Ninu Cremona
Encyclopedia
Anthony Cremona also known as Ninu Cremona and Is-Sur Nin was a Maltese
writer.
He was the son of Feliċ and Margaret née Pace. He was born in Victoria (Rabat
) Gozo
. Orphaned at a very young age when his father died in 1885, he was sent to live with his uncle in Tunis
where he attended the school of the Christian Brothers and later on at St Charles College.
In 1888 he returned to Malta
where he continued his studies in The Seminary in Gozo. There he met with Dun Karm (Monsignor Carmelo Psaila, the Maltese national poet). In 1900 he was employed as a clerk with the government and four years later was appointed as Sanitary Inspector after having attended for a course in the Ashton School of Hygiene at the University of Liverpool
. In 1928 he became the editor responsible for all the government translations and publications.
about him written by one of the poets of his time, namely Nicol Biancardi.
Ninu Cremona was one of the founders of the Għaqda tal-Kittieba tal-Malti (The Maltese Writers Society) now known as the Akkademja tal-Malti
(The Maltese Academy). Throughout his life he kept the position of Vice President and was also the editor of Il-Malti, the Writers Society Magazine. His biggest contribution to the Maltese language
was the formulation of the Maltese orthography
, a very important task, in which he had the help of Ġanni Vassallo. His study is still valid in modern times and could be found in the booklet Tagħrif fuq il-Kitba Maltija (Information about the Maltese Grammar), which was published for the first time in 1924.
He was a prolific writer. He was very fond of drama, and his best work is without any doubt Il-Fidwa tal-Bdiewa (The Farmers’ Liberation) a play based on the classical Greek structure. He published many books (see bibliography below).
, Vassalli and his times in 1940. Among other biographies there is the one about Rużar Briffa
that was published in Il-Malti of June 1963, the year in which the poet had died and in which he gives an interesting fact about the establishment of L-Għaqda tal-Malti (Università) which had been established by Rużar Briffa and Ġużè Bonnici in 1931.
and on the June 4, 1960 was honoured by the Royal University of Malta with the degree D.Litt. Honoris Causa in Literature for his great contribution in the sphere of literature, grammar and science of the Maltese language
. On September 21, 1969 he was awarded the Silver Medal of Merit by the Confederation of Civic Councils
Malta
Malta , officially known as the Republic of Malta , is a Southern European country consisting of an archipelago situated in the centre of the Mediterranean, south of Sicily, east of Tunisia and north of Libya, with Gibraltar to the west and Alexandria to the east.Malta covers just over in...
writer.
He was the son of Feliċ and Margaret née Pace. He was born in Victoria (Rabat
Rabat, Malta
Rabat is a village just outside Mdina, Malta. The name of the village is derived from the Arabic word for 'suburb': الرباط, as it was the suburb of the old capital Mdina. Half of the present-day village core also formed part of the Roman city of Melita, before the latter was resized during the...
) Gozo
Gozo
Gozo is a small island of the Maltese archipelago in the Mediterranean Sea. The island is part of the Southern European country of Malta; after the island of Malta itself, it is the second-largest island in the archipelago...
. Orphaned at a very young age when his father died in 1885, he was sent to live with his uncle in Tunis
Tunis
Tunis is the capital of both the Tunisian Republic and the Tunis Governorate. It is Tunisia's largest city, with a population of 728,453 as of 2004; the greater metropolitan area holds some 2,412,500 inhabitants....
where he attended the school of the Christian Brothers and later on at St Charles College.
In 1888 he returned to Malta
Malta
Malta , officially known as the Republic of Malta , is a Southern European country consisting of an archipelago situated in the centre of the Mediterranean, south of Sicily, east of Tunisia and north of Libya, with Gibraltar to the west and Alexandria to the east.Malta covers just over in...
where he continued his studies in The Seminary in Gozo. There he met with Dun Karm (Monsignor Carmelo Psaila, the Maltese national poet). In 1900 he was employed as a clerk with the government and four years later was appointed as Sanitary Inspector after having attended for a course in the Ashton School of Hygiene at the University of Liverpool
University of Liverpool
The University of Liverpool is a teaching and research university in the city of Liverpool, England. It is a member of the Russell Group of large research-intensive universities and the N8 Group for research collaboration. Founded in 1881 , it is also one of the six original "red brick" civic...
