Queen Elizabeth I is known for many things, like her infamous mother Ann Boleyn and her legendary father Henry VIII, being the longest reigning monarch in the Tudor Dynasty, and her patronage of the arts. However, few people are aware that the Queen was an ardent linguist.
From around the age of four Elizabeth studied languages and was fluent in Greek, Italian, French, and Latin. To learn Greek and Latin she used the method of double translation or back translation. This involved translating text from Greek or Latin into English and then back into Greek or Latin, verbatim. On one occasion she gave her father, the King, a book of poetry that she had flawlessly translated into French, Italian, and Latin.
During her reign she enjoyed impressing foreign dignitaries at her court with her language skills. The Queen continued to do translations throughout her long life, to keep her mind fit and also for relaxation-like many of us today who enjoy Sudoku or crossword puzzles.
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