1 comments about The Rough Guide to Croatian Dictionary Phrasebook 1 (Rough Guide Phrasebooks).

1. The Rough Guide is the BEST phrasebook to take with you if you travel to Croatia. It not only has a wealth of words and phrases, but it gives you the correct pronunciation and STRESS. I found it to be an invaluable guide for my 2 weeks in Croatia. It had every phrase I needed, and everyone understood what I said. Pefect for translating menus and signs. A must have!

5 comments about Standard English-SerboCroatian, SerboCroatian-English Dictionary: A Dictionary of Bosnian, Croatian, and Serbian Standards (Dictionary).

1. I wouldn't comment on technical & pedagogical aspects of this book (nouns,declensions,adjectives etc.) other reviewers have amply elaborated on. As a native speaker of Croatian, I can see this book as (at best) an effort to give reader some basic stuff to linguistically get by in what used to be called "Serbian or Croatian diasystem" (funny phrase). I also found this dictionary funny- luckily I didn't have to learn from it.
   But- as some reviewers pointed out, this is a basically Serbian dictionary. I don't intend to nitpick, but a few things have to be addressed:
   -Croatian and Serbian are different standard languages. Bosnian is in the process of standardization, and will certainly achieve the stable norm in near future.
   -there was not, ever, a "Serbo-Croatian" standard language. The same with "Portol" (Portuguese and Spanish), "Hurdu" (Hindi and Urdu), "Czechoslovakian" Czech and Slovak) or "Bulgaronian" (Bulgarian and Macedonian). These are similar languages which crystallized out of basically the same linguistic "prime matter"- as is the case with Swedish and Danish or Finnish and Hungarian. But to describe them as "variants of a language" (British and American English analogy is frequently (ab)used) is sheer nonsense.
   -Croatian and Serbian differ in:
   1. script (Latin and Cyrillic)
   2. grammar and syntax (ca 200 different syntactic rules)
   3. morphology (Croatian is a purist language, Serbian not. Moreover, even "internationalisms" like organize are different: organizirati in Croatian, organizovati in Serbian. Bosnian language tends, in this respect, to overlap with Croatian- but not entirely, since it was subject of forced Serbianization in past 50 years and more).
   4. vocabulary (ca 20-30% of everyday vocabulary is different. The thesaurus of an average high school graduate is ca 40,000 to 50,000 words. Draw the conclusion).

   So, this dictionary will, at best, make you an "expert" in "pidgin South-Slavic". If this is enough- buy it. If you want more-avoid it.




2. Apparently, some of interpreters and translators have been commenting on the usage of Benson and it surprises me that they would say anything positive about this dictionary since, for as long as I remember, this community has been making fun of it. Benson is a bad dictionary maker. Period. If you use dictionary professionaly, and if it is unable to translate the word/phraze or a concept, it's absolutely useless, and Benson is full of such instances. I used to be shocked by some translations and used to wonder who ever let him write a dictionary.

   The other source of misunderstanding between quality of a dictionary and some "I speak dozen languages" state of mind, is the phenomenon of a usage of dictionary itself: when you learn language, you buy a language learning book, dictionary as such is a reference book and it cannot help you if you're learning language, that is what immersion course does. You do not need dictionary if your level of language is beginner's, intermediate or upper intermediate, you have all vocabulary that you need in the book itself, so don't waste your money on dictionaries.

   Since I am obviously not going to get involved with "Jugoostalgicari" who see attacks to this dictionary as an attack to their "nostalgija" I will however point out that one should first decide what language to study between Bosnian/Croatian/Serbian since they are not the same language. Sadly, there is no good Bosnian dictionary and one does have to have good dictionary of "turcisms" if one wants to explore that language, as at certain point communication either stops or becomes unnatural. As far as Croatian is concerned Bujas is absolutely the best dictionary ever (am translator for Bosnian/English/French/Arabic, so trust me on this), and I really wouldn't know what to recommend for Serbian since they are not so keen on advertising this stuff.




