The normative-legal framework concerning the functioning of languages spoken in Moldova is outdated. This was formulated in the Soviet period, does not reflect the current sociolinguistic realities and does not contribute to the effective promotion of knowledge of the official language by other language speakers. This is one of the conclusions of the study “Moldova between the East and West: visions in Gagauzia and Taraclia”, which was presented by the Institute for Public Policy, IPN reports.
One of the study authors Anatol Gremalski said that despite the digital multimedia changes of the last decade, the curricular support and methods used in education institutions in Moldova to teach languages are based on traditional approaches, of the previous century. The curriculum is theorized, while such aspects as the formation and development of communication skills are promoted insufficiently.
The study shows that even if the students from territorial-administrative units have good grades in the subject “Romanian Language and Literature for Other Language Speakers”, most of the graduates are unable to speak fluently. The causes for such a phenomenon include the absence of motivation, imperfection of the teaching-learning-assessment process, lack of an environment in which the other-language speakers can communicate in the Romanian language.
The study also shows that the linguistic preferences of the respondents in the Autonomous Territorial Unit of Gagauzia and Taraclia district are neither in favor of the official language nor in favor of the Bulgarian and Gagauz languages. About 90% of these said they prefer media products in the Russian language. “Consequently, the residents of these territorial-administrative units in their daily activities do not use the official language of the Republic of Moldova as they practically do not need it and do not have natural occasions of communicating in this language. Consequently, the Romanian language is perceived as something imposed from outside their daily environment,” says the study.
Also, the main factor that diminishes the motivation for studying the Romanian language by the other language speakers is geopolitical in character. About 65% of the respondents consider that Taraclia and Gagauzia form part of the ‘Russian world’ and in the future Moldova will be a component part of Russia. That’s why the public opinion should be mobilized in favor of Moldova’s independence and the opportunities offered by the Romanian language to other language speakers should be explained to them, say the authors of the study.
