Linguistic Enrichment
This month, we highlight the quiet scholarship of daily life, as one of our talented Year 11 linguists discusses her love of languages.
GCSE student Vrinda plans to go on to study at Latin and Spanish at A Level, alongside Chemistry and Mathematics, in the Sixth Form next year.
“Studying French, Spanish and Latin simultaneously can admittedly get confusing at times. Cela dit, the occasional muddling up of languages in my writing is a small price to pay for the enrichment language learning offers. For me, learning a foreign language goes beyond knowing the rules of its grammar – instead, it is like having a new and different lens through which to view the world. Language unlocks an understanding of culture and history, and allows us to connect with its literature, people, music and film.
Although I’m still far from fluent, if I happen to be watching a Spanish film or listening to a French song, the experience becomes all the more enjoyable when I can pick up on the nuances, and when the meaning resonates at a deeper level. Even merely understanding a few simple phrases can give me a sense of accomplishment. I find it interesting to think about Latin words and identify derivatives in Spanish and French. Semper and siempre. Cotidie and quotidien – the list goes on. I enjoy discovering idiomatic expressions, which, when translated literally, may make no sense at all, but seen in context, carry great meaning. Learning foreign languages helps us cultivate a deeper appreciation of our differences and similarities. Por eso, me encantan los idiomas!”
All girls at South Hampstead study Latin and either French, German, Mandarin or Spanish in Year 7, adding a second Modern Foreign Language in Year 8 and 9. Enrichment opportunities include Japanese and linguistics clubs and competitions. For GCSE and A Level, students can study Classical Greek, Latin, French, German, Mandarin and Spanish, with several students going onto to study modern and classical languages at university and study abroad each year.