ИСТИНА

The purpose is to present on the example of Kishinev (Moldavia’s capital) an acute contradiction between the toponymic policy in the post-Soviet period, and the need to protect the richest toponymic heritage. Traditional scientific methods are used: historic-cartographical analysis, systematization of the forms of names of geographical objects, analysis of approaches to the protection of toponymic heritage in modern states. The earliest mention of Kishinev in written sources was found in the letter of the Moldavian rulers of 1436 in Russian in the form Акбашев(ъ) Кешенев(ъ). Then it is mentioned in 1466, 1525, and more often in Moldavian, as well as Turkish, Greek and Russian forms: Кишинеул на Бъку, Кишинъу, Трещи, Кишинъул, Кишънъул, Kişinev, Кинъу, Къшнъул, Kesnoviou, Кишиневъ (between 1576 and 1818). On old maps dating from the mid- 16th century, drawn up in Latin, French, Italian, Russian, German, English, Romanian and other languages, the city is most often marked with a fortress icon, signed in various toponymic forms: Tiras, Tiraz (1550–1686), Kisinau, Kisnou, Kichenow, Kisnul, Kisnow, Kisсhenove, Kisznou, Кишенау, Kisсhenau, Kiszenau, Kiszenul, Kiszenu, Kischniou, Kischnion, Кишеневъ, Кишенеу, Кишинеу, Kisсhenau (1688–1811), Кишиневъ (1817–1918), Kischenew, Kischinew Kisinau, Kichinev (1829–1887), Chișeneu, Chișineu (1868–1898), Kishinev (1911), Kischinjew, Chișinău (1917). Old maps and written documents serve as the most important sources of knowledge about the toponymic, as well as the formation of geographical representations in various epochs. Despite such a rich toponymic heritage both intracity toponymy and its very own name turned out to be an instrument and a victim of the political ambitions and confrontation in the early 1990s: urgent requests for the use of only one form (Romanian) in all languages were formulated. Such imperative standardization does not consider the history of the name of the city, phonetic and grammatical norms in different languages, the traditions of the ethnic groups inhabiting it.