Malta. Just over half a million inhabitants — and a fascinating language, mixing Arabic roots with Italian words.

Antoinette Camilleri, from the University of Malta, tells us about the tumultuous history of the Maltese language, and explains how it has developed since it became an official language of the European Union 20 years ago – in a country that is thoroughly multilingual.

Music: Days past by In Closing; iċ-Ċimiterju by Brodu; Tifkiriet by Simon Bartolo, performed by Amber and Mary Rose Mallia
Poem: X'jibqa' fina by Adrian Grima, read by Stephanie Abood