How close are the Croatian and Slavic languages?

There is no such thing as a single Slavic language.

Croatian (along with a number of others) belongs to Slavic language family, more specifically - to Southern Slavic ones. Other Southern Slavic languages are Serbian, Bulgarian, Macedonian and Slovenian. Among those, Serbian is the closest one to Croatian (in fact, for a long time it was considered the same Serbo-Croatian language). Other Slavic languages (either Western or Eastern) would be much further from Croatian, although mastering one would still help you with the others.

You are welcome. If you are looking for a major, then Slavic studies would probably be the right choice, although you probably want to be careful picking the right program. Traditionally, Russian-centric Slavic programs are centered around Russian and other East Slavic languages, sometimes with some elements of Polish (since historically and geographically Poland has the closest links to Russia among other Slavic countries). Hence, you might want to pay more attention to detailed description of the programs and pick one that is either more general, or concentrates on South Slavic languages and cultures.

Hi! I am Russian=) So, West Slavic languages are very similar to every different. Even while I discovered Czech language I would fully grasp Slovak (practically the whole thing)...but when we don´t gain knowledge of Czech/Slovak this can be a bit complicated to fully grasp, espacially the oral speech. Only a few phrases. Polish may be West Slavic language however I fully grasp ~30-forty% (I did not gain knowledge of it) East Slavic languages also are like, however Russian man or woman cannot undestand all a Ukranian speaks. It is a little bit complicated...Only a few phrases too. But Ukranian and Byelorussian persons normally talk Russian=) South Slavic language are less difficult to fully grasp than West Slavic (for us=Russians) Especially written textual content. It could be very like. And additionally lots of the ones languages use cirillic letters too. I recognise slightly bit Serbian and I may undertand Croatian, Macedonian, Bosnian....they're very similar to. A Serb advised me that Serbian and Croatian are eighty% the equal! So, approximately if a Pole and Russian can speak to one another....Yeah ))hahah we will. It could be very fun!!! Once I had a equivalent exparience... Something we fully grasp, and a few matters seem very very unusual... due to the fact there are lots of phrases in distinctive Slavic language which can be very similar to (or the equal phrases) and mostly have distinctive and even reverse meanings))) For illustration "uzhasny" in Russian is "horrible" and in Slovak it approach "lovely"))))) And additionally after we listen different Slavic languages, they ordinarily seem very humorous for us))) So....the reply is sure. We can talk. But with "Yugoslavs" for Russians it's less difficult than with West Slaves...but when we wish it an excessive amount of we will discover ordinary language))

a major in " Slavic" probably means Slavic or Slavonic Studies - your country probably has an equivalent to the Institute of Slavonic and East European Studies at London university. You could follow a course including, say, Russian and Croatian, with literature/culture/history from various Slavic countries. Go back and scrutinise the website you were on more closely!

In the following link you can read something about Slavic languages:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slavic_languages

others have set you straight about "Slavic" language.

My database below might help you find a credit course at a North American college / university.

Just as close as Vulcan and Romulan.