Editing Romanian language (section)

==== In Moldova ====
{{Main|Moldovan language}}
Romanian is the official language of the Republic of Moldova. The 1991 [[Moldovan Declaration of Independence|Declaration of Independence]] named the official language Romanian,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Declarația de independența a Republicii Moldova, Moldova Suverană |url=http://www.moldova-suverana.md/index.php?start_from=&ucat=7&subaction=showfull&id=1156426235&archive=1156767681& |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080205095219/http://www.moldova-suverana.md/index.php?start_from=&ucat=7&subaction=showfull&id=1156426235&archive=1156767681& |archive-date=5 February 2008 |access-date=9 October 2013 |publisher=Moldova-suverana.md |language=ro}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=A Field Guide to the Main Languages of Europe – Spot that language and how to tell them apart |url=http://ec.europa.eu/translation/language_aids/recognition/field_guide_main_languages_of_europe_en.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070224120109/http://ec.europa.eu/translation/language_aids/recognition/field_guide_main_languages_of_europe_en.pdf |archive-date=24 February 2007 |access-date=9 October 2013 |publisher=European Commission |df=dmy-all}}</ref> and the [[Constitution of Moldova]] as originally adopted in 1994 named the state language of the country [[Moldovan language|Moldovan]]. In December 2013, a decision of the [[Constitutional Court of Moldova]] ruled that the Declaration of Independence took precedence over the Constitution and the state language should be called Romanian.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2015-03-25 |title=Moldovan Court Rules Official Language is 'Romanian', Replacing Soviet-Flavored 'Moldovan' |language=en |work=Fox News |agency=Associated Press |url=http://www.foxnews.com/world/2013/12/05/moldovan-court-rules-official-language-is-romanian-replacing-soviet-flavored/ |access-date=7 December 2013 |archive-date=9 December 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131209102718/http://www.foxnews.com/world/2013/12/05/moldovan-court-rules-official-language-is-romanian-replacing-soviet-flavored |url-status=dead }}</ref> In 2023, the Moldovan parliament passed a law officially adopting the designation "Romanian" in all legal instruments, implementing the 2013 court decision.<ref>{{Cite news |title=Moldovan president promulgates law replacing name of state language in country's constitution with 'Romanian' |url=https://interfax.com/newsroom/top-stories/88948/ |access-date=2023-04-06 |website=Interfax |archive-date=6 April 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230406205842/https://interfax.com/newsroom/top-stories/88948/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

Scholars agree that Moldovan and Romanian are the same language, with the [[-onym|glottonym]] "Moldovan" used in certain political contexts.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Marian Lupu: Româna și moldoveneasca sunt aceeași limbă |url=http://www.realitatea.net/marian-lupu--romana-si-moldoveneasca-sunt-aceeasi-limba_288666.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110511204743/http://www.realitatea.net/marian-lupu--romana-si-moldoveneasca-sunt-aceeasi-limba_288666.html |archive-date=11 May 2011 |access-date=7 October 2009 |publisher=Realitatea .NET |df=dmy-all}}</ref> It has been the sole official language since the adoption of the Law on State Language of the [[Moldavian SSR]] in 1989.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Dalby |first=Andrew |title=Dictionary of Languages |date=1998 |publisher=Bloomsbury Publishing |isbn=07-4753-117-X |page=518 |author-link=Andrew Dalby}}</ref> This law mandates the use of Moldovan in all the political, economic, cultural and social spheres, as well as asserting the existence of a "linguistic Moldo-Romanian identity".<ref>[http://www.iatp.md/ladom/downloads/M3.doc Legea cu privire la functionarea limbilor vorbite pe teritoriul RSS Moldovenesti Nr.3465-XI din 01.09.89 Vestile nr.9/217, 1989] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060219024839/http://www.iatp.md/ladom/downloads/M3.doc |date=19 February 2006 }} (Law regarding the usage of languages spoken on the territory of the Republic of Moldova): "Moldavian RSS supports the desire of the Moldavian that live across the borders of the Republic, and – considering the existing Moldo-Romanian linguistic identity – of the Romanians that live on the territory of the USSR, of doing their studies and satisfying their cultural needs in their maternal language."</ref> It is also used in schools, mass media, education and in the colloquial speech and writing. Outside the political arena the language is most often called "Romanian". In the breakaway territory of Transnistria, it is co-official with [[Ukrainian language|Ukrainian]] and Russian.

In the [[2014 Moldovan Census|2014 census]], out of the 2,804,801 people living in Moldova, 24% (652,394) stated Romanian as their most common language, whereas 56% stated Moldovan. While in the urban centers speakers are split evenly between the two names (with the capital [[Chișinău]] showing a strong preference for the name "Romanian", i.e. 3:2), in the countryside hardly a quarter of Romanian/Moldovan speakers indicated Romanian as their native language.<ref>National Bureau of Statistics of the Republic of Moldova: [http://www.statistica.md/pageview.php?l=ro&idc=479 Census 2014] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171030171529/http://www.statistica.md/pageview.php?l=ro&idc=479 |date=30 October 2017 }}</ref> Unofficial results of this census first showed a stronger preference for the name Romanian, however the initial reports were later dismissed by the Institute for Statistics, which led to speculations in the media regarding the forgery of the census results.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2017-03-29 |title=Biroul Național de Statistică, acuzat că a falsificat rezultatele recensământului |language=ro |work=Independent |url=https://independent.md/biroul-national-de-statistica-acuzat-ca-falsificat-rezultatele-recensamantului/ |access-date=2022-02-27 |archive-date=27 February 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220227183027/https://independent.md/biroul-national-de-statistica-acuzat-ca-falsificat-rezultatele-recensamantului/ |url-status=live }}</ref>