3. Benson is a mixed blessing. Yet, better dictionaries will not be written as long as we live in tomato sized (we have no bananas) "states" and believe that Britney Spears equals culture...
   How does the reader below substantiate his claim except by
   ad hominem attacks?
   Benson should have included more Turkicisms, yes...but how are Mesa Selimovic and Musa Cazim-Catic writing a language different from Andric's?
   Well, let's grant our friend a moment of sheer heroism.
   Hereby I declare my full willingness to challenge the reader below or anyone else preaching scientific (sic) objectivity while kneeling at the altar of nationalism.
   I will leave my dictionaries and decorations at home, since reading a language involves time, love and labor; hence, more than professional envy and hatred.
   Oh yes -- may my opponent pick a language and a literature most congenial to him, be it Turkish (including Ottoman), Persian or
   Arabic. Or should it be Romance languages, since he is a Parisien by choice (let me guess...his heart's utmost desire is the EU, nothing more southern than Italy)?
   I'll be generous and exlude Chinese, Latin and Nahuatl (aka Aztec for those of short memory).



4. The number of English-speakers who need to or want to learn Serbo-Croat is much lower than the number of Serbo-Croat speakers who want to learn English. And the market goes where the biggest bucks are to be made. Thus, in this dictionary the first section, from English to Serbo-Croat, runs to 452 pages. The second part, from Serbo-Croat to English, which will be most useful to a foreigner trying to learn to understand the language, is only 344 pages (The Amazon entry is therefore incorrect when it states that this book has 344 pages, when in reality it has 452 + 344 = 796 pages ! ). Moreover, the quality differs in the same way: the first part has phonetic transcriptions of the English lemmata, and grammatical tagging of them into word classes, etc. but there are no such features in the latter part except that it is indicated which word-class (noun, verb etc.) the lemma belongs to. This is a serious deficiency in a Slavic dictionary, where info about such things as the gender of nouns, or the aspect of verb forms, is so important. Several of the earlier reviews, written by native speakers of the language, point out various deficiencies in the translation of lemma, omission of specialized subvocabularies (swear-words, Turkish loanwords) etc. A number of words that appear in Montenegrin folksongs, which I needed to translate, were missing. So it definitely is not a comprehensive work.
   But there are always trade-offs, and for this book the low cost must be mentioned as a definite plus, and it is well-printed on good-quality paper.



5. A "used" book in better shape than I imagined! This had been on a library shelf and had library reinforcement on the spine. It is very "new" in appearance and it is a bargain.

5 comments about Pimsleur Croatian: Learn to Speak and Understand Croatian with Pimsleur Language Programs (Simon & Schuster's Pimsleur).

1. I am just getting started and already see how well this system works. I am looking forward to the next lesson.



2. I've just begun using this guide to learn Croatian. My family speaks a heavy Istrian dialect and the "pure" language sounds almost nothing like it, so I am starting from scratch. The lessons start off at a very basic level, and gradually build up by adding a new word or phrase. Then, it will take you back to previous lessons to refresh your memory, while incorporating them into new lessons (essentially, none of the older lessons that are taught will be forgotten). The instructors' pronunciation is very clear and easy to imitate, as they sound out the syllables of each word. The narrator occasionally includes a fact about sentence structure that is helpful.
   
   Despite the fact that this really should have included a guide so that we could learn the written part, it is definitely a great place to begin learning this very difficult language. I also hope the company will release additional volumes, since it is extremely hard to find Croatian language lessons out there.



3. I was disappointed by this product. It consists of language lesson CDs plus a small manual with some of the lessons including written croatian. I had trouble getting past Lesson 1. The lesson itself wasn't bad, although the sentences being created contained words that seemed to be pronounced differently when spoken "separately" versus being spoken in a sentence. And the word pronunciations were taught from the last syllable working forward rather than the other way around, which seemed a little odd. (I speak four languages, have never learned in this fashion - maybe it's some kind of new technique). My main criticism is that the words introduced in the lesson were not included in the booklet. Some of us are visual learners and like to "see" the words phonetically spelled, along with a definition. We can learn the word and it's meaning or reinforce the word and meaning after hearing it with a visual follow up. Then, we can once again hear the word to get it's pronunciation attributes correct. The cost of providing this information would be minimal, but Pimsleur chooses not to provide it. I am forced to look the words up in a Croatian-English Dictionary and write them down along with their meanings, in addition to listening to the tapes. Ugh.



