Is Maltese closer to Arabic or Sicilian?

[Peyrol]

100 Years ago, a battle of scholars happened, Pro-British/Maltese and Pro-Italian, the pro Maltese won and these pro Maltese decided to make "Maltese" language the National Language of Malta.

Melitae/Malta = an Island with thousands of years under European/Phoenician/Roman/Early Neolithic influence.
Maltese = A mixture of Italian, Sicilian Arabic and Germanic. Sicilian Arabic left by 200 years of oppression.

...però ricevete le nostre TV e molti di voi parlano perfettamente la nostra lingua...

[Virtuous]

...però ricevete le nostre TV e molti di voi parlano perfettamente la nostra lingua...

ma vaglielo a dire a sti universitari comunisti jesuiti prof del cazzo

[alfieb]

ma vaglielo a dire a sti universitari comunisti jesuiti prof del cazzo

Comunisti gesuiti? Questo è un ossimoro

[Virtuous]

Comunisti gesuiti? Questo è un ossimoro

gia

[Sikeliot]

Arabic grammatically, Sicilian vocabulary wise.

[alfieb]

Arabic grammatically, Sicilian vocabulary wise.

At least it's read left-to-right.

[Virtuous]

At least it's read left-to-right.

ancora una volta...gia!

[Arbërori]

I'd say it's originally a Romance language, ofcourse, it might have been Arabized, but that doesn't mean shit.

What matters are genetics, some Levantine here & there, which technically still makes them white.

[ChocolateFace]

Much more closer to Sicilian

[Portukalos]

Arabic grammatically, Sicilian vocabulary wise.

its basic vocabulary is more Arabic than Italian , it's only its official vocabulary which is said to be more Sicilian. Their basic vocabulary of everyday is Arabic to be more precise. An Italian won't understand anything of an everyday Maltese neighbours conversion.

First setence of the human rights in Maltese :

Il-bnedmin kollha jitwieldu ħielsa u ugwali fid-dinjità u d-drittijiet. Huma mogħnija bir-raġuni u bil-kuxjenza u għandhom iġibu ruħhom ma' xulxin bi spirtu ta' aħwa