Personal Statement:Modern Languages French

A French degree strongly attracts me as I want to attain the highest possible level of linguistic ability in the French language as well as to understand this fascinating country better; its history, literature and evolution. The reason I have chosen to study the French language, over all the many others, is because for me the French language is the most beautiful language of them all, in both expression and sound. My ambition is to master this beautiful language by becoming a fluent French speaker and reader.

Last year I took part in the Bristol-Bordeaux exchange which cemented my interest in France and French culture. Total immersion in French language was an interesting and enjoyable experience, one I found hugely educationally rewarding and one I cannot wait to repeat during the third year of my degree. Whilst on the exchange I was the only student selected to thank the Mayor of Bordeaux, on behalf of and in front of the rest of the families taking part in the exchange. Not only does a degree in a foreign language teach you how to understand and communicate in the language, but also gives you the chance to immerse yourself completely in a different culture like this, which is part of the degree I think I will really enjoy.

I am thoroughly enjoying my study of English Literature and look forward to bringing the critical and analytical skills I have gained to the French literature modules in my degree. As part of my A2 coursework, I compared 'Madame Bovary' by Gustave Flaubert with Shakespeare's 'Antony and Cleopatra' and F. Scott Fitzgerald's 'The Great Gatsby', while investigating the theme of obsession. By also reading extracts of the novel in French, I aim to enjoy the book as it was supposed to be, with Flaubert's beautiful and carefully chosen words, exactly as he wrote them.

I am also exploring French literature by reading Camus' "L'étranger" in French, a novel I have found intriguing and unusual, dissimilar to "Madame Bovary" for example, in tone, language and sentence structure. In addition, after watching the film "Elle s'appelait Sarah" and being intrigued by the story, I read the book by Tatiana de Rosnay on which the film was based. I read it in French to improve my vocabulary and reading skills and I found the split narration particularly engaging.

I regularly watch and listen to French news online to keep up to date with what happens in France and to gain a French perspective on worldwide stories. Through social media I have made friends with my French peers which has given me the chance to share opinions and find out French teenagers' points of view instantly. Communicating in French via the internet also illustrates to me the way that French language continues to evolve and the conflict that this change can create. For example, the current clash between French twitter users about the decline in use of the formal "vous" online, with certain older users who feel that, even online, "tu" is hugely disrespectful.

In my spare time, I like to watch French films and would relish the chance to study them further. My favourite French actress is Audrey Tautou as she always makes the characters very believable, whilst bringing her own charm to the role. Thus, alongside "La Haine" in class, I chose to study "Coco Avant Chanel" independently as it also explores the position of women in society. I enjoy listening to Stephanie Duncan's radio show "Les femmes toute une histoire" as it presents current worldwide political issues in an engaging way whilst focusing on women. Joining my school's Latin club and studying Latin up to GCSE sparked my interest in the development of the European languages spoken today and the influence of Latin on languages such as English and French. I really look forward to deepening this understanding of linguistics, and furthering my study of French culture and language during my degree course, which I hope will lead me to a rewarding career involving French.

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