By Nabeeh Ndiaye
Photo by Nabeeh Ndiaye
Everyone at the Willow High School knows you need two mandatory language credits to graduate. This means incoming eighth graders have a tough choice to make. Should you choose French or Spanish?
This question can make a huge difference in your high school career. Students and faculty alike have tons of opinions on which is the superior language to learn (or easier). But it’s more than just the language. The teachers, difficulty level, practicality, previous experience, and workload all make a huge difference. So, is there an objectively better language to study?
Willow high school students are split on whether French or Spanish is the better language to take, with Spanish earning slightly more preference.
Out of 54 Willow high school students, 23 voted for French and 31 for Spanish. Some thought Spanish was easier. Others thought it was more practical. Some said it depended on where you wanted to travel later in life.
According to Newsdle, a newsletter for French and Spanish students, more than 75% of American high school students take Spanish, while only 15% take French. These statistics cover the entire nation, but do they match the opinions of the students at our school?
“I think Spanish is a better language to learn because it’s more widely spoken,” said Willow sophomore Iris Murphy.
Another reason students seem to prefer Spanish is the perception that it’s easier, and this is not just coming from students.
“As someone who voluntarily studied both French and Spanish in high school and went on to major in French at Tulane, then get a Master’s of Science in Linguistics, I would have to say Spanish is far easier in terms of pronunciation, spelling, and almost everything else,” said English and Publications teacher Ms. Crockett, “Maybe there are a few areas where Spanish is harder, like having two verbs for ‘to be”. I really can’t think of any others.”
While the majority of students seemed to prefer Spanish, French wasn’t without its supporters.
“I think French is a better language because it’s easier,” said Willow sophomore Brooklyn Perkins, That said, Perkins came to Willow from a French immersion school, so there is a bias in her ease with French.
Student opinions of French are certainly subject to bias and change. Most students answered with whatever language they were taking at the time. But their overall opinion was clear. Spanish was the winner at Willow.
But how do the actual language teachers feel?
“I think which language is ‘better’ depends entirely on a student’s own personal interest and which countries interest them,” said French teacher Ms. Krebs, “If we’re talking about incoming eighth graders, I’d say for level 1, the thing that makes Spanish easier is the pronunciation because it’s phonetic, but French has easier grammar. In level 1, they only have to learn être. But for Spanish, they have to learn two verbs for “to be”, ser and estar. Honestly, as someone who has studied both, I think French is easier. French has far fewer different verb tenses and conjugation that are regularly used than Spanish.”
Spanish teacher Ms. Johnson said, “I can’t say that one’s better. I think it depends on the student. There may be specific reasons why you’d want to learn French. Maybe you want to communicate with your family or travel to another country. It depends. I think that French pronunciation has a lot more nuance. Spanish is very phonetic. The vowels make the same sound every time. The only silent letter is h. Spanish is a little more streamlined when it comes to pronunciation. I think they’re the same for difficulty. However much you’re willing to put in, you’ll get back. It’s more about how you approach it.”
When it comes to language teachers, there seems to be no clear victor. They both acknowledge the differences in the two languages but were both adamant that one wasn’t better than the other. On a certain level, it’s less about which language you learn, and more about learning the language itself.
“There are so many benefits of learning a second language,” Krebs said, “First of all, it can prepare you for different careers that can take you internationally. Second of all, learning a second language can actually develop different parts of your brain. It makes you more aware of other people and other ways of life and makes you a more tolerant, accepting human.”
“There are infinite benefits,” said Johnson. “I think that learning a second language teaches you a lot about your own language. I think it opens your mind to different experiences, to things that aren’t in your comfort zone. Being able to communicate is huge. Knowing even bits and pieces of another language can be really helpful.”
Willow students are extremely lucky to be offered two foreign languages by a team of dedicated and qualified teachers. So, next time you’re complaining about your Spanish or French test, remember all the good you’re doing for yourself. And with, adios and au revoir.
