We have a new Maltese word, courtesy of Silvio Parnis: ‘undergrawnd’ (meaning car-park)

Published: February 27, 2014 at 7:55am

Underground taht l-art

Silvio Parnis, the man who wasn’t made Minister for the Sawt as he’d been promised, but who was made chairman of a council set up instead to keep him happy (the Consultative Council for the South), has told an audience of plans to build in the area an “underground taht l-art”.




43 Comments Comment

  1. Gahan says:

    http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20140226/local/tampered-meters-police-have-not-spoken-to-consumers-because-of-political-decision-police-inspector.508418

    Lawyers Franco Debono and Marion Camilleri appeared for Enemalta

    Defending criminals, revising our laws and “parte civile” lawyer for Enemalta.

  2. marc says:

    As opposed to an ‘underground fuq l-art’?

  3. Julian CT says:

    What an oaf. Right up there with “Front axle ta wara” and “caps over”.

  4. pablo says:

    Dan huwa dak li jaghmel il-morning coffee ta’ wara nofs inhar?

  5. Chris Mifsud says:

    An underground which is underground ?

    Wow, you learn something new everyday.

  6. Phili B says:

    Crass Ignorance apart, that’s where we’re heading.

  7. Paddling Duck says:

    Istra Silvio! I didn’t know undergrawnd meant taht l-art! Istra! Thanks!

  8. observer says:

    Was the occasion a ‘coffee morning’ ta’ filghaxija, ghal li jista’ jkun?

  9. Underground? says:

    Is there any “underground mhux taht l-art”? This guy must have a genius’s IQ.

  10. Mark says:

    Thank You lilek for this.

  11. Calculator says:

    So would that be as deep as the Earth’s Mantle or its core?

  12. Joe Fenech says:

    Oh f###…..

    Speak about dystopia!

  13. B says:

    ‘Undergrawnd taht l-art’?

    Reminds me of a radio advert that went round in the early 90s, which went something like: “Sejl, sejl, sejl: mirja ghal fuq is-sottospekkjo…”

  14. Ta' sapienza says:

    Tal-biki. Tghid toast mixwi kiel dal-ghodu?

  15. Joe Fenech says:

    So ‘isebbhu s-saawt u jaghmlu l-anntergrawn’ is the south’s priority? What about illiteracy, teen-age pregnancy, heavy drug use, truancy which hits places such as Cottonera?

    • Josette says:

      What about the great big bomb which is going to be moored in Marsaxlokk bay?

      • Anthony says:

        Josette, you cannot understand these people’s foresight.

        They are planning the underground to be taht l-art rather than above it so that it can double as a bunker for the entire population of the Sawt.

        It might come in handy when the obscene amount of gas floating in Marsaxlokk Bay starts to pop.

  16. vanni says:

    I wager they would start calling him Silvio Copperfield if he manages to build an ‘underground fuq l-art’.

  17. Typically Labour says:

    “Undergrawnd taht l-art”. It takes a Silvio Parnis to come up with such a gem.

    Such a learned phrase undoubtedly calls for a moment’s pause and reflection, dear friends.

  18. canon says:

    I thought underground railway.

  19. marie says:

    Dan illitterat. Ghax hawn xi underground fil-wicc ta’ l-art.

  20. buffu says:

    jezistu undergrounds fuq l-art :)
    hmar

  21. Mr Meritocracy says:

    As opposed to an ‘underground’ being where? Built on his head?

  22. Neil says:

    So, has he ever been to London, or does this numbskull think the whole city lies above an enormous car park ‘taht l-art’?

  23. Alex says:

    I’ve heard these fascinating utterances before. For instance: “ghamilli orange juice tal-peach”; “tini meat pie tal-laham”, and so on.

  24. H.Galea (NRK) says:

    Halluh miskin. Ghax jekk ser tkomplu mqabbdin mieghu, fl-ahhar ser jispicca jibnilkom “underground” fl-ajru.

  25. ciccio says:

    Reminds me of his parliamentary question in which he asked about the whereabouts of endoscopies in the hospital.

  26. Maltri says:

    How deep are the WCs of the elderly? The pills seem to have sunk to the rock bottom.

    Check out our hero retrieving the pills:
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nRjskbf87hw

    If he is doing this on a daily basis, no wonder there is damage.

  27. PWG says:

    Chairman tas- swat

  28. U Leee says:

    Underground taht l-art. No shit, Sherlock.

  29. Cuchu says:

    Beats Joe Mizzi’s ‘l-injorant tal-Madonna’.

  30. joe says:

    Kemm intom qniezah!

  31. And this persons holds a university degree and people vote for him to represent them in parliament.
    Incredible.

  32. C. Marlowe says:

    Why are people surprised at this? TVM and many lawyers of all political hues (including ministers) keep referring to “reat kriminali” all the time, even in today’s news, when “reat” already means “a criminal offence”.

    Another error committed in today’s new is the use of “guri” (jury) when no jury is involved – the correct word should be “process”, “gie pprocessat” not “ghadda guri”.

    Another common mistake committed by PBS is the use of “delitt” to mean “homicide” when delitt means crime in general. Just to mention another all too common mistake, many are saying “permess ta'” instead of “permezz ta'”.

    Linguistic competence and precision are sadly lacking in this country. If we cannot speak our own language well, how can we boast of being a country of good linguists? I stop here.

  33. Victor says:

    Gosh, even after forty years, Labour parliamentarians come up with such remarks that reflect total ignorance.

    This brought back memories of the many stupidities a certain Labour minister had come out with after the takeover of the National Bank. All hilarious, but sadly true. Total ignorance.

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