|
 Joseph Aquilina was born at Munxar, Gozo on 7th
April 1911 and received his education at the Gozo
Seminary and the UM where he graduated BA (1934) and
LL.D. (1937). He also studied at the School of
Oriental and African Studies (University of London)
where he obtained a Ph.D. in comparative Semitic
(1940).
Aquilina served in the law courts (Gozo) (1937-55)
and at the same time lectured in legal terminology
(1942-55). He became the first professor of Maltese
and Oriental languages at the RUM (1937-76). He was
dean of the faculty of arts and was appointed
pro-vice chancellor of the RUM. He was an emeritus
professor still carrying out research in aspects of
the Maltese language. He was president of the
Society of Arts, Manufacturers, and Commerce; of the
Association of Teachers of the RUM; and of the
International Association of Studies on
Mediterranean Civilisation; and member of the
council of the faculty of theology; and of the
Philological Society of London.
Aquilina enriched Maltese literature with serious
work and publicized the works of other authors.
Aquilina was the author of several works on the
Maltese language and comparative linguistics, and
has contributed numerous articles to learned
journals. Aquilina has written poems, essays, plays
and numerous literary and cultural articles, and for
many years he broadcast on the local Rediffusion
system and occasionally on Malta Television. His
literary awards included Gold Medal
Ġuzè Muscat
Azzopardi (1966), Gold Medal of the Confederation of
Civic Councils (1973), Gold Medal of the Society of
Arts, Manufacture and Commerce (1979). He became
Fellow of the Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain
and Ireland (1963) and was editor of the Journal of
the Royal University of Malta Literary Society
(1932-37), Leħen il-Malti (1940-76),
Tagħlim għal-Kbar (1953-65), Journal of Faculty
of Arts (1957-76), and Journal of Maltese Studies
(1961-76).
His scholarly interests ranged widely over the field
of Semitic and Romance linguistics. He also read
papers at several international linguistic and
anosmatic Congresses and was the author of
linguistic and literary books.
He died on the 8th of August, 1997. |
