Working with Bosnians: A

Guide for Speech-Language

Pathologists

By Maja Kantic

WORKING WITH BOSNIANS: A GUIDE FOR SPEECH-LANGUAGE PATHOLOGISTS

A Research Report

Submitted

In Partial Fulfillment

Of the Requirements for the Degree

Master of Arts

Maja Kantic

University of Northern Iowa

November 2011

APPROVAL SHEET

Title: WORKING WITH BOSNIANS: A GUIDE FOR SPEECH-LANGUAGE

PATHOLOGISTS

Name of Candidates: Maja Kantic

Research Project Approved: Kenneth Bleile, Ph.D., CCC-SLP Research Director

Angela Burda, Ph.D., CCC-SLP Second Reader Date

Working with Bosnians: A Guide for Speech Language Pathologists

When I was five years old, a dreadful war broke out in my country. Many know this as

the Bosnian War. As a child I left my home and family, I felt hunger, loneliness, and fear. I heard

bombs explode, slept on the floor to avoid gunshots, and listened to my grandmother cry as she

read letters from her sons that were captured and in concentration camps. But nonetheless, I

consider myself lucky; I never lost anyone to the war and I am still alive to tell the story so many

could not.

As a little girl I traveled a lot and discovered a world that exposed me to a variety of

different languages and unique people. In the seventeen years since I have been away from

home, I have learned to appreciate the need for communication, which not only entails

language and speech, but also is the human way of surviving. I have learned the importance

and effect that culture has on people, and believe knowing the background of culturally and

linguistically diverse clients is the key to successful treatment.

Since the end of the Bosnian War, many Bosnians have relocated. However, their war

horrors have not. The war consumes the minds of many to this day and their yearning for home

and culture grows day by day. Incorporating culture and traditions has always been a part of

speech and language therapy, even when we don’t realize it. We form lesson plans based on

traditions that interest, engage, and represent our clients.

Although, I was born in Bosnia, grew up in Germany, and became an adult in America, I

consider myself Bosnian. My country is very important to me and through these series of

modulars I want share my country’s beauty with you. These modulars are designed to help you

learn about Bosnia, its culture, people, and experiences. This information is intended to be used

as a tool when working with Bosnian clients, whose experiences, culture, and traditions need be

considered when assessing and treating for speech and language services.

You will be directed through the sections, but always feel free to expand upon any topic

that holds particular interest to you. Upon completion of these modulars, you will have insights

and resources to help you effectively assess and treat Bosnian clients.

Organization of Modulars:

Why Bosnians?

Working with Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Clients

Bosnia

Bosnian Culture

Bosnian Religion

Bosnian Language

Bosnian War

Acknowledgements:

I owe my deepest gratitude to my parents, Asima and Jasmin, and brother, Dino for

making this research project possible. Without your irrevocable love and guidance I would not

be the person I am today.

A sincere thank you to Elvis Alicic, a person who has given me unconditional support and

love.

It is an honor for me to work with Dr. Kenneth Bleile, a man who makes brilliant look

easy, and to be part of the University of Northern Iowa speech pathology program that has

challenged and enriched my studies.

Why Bosnians?

Have you had the opportunity to observe, hear, or work with clients whose primary

language is other than English? If you haven’t yet, you probably will. Many immigrants and

refugees have come to the U.S. over the years and to this day America is becoming increasingly

diverse. The United States has resettled more than 2 million refugees since the passage of the

Refugee Act of 1980 (Schaefer, 2008). Bosnian Muslims, who began arriving in the U.S. in the

1990s to escape persecution at home, have settled in many U.S. states. The largest wave of

Bosnian refugees came to the U.S. in the years immediately following the war (Coughlan, 2006).

According to the U.S. Department of State, approximately 107,000 Bosnian refugees had

arrived in the United States by the year 2000 (Schaefer, 2008). Despite the increasing number

of Bosnians living in the U.S., there is limited knowledge about cultural perspectives and

experiences of Bosnians.

This series of modulars explores Bosnians, in terms of culture, religion, language, and

the personal experiences that have uniquely defined them.

References:

Coughlan, R. (2006). Bosnian refugees in America: New communities, new cultures. New York, NY: Springer.