4. Effective October 2008, there will be three levels of the Pimsleur Croatian Language Program available.
   1) Basic Croatian which covers lessons 1-10 on 5 CDs. This level lists for $24.95. See ISBN-10: 0-7435-6206-2.
   2) Conversational Croatian which covers lessons 1-16 on 8 CDs. This level lists for $49.95. See ISBN-10: 0-7435-6205-4.
   3) Comprehensive Croatian which covers lessons 1-30 on 16 CDs. This level lists for $345.00. See ISNB-10: 0-7435-6204-6.
   All three levels start with the same lesson 1, so if you buy a Basic or Conversational Croatian course, and then a higher one, the lessons overlap.
   Amazon is accepting pre-release orders for these courses and is offering a 5% discount off their already discounted price.



5. This course presents information slowly and in a repetitive fashion - bad for entertainment but absolutely fantastic for learning. Every lesson revisits all of the previous material and encourages you to use it in mix-and match situations to give you a great functional overview. If you diligently follow the whole set of lessons, at the end you will have a pretty good command of about a dozen phrases.
   
   But you do not get the tools to move beyond those phrases. There is no discussion of how to swap in new words, and there are major gaps in useful information. Further, some of the lessons are actively not useful - the amount of time spent practicing the sentence "I speak and understand Croatian very well" seems ill spent, whereas sentences like "where is the bathroom" and "My name is ____" are conspicuously absent.
   
   Overall, the course TEACHES the material extremely well; the SELECTION of the material, however, is somewhat disappointing.

3 comments about Serbian-English/English-Serbian Dictionary & Phrasebook: Romanized (Hippocrene Dictionary & Phrasebooks).

1. Has all the features you could want for those learning the language. It is a little lacking, in that it doesn't have more obscure words in the dictionary. The phrase-book and lists are useful.



2. I first looked up one word (in English) then three, then ten. I did not find one single word of the ten, all part of everyday conversational English. I closed the book for good. I recommend that you do not waste your money on this dictionary.



3. I'm learning Serbian with a Serbian friend so this book is a big help to me.

5 comments about Hungarian: Lonely Planet Phrasebook.

1. Well, I am a native speaker of Hungarian myself, so I was quite curious to see this book.
   For the most part, I found it very good.
   The main part of the book, the phrases are quite good and natural - it really shows that they had native speakers check it.
   The phrases cover all sorts of issues from shopping to visiting a doctor or even dating and having sex!
   The boxed texts on culture are also quite good and often amusing.
   It has only 12 pages on grammar, but that's quite spot on.
   It does include a box on present tense verb conjugation (taking vowel harmony into account!), and has even devoted a whole page to conjugating four common, but irregular verbs (come, go, eat, drink). Another box conjugates "to be" and yet another shows the suffixes for possessions. I guess it's quite OK for the space.
   The 2000 word dictionary at the back is quite comprehensive.
   A weaker point is the "phonetical transliteration" system used - Hungarian is written fully phonetically in its original form (thankfully also presented here), but the phonetical transliteration provided here for English-speakers may result in blank looks in many cases - you could always choose to ignore it.
   The intro contains useful facts about the history and roots of the language, though the map showing where Hungarian is supposedly spoken might raise some eyebrows in neighbouring countries! ;-)
   The layout is attractive, with color illustrations.
   I even like the cover (different from what is shown on Amazon)- certainly better than a kitshy horseman or traditionally clad dancer could have been! ;-)
   Overall: RECOMMENDED.
   If you are planning to spend any time away from the major cities and tourist areas, you will find it VERY useful!



2. I took one term of Hungarian in college, and I've been to Hungary a few times (but only for a few days each time). So I tried getting this book to relearn some of the language before going back to Hungary this year. It helped me do just that, and I was able to converse with plenty of non-English speaking Hungarians. This is a well-written book.
   
   But how much will this book help you if you don't know Hungarian at all? I'm not so sure. To communicate in a language, I think you really need to hear it spoken and painstakingly learn a bunch of vocabulary words (I like using flashcards to do this). I think it will be more of a help to those who already know something about the language, or at least have access to someone who can help them practice it.
   
