What ab initio language would you pick?

[MummySallyK]

DS looking at MFL degrees and going to a UCAS event next week. He’s doing French and Spanish A-level but wants to start a 3rd language at uni (some places allow that he says). Would be really interested to hear from those with DC doing three languages as part of their MFL degree. What languages are they doing and what do they think of their uni/course?

MFL degrees are hard as it is. So I’d want an easier life and wouldn’t pick something like Russian or Chinese. Instead, I’d go for another Romance language - so Italian or Portuguese

Not done a MFL degree; but did do A level French, and a Latin degree with Spanish as a subsid. I would suggest German? I found at university, I’d get cross over between Latin and Spanish - ie in a Latin test, there’d be a word I didn’t know, but I knew it was a word in Spanish, so I’d translate it unthinkingly into English, with the meaning of the Spanish word and got it wrong! I would have got even more mixed up with 3 Romance languages at once?

Germany is a major economy in Europe. I did a German adult education class last year, and realised while some of the vocabulary is closer to English (like Wasser for water or trinken to drink) than say a Latin derivative (aqua in Latin becomes agua in Spanish), still there are some of the same constructions in German, as in French or Spanish - ie they all came from the Proto Indo European language?

DD has picked Italian for ab initio MFL degree but is dropping her Spanish so just French and Italian. She's started a bit on Memorise and is enjoying it so far.

@juja v interesting re. your DD as my DS thinks he will start with three languages and then maybe drop Spanish as he prefers/is slightly better at French. I am impressed that she’s doing Italian Memrise alongside A-levels - don’t think there is much chance of that with my DS next year! May I ask what unis you rate for languages please?

@Quisquam food for thought there re. German. Thank you

DD is on her year out so took A Levels in summer 2022. She applied for deferred entry applied to Oxford (AAA), Bristol (ABB), Durham (AAA), Newcastle (AAB), Edinburgh (didn't wait to hear as no-response by early May but her close friend was offered A starAA for French and Italian).

The prompt for Memorise was her Oxford Interview. She then left it in the run up to A Levels and has picked up again with the Italian her on year out.

Did she get the grades for Oxford @juja ? Amazing to get an offer anyway! My DS not as academic but should just make ABB on a good day. He seems to think Newcastle want ABB too but, unless AAB a typo, it appears to be higher in practice. That’s annoying! We will have to look at solid BBB/BBC insurance options too but can’t start on that until he picks his 3rd language

Yes she did get the grades and like you DD was a really surprised by Newcastle's offer which was a going to be her insurance, in fact she insured Bristol who gave a lower offer. Newcastle have a great MFL department don't do Italian.

So both Newcastle and Edinburgh offers were higher than on their websites.

Why does your DS want to do three languages? I’d have thought that’s a mare for year abroad? There are some language experts on here like @Juja @tizerorfizz and @clary.

Italian because I am lazy and you can guess it from French and Spanish.

I don’t know anyone who did 3 languages, 2 is hard enough to get up to fluency.

German was harder than I thought it was going to be. Ich ich ich.

Given they won't likely reach fluency in a third language that's ab initio, I'd go for something more unusual that your dc fancies trying - Korean, Japanese, Mandarin, Russian etc.

I did French, German and Russian many moons ago. I liked having languages from different families, and I find that I can generally understand a bit of most European languages (Finnish and Hungarian excepted) as a result. Friends doing French and Spanish reported getting muddled between the two.

You just need charts:

estomac, stomaco, estómago

cordialement, cordialemente, cordialemente

And lists of faux amis.

Learning Russian seems fairly pointless. Where & when are you going to use it? Tours round the Hermitage and trips on the Moscow Metro won’t be happening for the foreseeable.

Korean a possibility @acjane? At unis in this country?! DS would love that - language would be hard (new alphabet) but wow he would love the culture modules! #squidgamefanatic

True I’m sure. DS never shown any interest in Russian culture either. But Korean as mentioned by PP is another matter!

Yes there's plenty of places offering Korean! I bet it's got more popular in this era of kpop and Korean soaps and SG!

Bless you @Mirabai . My DS is lazy too - so I thought probably Italian or Portuguese. But PP mentioned Korean! DS so into that culture (mainly from TV and TikTok) and I had no idea offered by unis here. Will get him to research the

This is proper exciting! Can’t wait to tell DS in morning! Thank you so much

Ah I love the excitement about this!
Durham does Korean modules, maybe Warwick and I'm sure some others.

super to see a boy studying two languages at A-level and wanting to pursue them at university - plus pick up another. Too few boys do MFL - languages are in decline. Your lad should aim high as universities will want him. I see @Juja DD was offered above Newcastle’s standard offer which am bemused by. Perhaps her DD is at a private or selective school? No matter as she achieved her Oxbridge offer (on which many congratulations @Juja ). In your case OP, your son will be sought after to address gender imbalance - particularly if he is at a state school. I would think Newcastle would offer ABB so worth putting on his application as you say they are his predicted grades.

@Thisismenow2 that’s encouraging as DS has been state school educated throughout. His school ‘requires improvement’ too so not great (according to Ofsted - we happy with it hence stayed on for 6th form).

got to crash out now coz work 2moro but so very grateful for responses and knowledge on this thread. Korean tip amazing!

I’d suggest if he’s going French for A level and he prefers it to Spanish that if he’s taking a year out he goes to France to get his French fluent. Then his degree year abroad can either be split between the two or focus on the one that’s not fluent.

At Bristol you have the option to study 1,2 or 3 languages - and you also have the option to do a third (including Korean) as a non-degree language which might take the pressure off it and make it more fun.

I'd look at where I wanted to spend a year abroad.

I'd also suggest looking at universities in the EU, they are not free anymore but can be a lot cheaper than the England / Wales.

A friend took a Japanese course online from a Swedish university. we were still in the EU then so it was free.

Agree with @sashh and think about the year abroad. Plenty of other opportunities to go to France, for example - do something and go somewhere different that he wouldn’t ordinarily get the chance to.

@Thisismenow2 DD was at a state comprehensive for GCSEs then a grammar for 6th Form.

The offers were I agree odd, her friend - same 6th form - also last year - was offered A star AA by Edinburgh for French & Italian despite being a contextual candidate and offered BBC by Bristol but then AAA by St Andrews. No rhyme or reason.

I agree @MummySallyK your son should apply to Newcastle- don’t be put off by my DD’s offer, last year was a bit odd with the Covid bulge. Also boys; as others have said, are in demand for MFL. And if his school is not high performing he may get a contextual offer from various unis incl. Bristol. I think you can research this. Bristol has amazing MFL facilities and loads of language and module choice. Lancaster is another great MFL option if he likes campus unis.

My top tip is to find a city / town where he will be happy as that affects your Uni experience so much. And he has 5 choices so can take one or two risks and see what comes back.