Comments on: Michael Falzon and the Bank of Valletta

By: Daphne Caruana Galizia

Daphne Caruana Galizia — Mon, 25 Jan 2016 08:28:00 +0000

Yes, definitely wrong.

Here you have the standard-setting example: the Bank of England, in the home of the English language.

http://www.bankofengland.co.uk/Pages/home.aspx

By: Stefan Rottweiler

Stefan Rottweiler — Mon, 25 Jan 2016 07:59:00 +0000

In reply to Daphne Caruana Galizia. I believe that if 'Bank' in 'Bank of Valletta' is part of the name then it isn't a noun anymore, but part of the name. Still wrong?

By: Daphne Caruana Galizia

Daphne Caruana Galizia — Mon, 25 Jan 2016 06:55:00 +0000

Wrong. It’s THE Bank of Valletta because ‘bank’ is a noun which, in English, takes ‘the’. However, ‘the’ is not part of the bank’s name, therefore you should not use a capital ‘T’ (which you would have to do if it were part of the bank’s official name), but a lower-case ‘t’.

Saying simply ‘Bank of Valletta’ is part of the Maltese syndrome of dropping the definite article in certain situations, as with: “he went to office”, “he works at drydocks” and so on.

You have the same thing going on with the newspaper Times of Malta. It used to be called The Times of Malta (which is what it should be called – the London paper is The Times and not Times).

You will notice that whenever newspapers published in English-speaking countries cover stories which include references to the Bank of Valletta – as when they report on Gaddafi’s millions, for example – they also refer to the Bank of Valletta and not to Bank of Valletta.

To my mind, it’s even worse when people say Bee Oh Vee, or write BOV. What is that supposed to mean? The bank is either branded as Bee Oh Vee, or it is branded as the Bank of Valletta. It can’t be both.

By: Daphne Caruana Galizia

Daphne Caruana Galizia — Sun, 24 Jan 2016 08:08:00 +0000

In reply to il-Fesu. They miss the other point that he did not resign but was dismissed. His letter to the prime minister was not a resignation letter but an "I'll leave the decision in your hands' letter.

By: il-Fesu

il-Fesu — Sun, 24 Jan 2016 07:40:00 +0000

Yesterday morning on the radio both Andrew Azzopardi and Peppi/Joe Azzopardi said that Michael Falzon did nothing wrong and he shouldn’t have resigned.

Laghqin ta’ veru.

By: il-Fesu

il-Fesu — Sun, 24 Jan 2016 07:37:00 +0000

Gaffarena should employ Falzon. Profits guaranteed.

By: Jack Bean

Jack Bean — Sat, 23 Jan 2016 18:38:00 +0000

Jekk issaqsi lili ngħidlek li ma niskantax għax, għalkemm ma qaluhiex huma, taħt il-Labour kollox possibli.

By: Matthew S

Matthew S — Fri, 22 Jan 2016 13:10:00 +0000

Does Marco Gaffarena bank? He strikes me as the Manuel ‘miljun taħt il-maduma’ Mallia type.

By: Andi Zrara

Andi Zrara — Fri, 22 Jan 2016 13:00:00 +0000

Doesn’t he have to pass some kind of ‘fit and proper’ test under the law to work in a bank at that level?

Not if you’re a politician. In that case all one has to do is prove that one is breathing autonomously.

By: Spa

Spa — Fri, 22 Jan 2016 12:56:00 +0000

Differenza bejn il-Malti u l-barrani:

Barrani:

https://www.facebook.com/BETICANGETMILLIONPEOPLEWHOSCOTLAND/videos/vb.215230815174273/1150931338270878/?type=2&theater

Malti:

http://www.newsbook.com.mt/artikli/2016/1/15/investigat-l-allegat-kaz-ta-kelba-li-thalliet-tmut-fil-bahar.40716/