This study represents but the initial phase of a multidisciplinary
endeavor sponsored by the Russian and East European Studies Center of
the University of California, Los Angeles, the ultimate goal of which is
to provide a comprehensive description and analysis of the cultural,
linguistic, economic and social integration of the Slavs living in
California into American society. As the first step of this planned
cross-disciplinary investigation, the Center recommended the
implementation of a preliminary study of a limited scope, the present
linguistic investigation of the Yugoslav community of San Pedro,
California. As there is a dearth of information of a sociological as
well as a linguistic nature pertaining to the local Slavs, the
investigators decided to treat briefly the sociological situation of
Yugoslav immigrants and then proceed with a more detailed discussion of
the linguistic problems of immigrant bilingualism. Consequently, we have
divided the present study into the following major chapters: Chapter I,
the Yugoslav Immigration to America, not only examines the several
phases of Yugoslav immigration to the United States, but also discusses
the various motives which prompted people to immigrate to this country
and especially to the small maritime community of San Pedro; against
this background the investigators describe the Yugoslav ethnic minority
and its contributions to the San Pedro community.