Country Quote by Anna Deavere Smith
“Some people study a text very deeply. The people are my text. I study their words and what their words sound like, over and over again. When I was a kid, my grandfather said that "if you say a word often enough, it becomes you." Thinking of that later in life gave me this idea that I could try to become America by learning the words of people from many aspects of the country. It doesn't matter how educated they are. By living in the world and living their experiences, they bring extraordinary truths. I try to do those truths justice.”
About This Quote
Source Play: FTL: For the Language of the People, 2005
Deep immersion in others' speech reveals their identity, allowing one to embody diverse perspectives.
In simple terms: Learning others' words lets you become their experience.
Key Takeaway
Seek truth through listening and repetition.
Themes
identity
empathy
language
culture
truth
Mood
reflective
introspective
empathetic
Type
philosophical
inspirational
When to use this quote
- journalism
- theatre
- community activism
- education
- interviewing
Key Concepts
Sociolinguistics
embodiment
narrative
self-construction
Questions to Reflect On
- How does repeating words shape self?
- What responsibilities arise from embodying others?
A Different Perspective
Words alone cannot capture lived experience; context matters.
![“Words form the thread on which we string our experiences. [Therefore be careful how you interpret your life. Don't think or speak negatively lest your subconscious and others take you at your word and you are hung by your own tongue!]” quote by Aldous Huxley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/039/aldous-huxley-97_be-careful_words-form-the-thread-on-which-we-string_2648195.jpg)
![“That country [Carthage] was rapidly sinking into the state of barbarism from whence it had been raised by the Phoenician colonies and Roman laws; and every step of intestine discord was marked by some deplorable victory of savage man over civilized society.” quote by Edward Gibbon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/70c/edward-gibbon-710_barbarism_that-country-carthage-was-rapidly-sinkin_393.jpg)
