Topic: Serbo-Croatian, other Balkan speakers

[ByzantineSerb]

Are there any Serbo-Croatian speakers here?

[erracht]

I'm Serbian, it's the first language I learned.

[PhosZoe]

I'm learning! I feel like "half a serb" not knowing Serbian.

[ByzantineSerb]

I'd like to learn more of it, as it is a part of my heritage. For you native or well-versed speakers, how hard is it to learn the language?

[erracht]

I learned it with mother's milk, so it's not hard for me. But there are lots of noun cases to memorize in Serbian (and Czech). Verbs may not be so hard. But some pronunciation is hard (like the sound LJ - slurr those two letters and you get it; Serbs of course have troubles of their own pronouncing TH in English and Q etc). I'd say, a challenging language, but easier than Ancient Greek!

[Αριστοκλής]

I'd say, a challenging language, but easier than Ancient Greek!

I'd say that leaves a whole lot of room    - most languages are easier that Attic Greek.

Demetri

[Teodora]

-ƒ-+-+-¦-¦-¦ -æ-+-¦. -ò-¦-+ -+ -+-¦-+-¦ -+-¦ -¦-¦-ê-+-+ -¦-+-ü-¦-â-ü-+-ÿ-¦-+-¦. -¥-¦-¦-¦-+ -ü-¦ -¦-¦ -¢-¦-+-+ -+-¦-+-+ -â-ü-¦-¦-Ç-ê-+-é-+ -ü-Ç-¦-ü-¦-+ -ÿ-¦-+-+-¦, -+-¦ -+-+-¦ -¦-+-ÿ-+ -+-+-ü-â -+-+-¦-+-+ -+-Ç-+-+-+-¦-¦ -¦-+ -ü-¦-¦. -í-¦-¦-¦-+ -¦-+-¦-Ç-+ -+-¦ -ô-+-ü-+-+-¦-¦.

[lellimore]

How much difference is there between the Serbian and Croatian dialects?  I know the Croats use the Latin alphabet, is there a lot other than that?

[Canmak]

Serbo Croatian is basically the same language but it has regional dialects.......depending on where you are from.

I myself am ethnically Macedonian and can always understand the idea of a serbian converstation the gist of it I guess but there is certain regional serbian dialects that I have no clue as to what they are saying.......but I have learned to understand serbo croatian through my serbian/croatian friends.

The languages are all similar Serbian/Croatian/Bulgarian/Macedonian................but there are differences between all of them.

[AntonI]

I can do Bulgarian here....

[PhosZoe]

How much difference is there between the Serbian and Croatian dialects?  I know the Croats use the Latin alphabet, is there a lot other than that?

Think of it this way, the difference is similiar to American English vs Irish English. We are able to understand one another for the most part but lose each other on certain sayings, words and idioms.

[optxogokcoc]

Pomaze Bog.

[ByzantineSerb]

Opt,

   Are you ethnically Serbian, and if so, do you come from the old country?

[optxogokcoc]

BS, I am bosnian serb, not a serbian, however, my parents come from Serbia, but I was born in Bosnia.

[ByzantineSerb]

  My grandmother's people come from Serbian Dvor, in Croatia. How well do you speak the language?

[optxogokcoc]

I was born iz Tuzla, Bosnia. Lived there for 20 years. I had an A in Serbo-croatian. :-)

[Mina]

Hi, Byz
I am writing from the old country, Belgrade namely. I think there is a Serbian language tutorial somewhere on the net. From the linguistic point of view, difference between Serbian and Croatian is similar to that of Irish and British English. Serbian has different dialects too. Grammar  might be a problem, there are seven cases. The easiest way to learn it is to acquire some knowledge and than practice with native speakers, maybe a church community nearby...
In Christ
Mina

[ByzantineSerb]

   Mina,

   Hvala lijepo! If you could provid eme with that link (if you can locate it), I would be most thankful.

[Mina]

Dear Byz,
the first URL provides a number of links on learning Serbian.
 
http://www.languages-on-the-web.com/links/link-serbian.htm
http://www.speakserbian.com/

and here is a site in English on Belgrade

http://www.beograd.org.yu/english/index.htm

Srecno!
Pozdrav iz Beograda.
Mina

[Ivan]

I know Croatian and Macedonian,  I am Macedonian.

