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Do you prefer English or history?

No Future

17

Which do you prefer? I don't mean in terms of usefulness, just whichever you like more.

ETA: Oh, and why?

Reply 1

Jenni_Kitten

2

Definitely English, for a million reasons :smile:

e.g. skills you learn are more useful, in general a subject that can be used for more things, I personally find it more interesting, wider types of questions in lit. especially - the things you can do are limitless, dislike doing sourcework...

Reply 2

louinwonderland

2

English, definitely because it encompasses history too, and usually the interesting bits as opposed to things like: "Was Elizabeth's Privy Council effective?"

(sorry, am doing revision on tudors atm and it's doing my head in)

Plus, I'm doing English at uni. Well, if I get the grades...

BUT, having said that, I love history too!

Reply 3

louinwonderland

2

Jenni_Kitten

the things you can do are limitless

So true! English is just huuuge, it really bugs me when people criticise it for being 'whimsical' or whatever - it's historical, social, political, technical, scientific (well, Enduring Love was :wink:

), even emotional...

*go english*

Reply 4

Lidka

13

English just seems to involve so much more somehow... History is interesting, but in the end it is facts and dates, whereas English allows a lot more human, opinionated input, besides being able to cover virtually any writing on any topic.

My Mum teaches English Literature though, so maybe I'm a teensy bit biased. :wink:

Reply 5

~Sam~

15

Two years ago I would have said History. Then I did it for AS...

Reply 6

Madelyn

13

I find English easier, and on the whole more enjoyable, but I've had some truly amazing History lessons. I think I enjoy more of English - at A level I haven't studied a text I didn't like - than History (pretty much everything 1603-early 20th century bores me). I don't know which way to vote, especially as everyone else seems to prefer English...I feel like I need to take a stand in defence of History. Mind you, another month and I'll have finished with both of them.

Reply 7

No Future

OP

17

~Sam~

Two years ago I would have said History. Then I did it for AS...

Uh oh, what happened?

Reply 8

Annik

2

usually history!! There can be certain history topics i love, but i generally love all the skills involved. But sometimes we do an amazing text in english!
I loved doing the coursework this year in english where we could chose which text we wanted to do! :biggrin:

Reply 9

dappleddawndrawndauphin

3

I voted for loving both... I vary as to which I prefer although usually it's English on the whole. Only by a whisker though, they both rock :love:

great poll btw *reps poll-putter-outter*!

Reply 10

kellywood_5

17

English and history are my 2 least favourite AS subjects, and I'm really having trouble deciding which I prefer. In terms of lessons, I'd rather have history, but that's only because my best friend is in my history class and there's a better atmosphere, whereas one of my English teachers treats us like kids and our lessons are basically just dictation rather than discussion. In terms of what we actually study, I'd probably have to go with English though because I think it's more interesting. I voted for history in the poll after being really down on English thinking I've failed my exams :frown:

Reply 11

~Sam~

15

No Future

Uh oh, what happened?

We just did the most mindnumbingly boring topics possible. 16th Century French History (which I managed to get a C on twice), the Tudors (don't get me started on bloody Henry VIII), and the Civil War (which was the only interesting one out of the three, and the only paper I got an A on). I managed to get a B overall, and then dropped it. Which is a shame cos I do really like History. The Nazis for GSCE were so much more fun!

Reply 12

Jenni_Kitten

2

~Sam~

The Nazis for GSCE were so much more fun!

We did the Nazis in Year 9, for GCSE AND at A2...as much as I love the topic it's kinda getting old now. Another great thing about English is that you rarely do the same thing twice, if ever.

I don't think they make enough of history in schools, they stick to the same topics all the time, and with the exception of the American West, covered by one obscure exam board I think, it's all European :mad:

Reply 13

kellywood_5

17

Jenni_Kitten

We did the Nazis in Year 9, for GCSE AND at A2...as much as I love the topic it's kinda getting old now. Another great thing about English is that you rarely do the same thing twice, if ever.

I don't think they make enough of history in schools, they stick to the same topics all the time, and with the exception of the American West, covered by one obscure exam board I think, it's all European :mad:

I know what you mean. I did the Nazis for one exam at GCSE, I'm doing it for one unit of AS and next year I'll be doing it for two units of A2! Half a GCSE and half an A-level on the same bloody topic! :mad:

Reply 14

username18215

10

I love and hate different things about both.

They are closely linked as well. Ultimately i opted to do history because i am better at it, or at least i think i am!

Reply 15

username18215

10

kellywood_5

I know what you mean. I did the Nazis for one exam at GCSE, I'm doing it for one unit of AS and next year I'll be doing it for two units of A2! Half a GCSE and half an A-level on the same bloody topic! :mad:

LOL!

Same here :frown:

I don't think i'll study that at uni although its one of modern historys most important events!

Reply 16

Socrates

17

History by far..........

I love it with a passion :love:

Reply 17

epitome

11

English...I love it for no particular reason, really. It's just exciting!
I used to be fairly indifferent to History, but in the last 2 years it's just got amazing. Helps that the teacher's fab fab fab fab! I now love it to the point that I'm beginning to regret just a tiny bit that I didn't apply for a joint degree...Bummer!

Reply 18

White_redrose

1

zaf1986

History by far..........

I love it with a passion :love:

Great thread! & same here - I really do love History! :biggrin:

I like English, was going to study it at uni, then realised that (for me) would be a terrible decision to make. History is just so important, fascinating, and deals not only with facts and dates but with personalities, the complexity of human emotions, and countless amazing events in the rich tapestry of life. *realises this is getting gushy, switches gear*

Gerda Lerner puts it better anyway:

'What we do about history matters. The often repeated saying that those who forget the lessons of history are doomed to repeat them has a lot of truth in it. But what are 'the lessons of history'? The very attempt at definition furnishes ground for new conflicts. History is not a recipe book; past events are never replicated in the present in quite the same way. Historical events are infinitely variable and their interpretations are a constantly shifting process. There are no certainties to be found in the past.'

...and uncertainty is no bad thing either! :smile:

Reply 19

Socrates

17

"Had Lenin been more explicit in his testament, had Trotsky used the letter he received from Lenin's widow in the Politburo and had Russia not been through WWI, a civil war and a revolution, would Stalin have come to power in the same circumstances that he did? This can only be mere speculation, for this is the beauty of history."
-quote from the final paragraph of my history coursework :biggrin:

Do you prefer English or history?

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