The Kunsill Nazzjonali tal-Ilsien Malti, in collaboration with the G?aqda ?urnalisti Sports, launched the book Ballun Pin?ut on Saturday morning at the Hotel Le Méridien, St. Julian’s.

Ballun Pin?ut, written by Keith Attard, is a collection of 930 Maltese expressions related to football. The expressions, listed in alphabetical order, were collected from young Maltese speakers who play the game and follow it with passion.

The main aim of the collection is to help journalists and sport commentators find the best expression to describe the action on the football field.

The author, Keith Attard, explained that it took him around two years to complete the book. The listed expressions were viewed and confirmed by a group of experts including a referee, a player, a coach, a football committee member, a fan and a sports journalist. The group’s task was to give an indication of the extent to which the expressions are actually used by people involved in some way in football.

Attard said that originally this work was part of his disseration and he was later approached in order to publish a book with this collection of football expressions in Maltese.

Following a request by the Kunsill Nazzjonali tal-Ilsien Malti, the G?aqda ?urnalisti Sports was asked to select a representative to form part of the editorial board whose members went through the collection of expressions and removed any offensive expressions that journalists might feel are not suitable for use in the media. The editorial board was made up of Thomas Pace and Olvin Vella from the KNM and Mario Bonnici from the G??S besides the author.

G?aqda ?urnalisti Sports general secretary Sandro Micallef described the launch of this book as something historic due to the fact that it could leave lasting impact on sports journalism.

On the other hand, G?aqda ?urnalisti Sports president Charles Camenzuli described the book as an ideal manual for journalists and broadcasters.

Thomas Pace from the Kunsill Nazzjonali tal-Ilsien Malti said that while certain football terms are now accepted to be written in Maltese as they sound, like futbol, grawnd, plejer, etc., the council is still discussing how other terms and expressions, like freekick, should be written.

The book may be downloaded in pdf format from the Council’s website www.kunsilltalmalti.gov.mt. Members of the general public are being encouraged to submit other expressions to the Facebook page Ballun Pin?ut or by email to the Kunsill Nazzjonali tal-Ilsien Malti on the address: futbol@kunsilltalmalti.gov.mt.

A second edition of this book – an updated version – is planned to be issued next year.

Photo: Copyright © Joe Borg