch: Bernard Grech Open To Creation Of New Maltese Pronoun For Non-Binary People
PN leader Bernard Grech has said he is open to the creation of a new pronoun in Maltese for non-binary people.
“We will need to see what [the pronoun] could be but if we can communicate better and respect people’s sexuality, then why not?” Grech said when questioned by Lovin Malta in a new interview.
The Opposition leader endorsed Maltese government guidelines for teachers to learn their students’ preferred pronouns, stating it is important for “everyone, including teachers, to understand everyone’s sexuality”.
However, he inserted a caveat that the government shouldn’t just publish more guidelines for teachers but improve their salaries and work conditions.
A number of LGBTIQ+ activists have called for the creation of a new Maltese pronoun for non-binary people in recent weeks, arguing that languages evolve over time.
“In English, we use the polite pronoun ‘they/them’, but Maltese is a more gendered language which makes it harder,” activist Amanda Cossai said.
“Some take the literal translation and use ‘huma’ but I believe we must find or create a new word. Why not? Language is constantly evolving.”
Activist Matt Chircop gave a concrete example of the need for a new Maltese pronoun during an interview with Andrew Azzopardi on Radio 103.
“In English, you can say ‘someone left their glasses on the chair’ which in Maltese becomes ‘xi ħadd nesa n-nuċċali fuq is-siġġu’. It becomes harder to translate it directly (using the Maltese pronoun ‘huma’’) which is why the time has come to speak about new pronouns derived from the Maltese language.
Activist Matt Chircop
He noted that the French Le Robert dictionary recently adopted the gender-neutral pronoun ‘iel’, a combination between the masculine ‘il’ and the feminine ‘elle’.
Parliamentary Secretary for Equality Rebecca Buttigieg recently called for a discussion on the creation of a gender-neutral Maltese pronoun.
“Language is a living thing, it grows and changes and is one of the most effective means of self-expression,” she said. “For this reason, I believe that we should kick-start a discussion, in partnership with the community, and explore all options that suit best the local context.”
Should there be a gender-neutral Maltese pronoun?
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