   I'm glad I got this book. I recommend it.



3. This pocket book is a must-have for anyone who, like me, has an interest in learning Hungarian or who plans to visit Hungary. Concise & comprehensive, it's a winner. The only drawback is that the 'pronunciation' provided seems to be geared to travelers from the UK &, as such, can cause difficulties for No. Americans. This ancient, beautifully soft, & richly vocalic language is certainly complicated for an English speaker. Along with a Törkenczy grammar any traveler should be speedily humming along in party town Budapest. These people are warm, friendly, & openly admire most anyone willing to tackle their tongue, not to mention the cuisine & the wines!



4. With help from this guidebook I was able to pronounce words off of menus well enough to where servers were pleased with me and eager to help me out. My last phrasebook left people in Poland laughing at me as the phonetic guides led me astray. The problem with this guide is that it was not correct with some of the basic words a traveller would want. Our hotel staff told us that we were using antiquated, formal versions for certain greetings and interactive words, and gave a lesson on what to say (and when) instead. We also found that we got blank stares when we asked about dinner at a resturant. We pointed out the word in the book and the server looked very confused. I guess this book fails to even provide a correct translation for "dinner"...and who knows what else? I was glad to have this book along -- it is basically useful -- but I've got to assume other guides do a better job with getting some of the basics right. If you book at a big hotel you can save a few dollars by getting a free, accurate lesson from the staffers, and forgetting this guide.



5. I love this book. It's small enough to just throw in your bag and go when you are exploring a new city. Since moving to Budapest, it has come in handy several times over - and the pronunciation is superb! It has every helpful phrase you need when traveling abroad!
   
   I think this book could be used for travelers of any age - though the "romance" section may be limited to the younger population.
   
   One thing I would like to see in future publications though is maybe a map of the city - or at least a map of the metro.
   
   I would buy this book - and others from the series - without hesitation in the future. I am a huge fan of Lonely Planet products so having this book in my library is just the icing on the cake!

5 comments about Bosnian, Croatian, Serbian, a Grammar: With Sociolinguistic Commentary.

1. PROS:
   - Comprehensive and detailed treatment of grammatical topics in Bosnian/Croatian/Serbian (BCS)
   - Balanced presentation and comparison of grammatical topics and examples.
   - Includes a readable and accessible introduction to the history and sociolinguistics of "old" Serbo-Croatian and "new" BCS
   
   CONS:
   - None
   
   The grammatical sections are set up in the same sequence as that of the corresponding BCS textbook by Alexander and Elias-Bursac. This reference of grammar is useful in that it goes into greater detail than what's in the textbook and may provide a "second opinion" to someone who is unsure about something in the textbook. The examples that are used to illustrate grammatical topics also have the added benefit of being marked as being used most frequently by Bosnians, Croats or Serbs.
   
   The history and sociological survey should be required reading for anyone who is just starting to study BCS or wondering why some people from the former Yugoslavia still become emotional or sensitive about their language(s). In fact I would venture to say that these same people of the former Yugoslavia would do well to read Alexander's survey for it's a detached and balanced description of the subordination/hijacking of language to fulfill political or sociological aims. I found that reading it was instructive and a reminder than most of us English speakers are relatively fortunate in not having questions about language usage tied as closely or violently to being part of "good guys" or "bad guys".
   
   Overall, it's a valuable source of information and no one can go wrong by having it on his/her shelf when studying BCS.



2. This was a nice attempt. There is nothing out there at this time so I presume the publisher thought they could just make money by publishing this pile of paper. My background to support this statement. I teach Bosnian to English speakers. I am a native Bosnian and an English major. End.



