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Romanian Language

The Romanian language is a Romance language primarily spoken in Romania and Moldova. It is part of the Eastern Romance branch and is known for its unique Latin roots intertwined with Slavic, Greek, Turkish, Hungarian, and Albanian influences. The language serves as the official language in both Romania and Moldova, where it is sometimes referred to as Moldovan, a term that denotes the same linguistic entity with regional variations.

Dialects of Romanian

Romanian consists of four main dialects:

  1. Dacoromanian: This is the basis of the standard Romanian language, predominantly spoken in Romania and Moldova. It includes several regional variants and represents the language commonly known as Romanian.

  2. Aromanian (Macedoromanian): Spoken in scattered communities across Greece, North Macedonia, Albania, Bulgaria, Kosovo, and Serbia, Aromanian is a distinct dialect that shares historical roots with Dacoromanian.

  3. Meglenoromanian: Nearly extinct, this dialect is spoken in northern Greece and southeastern North Macedonia. Its speakers are part of a small ethnic group with a unique linguistic identity.

  4. Istroromanian: Also nearly extinct, Istroromanian is found in Istria, a peninsula that lies within Croatia and Slovenia. This dialect is one of the smallest branches of the Romanian language.

Mutual intelligibility among these dialects varies, with Dacoromanian being the most widely understood and used.

Historical Background

The origins of the Romanian language date back to the Roman occupation of Dacia, a region that comprises modern-day Romania and parts of surrounding countries. The Romanization of the local Dacian tribes led to the development of a unique Romance language north of the Jireček Line, which demarcates the influence of the Latin and Greek languages in the Balkans.

The Romanian language has evolved over centuries, absorbing elements from various languages due to historical changes in the region, including the Ottoman Empire, the Austro-Hungarian Empire, and neighboring Slavic nations.

Writing System and Orthography

Romanian uses the Latin alphabet with 31 letters, including five with diacritical marks: ă, â, î, ș, and ț. Orthographic reforms in 1860 aligned Romanian more closely with its Latin origins, moving away from the previously used Cyrillic script.

Romanian Language in the World

In the early 21st century, there were approximately 23.9 million Romanian speakers worldwide. The largest populations reside in Romania and Moldova, with significant communities in Ukraine, Israel, Serbia, and Hungary. Diaspora communities in Western Europe and North America also maintain the language through cultural and educational initiatives.

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