Mr. Michael Heim Slavic Languages and Literature Faculty 115 Kinsey Hall UCLA, Los Angeles, CA
Dear Mr. Heim:
We noticed with dismay that the UCLA Library still uses the definition "Serbo-Croat" as a language at the Slavic Languages Faculty. Please note that the Croatian language existed already when the Croats (not Serbs) arrived in present day Croatia in the seventh century, long before Yugoslavia, - comprising Croatia, Serbia and Slovenia, - was established after WWI. The dominating Serbs imposed on Croatians the so-called "Serbo-Croatian" which did not exist as a language before. The Croatian and Serbian languages are similar, but not the same in many aspects. There were Serb words that were forced into the Croatian language, but these have been abandoned since the breakup .
We respectfully urge you to separate the two languages at the Slavic Languages section in the Library and at the Faculty. Thank you.
Sincerely,
Hilda M. Foley Media Relations National Federation of Croatian Americans 13272 Orange Knoll Santa Ana, CA 92705
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