3. I purchased this book in April, 2007 after returning from my first trip to Croatia, Bosnia and Montenegro. I contacted my native Croatian immigrant friends in my town, and she and her Croat Serb husband to tutor me once a week as well. This book has been an excellent resource but you really need the textbook to go with it. Serbo Croatian is a difficult language for any English speaker unless you already speak a foreign language and are familiar with linguistics, verb conjugations and all the rest. Certainly learning Croatian or Bosnian, which are pretty much one and the same, using latin script is the easiest way to start. Serbian is slightly different (use cyryllic script), but I assure you, if you speak one, people will understand you, even if they claim they typically can't understand each other. That's just nationalistic bias coming out. There are colloquial difference, but not much different than if you are an English speaker in the US and live in Idaho vs Louisiana, or are from Canada vs England, or New Zealand. I returned to Croatia and Bosnia in September for the month and had made considerable progress. Although my tutor says I'm only to a 5th grade level, believe, me, that is an accomplishment with such a complex language, and in only about six or seven months of study. I continue my studies in anticipation of moving to Croatia or Bosnia in the future for a job opportunity. This is an excellent resource. And my Bosnian friends here think it's good, too. By the way, I taught English as a second language to Croat, Serb and Bosnian refugees here, so...I disagree with other review.



4. This book presumes to teach three languages at once: a task which is simplified by the fact that the three languages are, historically and in practice, effectively the same. Due to the recent conflicts within the former Yugoslavia, the author presents them on near equal footing as "BCS", indicating the general variations of dialect appropriately in the book.
   
   While the book makes a noble attempt to explain the sometimes counter-intuitive (from a Latinic and Germanic perspective, at least) syntax of "BCS" grammar, this book, and its accompanying text, ultimately, leave something to be desired. While the author is clearly versed in etymology as a professor of Slavic languages (and in that sense, the grammar is, to my knowledge, accurate), my impression is that the usage is quite out of place. That is, whatever I have learned by studying Ronelle Alexander's "BCS" isn't quite Bosnian, Croatian, or Serbian, but the made up language that American students of foreign languages end up speaking when we study a language from a textbook, without reference to any primary sources. I don't regret the purchase of the book, as it is the only one available of its scope, but would prefer to read a text written by a native of the former Yugoslavia.
   
   I will try to update this review in a few years if my opinion changes.



5. I speak the language fluently, but I needed something to keep me going on studying the grammar. This book works great for what I need! For beginners it would work really well as well as for advanced speakers. Highly recommended!

5 comments about Teach Yourself Croatian Complete Course Audiopack.

1. Prior to having received the book, I was a little worried that it would be too easy. I had previously studied German and found that the books I had been using for that were too simple and very limited.
   
   When I started using "Teach Yourself Croatian", however, I was pleasantly surprised. The book starts out at a fairly simple level, using easy dialog with good grammatical explanations. When used in conjunction with the included CDs, there is not much room for error because the pronunciation is clear and concise. It then gets progressively more difficult, but simultaneously provides the appropriate level of explanation. There are good exercises at the end of every chapter which help solidify one's understanding of the concepts taught. There is also a very handy English-Croatian and Croatian-English dictionary at the end of the book.
   
   I've written a small computer program which I use to test my progress, particularly with the dialog. I've found it to be invaluable in my grasp of the obviously difficult Croatian language.
   
   I'm far from having completed the book, but so far I think it is absolutely brilliant and would highly recommend it to anyone wishing to learn Croatian effectively.



2. I agree with most reviewers here who note that Teach Yourself Croatian is full of useful information and interesting dialogues.
   
   The recordings are also clear and give you exposure to hearing native speech (unlike a few courses which use advanced speakers who nonetheless speak with a slight but detectable non-native accent)
   
   The biggest failing of this course is that it doesn't have enough exercises for practice. There are usually between 4 and 7 sets of exercises for each chapter (15 chapters in total). Each set has between 3 and 5 questions. In my experience that is insufficient if you're learning the language for the first time. You should consider using another course (e.g. Ronelle Alexander's and Ellen Elias-Bursac's new course "Bosnian, Croatian, Serbian") in order to provide yourself with extra practice/reinforcement with the language.



3. I am very happy with the book but doubt that I could caatch up with its pace if I had not had a little knowledge of Croatian prior to starting using it. For anybody who knows a Slavic language or who has some familiarity with the language the book is of very good use.



4. I was hoping for a CD that would teach me the language. The book does that not the CD's. I wanted to listen & learn but its mostly conversation on the CD. You can't really follow along becuase they do pretty quick. I am really looking for an AUDIO language course and am having a hard time finding that. Its not bad but it's not exactly what I am looking for. The price is also right!



