--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I'd hoped the language might come on its…" description: "\"“I'd hoped the language might come on its own, the way it comes to babies, but people don't talk to foreigners the way they talk to babies. They don't ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e0c/david-sedaris-333_fair-share_i-d-hoped-the-language-might-come-on-its_1436309.png" --- # I'd hoped the language might come on its own, the way it… ![“I'd hoped the language might come on its own, the way it comes to babies, but people don't talk to foreigners the way they talk to babies. They don't hypnotize you with bright objects and repeat the same words over and over, handing out little treats when you finally say "potty" or "wawa." It got…” quote by David Sedaris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e0c/david-sedaris-333_fair-share_i-d-hoped-the-language-might-come-on-its_1436309.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e0c/david-sedaris-333_fair-share_i-d-hoped-the-language-might-come-on-its_1436309.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e0c/david-sedaris-333_fair-share_i-d-hoped-the-language-might-come-on-its_1436309.png) > ““I'd hoped the language might come on its own, the way it comes to babies, but people don't talk to foreigners the way they talk to babies. They don't hypnotize you with bright objects and repeat the same words over and over, handing out little treats when you finally say "potty" or "wawa." It got to the point where I'd see a baby in the bakery or grocery store and instinctively ball up my fists, jealous over how easy he had it. I wanted to lie in a French crib and start from scratch, learning the language from the ground floor up. I wanted to be a baby, but instead, I was an adult who talked like one, a spooky man-child demanding more than his fair share of attention. Rather than admit defeat, I decided to change my goals. I told myself that I'd never really cared about learning the language. My main priority was to get the house in shape. The verbs would come in due time, but until then I needed a comfortable place to hide. ”” [David Sedaris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sedaris/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Learning a language as an adult feels like regressing to infancy, revealing frustration and the need for new strategies. **In simple terms:** Adult language learning feels like being a baby again. Key Takeaway Adopt patient, incremental learning methods. Themes language learning frustration identity growth patience Mood humorous reflective empathetic Type personal motivational When to use this quote - traveling abroad - language classes - self‑study - cultural immersion - expat life Key Concepts Cognitive psychology second‑language acquisition humor Questions to Reflect On - What new approach can replace the “baby” mindset? - How can you balance humility with confidence? A Different Perspective Adult learners may feel embarrassed by their vulnerability. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Fair share](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fair-share/) [Grocery store](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/grocery-store/) [Learning language](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/learning-language/) ## Related quotes > [“It is to be hoped, indeed, that LANGUAGE, here as elsewhere, will not get over its awkwardness, and that it will continue to talk…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/it-is-to-be-hoped-indeed-that-language-here-as-elsewhere-will-not-get/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [“So you thought you'd go to a party where you could talk about babies and weddings and houses all night. 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Dallocchio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-b-dallocchio/) > [“Learning a language is not interesting than knowing how it works.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritesh-shrivastav/learning-a-language-is-not-interesting-than-knowing-how-it-works/) Ritesh Shrivastav > [I love learning language and ideas that I didn't know before and making them sound like my own.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-mccormack/i-love-learning-language-and-ideas-that-i-didn-t-know-before-and/) [Eric McCormack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-mccormack/) > [Knowledge of languages is the doorway to wisdom.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-bacon/knowledge-of-languages-is-the-doorway-to-wisdom/) [Roger Bacon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-bacon/) > [I never found accents difficult, after learning languages.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vivien-leigh/i-never-found-accents-difficult-after-learning-languages/) [Vivien Leigh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vivien-leigh/) ## More by David Sedaris > [“Plenty of animals had pets, but few were more devoted than the mouse, who owned a baby corn snake—“A rescue snake, she’d be quick…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sedaris/plenty-of-animals-had-pets-but-few-were-more-devoted-than-the-mouse/) [David Sedaris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sedaris/) > [“never fall asleep in a Dumpster, never underestimate a bee, never drive a convertible behind a flatbed truck, never get old, never get drunk…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sedaris/never-fall-asleep-in-a-dumpster-never-underestimate-a-bee-never-drive/) [David Sedaris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sedaris/) > [“It was a father, one hand resting teapot-style on his hip, and the other - what would be the spout - formed into a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sedaris/it-was-a-father-one-hand-resting-teapot-style-on-his-hip-and-the/) [David Sedaris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sedaris/) > [“A Japanese woman we’d met in Paris came to the apartment yesterday and spent several hours explaining our appliances. 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Out there with your thumb in the air—not a care in the world, just grabbing whatever you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sedaris/you-just-take-and-take-don-t-you-out-there-with-your-thumb-in-the-air/) [David Sedaris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sedaris/) > [In other parts of the country people tried to stay together for the sake of the children. In New York they tried to work…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sedaris/in-other-parts-of-the-country-people-tried-to-stay-together-for-the/) [David Sedaris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sedaris/) > [My boyfriend got me a computer three years ago. I'll admit it does make things a lot easier. When I was working on a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sedaris/my-boyfriend-got-me-a-computer-three-years-ago-i-ll-admit-it-does/) [David Sedaris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sedaris/) > [I spent months searching for some secret code before I realized that common sense has nothing to do with it. 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That's where I first…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-yelich/i-ve-definitely-been-to-my-fair-share-of-dodger-games-growing-up-didn/) [Christian Yelich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-yelich/) > [Waco is such a resilient town... this city has seen its fair share of hardships, but it always bounces back better and stronger.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joanna-gaines/waco-is-such-a-resilient-town-this-city-has-seen-its-fair-share-of/) [Joanna Gaines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joanna-gaines/) > [I want my fair share and thats All of it!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-palast/i-want-my-fair-share-and-thats-all-of-it/) [Greg Palast](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-palast/) > [“I would never get used to how gorgeous he was or the effect he had on me besides just intimidating the hell out of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sloane-kennedy/i-would-never-get-used-to-how-gorgeous-he-was-or-the-effect-he-had-on/) [Sloane Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sloane-kennedy/) > [I mean, I've had my fair share of heartbreak.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-barrera/i-mean-i-ve-had-my-fair-share-of-heartbreak/) [Melissa Barrera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-barrera/) > [I've done my fair share of fundraising over the years, and I know how difficult that can be, so I could only imagine people's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-shenton/i-ve-done-my-fair-share-of-fundraising-over-the-years-and-i-know-how/) [Rachel Shenton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-shenton/) > [I've played my fair share of unpleasant character, and I have to tell you that you sleep better when you're playing fun characters. You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-d-arcy/i-ve-played-my-fair-share-of-unpleasant-character-and-i-have-to-tell/) [James D'arcy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-d-arcy/) > [Frequent risk-takers have had their fair shares of failures and successes, hence, being confident in reaching their goals, they will usually seem insensitive to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/criss-jami/frequent-risk-takers-have-had-their-fair-shares-of-failures-and/) [Criss Jami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/criss-jami/) > [I've had my fair share of words being twisted and articles being sliced and diced.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shooter-jennings/i-ve-had-my-fair-share-of-words-being-twisted-and-articles-being/) [Shooter Jennings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shooter-jennings/) > [“We prefer when you walk around instead of through us. 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