The Serbo-Croatian Basic Course uses a 'standard' form of Serbo-Croatian understood throughout the former Yugoslavia with accepted regional variations in vocabulary and pronunciation. Basic sentences and conversation drills in the text are both Latin and Cyrillic alphabets. The course is presented in two parts, each containing 25 units. Many of the units contain dialogues, grammar and cultural notes, question-and-answer drills, situational drills, and grammatical drills. The lessons are intended to give the beginners a useful oral command of the language and a reading knowledge somewhat broader than their speaking ability
Serbo-Croatian is the major language of the former Yugoslavia. Divided as it is into two spheres, usually but not very correctly known as Serbian and Croatian, it is nevertheless on language. The present course was written on the basis of eastern speech. A Croatian speaker has contributed a central version of certain sections of the text, but this has not changed its essential character. It is however, necessary for every student to become acquainted with the features of both varieties, and it has been the aim of this course to provide sufficient material for him to do so.