- 1n/mɑlˈtiz/ · /mɒlˈtiːz/the people of Malta馬爾他人（全體）
Used in 'the Maltese' to mean the people of Malta taken as a whole group.
文法複數：這個意思要用複數形式。
這是加了 the、把整群人一起講的用法。動詞要用複數：the Maltese are，不是 the Maltese is。這裡的字尾不加 s。這一點最容易寫錯。英文對幾個結尾發音類似的國名形容詞都是這樣處理。用一句話講「那個國家的人」，不特別指誰。
示範例句 · Example
The Maltese are proud of their long history.
中文翻譯馬爾他人對他們長久的歷史感到驕傲。
This is the plural, collective use with the in front of it. It takes a plural verb: the Maltese are, not the Maltese is. The word does not add an s here, which is the part learners usually trip on. English does this with several nationality words that end in this sound — you talk about a whole people in one breath, without naming anybody in particular.
常見搭配
the Maltese are
馬爾他人是…
the plural verb this group name takes
The Maltese are known for their warm welcome.
many of the Maltese
許多馬爾他人
a large part of that people
Many of the Maltese live near the coast.
意思相近
the people of Malta
用法接近
the Japanesethe Chinesethe Portuguese
- 2n/mɑlˈtiz/ · /mɒlˈtiːz/Maltese language馬爾他語
The language of Malta. It is a Semitic language, from the same family as Arabic and Hebrew.
文法不可數名詞：通常不加 a/an，也不加 -s 來表示複數。
當語言名稱用的時候，這個字不可數，前面也不加 the。說 speak Maltese、learn Maltese、read Maltese。真正讓人意外的是它的語系。歐洲大部分語言不是閃語系，但馬爾他語是，所以它造字的方式比較接近阿拉伯語。不過它這些年也吸收了很多義大利文和英文的字。
As a language name the word is uncountable and takes no the: people speak Maltese, learn Maltese, read Maltese. What surprises many learners is the family it belongs to. Most languages of Europe are not Semitic, but this one is, so its word-building works more like Arabic than like Italian — even though it has taken in a great many words from Italian and English over the years.
常見搭配
speak Maltese
說馬爾他語
to be able to talk in that language
Both of her grandparents speak Maltese.
in Maltese
用馬爾他語
written or said in that language
The song was sung in Maltese.
learn Maltese
學馬爾他語
to study that language
He decided to learn Maltese after moving there.