Schaefer, R. T. (2008). Encyclopedia of race, ethnicity, and society. Los Angeles, CA: SAGE Publications.

Culturally and Linguistically Diverse

Culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) clients come from a wide range of

socioeconomic circumstances, educational and cultural-linguistic backgrounds, and personal

experiences (Shipley & McAfee, 2009). Speech language pathologist must be prepared to

provide services that are responsive to diversity to ensure efficacy. Evaluating clients with a

multicultural- linguistic background requires research in advance. Without these

preassessment procedures, diagnostic conclusions may be incomplete or incorrect.

A critical aspect of assessment is differentiating between a communicative disorder and

a communicative difference. First, let us visit the following links to learn more about these two

terms:

http://www.suite101.com/content/defining-language-disorders-and-language-

differences-a233259

http://www.asha.org/docs/html/RP1993-00208.html

Now let us look at the knowledge and skills needed by speech language pathologists to

provide culturally and linguistically appropriate services:

http://www.asha.org/docs/html/KS2004-00215.html

Working with culturally and linguistically diverse clients can be time consuming because

it requires assessing performance in both languages. Each language and culture is unique, yet

the knowledge you have gained in this modular can be applied to every client.

References:

American Speech Language Hearing Association. (2004). Knowledge and skills needed by

speech-language pathologists and audiologists to provide culturally and linguistically

appropriate services [Knowledge and Skills]. Retrieved from

http://www.asha.org/docs/html/RP1993-00208.html

American Speech Language Hearing Association. (2004). Knowledge and skills needed by

speech-language pathologists and audiologists to provide culturally and linguistically

appropriate services [Knowledge and Skills]. Retrieved from

http://www.asha.org/docs/html/KS2004-00215.html

Hooks, J. (2010). Defining language disorders and language differences. Retrieved from the

Suite101 website: http://jennifer-hooks.suite101.com/defining-language-disorders-and-

language-differences-a233259

Shipley, K. G. & McAfee, J. G. (2009). Assessment in speech-language pathology: A resource

manual (4th ed.) Clifton Park, NY: Delmar Cengage Learning.

Please take the following quiz:

Key Elements Quiz

1. What is the difference between a communicative disorder and a communicative

difference?

2. Cultural diversity can result from many factors and influences including ethnicity,

religious beliefs, sexual orientation, socioeconomic levels, regionalisms, age-based peer

groups, educational background, and mental/physical disability. TRUE/FALSE

3. What are the roles of clinicians who do not have native or near-native proficiency in the

language/dialect spoken or signed by the client/patient?

4. Phonemic and allophonic variations of the language(s) and/or dialect(s) spoken in the

client's/patient's speech community and how those variations affect a determination of

disorder or difference is an important task that needs to be considered when working

with CLD clients. TRUE/FALSE

5. Define Bilingualism.

Answers:

1. Disorder: Marked by affected speech, language, or both. Difference: A language

difference is identified as a different dialect, native language, or second language that

results in a different pronunciation, production, or construction of language.

2. TRUE.

3. Obtaining information on the features and developmental characteristics of the

language(s)/dialect(s) spoken or signed by the client/patient (see Language section)/

Obtaining information on the sociolinguistic features of the client's/patient's significant

cultural and linguistic influences./ Developing appropriate collaborative relationships

with translators/interpreters (professional or from the community).

4. TRUE.

5. Bilingualism: The use of at least two languages by an individual. The degree of

proficiency in the languages can range from a person in the initial stages of acquisition

of two languages to a person who speaks, understands, reads, and writes two languages

at native or near-native proficiency.

Bosnia and Herzegovina: “Oh, that’s where the war was”

Many know Bosnia and Herzegovina only as the country where the war happened—a

country of ruins that hit the international headlines for its war and for atrocities committed

during the war. But what about its land and picturesque scenery? We will review the geography

of Bosnia and Herzegovina in this modular to get a better idea of where it is situated and what

it looks like.