[prayingserb]

I know Croatian and Macedonian,  I am Macedonian.

Znate hrvatski i makedonski ali ne znate srpski? lol cudno.

[Sloga]

Znate hrvatski i makedonski ali ne znate srpski? lol cudno.

Nije nista cudno kad si iz makedonije 

[S.O.S]

Nemojte tako,
Covek je verovatno neki Grk iz Soluna (Egejska Makedonija, Grcka).

[Sloga]

Covek je verovatno neki Grk iz Soluna (Egejska Makedonija, Grcka).

Grk is Egeske Makedonije, a prica Hrvatski i Makedonski, sad si me zbunio.

[sunny]

I have a question for anyone who attends a Serbian Orthodox Church. My husband and I wonder how a Serbian service differs from the Russian or Greek services (other than language issues of course). Also, both the Greek and OCA (but especially the OCA)churches are having some trouble with their financial accountability and possible mishandling of funds. Can anyone tell us about the Serbian diocese and if they know them to be upright and honest in the financial handling of parish and diocesan funds? We would like to commit to a church whose hierarchs can be trusted. Don't mean to be disrespectful-just need some info.
Thanks to all.
Sunny

[sunny]

Sorry,
forgot to mention that my husband is 1/2 Serbian but he doesn't speak it. I personally have a deep burden for the suffering of our Orthodox brothers and sisters there. For our children and grandchildren's sake also we pray for the Serbs-for their strength and safety and that they would find favor with all authority so that they could live in peace. We visited a Serbian priest once a few years ago, and he was nice but the secretary and other serbians were not so friendly. They didn't seem to think we should attend if we didn't speak the language. :'(
Sunny

[SouthSerb99]

I think Serb1389 is best equipped to answer your question.  He is a seminary student whose father is a SOC priest.

From a personal perspective, I have never heard of any financial problems/irregularities within the Church, but to be totally honest, even if they did exist, I wouldn't know of them (as I have no interest in the Church administration).

We visited a Serbian priest once a few years ago, and he was nice but the secretary and other serbians were not so friendly. They didn't seem to think we should attend if we didn't speak the language.

This was terribly upsetting to read.  I would tell you, whoever said this to you is 100% ignorant and 100% wrong.  Can I ask you where you live?  Maybe I can recommend a good SOC.

About the language...

My parish is predominantly immigrant Serb.  Liturgy is in Slavonic.  After Liturgy all events in the basement hall are 100% Serbian.  Even though I am ethnically Serbian, I am not fluent and I think it is more accurate to say I do not speak "Serbian proper".  Serb1389 likes to call my dialect "village tongue" or some derivative thereof.   

I primarily speak English at Church and only speak Serbian if I'm talking to an elderly person.  On occasion, my wife and I feel a bit like outsiders, but our priest does a good job at making us feel welcome.  We have a weekly newsletter and he knows to give us ours, in English.  At the end of the day, my reason for being at Liturgy transcends language, so nobody could keep me away with a silly comment (like the one said to you).

I'd remind anyone who has that attitude that you are going to an ORTHODOX CHURCH, not a SERBIAN Church.

In terms of differences... 

It is tough to say.  I am at my 5th Serbian parish (we've moved a lot) and there are some differences between each parish (especially between the ones in Canada and the ones in the USA).  One obvious difference you should be aware of is the celebration of Slava.

If your husband is 1/2 Serb, than he has a Slava.  ONLY in a SOC will you find a Slava celebration.  This is one reason most Serbs don't stray from the SOC and would obviously be a prerequisite for any Orthodox union in North America.

[Entscheidungsproblem]

Serbs seem to take a little bit of time to warm up to an 'outsider'.  Once they do, they are some of the most fun, hilarious people around (and this is coming from an Italian  ).  I am marrying a 100% Serb (which has helped in the whole welcoming at the Church), but geographically we are a bit apart, so it is easier for me to convert and attend a church closer by for now.  So I am 'on my own' if you will, unless one of us is able to head to the others Church.  The Priests have been amazing and warm, you can see how much they care when they try their best with English even when it is not their mother tongue.  And well, my Serbian reads like a tourist help book "Hello", "Thank you", "Where is the toilet?"  .  Don't let some people turn you off the Church by their comments.  Like SouthSerb99 said, it is an Orthodox Church.

