He recognized that the message was in French. Where I live in Colorado there are many Spanish-speaking people who have lived here for awhile, yet they don't speak English. Their children are often bi-lingual and translate for their parents and the children often attend bi-lingual schools. My point is that if Sayid were hanging around in an Iraqi neighborhood or group, not intending to want to live there permanently, but just moving through and working to earn some money, maybe he could understand basic French, but not the crazy fish song and Danielle's mysterious writings.

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`Dear, dear! How queer everything is to-day! And yesterday things went on just as usual. I wonder if I've been changed in the night? Let me think: was I the same when I got up this morning? I almost think I can remember feeling a little different. But if I'm not the same, the next question is, Who in the world am I? Ah, that's the great puzzle!'

-- Alice, from “Alice’s Adventure’s in Wonderland”