Maltese pronunciations

[Christopher Kevin Balducci]

I am not familiar with the Maltese language, so I would like to
know how to pronounce the following placenames:

1. Qormi
2. Xewkija
3. Xlendi
4. Mgarr
5. Mdina
6. Gganija

[buha...@pacbell.net]

Christopher Kevin Balducci wrote:
>
> I am not familiar with the Maltese language, so I would like to
> know how to pronounce the following placenames:
>

> 1. Qormi(pronounced OR-me)
> 2. Xewkija(pronounced shew-KEE-ya)
> 3. Xlendi(pronounced SHLEN-dee)
> 4. Mgarr(pronounced im-JAR)
> 5. Mdina(pronounced im-DEE-na)
> 6. Gganija (do you mean Ggantija?)(pronounced john-TEE-ya)

Keep in mind, in Maltese the 'X' is pronounced 'sh', the 'j' is like our
'y' (BTW there's no 'y' in Maltese, I don't think), and the 'q' is like
nothing in the English language (it's not actually silent, but it's sond
originates deep in your throat, sort of like a restrained cough).

Hope this helps.

Boo-ha-zhur

[Patrick Buhagiar]

Well.....at least I can count on one person who can pronounce the
surname "Buhagiar" correctly.... Thanks! While I'm out here... any other
Buhagiars' out there who would like to make contact? Drop me a line!

Patrick

[domino]

On Fri, 04 Oct 1996 15:50:06 -0700, buha...@pacbell.net wrote:

>'y' (BTW there's no 'y' in Maltese, I don't think), and the 'q' is like
>nothing in the English language (it's not actually silent, but it's sond
>originates deep in your throat, sort of like a restrained cough).

the 'q' in maltese is the sort of guttural sound which cockneys use
when they say words like "bottle", which they pronounce "boqil"

domino