[serb1389]

I have a question for anyone who attends a Serbian Orthodox Church. My husband and I wonder how a Serbian service differs from the Russian or Greek services (other than language issues of course). Also, both the Greek and OCA (but especially the OCA)churches are having some trouble with their financial accountability and possible mishandling of funds. Can anyone tell us about the Serbian diocese and if they know them to be upright and honest in the financial handling of parish and diocesan funds? We would like to commit to a church whose hierarchs can be trusted. Don't mean to be disrespectful-just need some info.
Thanks to all.
Sunny

I have some information about this, but i'm not at liberty to say online.  If you PM me, i'll let you know what's up. 

We are pretty good about the money, but there are always parishes that have problems.  Some bishops are better than others, etc., etc., etc., so just PM me and i'll talk to you about it in detail, as much as I can. 


Also, for those who are interested, Rosseta Stone is amazing for any language and I highly recomend it.  It can help with pronunciation as well as grammar. 

In terms of dialects, what people have said above is pretty accurate.  There are many dialects with their own nuiances so you just have to get used to them.  Bosnian people tend to put "j" in their words whereas people from central Serbia do not.  Montenegrans have their own tendancies as do people from Krajina (Serbs in Croatia).  Croatians themselves have their own way of speaking, but is so close to Serbian that they just combined it into one language = Serbo-Croatian. 

That's my 2 cents.   

[jmbejdl]

My parish is predominantly immigrant Serb.  Liturgy is in Slavonic.  After Liturgy all events in the basement hall are 100% Serbian.  Even though I am ethnically Serbian, I am not fluent and I think it is more accurate to say I do not speak "Serbian proper".  Serb1389 likes to call my dialect "village tongue" or some derivative thereof.   

Yet one more thing we have in common! It sounds like my Romanian which my wife describes as 'ca un taran moldovenesc' (like a Moldovan peasant - which is ironic given that were it not for her education, she would be a Moldovan peasant herself). I do pretty much the same as you (with respect to English speaking at church), but one of the ways our priest gets me involved is to have me read Romanian in church - nerve wracking to say the least.

And before anyone says this post is off topic, it isn't completely. Romanian may not be slav but it is a Balkan language (as are Aromanian and Megleno-Romanian).

James

[paradoxy]

Hi! I'm a native Serbian speaker FROM the old country, and still IN the old country. 

Serbian is difficult. Suffice it to say that I choose to write my papers in English because I'm more secure in it, and it's only a language I started learning at school. I really am a good speaker (and 'writer' ) of Serbian, it's just so 'slippery' at times, and sometimes you just can't be 100% certain what you wrote/said is correct.

I'm happy to help those who'd still like to learn it!  Just PM me.

[Aleksandra]

I am Croatian,living in Austria,studying at English university.So I speak 3 languages :-)Anyone else from Austria?

[serb1389]

i used to live in austria.  study abroad program...that was 7 years ago

[Irish Hermit]

Hello,

Ja sam novozelandjanin irskog porekla i govorim srpski posto sam bio mladi monah u Srbiji u manastiru Zica (dok je bio Tito jos ziv.)

jeromonah Amvrosije

[Ctebah]

Pomozi Bozi da se Srbi sloze !! God bless you all.

[W.A.Mozart]

gde ste lopate... stigo ugalj...

 here is a nice slang phrase for all u serbian language-lovers... high time u started learning the slang terms... greetings from Serbia   

by the way- this forum lacks smileys

check on this 1 http://www.pouke.org/forum/

[stashko]

I don't get the slang.......gde ste lopate... stigo ugalj...
                                   where are you shovels.....Coal has Arrived..... 

gde ste lopate... stigo ugalj...

 here is a nice slang phrase for all u serbian language-lovers... high time u started learning the slang terms... greetings from Serbia   

by the way- this forum lacks smileys

check on this 1 http://www.pouke.org/forum/

[W.A.Mozart]

you usually say this when coming to a party ... it has the meaning of I have arrived ... and the purpose is to impress the ladies 

[stashko]

you usually say this when coming to a party ... it has the meaning of I have arrived ... and the purpose is to impress the ladies  

I Nisam Rodjen u srbiji ,Otac je iz raske srbije ,majka iz bosanskoga broda......Srbsko  sto ja zam da govorim ja sam naucijo od roditelje kod kuce u americi..i zovem moje znanje ulicno srbsko.......

