For many expatriates in Malta, the initial curiosity to learn the national language often fades due to a lack of practical digital resources and the dominance of English in the workplace, leading experts to call for urgent government investment in language technology.
“I wasn’t really aware about the Maltese language in the sense that it’s not an international language,” said Manu, a Spanish language student at MCAST, highlighting a common initial hurdle.
While some professionals feel a stronger pull to learn—like Natalia, a bank employee from Ukraine, who noted, “my colleagues there are speaking Maltese, it’s better for me to learn to integrate”—the lack of robust everyday learning tools remains a significant barrier.
Experts argue the issue goes beyond mere motivation. Karl Debono, a Senior Lecturer at MCAST, believes the current teaching methods “rarely translate spontaneous everyday speaking.” He stressed that to truly support learners, modernization is crucial.
“The government should invest in tools like spell checker, speech to text, localized apps and interfaces,” Debono stated, urging that both government platforms should be fully bilingual.
Without immediate investment in digital language infrastructure, the path to integration through the Maltese language will remain an uphill battle for the growing expat community.
MaltiAI 
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