5. I'm moving to Croatia in a few months, and I found this book very helpful to give me the basics of the language. Several reviewers have commented on the speed of the CDs and the failure of the book to provide translations, but these are actually GOOD aspects of this course. Mentally translating one language into another is one of the WORST ways to learn another language...you have to learn to think in the new language, not just mentally translate. Also, when the audio content of a language course is too slow and accessible, the temptation for learners is to memorize the phrases instead of learning the grammar.
   
   The worst aspect of this course (aside from the minimal cultural information) is the inadequate explanations of the grammar. For example, the book stresses that enclitics must be in a certain order, but it fails to even mention that the series of enclitics always comes in the second place in the sentence. If you really want to know Croatian, you'll need a grammar book like Ronelle's Alexander's _Bosnian, Croatian, Serbian: A Grammar_.

4 comments about Teach Yourself Serbian Complete Course Audiopack.

1. The first half of the first chapter sounds good and you feel you will learn some of the basics to get you by and then they throw Cyrillic at you. The rest of the dialoges are all written in Cyrillic making it impossible to follow while listening to the cd. This is not the cd and book to get if you are going as a tourist. Maybe if you plan on living there - but not to quickly learn a few words and phrases for a visit. Would not recommend it.



2. Hi, I'm thirteen and moved to the former Yugoslavia with both my parents, one of whom started a job here last year. The language is pretty complicated but this book makes it relatively easy to understand and learn. My whole family used it and still uses it.



3. This is a great book. My husband is Serbian, and although we communicate in English, I wanted to be able to learn his language to be able to speak with his family, and also to be independent in our visits to Belgrade. I first tried with other books, but it wasn't until I found this one that I was actually able to form coherent sentences, and to actually understand when people speak. It clearly explains the grammar, the use of language, local customs. Furthermore, the subjects treated in the different units cover most aspects of normal life situations you might encounter when travelling to Serbia. Even the image of the book's cover pictures something that you'll most probably notice when travelling to Belgrade!
   
   I have to say, though, that I think the book must be tough for a person without any previous knowledge of slavic languages. I had previously studied 2 years of Russian, so I was already familiar with cases and cyrillic (half of the units of the book are in cyrillic alphabet). But I suppose it might only take a little longer if you have not...
   
   I agree with another reviewer in that a thorough study of the language would require years, other books, and more courses.But I personally consider this book the best way to get started.



4. The amazon website recommends that you buy the book as well as the audiopack. I did this but discovered that the book is included in the audiopack. Very misleading. I have not used the book or the audiopack yet so am unable to comment.

1 comments about Bosnian, Croatian, Serbian Audio Supplement: To Accompany Bosnian, Croatian, Serbian, a Textbook.

1. Excellent, quick delivery, and a great product. I did have manually to import the data when I imported to iTunes, which so often happens, but that can be a blessing when the data are wrong or full of typos! An invaluable addendum to the two books.

5 comments about Bosnian, Croatian, Serbian, a Textbook: With Exercises and Basic Grammar.

1. This is a great book! I have been looking for a really long time for a textbook for Serbian language. I am so glad to have found this one. It discusses the different dialects and other differences between Bosnian, Croatian, and Serbian, and in doing so is really a three-for-one language book. Mind you, there are subtle differences between the languages (as they are really just different dialects) but they are there all the same. I think it is about time someone does a book on Serbian language - one which goes well beyong the basics (travel books, etc.) and really delves into the complex grammar with examples. First-rate book! Oh, and I highly recommend the sister book - BCS Grammar. You can find it online too - great book which go in depth into the complicated grammar (and reasons why it is what it is based on the different regions of the former Yugoslavaia.) Beneficial to have this book also, if you need more explanations on grammar. I have them both, and they are both superlative.