That Interesting ,in english it loses the inpressing part  ...  Reading it and translating it into english/and reading it in  serbian  does make sense to me,  only when read literally and not using it as slang....As slang it  goes way over my head.......  

[stashko]

you usually say this when coming to a party ... it has the meaning of I have arrived ... and the purpose is to impress the ladies  

I sam gledo tvoj link ,za srpski forum..ja znam cirilicu da citam a ne brzo citanje, ima mnoge reci slova [words] sto ne razumem kad citam i cujem u nas srbski jezik......

[Iconodule]

you usually say this when coming to a party ... it has the meaning of I have arrived ... and the purpose is to impress the ladies 

 

[Ansgar]

My family and I am going to Croatia this summer and I hope to find an orthodox church somewhere. We are supposed to camp in istria near a city named Pula. I would like to ask how you adress an orthodox priest in serbian ( If I am not mistaken most of the orthodox churches in Croatia are serbian but you may correct me if I am wrong )

[stashko]

The last time i read something about Croatia and orthodoxy ,was that Croatia wants to establish a independent Croatian orthodox church.....For the Croatia orthodox or former Serbs that are considered Croatians now.....
i read about it here on this forum somewhere.....

There is a eastern Catholic Croatian church in Croatia, how big it is not sure.......

My family and I am going to Croatia this summer and I hope to find an orthodox church somewhere. We are supposed to camp in istria near a city named Pula. I would like to ask how you adress an orthodox priest in serbian ( If I am not mistaken most of the orthodox churches in Croatia are serbian but you may correct me if I am wrong )

[serb1389]

My family and I am going to Croatia this summer and I hope to find an orthodox church somewhere. We are supposed to camp in istria near a city named Pula. I would like to ask how you adress an orthodox priest in serbian ( If I am not mistaken most of the orthodox churches in Croatia are serbian but you may correct me if I am wrong )

Actually most of Croatia is Roman Catholic, and the croatian people are Roman Catholic.  There are actually only a couple of orthodox churches in Croatia, so you really have to look to find an orthodox church there.  http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=Ca0Z4y4faey6FRSorAId-zLTACltezMJ3tJ8RzENWE57Okoycg&q=pravoslavna+crkva+loc:+Pula,+Croatia&aq=&sll=44.835422,13.697205&sspn=0.533669,1.705627&gl=us&ie=UTF8&hq=pravoslavna+crkva&hnear=&ll=45.359865,14.441528&spn=1.05758,3.411255&z=9&iwloc=A&cid=7005098522247345934

This looks like it's the closest orthodox church to where you will be.  

[Ansgar]

My family and I am going to Croatia this summer and I hope to find an orthodox church somewhere. We are supposed to camp in istria near a city named Pula. I would like to ask how you adress an orthodox priest in serbian ( If I am not mistaken most of the orthodox churches in Croatia are serbian but you may correct me if I am wrong )

Actually most of Croatia is Roman Catholic, and the croatian people are Roman Catholic.  There are actually only a couple of orthodox churches in Croatia, so you really have to look to find an orthodox church there.  http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=Ca0Z4y4faey6FRSorAId-zLTACltezMJ3tJ8RzENWE57Okoycg&q=pravoslavna+crkva+loc:+Pula,+Croatia&aq=&sll=44.835422,13.697205&sspn=0.533669,1.705627&gl=us&ie=UTF8&hq=pravoslavna+crkva&hnear=&ll=45.359865,14.441528&spn=1.05758,3.411255&z=9&iwloc=A&cid=7005098522247345934

This looks like it's the closest orthodox church to where you will be.  

Thank you for the link I am aware that most of Croatia is catholic and I am not sure if I will even be able to find a church. But if there is an orthodox church in Pula I will will find it