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French vs Latin vs Russian vs German

I have decided to do an A-level in a language other than Spanish. I'm trying to decide which one to do.
Pros and Cons:

French
Pros: I know it to GCSE standard, I find it easy, it's very useful
Cons: I don't find it particularly interesting

German
Pros: It's very similar to my native language so pronunciation, vocabulary etc would be quite easy
Cons: As it's so similar to my native language I think it would be boring

Latin
Pros: Gorgeous language, impressive, no oral exams (they scare me :p:)
Cons: I'd have to self-teach, do it from scratch

Russian

Pros: Again, beautiful language and less people have it than French/German
Cons: Self-teaching unless I can find a tutor, and I think Russian would have the highest workload of the four

Anyone have any advice?

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Reply 1
I'd go for either German or Russian but leaning towards German unless you really wanted to do Russian. Don't do French if you don't like it.

Personally, I wouldn't do Latin because there's no use for it in today's society - it's a dead, boring language. That's my opinion anyway.
Reply 2
I agree that French and German are a little boring.
Latin is more closely related to Spanish but is not useful in terms of career/holidays, and so you'd probably find it easier, but less useful.
Russian would be hard to self-teach as you say so...

Ok, I think Latin! That's my final decision :biggrin:
i would've LOVED the oppurtunity to do latin or russian. i'm so jealous. personally i'd do russian as i know latin anyway
Reply 4
Well you not being too keen on French pretty much rules it out i assume, so i say it might be either German or Russian.

As for the workload German is deffinitely going to be easier for you i think. Russian's a slavic language which completely differs from the rest you've mentioned.

Best of luck:smile:
Reply 5
Just clearing things up - I'm just taking a language for fun, because I enjoy learning them, not because of career destinations etc.
If I decide I love languages enough, I will take it at university.
Reply 6
obsession
Russian's a slavic language which completely differs from the rest you've mentioned.


Yes, that is what I thought. I think that at the moment I'm between German and Latin.

I would then take Russian at university, if I decide to study languages.
Reply 7
Russian

I seem to remember from another thread that you are fluent in English, Norwegian and Spanish. So you already have a Germanic language and a Romance language. It's time to learn a Slavonic language. :cool:
Reply 8
i did latin at gcse, it was wonderfully interesting, especially the literature modules. also, its quite easy if u put the time in and learn the verbs which really don't exist in english :smile:
Reply 9
llys
Russian

I seem to remember from another thread that you are fluent in English, Norwegian and Spanish. So you already have a Germanic language and a Romance language. It's time to learn a Slavonic language. :cool:


Ah, yes, that would be really cool. :biggrin:

Another option is Czech.. Although I think that would be even more difficult - I assume that most people taking Czech A-level speak the language fluently, thus raising the grade boundaries quite a lot.. But then I wouldn't have to worry about the alphabet. :p:
Reply 10
Czech is somewhat similar to Russian, but Russian's more widely used so I'd go for Russian if it were these two.
Reply 11
chevina
Ah, yes, that would be really cool. :biggrin:

Another option is Czech.. Although I think that would be even more difficult - I assume that most people taking Czech A-level speak the language fluently, thus raising the grade boundaries quite a lot.. But then I wouldn't have to worry about the alphabet. :p:


Personally I think self-teaching Russian or Czech would be easier than self-teaching Latin. (That's just a personal opinion though: I learned Latin at school and self-taught Russian after school.) Don't worry about the alphabet, it's fun. :biggrin:
I taught myself Russian with Assimil. I *hate* regular textbooks (that start by "Hello, my name is.." *shudder*) and this was different and really cool, I'd recommend it. The alphabet was not a problem for me, I think you'll learn it pretty fast. BUT you do need a high level of motivation because you really have to do something every day for it to 'work'.

I'd say do Latin, if you had a teacher, but without a teacher I think Russian is easier. There are also some REALLY fun Russian children books and movies around to boost your motivation. Personally I'm a big big fan of Cheburashka. :yep:
Reply 12
llys
Personally I think self-teaching Russian or Czech would be easier than self-teaching Latin. (That's just a personal opinion though: I learned Latin at school and self-taught Russian after school.) Don't worry about the alphabet, it's fun. :biggrin:
I taught myself Russian with Assimil. I *hate* regular textbooks (that start by "Hello, my name is.." *shudder*) and this was different and really cool, I'd recommend it. The alphabet was not a problem for me, I think you'll learn it pretty fast. BUT you do need a high level of motivation because you really have to do something every day for it to 'work'.

I'd say do Latin, if you had a teacher, but without a teacher I think Russian is easier. There are also some REALLY fun Russian children books and movies around to boost your motivation. Personally I'm a big big fan of Cheburashka. :yep:


If I had to choose only considering how much I'd like to study a language, it would definitely be Russian. I love Russian literature, especially Gogol and Nabokov. Everything about the Russian language and culture really excites me and I'd love to study it at university.

I've set up a timetable for myself for my AS year. I would have 1.5 hours of the language I choose each day during the weekdays and 3 hours each day during the weekend. This is not including the free periods I would use as well.
French
Pros: Similar vocab to England, 2nd most widely taught language, major global language
Cons: difficult grammar compared to spanish, hard pronounciation, too many irregulars

German
Pros: None
Cons: Lots

Latin
Pros: Very useful as its the basis of most european languages, apparently not that hard, especially if you have knowledge of french
Cons: no one speaks it

Russian
Pros: Deep, almost romantic sounding language, is rare, useful if your an american patriot, people will think your intelligent for understanding cryllic
Cons: difficult grammar, have to learn new alphabet(not that hard though), russia is generallyhorrible
German - because it's an ace language.
Reply 15
Constante
russia is generallyhorrible


Russia is wonderful! :eek: :mad:
Take Latin, I miss it so much.

The text books starring quintus and argus the dog made me laugh so much.

"Argus bonus est" :smile:
Reply 17
French is not interesting at GCSE I agree, but it definitely becomes a lot better at AS and A2. It focuses more on culture and politics, and the fact taht you find it easy is a bonus, so I'd definitely reccomend French.
Reply 18
chevina
I've set up a timetable for myself for my AS year. I would have 1.5 hours of the language I choose each day during the weekdays and 3 hours each day during the weekend. This is not including the free periods I would use as well.


That's more than enough! I'd do like 30 minutes a day, but that was really every day - no days off.

If I had to choose only considering how much I'd like to study a language, it would definitely be Russian.


Well, there, you've answered your own question! :biggrin: :cool:

Seriously, I am biased :wink:, but regardless, it's definitely easiest to self-teach when you are really motivated. :yep:

The only argument against that I can see right now is that you also seem very motivated to learn Latin, and that's something you probably wouldn't take up at university, so it would be nicer for you to do it now (Russian you can still do later). I think self-teaching Latin would be harder than self-teaching Russian though, even if you already know Spanish. The grammar is at least equally difficult. And the vocab is easier to learn if you can speak with people/practise writing in the language online/etc..

Just my 2 cents. Definitely do what you'll enjoy most!
Reply 19
Thanks for all the replies!
The subjects I'd like to do the most are Latin and Russian, so I think it's between those two. I'll have a look at the specifications for each one as well, see which I think I'll enjoy the most. :biggrin: