Id-9 Konferenza Internazzjonali tal-Lingwistika Maltija, organizzata mill-Għaqda Internazzjonali tal-Lingwistika Maltija (GĦILM), saret fis-16 u s-17 ta’ Settembru 2025 fil-Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf, il-Ġermanja, bit-tema “Rooting for Maltese.” Il-konferenza ġabret flimkien aktar minn 30 riċerkatur minn diversi pajjiżi fosthom Malta, il-Ġermanja, Franza, is-Slovakkja, l-Istati Uniti, u ċ-Ċina.
Il-programm kien fih 21 preżentazzjoni u fetaħ b'taħdita mill-kelliema mistiedna Dr Jessica Nieder dwar “The State of Maltese Linguistic Research.” Il-preżentazzjonijiet koprew diversi oqsma tar-riċerka lingwistika bħall-morfoloġija, il-fonetika u l-fonoloġija, is-sintassi, u s-soċjolingwistika.
Punt ewlieni tal-ewwel jum kien workshop dwar l-għerq konsonantali fil-Malti u l-lingwi Semitiċi li offra għarfien ġdid dwar l-istruttura u s-sinifikat tiegħu. Bħal fil-konferenzi preċedenti, se joħroġ volum editjat bi studji magħżula, biex titkompla t-tradizzjoni tal-GĦILM li tippubblika l-atti tal-konferenzi tagħha.
Mument speċjali fit-tieni jum kien il-preżentazzjoni ta’ Festschrift ad unur il-Prof. Thomas Stolz. Il-Prof. Stolz, li kien il-President tal-GĦILM mit-twaqqif tagħha fl-2007, ġie ċċelebrat bil-volum Quam lingua melitea hic subicio: Studies in Maltese Linguistics dedicated to Thomas Stolz on the occasion of his 68th birthday, editjat minn Slavomír Čéplö u Adam Ussishkin. Il-pubblikazzjoni hija disponibbli b’xejn online.
Il-konferenza kienet ikkoordinata minn Ruben van de Vijver (Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf) b’kollaborazzjoni mal-Malta Centre, irrappreżentat minn Raffaello Bezzina, Michela Vella, u Maike Vorholt. Għaddejjin tħejjijiet għall-10 Konferenza Internazzjonali dwar il-Lingwistika Maltija, skedata għall-2027 f’Malta.
L-GĦILM twaqqfet waqt l-ewwel konferenza li saret fi Bremen fl-2007, u saret ċentru ewlieni għall-istudjużi tal-lingwistika Maltija. L-GĦILM tiġbed studjużi minn diversi pajjiżi minn madwar id-dinja. Konferenzi preċedenti saru fi Bremen, Malta, Lyon, Turin, Bratislava u Krakovja. Ġie ffurmat kumitat biex jieħu ħsieb il-ħatra ta’ president ġdid u l-abbozzar tal-istatut u r-regolamenti biex jiggwidaw il-futur tal-assoċjazzjoni
The 9th International Conference on Maltese Linguistics, organised by the Għaqda Internazzjonali tal-Lingwistika Maltija (GĦILM), was held on 16–17 September 2025 at Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf, Germany, with the theme “Rooting for Maltese”. The conference brought together more than 30 researchers from various countries including Malta, Germany, France, Slovakia, United States, and China.
The programme featured 21 presentations, opening with a talk by invited speaker Dr Jessica Nieder on “The State of Maltese Linguistic Research”. The presentations spanned various areas of linguistic research such as morphology, phonetics and phonology, syntax, and sociolinguistics.
A highlight of the first day was a workshop on the consonantal root in Maltese and Semitic languages which offered fresh insights into their structure and significance through a series of short talks. As with previous conferences, an edited volume of selected papers will follow, continuing GĦILM’s tradition of publishing scholarly contributions from its meetings.
A special moment came on the second day with the presentation of a Festschrift in honour of Prof. Thomas Stolz. Prof. Stolz, who has served as President of GĦILM since its founding in 2007, was celebrated with the volume Quam lingua melitea hic subicio: Studies in Maltese Linguistics dedicated to Thomas Stolz on the occasion of his 68th birthday, edited by Slavomír Čéplö and Adam Ussishkin. The publication is freely available online.
The conference was coordinated by Ruben van de Vijver (Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf) in collaboration with the Malta Centre, represented by Raffaello Bezzina, Michela Vella, and Maike Vorholt. Looking ahead, preparations are underway for the 10th International Conference on Maltese Linguistics, scheduled for 2027 in Malta.
Founded at its inaugural conference in Bremen in 2007, GĦILM has since become a key hub for scholars of Maltese linguistics, attracting participants from around the world. Previous editions have been hosted in Bremen, Malta, Lyon, Turin, Bratislava, and Kraków. A committee has been formed to oversee the appointment of a new president and the drafting of statutes and bye-laws to guide the association’s future.
