out of the blue?

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RedRose

out of the blue?

Post by RedRose »

Hi, guys,

today I watched FRIENDS, a part dialogue of which made me puzzled. here you go.

CHANDLER: You, move out. Take your fruit, your stupid small fruit and GET OUT!

New roommate: You, you want, you want me to move out?

CHANDLER: Uh-huh.

New roommate: I uh, I gotta tell you man, I mean, that's uh, it's kinda out of the blue, I mean don't you think?

CHANDLER: This is not out of the blue, this is smack dab in the middle of the blue


I don't know what "out of the blue" means. Is it slang? and what is the meaning of "smack dab in the middle of the blue"?

Can you help me? thanks in advance
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Dixie
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Post by Dixie »

If something happens "out of the blue", it means it happens suddenly and for no apparent reason.
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RedRose

Post by RedRose »

thank you, Dixie. yeah, according to the contexts, your explanation makes sense indeed. but how about "smack dab in the middle of the blue"?
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Unknownsu
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Post by Unknownsu »

Friends is known for their manipulative English and witty remarks. Smack dab in the middle of the blue is just Chandler's own variation of the idiom, out of the blue. If out of the blue means unexpectedly; and smack dab in the middle means in, what do you think in the blue means?
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RedRose

Post by RedRose »

Unknownsu wrote:Friends is known for their manipulative English and witty remarks. Smack dab in the middle of the blue is just Chandler's own variation of the idiom, out of the blue. If out of the blue means unexpectedly; and smack dab in the middle means in, what do you think in the blue means?
wow! thank you teacher! your words reminded me of something you taught me. hmmmm..I recall, you once told me:"once in the blue moon" means seldom. then in this way, smack dab in the middle means seldom?

but from your above explanation, smack dab in the middle means expectedly, right?

which one is correct?
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Unknownsu
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Post by Unknownsu »

As I said before, "smack dab in the middle of the blue" is Chandler's own idiom. It doesn't exist in the English language.

Smack dab in the middle means "right in the middle" or "in" so smack dab in the middle of the blue means expectant.

Now does the conversation between Chandler and his roommate make sense?
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RedRose

Post by RedRose »

yeah, teacher! now it is pretty clear! although you is always mean to me, but frankly, you are a great teacher. a perverted teacher :mrgreen:

Ok, let's go back to the context. Chandler couldn't stand his new roommate, who was very nervous and high maintenance, in short, a jerk. so Chandler wanted this jerk to move out.... and this guy pretended not to know what Chandler were talking about, so Chandler had to tell him....actually, Chandler were saying:"get out here! I always want you to move out all the way!"

Teacher, is it?
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Post by Unknownsu »

More or less, yes, that is what Chandler wanted to say.
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Re: out of the blue?

Post by ProfessorVerb »

RedRose wrote:Hi, guys,

today I watched FRIENDS, a part dialogue of which made me puzzled. here you go.

CHANDLER: You, move out. Take your fruit, your stupid small fruit and GET OUT!

New roommate: You, you want, you want me to move out?

CHANDLER: Uh-huh.

New roommate: I uh, I gotta tell you man, I mean, that's uh, it's kinda out of the blue, I mean don't you think?

CHANDLER: This is not out of the blue, this is smack dab in the middle of the blue


I don't know what "out of the blue" means. Is it slang? and what is the meaning of "smack dab in the middle of the blue"?

Can you help me? thanks in advance
This is a great turn of a phrase -- I love this phrase. As many of the other posts have noted, this phrase does not occur in the English language, until now. "Smack-dab," of course, is a colloquialism and isn't used in formal writing much, but I like the term because it conveys a very specific point -- right here, not over there, right-darn-here.

The speaker above was making the point that this argument was an on-going affair and the issues that were under discussion were not "out of the blue" or newly introduced but were rather part of their life already.

"Smack-dab in the middle of the blue" ... I'll have to remember that :)
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RedRose

Post by RedRose »

thank you professor for explanations.

when I watch FRIENDS, I am always confused with some informal expressions. maybe it is just a matter of cuture. sometimes those actors say something, then the audiences burst into laugh, however, I just don't know what is so funny.

anyway, watching FRIENDS is a fun way to improve english listening skills.
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Post by ProfessorVerb »

RedRose wrote:thank you professor for explanations.

when I watch FRIENDS, I am always confused with some informal expressions. maybe it is just a matter of cuture. sometimes those actors say something, then the audiences burst into laugh, however, I just don't know what is so funny.

anyway, watching FRIENDS is a fun way to improve english listening skills.
You, and tens of millions of Americans too, RedRose. For several decades, we have been plagued by canned laughter and laugh tracks, as well as television producers who believe they know comedy. Americans hate canned laughter! Canned laughter/laugh tracks insult our intelligence and weaken the presentation in my view.

http://www.halfbakery.com/idea/Canned_2 ... 20Captions

http://www.tvbarn.com/archives/011162.html

I don't know if the "Friends" show uses canned laughter/laugh tracks (I've never seen it), but even situation comedies with live audiences still supplement audience reactions with "applause" and "laugh" signs that are lit when the producers want a reaction.

In other words, you are not alone in being confused about why something is funny -- usually it is not.
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RedRose

Post by RedRose »

thank you, professor. however, basically, FRIENDS is a success.
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Dixie
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Post by Dixie »

ProfessorVerb wrote:
I don't know if the "Friends" show uses canned laughter/laugh tracks (I've never seen it)
They've got a live audience :D
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