Bosnia and Herzegovina is a country located in southeastern Europe. It was formed in

the fourteenth century when the state of Bosnia joined with a southern territory, later called

Herzegovina. Today, the country still consists of two geographical regions—Bosnia in the north

and Herzegovina in the south. However, the entire country is often called Bosnia. Until 1991,

Bosnia and Herzegovina was part of Yugoslavia. Independence, along with many other factors,

led to ethnic strife and genocide. We will discuss the Bosnian War in another modular, for now

let us visit the following link and view the geography section and maps:

https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/bk.html

Now that you have obtained more information about Bosnia’s geography and have a

better idea of where it is located, let us look at some breathtaking scenery:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zQZlwLZd3Go&feature=related

As you can see, Bosnia is filled with regions of stunning natural beauty. Although the war has

left widespread destruction, the country is slowly recovering from the ravages of war.

References:

Central Intelligence Agency. (2011). Bosnia and Herzegovina. Retrieved from

https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/bk.html

RIPYugoslavia. (2008, Feb. 24). Bosna I Hercegovina [Video file]. Retrieved from

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zQZlwLZd3Go&feature=related

Please take the following quiz:

Key Elements Quiz

1. Bosnia and Herzegovina is located in southwestern Europe, bordering Germany. True/

False

2. Bosnia and Herzegovina consists of two geographical regions and is often only referred

to as Bosnia. True/ False

3. The climate in Bosnia consists of _______, and its terrain includes ______ and _____.

4. Natural hazards encountered in Bosnia include tornadoes. True/ False

5. Within Bosnia and Herzegovina, the country is divided into a joint _________ and

_______.

Answers:

1. False.

2. True.

3. Hot summers and cold winters; mountains and valleys.

4. False.

5. Bosniak/Croat Federation; Bosnian Serb-led Republika Srpska.

Bosnian Culture and Traditions: Old Habits die Hard

The war in Bosnia led to radical changes in people’s way of living. Bosniaks, Serbs, and

Croats, who form the largest ethnic groups in the country, lost the trust they once had in one

another. Villages and urban neighborhoods are no longer rainbows of different ethnic-religious

groups but rather separate entities that cross ethnic-religious boundaries with reluctance (King,

2005). Despite its war-changed atmosphere, many Bosnian culture and traditions remain

strong.

To learn more about the Bosnian culture and traditions, visit the link below and start

reading at “Urbanism, Architecture, and the Use of Space”:

http://www.everyculture.com/Bo-Co/Bosnia-and-Herzegovina.html

Wonder what all this might look like; the people, food, and customs? Let us take a look.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rinQSOVUvrU

Being home to many religions, Bosnia enjoys a colorful array of festivals, holidays, and

holy days. As in other Balkan countries, Bosnian foods tend to be heavy and rich. As you read

and saw, Bosnia takes great pride in the tradition of hospitality and family. At present, people

have started once again to enjoy leisure activities that were impossible during the 1990s.

References:

BiHForumCom. (2006, Oct. 7). Enjoy life Bosnia and Herzegovina [Video file]. Retrieved from

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rinQSOVUvrU

Bosnia and Herzegovina (2011). Retrieved from the Countries and Their Culture website:

http://www.everyculture.com/Bo-Co/Bosnia-and-Herzegovina.html

King, D. C. (2005). Cultures of the world: Bosnia and Herzegovina. Terrytown, NY: Marshall

Cavendish.

Please answer the following questions:

Key Elements Quiz

1. What are the three largest ethnic groups in Bosnia?

2. The civil war drastically decreased the overall standard of living, and shortages and

inflation have made necessary items unaffordable or unavailable. True/ False

3. Education is free and mandatory for children between the ages ___ and ___.

4. Muslim women can be distinguished by their attire, they wear full body covering

common in other Islamic countries. True/ False.

5. Before the civil war, what percentage of the marriages registered involved ethnically

mixed couples?

Answers:

1. Bosniaks, Serbs, Croats.

2. True.

3. 7;14.

4. False.

5. 40 %.

Religions in Bosnia: Coexist

Have you ever tried typing “Bosnia and religion” into a search engine? If not, try it out,

and you will see that the majority of hits you get will be related to the horrendous events that

happened in the 1990s. Believe it or not, before that time the diverse religions lived in peace

for many years.

