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Maltese units of measurement

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In modern usage, metric is used almost exclusively in commercial transactions. These units are mostly historical, although they are still used in some limited contexts and in Maltese idioms and set phrases. Many of these terms are directly related to Arabic units. The Weights and Measures Ordinance of 1921 established uniformity in the conversion of such weights and measures. All these measures were defined as simple multiples of the Imperial units then in use in Britain.

Length

Length units were typically used for measuring goods and building sizes. Distances were traditionally measured in terms of travel time, which explains the lack of large scale units.

Table of length units
Unit Plural Relative
value 		Metric
value 		Imperial
value 		Notes
pulzier pulzieri 1/12 ~2.183 cm ~859.4 thou The Maltese inch. Exactly 55⁄64 imperial inches.
fitel iftla 1/2 ~13.1 cm ~5.156 in The Maltese hand-span. This unit is not in the 1921 act.
xiber ixbar 1 ~26.19 cm ~10.31 in The Maltese foot. Exactly 10 +5⁄16 imperial inches.
qasba qasab, qasbiet 8 ~2.096 m ~2.292 yd This is exactly 82.5 inches, or 6 ft 10.5 in. It corresponds to the fathom, but was used in both land and sea contexts.

Area

Land

In 1921, these units were redefined with respect to the British Imperial standard. These values reflect this change.

Table of area (land) units
Unit Plural Relative
value 		Metric
value 		Imperial
value 		Notes
kejla kejliet 1/60 ~18.74 m² ~22.41 sq yd
siegħ sigħan 1/6 ~187.4 m² ~224.1 sq yd
tomna tomniet, or
tmin 		1 ~1,124 m² ~1344 sq yd exactly 5/18 acre, or 12,100 square feet. This unit is also exactly 256 qasba kwadru. Sometimes called a tumolo in English texts. Also called Tumoli with modern real estate agents Cf. dunam.
wejba wejbiet 4 ~4497 m² ~1.111 acres exactly 10/9 acres.
modd mdied 16 ~1.799 ha ~4.444 acres exactly 40/9 acres

Square

Table of area (square) units
Unit Plural Relative
value 		Metric
value 		Imperial
value 		Notes
pulzier kwadru pulzieri kwadri 1/144 ~4.765 cm² ~0.7385 sq in
fitel kwadru iftla kwadri 1/4 ~171.5 cm² ~26.59 sq in
xiber kwadru ixbar kwadri 1 ~686.1 cm² ~106.3 sq in
qasba kwadru qasab kwadri, or
qasbiet kwadri 		64 ~4.391 m² ~5.252 sq yd an area 1 qasba by 1 qasba

Volume

These units were all (except for the cubic units) defined in 1921 relative to the British Imperial gallon, which was defined in the 1824 act. This is equal to 10 pounds of water at a specified temperature and air pressure. This (~4.546 090 31 litres) is slightly larger than the modern definition (exactly 4.546 09 litres).

Beer, wine, and spirits measure

None of the units from this group are mentioned in TY Maltese.

Table of volume (beer, wine, & spirits) units
Unit Plural Relative
value 		Metric
value 		Imperial
value 		Notes
pinta pinet 1/8 ~142.1 ml 0.25 pt
terz terzi 1/4 ~284.1 ml 0.5 pt 'third'
nofs infas 1/2 ~568.3 ml 1 pt 'half'
kartoċċ krateċ 1 ~1.137 litres 2 pt
kwarta kwarti 4.75 ~5.398 L 9.5 pt 'quarter'
ġarra ġarar 9.5 ~10.8 L 2.375 gal
barmil bramel 38 ~43.19 L 9.5 gal 'barrel'

Milk and Oil measure

Table of volume (milk & oil) units
Unit Plural Relative
value 		Metric
value 		Imperial
value 		Notes
kwartin kwartini 1/40 ~31.96 ml 1.125 fl oz 'quarter'. Referenced in 1921 Act only.
kejla kejliet 1/10 ~127.9 ml 4.5 fl oz 'measure' Referenced in 1921 Act only.
terz terzi 1/4 ~319.6 ml 11.25 fl oz 'third'
nofs infas 1/2 ~639.3 ml 22.5 fl oz, or
1.125 pints 		'half'
kartoċċ krateċ 1 ~1.279 litres 2.25 pt
kwarta kwarti 4 ~5.114 L 9 pt, or
1.125 gal 		'quarter'
qafiż qafiżi 16 ~20.46 L 4.5 gal Referenced in 1921 Act only.

