Di Peter Paul Zammit, jaqaw he tink diss it iss press riliss in Inklish?
The police have issued a formal press release in English, which I reproduce verbatim. I swear that I have not invented this, and if you do not believe me, you can check the link below.
You will also notice from this screen-shot that the police website rather helpfully includes a Menu tab, inviting sarcasm and jokes from all and sundry.
Regards cats hanged in Mosta
Date : Thursday, October 17, 2013
Each time a crime occurs, the Police always seeks for information from the general public.
Recently in Mosta, cats or body parts of cats where being found hanged, indicating animal cruelty. The Police were and are still investigating with the help of the general public.
Thus, we are asking the general public to pass any information which one may have regards the mentioned cases, whilst not disclosing any Police operations or assisting the culprit/s.
One should be rest assured that serious action is being taken and investigations have been initiated, which shall result to be fruitful shortly.
Pulizija Ta’ Malta
—–
Also, I hardly think animal cruelty is the main issue here. I would say it’s incidental, a side issue, a factor which indicates that there’s somebody on the loose who should more properly be locked up – and I don’t mean in prison, either – before he graduates to hurting people. Animal cruelty? We’re not talking here of somebody who leaves a dog on the roof in the sun. We’re talking psycho.
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http://www.pulizija.gov.mt/en-us/news/Qtates_Mosta.aspx
First of all the cats aren’t hanged but crucified, which is different.
Why would giving information to the Police assist the perpetrators?
Also, I think someone needs to explain the different meaning of where and were to whoever’s writing the press releases.
Must have been thought out in Maltese, written down in Arabic, Google translated to Mandarin, and then Google translated to English.
http://www.pulizija.gov.mt/en-us/missingpersons.aspx
No Missing Person are currently available
Of course not, how silly! They’re missing :)
I know it’s not supposed to be funny but I couldn’t help smiling at this one.
INDICATING animal cruelty?
Tad-disperazzjoni.
One would think this was translated from Maltese using Google Translate. Don’t the police even bother proof-reading their statements before releasing them?
Please tell me that these press releases haven’t always been as poorly written as this one. You’d sooner expect certain errors from a primary school pupil – where instead of were; regards instead of regarding.
Perhaps we need to rethink the status of English as an official language of Malta. It’s not really an accurate reflection of reality.
Nor is thinking that Maltese is even a language, let alone the official language of a country.
That’s how Jeffrey Dahmer started.
and Ted Bundy.
This is a joke….right?
[Daphne – No, it isn’t. You have the website right there.]
This looks like a case for Catwoman and a good English language teacher.
Oh the subtleties of the English language. To ‘Pipi’ Zammit, hanged is the past participle of hung. It might have once been, other than the fact that historically, hung has been constantly and consistently been the accepted term.
Hanged, on the other hand, refers exclusively to a method of execution, which is pretty much what Zammit does to the English language. He’d miss the pun if I suggested that this was not a particularly well executed press release.
Imdendel, imghallaq, imsallab. Pas la meme chose sauve puor les pauvres chats. Should I make it to Sunday mass, where I intend to confess my ever-growing contempt of all things Labour, I may try an alternate version of the Apostle’s Creed as follows:
“….and in Jesus Christ his only son…
…suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was hanged, died and was buried”
I despair. Move the writer of this atrocity to the police kitchen where he/she has less chance of embarrassing the force.
The kitchen? That could be very risky for those European broadcasters when they come around again for dinner at Girgenti to be served by the men in uniform.
I can never forget having read a typed police report describing a domestic violence incident a few years ago. The husband had hit the wife with a rolling pin but it was described by the police as a “KITCHEN TRUNCHEON”. Figure that one out …
“Lembuba tal-kcina”. Elementary my dear Watson.
It’s a pity that their menu is not accessible. Was wondering how much the pork rump costs.
How funny, if not disgraceful. Is this Borat speaking?
“Regards cats hanged in Mosta”
Oh, it’s nice to see that the “cats hanged in Mosta” have sent their regards.
Dear Minister of Education, forget teaching Chinese. Start from the basics, please: English and Maltese at the Police Headquarters.
This reflects very badly on the level of education and efficiency in the police corps under the new Commissioner.
But Joseph Muscat has chosen, and one may not criticise his understanding of meritocracy.
They’ve changed it to what they reckon is an improved version. It is, but only marginally.
Seems they read your notebook too, Daphne.
Well, “hanged” has been changed to “appended” now. Big improvement.
Appended – hilarious! They used a thesaurus I see.
I have a feeling that the police is truly looking at this case as simply a case of animal cruelty. I must admit that when the first cased had cropped up I assumed that the reason was probably this person’s hatred for cats – maybe some idiot was feeding them on his doorstep or something.
But as time passed I noticed that the reason why this person is doing this is because he has the same mindset of a serial killer and is maybe testing the waters with cats to see if he gets caught. It is only a matter of time when he will ‘graduate’ to harming other maybe bigger animals or maybe humans.
The inability of the police to catch this person will make him dare a bit more each time and eventually the ultimate prize will be irresistible. The police need to take this a bit more seriously.