Bosnia and Herzegovina has a rich religious heritage primarily composed of Islam,

Catholicism and Orthodoxy. The Bosniaks are generally Muslims, the Serbs are Serbian

Orthodox, and Croats are primarily Roman Catholic. Let us view section one of the following

article to learn more about religion in this multi-denominational country.

U.S. Department of State. (2004). Bosnia and Herzegovina. International Religious Freedom

Report Annual, 296-299. Retrieved from http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/irf/2004/35445.htm

From reviewing the article you can see that ethnicity and religion are synonymous in

Bosnia. To get a better picture of what this might look like, visit the following video. From the

information you learned above, you should be able to distinguish between the Bosniaks, Serbs,

and Croats.

http://tours-tv.com/en/bosnia-and-herzegovina-religion

As shown in the video, the diverse religions often coexist without difficulty. In Sarajevo,

the capital of Bosnia and Herzegovina you will find a mosque, Orthodox church, Catholic

church, and Jewish synagogue, all in the same square. It is rare to find a town in Bosnia that

does not have both churches and mosques.

References:

Bosnia and Herzegovina: Religion (2008). Retrieved from the Tours TV website:

http://tours-tv.com/en/bosnia-and-herzegovina-religion

U.S. Department of State. (2004). Bosnia and Herzegovina. International Religious Freedom

Report Annual, 296-299. Retrieved from

http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/irf/2004/35445.htm

Please answer the following questions:

Key Elements Quiz

1. What are three primary religions in Bosnia?

2. Muslims constitute about ____percent of the Bosnian population.

3. According to the religious leaders from the three major faiths, religious observance is

increasing among younger persons as an expression of increased identification with

their ethnic heritage. True/ False

4. A majority of the Muslims and Catholics live in Republika Srpska. True/ False

5. Generally speaking, Bosniaks are____, Serbs are ____, and Croats are ____.

Answers:

1. Islam, Catholicism and Orthodoxy.

2. 40%.

3. True.

4. False.

5. Muslims; Serbian Orthodox; Roman Catholic.

The Bosnian Language: One Language, Two Alphabets

Whether you speak Bosnian, Croatian, Serbian, or Serbo-Croatian, you will be

understood by everyone in Bosnia. Essentially, all three languages are the same except for

some differences in pronunciation and vocabulary. For many years the people of Bosnia and

Herzegovina have spoken the same language, Serbo-Croatian, which is also spoken in Serbia

and Croatia. However, sharing a common language has not been a unifying force in Bosnia;

instead, each group claims to have a separate language.

This modular focuses on Serbo-Croatian, which is also referred to as Bosnian. First of all,

let us take a look at the phonemic inventory:

http://www.asusilc.net/scr101/les1/TSGPhono.pdf

As you can see, Bosnian is a phonetic language in which you pronounce letters as they are

written, and every letter is pronounced. But did you know that Bosnians have two alphabets?

Both the Roman and Cyrillic alphabet persist in Bosnia, with Bosinaks and Croats using the

Roman alphabet and the Serbian Republic using the Cyrillic alphabet. To learn more about this,

follow these links:

http://www.omniglot.com/writing/serbo-croat.htm

http://www.omniglot.com/language/articles/serbocroatian.htm

If you have not yet met someone that comes from Bosnia, there is a good chance you

will, because Bosnians live now in many places in the United States. Follow the following link to

hear what someone from Bosnia might sound like:

http://accent.gmu.edu/browse_language.php?function=find&language=bosnian

If you thought English grammar was difficult, think again! In Bosnian every noun has a gender and there are no definite and indefinite articles. Follow the link to learn more about this:

http://www.lingvozone.com/Bosnian

References:

Ager, S. (2011). Serbian, Croatian and Bosnian. Retrieved from the Omniglot writing systems &

languages of the world website: http://www.omniglot.com/writing/serbo-croat.htm

Ager, S. (2011). Serbo-Croatian language issues. Retrieved from the Omniglot writing systems &

languages website: http://www.omniglot.com/language/articles/serbocroatian.htm

Lingvosoft. (2009). Bosnian language information. Retrieved from the LingvoSoft website:

http://www.lingvozone.com/Bosnian

Phonology with Prosody. (n.d.). Retrieved from the ASU Slavic Integrated language Courses

Website: http://www.asusilc.net/scr101/les1/TSGPhono.pdf

Weinberger, Steven. (2011). Speech Accent Archive. George Mason University. Retrieved from

http://accent.gmu.edu

Please take the following quiz:

Key Elements Quiz

1. Serbo-Croatian is also called Bosnian. True/ False

2. What are the vowels in the Bosnian language?

3. How many consonants does the Bosnian language have?

4. What are the two alphabets still used in Bosnia?

5. Name some sounds Bosnian speakers may have difficulty with.

Answers:

1. True.

2. a, e, i, o, u.