Dry

None of these units are mentioned in TY Maltese. Note that there are two conflicting values for the siegħ (1/10 and 1/6 tomna, respectively).

Table of volume (dry) units
Unit Plural Relative
value 		Metric
value 		Imperial
value 		Notes
lumin lumini 1/600 ~30.31 ml ~1.849 cu in
kejla kejliet 1/60 ~303.1 ml ~18.49 cu in also called a mondell
siegħ sigħan 1/10 ~1.818 L ~111 cu in This is the value listed for the siegħ by Aquilina. The 1921 Act has a different value. This amount is exactly 3.2 imperial pints.
għabara 1/6 ~3.031 L ~184.9 cu in, or
~0.107 cu ft 		Referenced in Aquilina only. The 1921 Act uses this value for the siegħ, and does not mention the għabara by name.
tomna tmien, or
tomniet 		1 ~18.18 L ~0.6422 cu ft Sometimes called the tumolo in English texts. This is exactly 4 imperial gallons.
modd mdied 16 ~290.9 L ~10.27 cu ft, or
~0.3805 cu yd 		'weigh'. An alternate name given by Aquilina is the salma. This is exactly 64 imperial gallons.

Cubic

Table of volume (cubic) units
Unit Plural Relative
value 		Metric
value 		Imperial
value 		Notes
pulzier kubu pulzieri kubi 1/1728 ~10.4 ml ~0.6347 cu in
fitel kubu iftla kubi 1/8 ~2.246 L ~137.1 cu in
xiber kubu ixbar kubi 1 ~17.97 L ~1097 cu in
qasba kubu qasab kubi, or
qasbiet kubi 		512 ~9.202 kl ~12.04 cu yd a volume 1 qasba by 1 qasba by 1 qasba

Mass

All the Maltese mass units were redefined relative to the British Imperial ton in 1921. Before this, the units were presumably based on an Arabic standard. All equivalent measures listed in pounds below are exact values.

nb. There are two distinct units which are named kwart.

Table of mass units
Unit Plural Relative
value 		Metric
value 		Imperial
value 		Notes
ottav ottavi 1/8 uqija ~3.307 g ~0.1167 oz 'eighth'. Referenced in 1921 Act only.
kwart kwarti 1/4 uqija ~6.615 g ~0.2333 oz 'quarter'. Referenced in 1921 Act only.
uqija ewieq 1/30 ~26.46 g ~0.9333 oz The Maltese ounce.
kwart kwarti 1/4 ~198.4 g 7 oz 'quarter'. Referenced in Aquilina only.
ratal irtal 1 ~793.8 g 28 oz, or
1.75 lb 		Sometimes called a rotola in English texts.
qsima qsimiet 1.25 ~992.2 g 35 oz, or
2.1875 lb 		Referenced in Aquilina only.
wiżna wiżniet 5 ~3.969 kg 8.75 lb Referenced in Aquilina and TY Maltese. Not mentioned in 1921 Act.
qantar qnatar 100 ~79.38 kg 175 lb
peżata 300 ~238.1 kg 525 lb Referenced in 1921 Act only.

Money

This system was used during the rule of the Knights of St. John in Malta. Subsequent currencies in use are the pre-decimal British Pound and the Maltese lira. Malta has now switched to using the Euro.

Table of money units
Unit Plural Relative
value 		Notes
grani 1
tari 20
scudo scudi 240
See also: Maltese scudo

References

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