. In 1928 he became the editor responsible for all the government translations and publications.
Academic Achievements
He used also to teach Maltese in evening classes while in 1936 he became a Master teaching Maltese at the Lyceum. During the years he was also an examiner of the Maltese Language at the Royal University of Malta. Regarding his character it is best if one reads the sonnetSonnet
A sonnet is one of several forms of poetry that originate in Europe, mainly Provence and Italy. A sonnet commonly has 14 lines. The term "sonnet" derives from the Occitan word sonet and the Italian word sonetto, both meaning "little song" or "little sound"...
about him written by one of the poets of his time, namely Nicol Biancardi.
Ninu Cremona was one of the founders of the Għaqda tal-Kittieba tal-Malti (The Maltese Writers Society) now known as the Akkademja tal-Malti
Akkademja tal-Malti
Akkademja tal-Malti was the prime regulatory body responsible for the Maltese language from the early 20th century up to the end of the millennium, when a Government sponsored law was passed to protect issues related to the national language...
(The Maltese Academy). Throughout his life he kept the position of Vice President and was also the editor of Il-Malti, the Writers Society Magazine. His biggest contribution to the Maltese language
Maltese language
Maltese is the national language of Malta, and a co-official language of the country alongside English,while also serving as an official language of the European Union, the only Semitic language so distinguished. Maltese is descended from Siculo-Arabic...
was the formulation of the Maltese orthography
Orthography
The orthography of a language specifies a standardized way of using a specific writing system to write the language. Where more than one writing system is used for a language, for example Kurdish, Uyghur, Serbian or Inuktitut, there can be more than one orthography...
, a very important task, in which he had the help of Ġanni Vassallo. His study is still valid in modern times and could be found in the booklet Tagħrif fuq il-Kitba Maltija (Information about the Maltese Grammar), which was published for the first time in 1924.
He was a prolific writer. He was very fond of drama, and his best work is without any doubt Il-Fidwa tal-Bdiewa (The Farmers’ Liberation) a play based on the classical Greek structure. He published many books (see bibliography below).
Research Work
He wrote a number of biographies, but the one that tops the list and was also used by many other researchers to expand upon is without any doubt about Mikiel Anton Vassalli u Żminijietu (1937), which was translated by May ButcherMay Butcher
May Butcher was an English-born Maltese writer who translated several works from the Maltese language into English....
, Vassalli and his times in 1940. Among other biographies there is the one about Rużar Briffa
Ruzar Briffa
Rużar Briffa was a Maltese poet and dermatologist, and a major figure in Maltese literature.“I never thought of publishing these poems in a book. Some were written in hard times, others in moments of joy...
that was published in Il-Malti of June 1963, the year in which the poet had died and in which he gives an interesting fact about the establishment of L-Għaqda tal-Malti (Università) which had been established by Rużar Briffa and Ġużè Bonnici in 1931.
Honours
In 1964 he received the gold medal Ġużè Muscat AzzopardiGuzè Muscat Azzopardi
Ġużè Muscat Azzopardi was born in Ħal Qormi, on September 1, 1853. He studied in the Mdina Seminary, and in the University of Malta, where he graduated as a lawyer in 1875. Muscat Azzopardi died on August 4, 1927, Valletta...
and on the June 4, 1960 was honoured by the Royal University of Malta with the degree D.Litt. Honoris Causa in Literature for his great contribution in the sphere of literature, grammar and science of the Maltese language
Maltese language
Maltese is the national language of Malta, and a co-official language of the country alongside English,while also serving as an official language of the European Union, the only Semitic language so distinguished. Maltese is descended from Siculo-Arabic...
. On September 21, 1969 he was awarded the Silver Medal of Merit by the Confederation of Civic Councils