Advice on languages for a medievalist

[rhodeislander]

Hey all, I'm seriously considering doing a PhD in medieval European history at some point in the next couple years, and looking for a bit of advice. First off: languages. I understand I'll need a decent amount of French, German, and Latin. I expect I'll have at least two, and possibly three, years of Latin under my belt by the time I enroll. Is this considered sufficient? What do most programs generally consider the minimum for Latin training? Also, my experience is in classical Latin, do they prefer training in Medieval Latin?

Next, French and German. I currently only have minimal training in French, and none in German. How much of each language do they generally like you to have? I've got a couple years before my (still hypothetical) PhD begins, so how should I divide my time? One year of each? Two years of one, and hopefully at least start on the other? Of the two, which is generally considered the more important for Medieval academic research? Or does it vary, depending on your specific research topic?

Finally, on a totally different note, I've been out of undergrad for several years. In this time, I got a (mostly) unrelated master's, and spent several years in the work world. Would this honestly be held against me? I would figure they would like someone who has been out there in the real world, tried a few things, and decided this is what they really wanted to do, versus someone coming straight out of undergrad, but I know how finicky some academics can be about these things. I majored in European history as an undergrad, and am now looking to return to graduate school after working for a few years, but I'm worried they won't be crazy about someone who left the warm confines of the ivory tower for a few years. Is there anything to this? Would it help if I did a master's program first to get back in the swing of things?

Anyway, I know I fired off a lot of questions, but thanks for any help you may be able to give!

[dr. t]

Seratim:

• Going from classical to medieval is no real difficulty - it's the usual direction. Look at the UToronto master's Latin exam. If that looks doable, then you're in a pretty good place. 
• You will eventually be expected to take a reading exam in both, and the sooner you are fluent enough to digest an article, the better. Most English speakers find French easier to get down, and this means German is often... forgotten. So, German can make your app stand out. Consequently, the French literature is the better-known of the two in the Anglophone world, which to my mind makes German more important. FWIW, both Harvard and Yale more or less expect basic French competence, and their doctoral students spend a lot of time learning German.
• The only real downside to your unrelated MA, assuming you have a fairly persuasive explanation of your change of heart in your SOP, is the quality and relevance of your writing sample. This is particularly acute since you're still in the process of language acquisition, and thus any sample you have will be rather light on the primary source material.

[rhodeislander]

That actually answers my questions pretty well, thank you! I figure as long as my previous experience doesn't keep my from being accepted into programs, I'm happy. I'm actually considering doing a quickie master's in Europe before applying to a PhD - it would be relatively affordable, and would give me a better writing sample, fresh recs, and some improved language and research skills.

[dr. t]

Just an observation: a 1-year MA program makes language acquisition difficult. Sometimes the requirements are such that it's impossible.

[scirefaciat]

Telkanuru has already given some great advice here, but can I ask what it is, exactly, that you want to study? This could make a huge difference. If there are vernacular languages involved, you may also want to add those to your list. Do you have paleography skills? 

As an example, I came into my current program with solid Latin and decent French. My training for Latin was originally classical, but my MA program was all medieval paleography. If your writing sample shows that you are able to work with Latin sources though you should be good, in terms of acceptance (in that it won't be a red flag). I also have a smattering of vernacular things I picked up along the journey to avoid German (Anglo-Saxon, Scottish Gaelic), but I am taking a German reading knowledge class anyway this semester - these are offered by a lot of universities, and can usually help you avoid a test. 

 If you have a good grasp of modern French, Baker's dictionary should see you through the Norman version for most things. In terms of Medieval Latin, however, it will depend on what you're working on.  The Latin I read for my sources is completely different than those that Telkanuru uses, so expect a learning curve there (though perhaps less so if you are working in ecclesiastic sources, T might be able to speak more to that).

i also have to agree with Telkanuru -- I don't necessarily think a quick MA in Europe is a great idea. You should use an MA to develop your skills, rather than pad an application. There are a lot of avenues in the states for this, whether through religious studies or history, where you will have the opportunity to learn the languages and apply them in research. Don't think of this as a sprint, think of it as a marathon.