Which is Better: French or Spanish? (Part 1)

Tonight’s Championship bout will settle the age-old question once and for all. Will it be French? Will it be Spanish? We’ll know in 12 short rounds!

Rounds 1-4

Welcome to the World Languages Federation championship match! Tonight we are going to witness one of the most anticipated match-ups of the high school curriculum!

In the red corner, we have the most studied second language in the United States. The Wild Toro from the Pampas, it puts the tele in your novela. It’s the language of Cervantes, Don Quijote, and Shakira. Weighing in with 20 countries and 500 million speakers, the Tornado from Toledo, the Warrior from Juarez. Give it up for the ever popular SPANISH! (wild cheers)

And, in the blue corner, the Maitre D’isaster. Used by Joan of Arc, and Napoleon, it is the Hitman of Hastings, the Dijon Destroyer. It brought you the Hunchback of Notre Dame, Jean ValJean, and Miraculous Ladybug. It puts the chocolate in your croissant and will filet your mignon. Weighing in with 29 countries and 320 million speakers, it’s the Guillotine of Grenoble, the Bayou Bleeder. Put your hands together for the elegant, the refined, the one and only…. FRENCH! (wild screaming – a fan in the front row faints!)

Are you ready? Language fans, ARE YOU RREEEEAAAADYYYY?

LETS GET READY TO RUUUMMBLE!!

Round 1 - the Vowel System

Ding!

And Spanish is first in with a blitz of body blows. Five simple vowels! A, E, I, O, U, folks – that’s it! These punches are landing. Master these and your Spanish pronunciation can be nearly perfect. French counter shots with a series of 12 vowel sounds, and the blows just glance off. With multiple vowels we don’t have in English, French is off to a slow start. The simplicity of Spanish orthography is giving French some real trouble. Each Spanish letter makes one sound, that’s one sound only! Spanish is relentless! French’s irregular spelling and pronunciation is a serious liability. French is gasping for air. Is this bout over before it starts?

Ding! And there’s the bell. It’s an easy call; Spanish wins round 1 for its predictable vowel system! (Read why Spanish pronunciation is all about the vowels at this link).

Round 2 – Consonant Pronunciation

Ding!

The rolled ‘R’ sound causes well-known difficulty for Spanish students, so French takes an early lead. But wait! French also has a difficult /r/ sound. French is gagging, folks. I’ve never heard those sounds coming from a student before! French seems to be hacking from the back of its throat. And what’s this? Silent consonants? Spanish relies on its feet as French’s vulnerability becomes apparent. There’s a silent Z! And an R! A silent T! An X! An S! Another X! AIT! ENT! AIS! AIENT! I’ve never seen so many silent letters in one place. Why is the Academie Française letting this go on? French is on the ropes as Spanish closes in. The ref is pulling them apart. French can’t hold a candle to Spanish’s one difficult sound.

Ding! Spanish is the unofficial winner as the bell mercifully ends round 2!

Round 3 – Second Person Pronouns

Ding!

After that last two rounds, I thought this fight might be over. But French is back and there’s a new spring in its step. Tu! Vous! Two second person pronouns. Any student can handle that folks. Spanish is on the defense. Tu! Usted! Vosotros! Ustedes! It’s a series of punishing body blows. And… gasp! Spanish trips and lands facedown on the mat. French is dancing around, hungry to get back in there. Spanish gets to its knees… What’s this? Vosostros is only used in Spain? Spanish is up again. It staggers. It swings… and misses. Students struggle with the complexity of these second person pronouns, fans. It’s a difficult foundational concept that can’t be avoided. Some beginners are flummoxed and quit before they master Spanish pronouns. We’re seeing vulnerability from Spanish for the first time as French stalks its opponent around the ring. Clearly, French plans to capitalize on this second person liability. We’ve got a real fight on our hands!

Ding! Round 3 is an easy win for French.

Round 4 – Cognates

And they’re at it again! French has had a taste of victory and it’s racing toward its opponent with renewed vigor. The crowd is chanting, “30 percent! 30 percent!” Referring, of course, to the percentage of English vocabulary that originates from French. Yes, French is pulling out the cognates, and Spanish doesn’t know what hit it. Table! Incroyable! Portable! Visible! French is raining down a series of punishing -ble words! Spanish is up against the ropes as French brings out the -al words. Natural! Animal! Canal! Final! Now French is pummeling Spanish with -ion words. Nation! Portion! Télévision! Education! Is this the end for Spanish? Wait – it’s NOT the end! Spanish fires back with its own cognates, and some of them are the same! Most of those words are cognates in the Spanish arsenal too! Nación, porción, televisión, educación. Animal, canal and final. Over 25% of English vocabulary overlaps with Spanish.

Ding! Round 4 is extremely close. I’m going to unofficially call it a narrow win for French. And it looks like this fight might be closer than anyone expected!

Our match will continue after this brief word from our sponsor.

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And now… click on part 2 of this blog post to take you back to the fight!