# What languages did your high school teach? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [July 26, 2011, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-languages-did-your-high-school-teach/590389 "2011-07-26T15:06:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![nashiitashii](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/7c8e57/32.png) [@nashiitashii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nashiitashii)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2011, 10:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-languages-did-your-high-school-teach/590389/81 "2011-07-27T10:59:24Z")
America (South Florida), late 1990s-early aughts at a college prep school: We had a choice of French, Spanish or German, with Latin being added in after 2000. The requirement was 2 years of 2 languages or 3 years of 1 language. I elected to split the difference and took 2.5 years of French and 2 years of German. Having both in my arsenal still help me today in my job, but I’m a librarian, so it’s mostly reading knowledge issues for me. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2011, 1:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-languages-did-your-high-school-teach/590389/82 "2011-07-27T13:07:17Z")
When I was in (public) high school in the 80s, the choices were Spanish, French, German (which I took), and Latin. I think they still are, but I could be wrong. ---
**Author:** ![Pai325](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c68b51/32.png) [@Pai325](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pai325)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2011, 1:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-languages-did-your-high-school-teach/590389/83 "2011-07-27T13:24:14Z")
I grew up in a Chicago suburb Late 60s - German, French, Spanish, Latin Today - Same plus Russian and Chinese The small town in which I now live - Spanish and French, and they’re proud they have two. ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2011, 1:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-languages-did-your-high-school-teach/590389/84 "2011-07-27T13:25:19Z")
Graduated in 1991. Languages weren’t required but they offered French, Spanish and German. Latin was available as an honors class. There were two years available of each, as I recall, which combined equaled one semester of college level. When I went to college, I was required to take French II instead of French I because of my two years in high school. ---
**Author:** ![keeganst94](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/a6a055/32.png) [@keeganst94](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/keeganst94)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2011, 1:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-languages-did-your-high-school-teach/590389/85 "2011-07-27T13:42:57Z")
Canadian, currently in high school in Ontario. Our school teaches english (obviously), french, german, spanish, and a view native languages. Ojibwe and something else, I think. ---
**Author:** ![StusBlues](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dc4da7/32.png) [@StusBlues](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StusBlues)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2011, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-languages-did-your-high-school-teach/590389/86 "2011-07-27T15:14:37Z")
> [@dangermom](#): > > 1987-1991. They offered Spanish and French, that’s all. I didn’t go to a very good high school. Better than mine. 1980s, rural Nebraska. French only. Second-year French was taught in the same period as trigonometry, so one couldn’t take both. They did switch to Spanish shortly after I graduated. Damn, that school sucked. ---
**Author:** ![Kevbo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e47774/32.png) [@Kevbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kevbo)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2011, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-languages-did-your-high-school-teach/590389/87 "2011-07-27T21:48:58Z")
Graduated HS 1980. Spanish and German offered,not required. Same toungues offered in 7 and 8 grade. Spanish compulsory in 6th grade. ---
**Author:** ![Spoons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spoons/32/3141_2.png) [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2011, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-languages-did-your-high-school-teach/590389/88 "2011-07-27T22:20:42Z")
Mid-1970s, Toronto: At my high school, French was mandatory for the first two years (grades 9 and 10), though students could continue to study the language in subsequent years, if they wished. German and Latin were offered also, but were not mandatory. ---
**Author:** ![campp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c5a1d2/32.png) [@campp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/campp)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2011, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-languages-did-your-high-school-teach/590389/89 "2011-07-27T22:42:24Z")
Mid 70s, western US: Spanish, French, German, and Latin. ---
**Author:** ![Rhiannon8404](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rhiannon8404/32/17929_2.png) [@Rhiannon8404](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhiannon8404)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2011, 3:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-languages-did-your-high-school-teach/590389/90 "2011-07-28T03:23:57Z")
Northern California in the mid-80’s: Spanish and French ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2011, 3:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-languages-did-your-high-school-teach/590389/91 "2011-07-28T03:29:58Z")
The language of Love. A whole lot of Barry White albums were played in class. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![An\_Gadai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@An\_Gadai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Gadai)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2011, 3:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-languages-did-your-high-school-teach/590389/92 "2011-07-28T03:51:42Z")
Christian Brothers School '94-'99: Irish, French, German ---
**Author:** ![ataraxy22](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ataraxy22/32/307_2.png) [@ataraxy22](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ataraxy22)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2011, 4:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-languages-did-your-high-school-teach/590389/93 "2011-07-28T04:13:19Z")
Public magnet school in the South, late 1980s, early 1990s: French, German, Spanish, Russian and I think Latin ---
**Author:** ![Blackhawk441](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/76d3ee/32.png) [@Blackhawk441](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blackhawk441)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2011, 6:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-languages-did-your-high-school-teach/590389/94 "2011-07-28T06:31:43Z")
Massachusetts, 2007-2011: At least 3 years of French/Spanish required, Latin could be taken as an elective in addition to that. ---
**Author:** ![tumbleddown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e9bcb4/32.png) [@tumbleddown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tumbleddown)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2011, 10:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-languages-did-your-high-school-teach/590389/95 "2011-07-28T10:25:29Z")
Pennsylvania All-Girls Catholic HS 1985 - 87: French, Spanish, Italian and Latin. If your schedule could manage it, it was possible to take German or Russian at the all-boys school a couple of blocks away, but almost no one did. No foreign language requirement but all advanced academic track girls took one, and most general academic track girls did as well. Co-Ed Protestant High 1987 - 89: French or, in 88-89 Spanish. Not at all required, perhaps 1/4th of the students bothered. ---
**Author:** ![newcomer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/e5b9ba/32.png) [@newcomer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/newcomer)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2011, 12:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-languages-did-your-high-school-teach/590389/96 "2011-07-28T12:25:02Z")
Mid-80’s: Middle school: Russian or German Late 80’s: High school: (Russian or German) AND English ---
**Author:** ![PaulParkhead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7ea924/32.png) [@PaulParkhead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PaulParkhead)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2011, 12:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-languages-did-your-high-school-teach/590389/97 "2011-07-28T12:41:54Z")
Scotland 1984-1990. French was compulsory for 2 years then you could choose to continue that or learn German, Latin or (Scots) Gaelic instead. ---
**Author:** ![BwanaBob](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bwanabob/32/2985_2.png) [@BwanaBob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BwanaBob)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2011, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-languages-did-your-high-school-teach/590389/98 "2011-07-28T21:04:04Z")
Mid to late 70’s: French, Spanish, Latin, Russian (got dropped from program). They might have had German too. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2011, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-languages-did-your-high-school-teach/590389/99 "2011-07-28T22:21:21Z")
Mid to late 70’s: French, Spanish, Latin The honors students usually took Latin. The high school at that time didn’t require students to take any Foreign Languages. I took Business Office machines and a typing class instead. ---
**Author:** ![Beware\_of\_Doug](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/278dde/32.png) [@Beware\_of\_Doug](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beware_of_Doug)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2011, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-languages-did-your-high-school-teach/590389/100 "2011-07-28T23:41:24Z")
Private school, suburban Detroit, early '80s: Spanish, French, Latin, German, in order of popularity. There were always several Spanish and French teachers, but never more than two teaching Latin and one German. I took 4 years of Latin. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-languages-did-your-high-school-teach/590389.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-languages-did-your-high-school-teach/590389.md?page=6)