This is the first year that Spanish has overtaken French as
the most popular A-level language. As uptake of French fell by 4.1% (8,355
entries), Spanish rose by 4.5% (8,625 entries).
I have studied both languages, French through the formal
route in school, and Spanish in my own time. Learning a language is no small
commitment. We learned our own mother tongues through a process of
memorisation, refinement and correction that we weren’t even conscious of, and we
essentially have to force ourselves to do the same thing again. Yet it can be
thoroughly rewarding too. If you are thinking that French or Spanish might be
for you, here’s my personal take on the advantages and disadvantages of each.
