Maltenglish, also known as Manglish, Minglish, Maltese English, Pepè or Maltingliż refers to the phenomenon of code-switching between Maltese, a Semitic language derived from late medieval Sicilian Arabic with Romance superstrata, and English, an Indo-European Germanic language with Romance superstrata.

Both Maltese and English are official languages in Malta, and about 88% of the Maltese people can speak English as a second language. Various Maltese social groups switch back and forth between the two languages, or macaronically mix lexical aspects of Maltese and English while engaging in informal conversation or writing.^[1]

The term Maltenglish is first recorded in 2007. Other colloquial portmanteau words include (chronologically): Minglish (2006), Malglish (2016), and Manglish (2016).^[2]

Maltenglish can also refer to English loanwords in the Maltese language.^[3]

Prevalence

Recent studies have shown that code-switching is practiced by a third of the population in everyday discourse.^[4]

The most common areas where code-switching occurs are in part of the Northern Harbour District, mainly in the towns of Sliema, St. Julian's, Pembroke, Swieqi, Madliena, San Ġwann and Kappara. These areas are sometimes stereotyped as tal-pepé.^[5]

Examples

While code switching in English sentences is most predominant in the Northern Harbour District, code switching in a Maltese sentence is much more common throughout the country. This is usually because the Maltese word is not so well known or used. Examples include:

• the Maltese word for a mushroom is faqqiegħ, but most people still tend to call it a mushroom in Maltese.
• the proper Maltese word for television is televiżjoni (as derived from Italian), but most people still call it a television, for example Rajt film fuq it-television ilbieraħ ("I saw a film on television yesterday").