Like many learners of English before and since, Napoleon found English irregular verbs difficult to master, and was misled by 'faux amis' or 'false friends', words that look the same in two languages, but mean different things.
Fragments from a notebook used by Napoleon while he was in exile in St Helena at the end of his life are being auctioned in Paris this weekend. They contain his attempts to learn English. One fragment has 'run, runned, running' and on another he translates the French Qu'est-ce qui était arrivé? as 'what is it that arrived?' instead of 'what had happened?'. He was taught English by the atlas-maker the Comte de Las Cases, his companion in exile on St Helena.
Story here.
Sad Irony - I am certain that assimilating the English language was the last thing on his mind during his exile.
Posted by: Alexander Zilo | August 07, 2011 at 11:33 PM
Yes, indeed. Thanks for dropping by and reading.
Posted by: Virtual Linguist | August 08, 2011 at 02:08 PM
I am glad to here that someone like Napoleon also struggled with the English Language, it is a difficult one to master.
Posted by: Mia | October 31, 2011 at 12:20 PM
Some useful facts about Napolean...he did well to grab the essentials of English language but eventually failed to master it.
Posted by: Learn English | November 24, 2011 at 06:57 AM
Great post I like it. In fact I in search of this kind of post. It's very interesting and reading deeply.
Posted by: Online Silicone Watch Shop | January 04, 2013 at 06:07 PM