Maltese is preferred over English for social media messages, personal notes, and online platforms, while English is favored over Maltese for ATM usage, emails, cards, and books.

These trends were explored during a national conference hosted by the Department of Policy, Politics and Governance and the Department of Maltese at the University of Malta. 

As Malta has three official languages, namely Maltese, English and Maltese Sign Language, the need for the country to develop its first national linguistic policy was also discussed throughout this event.

Head of the Department of Policy, Politics and Governance, Prof. Mario Thomas Vassallo emphasised the importance of ensuring that everyone feels comfortable using their native language at public events.

He explained, "If you have a conference in Malta with one hundred attendees, all of whom are Maltese except for three foreigners, the default is often to speak in English to accommodate the three non-Maltese participants. However, I believe that on such occasions, like today’s conference, there should be greater use of interpreters."

A survey conducted by the National Council for the Maltese Language and the Department of Maltese at the University of Malta, in collaboration with the National Statistics Office, revealed that 57% of Maltese citizens aged 18 to 80 believe it is easier to speak and understand Maltese than English. 

However, the survey also found that only about one-third of Maltese respondents consider Maltese easier than English when it comes to reading and writing.