Abstract
ABSTRACT This paper discusses the role of the Catholic Church amongst the Maltese diaspora in Australia, and its impact on the maintenance of the Maltese language, a small community language spoken largely by the first generation of immigrants who left Malta after the Second World War. The study is based on interview data collected among three generations of Maltese in Melbourne and Sydney. The findings of this research demonstrate that the Church has been one of the main institutions that supported the Maltese community throughout the years and consequently it had a positive impact on language maintenance. On the other hand, the aging population of the Maltese community will be detrimental to the Maltese language in the years to come, and thus, probably, resulting in a complete shift to English, the dominant language of Australia.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