2. I found this book very informative....and it made me want the sister book - 'Bosnian, Croatian, Serbian, a Grammar". I've ordered it so i can have an even better understanding of this beautiful language. I've purchased 2 other Serbian books and this is by far the most helpful of them all. I bought the teach yourself series - and it was good, more along the lines of tourism but helpful in staring out, my second book i bought was Serbian Grammar (red cover) and it covers everything (I guess since i haven't read it all) but not very helpful in putting sentences together and learning in a 'learning' way.
   -----> This book here though is very, very good. Don't waste your time or money.....get this one. <-----



3. PROS:
   - Comprehensive and designed specifically for English-speaking users.
   - Plenty of exercises and explanations of grammar.
   - Gives equal treatment to Bosnian, Croatian and Serbian standards.
   - Chapters use dialogues and literary excerpts.
   
   CON:
   - No answer key
   
   I wish that I had used this course when I was learning Croatian. In a way I look at this new course by Alexander and Elias-Bursac as an unofficial upgrade on Thomas Magner's course, "Introduction to the Croatian and Serbian Language" which I was using. They apply the ideas of balancing the standards, showing accentuation patterns of words, excellent coverage of grammatical topics and useful glossaries. Alexander and Elias-Bursac have necessarily added modern touches by extending the exposure to Bosnian and updating the dialogues to reflect life in the early 21st century.
   
   If you're serious about learning from scratch Bosnian / Croatian / Serbian / Serbo-Croatian / whatever you want to call it, this is THE course that you should use if you can get help from a native Bosnian / Croat / Serb to correct your exercises and check your progress. Unlike courses such as "Teach Yourself Serbian" or "Colloquial Croatian" for example, the authors here have truly designed this course with English-speakers in mind. Not only does the textbook indicate the patterns of accentuation and tone of every word, but it also gives in-depth grammatical explanations that often use English as a reference/point of comparison. In addition, the appendices have charts that show declensional and conjugational patterns while the glossary shows the aspectual pairs of verbs - something that some courses and dictionaries fail to do.
   
   It is also noteworthy and praiseworthy that the standard variants of BCS are presented equally along with the distinctions between "(i)jekavski" and "ekavski". All of these help to give a sense to the user of the "fuzziness" of what some people insist as constituting "proper Bosnian", "proper Croatian" or "proper Serbian". The juxtaposition of texts in all three variants was indeed instructive and made me realize how parochial are some "debates" about Serbo-Croatian vs. Bosnian, Croatian and Serbian (which reflect more the political situation).
   
   It is well worth the money to buy the CDs that have the dialogues and readings of the textbook so that you may get some audio exposure to the language. The reference manual of grammar that corresponds to this textbook is in my view not required as the textbook's explanations are sufficient. However, I do recommend that reference book if you want to go into detail on the grammatical explanations of the textbook or get a readable and balanced survey of the sociolinguistic topics regarding "Serbo-Croatian" and now "BCS".



4. I was very satisfied with this book. I bought it at the last minute before my trip so only had time to work through 2 chapters, but even those set me in really good stead. I now have every confidence that what I learn as I continue to work through the book before my next trip will be accurate and valuable. Even the vocabulary which seemed a bit obscure to be introduced so early in the book proved very useful - the authors obviously really applied their knowledge of the language(s) well in structuring the lessons.
   
   The book appeared to be geared more to classes or small groups, but as long as you are prepared to put in the effort I think anyone trying to learn independently (like I am) will find it fine. The little explanations of points of grammar were clearly explained and helped me communicate much more easily than if I had relied on a phrasebook or dictionary alone. Having said that, the glossary in the back of the book is in itself surprisingly extensive - in some instances providing more information than my dictionary.
   
   If I were to make a small criticism it would be that the book could be improved by explaining what the different "cases" (e.g. genitive, accusative etc) all meant in the English language before discussing how they are formed in Bosnian/Croatian/Serbian; it was to some extent assumed that the reader was already familiar with these terms, which English schooling has failed us on! However, once I found out what these terms meant (good old mum!), the way the B/C/S was presented in the book all made sense. It is a very good buy, and I would recommend it to anyone wanting to learn these languages!



5. This textbook is ok, but the layout is very confusing for learning the language. It would be much better if they had laid out the different declensions in an easy-to-read chart. I know this is possible because I have seen it in "Basics of Biblical Greek" by Mounce. Perhaps this method is better for learning conversationally, but it is not good for learning the grammar and language structure.