William Jones ya kasance mai ilimin lissafi ne, wanda ban da harsunansa na Ingilishi da Welsh, ya koyi Girkanci, Latin, Farisa, Larabci, Ibrananci da tushen rubutun Sinanci tun yana ƙarami. A ƙarshen rayuwarsa ya san harsuna takwas tare da cikakkiyar mahimmanci, yana da cikakkiyar magana a cikin wasu takwas, tare da ƙamus a hannu, kuma yana da ƙwarewa mai kyau a cikin wasu goma sha biyu. Mahaifin Jones ya mutu lokacin da yake ɗan shekara uku, kuma mahaifiyarsa Mary Nix Jones ta tashe shi. An aika shi zuwa Harrow a watan Satumba na 1753 sannan ya tafi Kwalejin Kirista, Oxford. Ya wallafa a can a 1768 kuma a 1773. A lokacin shekaru bakwai na gaba, Jones ya riga ya sami suna a matsayin malamin Faransanci da Faransanci wanda ya yi aiki a matsayin mai fassara na Faransanci da Faransanci. A lokacin da yake da shekaru 24 da haihuwa, ya fara aiki a matsayin malamin Faransanci da Faransanci.
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