3. Twenty-five.

4. Roman and Cyrillic alphabet.

5. · The sounds ɵ (as in thank) and ð (as in this) are pronounced as t and d respectively

· The sound w (as in we) is pronounced as v

· The sound r (as in room) is pronounced in a rolled manner

· The sounds ʧ (as in church), ʃ (as in shine), ʤ (as in jungle), and ʒ (as in pleasure) are

pronounced in an overly hard manner

· The sounds b (as in bad) and p (as in post) are not pronounced tensely enough

· The sounds t (as in tie) and d (as in do) are pronounced as dentals rather than alveolars

The Bosnian War

The Bosnian war occurred between 1992 and 1995. It was an event that affected

everyone involved, especially Bosniaks, whose lives were changed forever. The fighting was

among the region’s three main ethnic groups: Muslims, Croats, and Serbs. The Serb army

attacked Bosnian Muslims, beating, killing, or detaining them in camps. By the end of the war,

as many as two-hundred thousand Muslim civilians had been systematically murdered (The

History Place, 1999).

Please read and watch the following links and learn more about a tragedy that has

preoccupied the minds of many to this day:

http://www.historyplace.com/worldhistory/genocide/bosnia.htm

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G40RiG2EQ-s&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LEm2Ir7LXQQ&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VybVPm4o4TE&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6YYc4-JPU3A&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QdXGSzjJhLM&feature=related

See the following links for additional information about the Srebrenica Massacre:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-K-V_8e7OX0

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RQ8g68NvRi4&NR=1

References:

Puscuta, H. (2008, Feb. 17). The Bosnian war: Don’t forget Srebrenica *part 1+ *Video file+.

Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-K-V_8e7OX0

Puscuta, H. (2008, Feb. 18). The Bosnian war: Don’t forget Srebrenica *part 2+ *Video file].

Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RQ8g68NvRi4&NR=1

The Death Of Yugoslavia. (2009, April 25). The death of Yugoslavia: The gates of hell [1/5]

[Video file]. Retrieved from

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G40RiG2EQs&feature=related

The Death Of Yugoslavia. (2009, April 25). The death of Yugoslavia: The gates of hell [2/5]

[Video file]. Retrieved from

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LEm2Ir7LXQQ&feature=related

The Death of Yugoslavia. (2009, April 25). The death of Yugoslavia: The gates of hell [3/5] [Video

file]. Retrieved from

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VybVPm4o4TE&feature=related

The Death of Yugoslavia. (2009, April 25). The death of Yugoslavia: The gates of hell [4/5] [Video

file]. Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6YYc4-JPU3A&feature=related

The Death of Yugoslavia. (2009, April 25). The death of Yugoslavia: The gates of hell [5/5] [Video

file]. Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QdXGSzjJhLM&feature=related

Genocide in the 20th century: Bosnia-Herzegovina 1992-1995, 200,000 deaths (1999). Retrieved

from the History Place website:

http://www.historyplace.com/worldhistory/genocide/bosnia.htm

Please answer the following questions:

Key Elements Quiz

1. Name the three ethnic groups involved in the Bosnian War.

2. After Bosnia declared its independence, Slobodan Milosevic responded by attacking

Sarajevo. True/False

3. Muslim men were held in concentration camps during the Bosnian War. True/ False

4. The actions of the Serbs were labeled what?

5. In Srebrenica, a Safe Haven, U.N. peacekeepers stood helplessly as the Serbs

systematically selected and then slaughtered nearly 8000 men and boys between the

ages twelve and sixty. True/False

Answers:

1. Bosniaks, Croats, Serbs.

2. True.

3. True.

4. “Ethnic cleansing”.

5. True.