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you had to be better at school!

(in France, the good students are sent to learn German as a third language, and the bad ones are sent to learn Spanish as a third language, knowing German is a marker of class)

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I can confirm that in my generation, at least, learning German was seen as a more elitist choice than Spanish. Latin/Greek were optional and very few chose to study them. Ironically at the time I felt that Latin classes were easier, and even more interesting than modern languages, e.g.: we were reading already Cicero in our first year.

I have studied in France and this is not true from my experience. Greek and Latin were and will be for the good students (Hollande removed that but it'll be back).

The choice between German and Spanish is made by the parents except if there is a lack of German teachers.

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