French and Spanish Personal Statement 5
King James Bible, Genesis -11- 9: “The Lord did there confound the language of all the Earth”. Problems of unintelligibility between speakers of different languages can be largely mitigated by a study of several of them. I was introduced to languages at a very young age and have enjoyed studying them and the cultures of the countries in which they are spoken ever since. I was fortunate enough to have been offered the opportunity to study French at the age of 7 and have not stopped studying the language in the 10 years that have elapsed since.
My motivation to study languages as a general subject area is rooted in my desire to lower the barriers created between populations speaking different languages. Being able to converse with people of other countries and cultures in their native tongue is a talent that much appeals to me and after studying modern languages at university, I hope to have achieved a high level of proficiency in both French and Spanish.
I wish to pursue my study of French particularly because it is a prominent language for modern-day international affairs, but also as France has been ,and still is, very influential on European and world culture. This is shown by the many famous works of literature and art that have originated in France, as well as the numerous French phrases that have been absorbed into English. I have read and admired two of the most internationally-acclaimed pieces of French literature, Candide and L’Etranger. As these two books are from very different periods, reading them has given me an insight into how the language has evolved over the 183-year gap. My interest in Spanish has stemmed from my association with French; the similarities between the two languages offer much scope for a challenging comparative study, which I relish. Spanish is also a widely-spoken language and studying it in conjunction with French will enable me to expand my horizons and will present me with a wide array of options for my post-university career. I have also studied German and was among the top 10 out of 19484 candidates in the exam board for the GCSE examination.
I believe that my initiation into the world of languages having taken place at such an early age has caused languages to be integrated into my thought process, and I perceive further development of this trait to be both interesting and beneficial. However, I not only have the interest and motivation to study languages, I have also proven myself academically on numerous occasions; I achieved 99% in the French GCSE and 94% in the AS examination. Furthermore, the study of two conventional sciences and a social science has improved my analytical skills which are crucial in language analysis, especially the more scientific field of linguistics. I am satisfying my curiosity about French linguistics by reading French Language Today: A Linguistic Introduction. I am also currently reading The World’s Chief Languages, one of the most comprehensive guidebooks for a student of language. I am also subscribed to the fortnightly French current affairs magazine, Authentik. To further show that my fascination with French is not confined to the syllabus, I am in the process of completing an EPQ about the incidence of industrial action in various countries, a task that has given me a glimpse into the state of industrial relations in France.
I find it important to counterbalance academia with a healthy variety of extracurricular activities. I have achieved the Bronze and Silver Duke of Edinburgh Awards and am in the process of completing my Gold Award. A central element of the Award is the expedition section; this has bettered my ability to work as part of a team, as it requires close interaction and co-operation with other members of the group. Being voted as a prefect has given me a position of responsibility in the school and, albeit having to remain authoritative, my duties have allowed me to mix well with younger students. I am a keen player of badminton and attend a club every week, in the hope that I will be able to begin playing competitively in the near future. In doubles matches, communication between partners is essential, and my communication has developed considerably over the time I have been playing badminton.
Universities Applied to:
- University of Cambridge (French and Beginners' Spanish)
- University College, London (French and Beginners' Spanish)
- University of Nottingham (French and Beginners' Spanish)
- University of Southampton (French and Beginners' Spanish)
Grades Achieved:
- French (A2)
- Economics (A2)
- Biology (A2)
- Chemistry (A2)
