Editing Thomas Jefferson (section)

===Linguistics===
Jefferson had a lifelong interest in [[linguistics]], and could speak, read, and write in a number of languages, including French, Greek, Italian, and German. In his early years, he excelled in classical languages.<ref name="ReferenceA">[[#Miller|Univ. Virginia archives: Miller Center]]</ref><ref>[[#Andresen|Andresen, 2006]], Chap. 1.</ref> Jefferson later came to regard Greek as the "perfect language" as expressed in its laws and philosophy.<ref name=Boberchap1>[[#Bober|Bober, 2008]], p. 16.</ref> While attending the College of William & Mary, he taught himself Italian.<ref name=Italy>[[#TJFItaly|TJF: Italy – Language]]</ref> Here Jefferson first became familiar with the [[Anglo-Saxon]] language, studying it in a linguistic and philosophical capacity. He owned 17 volumes of Anglo-Saxon texts and grammar and later wrote an essay on the Anglo-Saxon language.<ref name="ReferenceA"/> Jefferson claimed to have taught himself Spanish during his nineteen-day journey to France, using only a grammar guide and a copy of ''[[Don Quixote]]''.<ref>[[#TJFSpanish|TJF: Spanish Language]]</ref>

Linguistics played a significant role in how Jefferson modeled and expressed political and philosophical ideas. He believed that the study of ancient languages was essential in understanding the roots of modern language.<ref name=Hellen155>[[#Hellenbrand|Hellenbrand, 1990]], pp. 155–156.</ref> Jefferson criticized [[Linguistic purism in English|language purists]] and supported the introduction of neologisms to English, foreseeing the emergence of [[American English|"an American dialect"]]. He described the [[Académie Française]], a body designated to regulate the French language, as an "[[Linguistic prescription#Criticisms|endeavor to arrest the progress of their language]]".<ref name=neology>{{cite web | url=https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Jefferson/03-06-02-0333 | title=Founders Online: Thomas Jefferson to John Waldo, 16 August 1813}}</ref> 

He collected and understood a number of [[Indigenous languages of the Americas|American Indian vocabularies]] and instructed Lewis and Clark to record and collect various Indian languages during their Expedition.<ref>[[#Frawley|Frawley, 2003]], p. 96.</ref> When Jefferson moved from Washington after his presidency, he took 50 Native American vocabulary lists back to Monticello along with the rest of his possessions. Somewhere along the journey, a thief stole the heavy chest, thinking it was full of valuables, but its contents were dumped into the James River when the thief discovered it was only filled with papers. Thirty years of collecting were lost, with only a few fragments rescued from the muddy banks of the river.<ref>[[#apsmuseum|American Philosophical Society, 2016: Gathering voices]]</ref>

Jefferson was not an outstanding orator and preferred to communicate through writing or remain silent if possible. Instead of delivering his [[State of the Union]] addresses himself, Jefferson wrote the annual messages and sent a representative to read them aloud in Congress, which started a tradition that continued until 1913, when President [[Woodrow Wilson]] chose to deliver his State of the Union address to Congress verbally and in person.<ref>[[#TJFSpeaking|TJF: "Public speaking"]]</ref>