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Oxford v. Cambridge for languages

Lottie

9

I'm curious.

Which is the stronger of the two for European languages (in your opinion)?

Thanks in advance.

Reply 1

princessa

1

im not an expert on either uni but in foreign languages circles the word is that you have a much better chance of getting a place at oxford cause its not as competitive since cambridge is the better one. dunno.

Reply 2

gringalet

12

I think both departments are excellent at the languages they offer.

As to which is 'better', it all depends on your interests. At Oxford, you have to study literature; at Cambridge, you can completely ignore literature if you like, or if, like me, you have a strong interest in linguistics in one language, and lit in the other, you can follow that pathway. Cambridge also have good courses in the thought and history of the country, if neither linguistics nor literature take your fancy.

Someone better clued up about the Oxford course will reply soon, no doubt – I've only really researched the Cambridge one, so I'll probably be somewhat biased!

Oh, and if you are only interested in French or German, then Oxford offers single courses – at Cambridge you must study two languages for at least two years or so.

Reply 3

PittGirl06

Wow, Cambridge lets you ignore literature? WOW! That's a plus for me since I am not interested in most of the literature but mainly the language per se.

Reply 4

Cassie87

Also I'm pretty sure Oxford expects you to have reached at least A-level standard before beginning the course, which could mean having to take a gap year if you haven't taken all the languages you want to study at A-level.

Cambridge allow you start one language from scratch, which is one of the reasons why I'll definitely apply there rather than Oxford if I decide just to do languages. Although at the moment I'm very tempted by Oxford's French with History or English! :smile:

Good luck with deciding!

Reply 5

LH

15

princessa

im not an expert on either uni but in foreign languages circles the word is that you have a much better chance of getting a place at oxford cause its not as competitive since cambridge is the better one. dunno.

I don't think "much better" is the right phrase, they're about as competitive as each other.

Reply 6

emom100

8

i think both expect more of language students than they reveal in the prospectus. For the college that I applied to at Oxford everyone that was accepted had taken a gap year in a country where the language they wanted to study was spoken or were antive speakers. Also form teh interview they expected a hell of a lot form ab initio students such as having read literature in translation or planned a gap year or booked yourself on to an intensive language course before the start of the year. Also after speaking to certain people (and this could be untrue) that the main focus was definately on the literature and they felt they didnt get enough help with the actual language learning. A friend of mine had a similar experience in her Cambridge interview. She was fluent in french and pretty amazing at Spanish as well but she was told that her spanish let her down, so they are obviously after students that are as close to flunecy as possible.

To be honest there probably is not much between the two uni's just go for whihccever one offers the best course for you. Personally I ma glad that i was regected because i was not good enough and I would have never coped.

Reply 7

gringalet

12

Cassie87

Also I'm pretty sure Oxford expects you to have reached at least A-level standard before beginning the course, which could mean having to take a gap year if you haven't taken all the languages you want to study at A-level.

Cambridge allow you start one language from scratch, which is one of the reasons why I'll definitely apply there rather than Oxford if I decide just to do languages. Although at the moment I'm very tempted by Oxford's French with History or English! :smile:

Good luck with deciding!

Yeah, Oxford expects you to make up most languages – Spanish and Italian especially come to mind – but not the more 'obscure' ones, like Czech and Modern Greek. Cambridge do seem to encourage ab initio learning more, somehow.

PittGirl06

Wow, Cambridge lets you ignore literature? WOW! That's a plus for me since I am not interested in most of the literature but mainly the language per se.

Yup! Well, to an extent, at least. I've applied there for ab initio Modern Greek, and for the first two years I would only be able to take literature-history-culture papers. I'm sure for the more 'usual' languages, it would be possible to ignore literature completely...but then you'd need a strong interest in linguistics and/or history.

Reply 8

WhatFreshHell?

2

Well I applied to Oxford (Exeter) for langauges and alot of the applicants were all but fluent in the langauges - I applied to Oxford because I was really intereted in the literature of France and Germany. I am interested in language and linguistics etc, but learning two additional languages would really have been bonuses to me; my real priority would have been literature.
To this extent I think I misjudged the degree to which the Oxford course is literary; they seemed to place a lot of weight on grammar and linguisitic skills - i underperformed (dismally) in the spoken part of my interview, and my grammar tests went really badly (40% in French, 35% in German), and I think they're the reason I'm about to be rejected. Oxford want people who are accomplished linguists AND have a real passion for literature (I only fulfilled the second), whereas, as I understand it, Cambridge want people who can excell linguistically to the highest degree, and if they have an interest in lit, then that;s a bonus.
One of the things to remember when you're applying to Oxbridge for langs is that lots of people there will have spoken the langauge a lot more than just in the classroom; other applicants when I went for interview had lived all over Europe and some spoke other languages (apart from those for which they were applying). It really is quite daunting if no-one else in your family speaks the lanaguge and you've only reached A-level standard from your own hard work.
That's only my personal take on it; I do, of course, know nothing.

Reply 9

gringalet

12

WhatFreshHell?

...whereas, as I understand it, Cambridge want people who can excell linguistically to the highest degree, and if they have an interest in lit, then that;s a bonus.

I'm not incredibly sure on that. Yes, they want people who are able linguistically, but I think studying languages at any university requires something more than just being able to manipulate grammar and mimic accents.

Reply 10

Lottie

OP

9

Thank you all for your comments.

I feel a little more enlightened now. :biggrin:

Reply 11

WhatFreshHell?

2

gringalet

I'm not incredibly sure on that. Yes, they want people who are able linguistically, but I think studying languages at any university requires something more than just being able to manipulate grammar and mimic accents.

That's true I think, I'm just trying to differentiate between the two courses, and I mean, really, how much of a difference can there be?

Oxford's course places a greater emphasis on literatrure. That's really all there is to distinguish, unless you're going to get into the fine points of the courses' structures.

Reply 12

gringalet

12

WhatFreshHell?

That's true I think, I'm just trying to differentiate between the two courses, and I mean, really, how much of a difference can there be?

Oxford's course places a greater emphasis on literatrure. That's really all there is to distinguish, unless you're going to get into the fine points of the courses' structures.

I second that.

Really, if you're completely turned off by literature, then apply to Cambridge. If you enjoy literature, apply to either – then make your decision according to languages on offer, and investigate courses further. In the end, they're both great courses!

Reply 13

priya

14

word of caution though: if u hate literature but want to do an ab initio course, especially italian (may not work in the same way for other ab initio langs) then ur screwed with oxbridge- my ab initio italian course includes a compulsory element on both modern and medieval literature (parallel texts though, so it isn't impossible!) not all post A-level options will offer more than 2 choices as well; in the case of spanish i think u can only do either lit or linguistics, and the same goes for french: german and russian are good in the sense that u can choose history options if those tickle ur fancy instead

one advantage with the oxford course, it has to be said, is that u could always start off doing two langs/one lang and something else, and drop down to one if its not going well: with cambridge u have to do both languages for 2 years before specialising

Oxford v. Cambridge for languages

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