Yugoslavia was a country in the southeast of Europe. It is gone now — that is why you will almost always see it with the word "former" in front of it, or in a past-tense sentence.

Yugoslavia Yugoslavia曾經是 was a country in the southeast of Europe一個位於歐洲東南部的國家。It它 is gone now現在已經不存在了 — that is why所以 you will almost always see it with the word "former" in front of it你幾乎都會看到它前面加上「former」（前）這個字, or in a past-tense sentence或是出現在過去式的句子裡。

It began after the First World War, in 1918, as a kingdom that put several Slavic peoples under one king. After the Second World War it became a socialist country led by a man called Tito, and in that form it had six republics inside it: Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Macedonia, Serbia, and Montenegro. Think of the republics a little like states or provinces — each with its own people and language, all inside one bigger country.

It它 began after the First World War在第一次世界大戰後成立, in 1918在一九一八年, as a kingdom that put several Slavic peoples under one king是一個把好幾個斯拉夫民族放在同一位國王底下的王國。After the Second World War二次大戰後, it它 became a socialist country led by a man called Tito變成一個由一位叫Tito的人領導的社會主義國家, and in that form而在那個型態下 it had six republics inside it裡面有六個共和國: Slovenia斯洛維尼亞, Croatia克羅埃西亞, Bosnia-Herzegovina波士尼亞與赫塞哥維納, Macedonia馬其頓, Serbia塞爾維亞, and Montenegro以及蒙特內哥羅。Think of the republics a little like states or provinces可以把這些共和國想成有點像州或省 — each with its own people and language每個都有自己的人民和語言, all inside one bigger country全部都在同一個更大的國家裡面。

In the early 1990s it broke apart, and the breaking apart was violent; there were wars. Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia, and Macedonia became their own countries. Serbia and Montenegro kept the name Yugoslavia for a while, then dropped it in 2003, and later split from each other too. So today there is no Yugoslavia on any map.

In the early 1990s在一九九零年代初, it它 broke apart分裂了, and the breaking apart was violent而且分裂的過程很暴力; there were wars發生了戰爭。Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia, and Macedonia斯洛維尼亞、克羅埃西亞、波士尼亞和馬其頓 became their own countries各自成為獨立的國家。Serbia and Montenegro塞爾維亞和蒙特內哥羅 kept the name Yugoslavia for a while還維持了一陣子Yugoslavia這個名字, then dropped it in 2003後來在二零零三年放棄了這個名字, and later split from each other too之後兩國也分開了。So today所以現在, there is no Yugoslavia on any map地圖上已經找不到Yugoslavia這個國家了。

Because of this, the word does a lot of quiet work in English. When someone says "I was born in Yugoslavia," they are telling you roughly where they are from AND roughly when — before the 1990s. Older people from that region sometimes say it with real feeling: for some it means a lost home, for some it means an unhappy time. It is not a neutral word for everyone.

Because of this因為這樣, the word這個字 does a lot of quiet work in English在英文裡默默做了很多事。When someone says "I was born in Yugoslavia,"當有人說「I was born in Yugoslavia」時, they are telling you roughly where they are from AND roughly when他們是在告訴你自己大概是哪裡人、也大概是什麼時候出生的 — before the 1990s也就是一九九零年代之前。Older people from that region來自那個地區的年長者 sometimes say it with real feeling有時候說起這個字會帶著很真實的情緒: for some it means a lost home對有些人來說那意味著一個失去的家鄉, for some it means an unhappy time對有些人來說則意味著一段不快樂的時光。It它 is not a neutral word for everyone對每個人來說都不是個中性的字。

In careful writing you will see "the former Yugoslavia" used for the whole region, and "ex-Yugoslav" as an adjective for people, films, music, and so on. Note the spelling too: the adjective and the person are "Yugoslav" or "Yugoslavian" — a Yugoslav car, a Yugoslavian passport.

In careful writing在講究的文章裡, you will see "the former Yugoslavia"你會看到「the former Yugoslavia」（前南斯拉夫） used for the whole region用來指整個地區, and "ex-Yugoslav"以及「ex-Yugoslav」（前南斯拉夫的） as an adjective for people, films, music, and so on當作形容人、電影、音樂等等的形容詞。Note the spelling too也要注意拼法: the adjective and the person are "Yugoslav" or "Yugoslavian"形容詞和「那裡的人」是「Yugoslav」或「Yugoslavian」 — a Yugoslav car像a Yugoslav car, a Yugoslavian passport或a Yugoslavian passport。