Conclusion

Abstract

The findings of this study, in particular the complexity and context-specific nature of processes of linguistic identification, demonstrate that describing a straightforward cause and effect relationship between Napoleonic imperialism and the European nationalist revivals of the nineteenth century is to present an oversimplified historical narrative. Notions of authenticity and national self-belonging were evident in the ways individuals sought to fashion and present their linguistic identities. However, such claims need to be understood in relation to the contexts of individual linguistic strategies rather than overarching narratives of national awakening, as demonstrated by the various rhetorical moves of Napoleonic officials seeking to accommodate linguistic diversity within the institutions of the Empire.