Here's why it's unlikely he spoke English fluently:
* Cultural context: Tecumseh was a powerful figure in his community and a strong proponent of Native American culture. He likely believed that learning English could be seen as compromising his identity and authority.
* Limited education: The Shawnee lacked formal education systems, so learning English would have been a personal initiative, requiring exposure and dedicated effort.
* Lack of written records: There are no known writings by Tecumseh in English, and the accounts of his speeches are mostly translations or paraphrases.
While we cannot definitively say he never learned English, the historical evidence leans towards him primarily using his native Shawnee language throughout his life.