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August 8, 2013 4:30 am  #1


An English/cultural question again.

Again, English is not my mother tongue. And maybe that's why the lines in Sherlock fascinate me so much. 

Today I want to ask a SERIOUS question about John's famous line: "Oh God, yes!"...Is that a normal response in that context? If I want to use this sentence, when is the appropriate timing?

And please, please answer the question without shipping as possible as you can. Thank you. I want to learn proper English here, seriously. Please.   


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“Why,” said I, glancing up at my companion, “that was surely the bell? Who could come to-night? Some friends of yours, perhaps?”

“Except yourself I have none,” he answered.

—Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, The Five Orange PipsThe Adventures of Sherlock Holms
 

August 8, 2013 7:09 am  #2


Re: An English/cultural question again.

It's a very enthusiastic response to the question. For example you likely wouldn't say 'Oh. God. Yes.' as a response to questions like 'would like to clean the whole house?'
But yes if you wanted to response VERY positively to a question you could use it as an answer.


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August 8, 2013 9:49 am  #3


Re: An English/cultural question again.

Thank you, Michele. Then I want to ask a further question. Is it normal for John to be that enthusiastic? I mean, doesn't John's response sound a little bit bloodthirsty or something?


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“Why,” said I, glancing up at my companion, “that was surely the bell? Who could come to-night? Some friends of yours, perhaps?”

“Except yourself I have none,” he answered.

—Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, The Five Orange PipsThe Adventures of Sherlock Holms
     Thread Starter
 

August 8, 2013 2:37 pm  #4


Re: An English/cultural question again.

Not bloodthirsty as such but definitely very keen.


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Don't make people into heroes John. Heroes don't exist and if they did I wouldn't be one of them.
 

August 8, 2013 2:42 pm  #5


Re: An English/cultural question again.

Mycroft figures out that John misses the war. Living and working with Sherlock gives John a new war to fight, and he enjoys the thrill of it like Sherlock does.


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Dean - "I'm not happy about it. But I got to move on. So I'm gonna keep doing what we do...while I still can. And I'd like you to be there with me."

Sam - "I'm your brother, Dean, if you ever need to talk about anything with anybody, you got someone right here next to you."


 

August 8, 2013 8:57 pm  #6


Re: An English/cultural question again.

Neat question!   And yeah.... in any language, probably tough picking up non-typical phrases/the tones/slang/particular responses to things.  The others were right, but just wanted to add my two cents, too.

You're right... it IS a strange response to such a question.  "Normal"/Most people, when asked if want to see a dead body, would be all 'What??  Are you serious?'  (well, okay, their occupation and the particular situation would of course make a difference, but you see what I mean!)  The point is, it's part of Sherlock's job, but not really something John would expect to be involved in anymore.  In fact, you would think after coming home injured from a war filled with that kind of thing, that he would avoid it.  But that's what Sherlock and Mycroft both immediately deduced about him.  That he missed the action.  Mycroft points it right out, due to him happily following Sherlock to a crime scene, and Sherlock starts by commenting on whether John was a good doctor, and how much he probably saw.  Are you sure you want to see more bad stuff? he says (probably knowing he does!).  And John is bored and alone.  No, a dead body is not a good thing to be happy about, but the opportunity is.  Of course he wants to go with this strange, intriguing man and possibly be of help with his skills.  Oh, god, yes.  Much more enthusiastic than a simple yes, and the way he says it makes it clear he understands he's going along to help DO something.

In regular old life without perfectly-scripted tv lines, of course, I'd probably be compelled to say it as a particular kind of emphasis, of course.  Like others said, you probably wouldn't answer that if someone asked if you wanted to clean the whole house (unless you were being sarcastic!), but, say, if I were starving and my friend finally showed up and asked if I was ready to get dinner, I might feel compelled to not use just a simple yes, but 'Oh, god, yes!'  Surely you have your own varying degrees of emphasis for phrases like that? 


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We solve crimes, I blog about it, and he forgets his pants.  I wouldn't hold out too much hope!

Just this morning you were all tiny and small and made of clay!

I'm working my way up the greasy pole.  It's… very greasy.  And…  pole-shaped.
 

August 8, 2013 9:08 pm  #7


Re: An English/cultural question again.

When I was spending part of my summer with my friends in Tasmania (Australia), I asked my friends one day "Why do you add an "r" in between words where the first ends in a vowel sound and the second starts with a vowel sound?"  And my friend was absolutely astonished that she actually DID that...she never once noticed it XD  Example "I saw(r) it" or "Tasmania(r) and".  I think different accents are cool, along with different words.  I'm so used to British/Australian word differences (from my Aussie friends and British boss) that I almost don't notice it anymore (and I'm a country girl from Tennessee living in Pennsylvania ^^).  I will say that I love the British pronunciation of "privacy"...don't know why, I just do XD  Although I prefer the American pronunciation of French loan words...like "fillet" or "herb".

And yes, I'm a bit of a linguist, lol.

And no no NO to Marmite and Vegemite.  Blech XP

Last edited by sj4iy (August 8, 2013 9:14 pm)


__________________________________________________________________Bigby: Will you shut up?
Colin: Well, maybe if my throat wasn’t so parched, I wouldn’t have to keep talking.
Bigby: Wait, that doesn’t make se-
Coline: Just give me a drink, please.
 

August 9, 2013 5:31 pm  #8


Re: An English/cultural question again.

Thanks a lot, Davina, kittykat and Russell. Now I think what really startled me is the tone. I mean, John answers Sherlock's first two questions quietly and calmly, and suddenly a very keen "OH GOD YES!" That made me wander "did I miss something?" 

I am not sure if I get it right--In daily conversation, "OH GOD YES!" is usually used to show lust (for food or sex), right? Or I just watch too many sitcoms?

And the way John says it. It's kind of sexy...as if he is sexually aroused or something, isn't it? Do I feel it right? Or I just misinterpreted it due to the charming British accent? 


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“Why,” said I, glancing up at my companion, “that was surely the bell? Who could come to-night? Some friends of yours, perhaps?”

“Except yourself I have none,” he answered.

—Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, The Five Orange PipsThe Adventures of Sherlock Holms
     Thread Starter
 

August 9, 2013 6:55 pm  #9


Re: An English/cultural question again.

Ha!   Ahem.... um...  yes.     
You're right... it almost does come across a tiny bit lustful.  And yes, that phrase is often used by people in that way.  Depending on the tone/enthusiasm/situation, like I said above, I'd also use it for less sexual moments.  I don't know what to tell you beyond what I already commented about John's mindset at the moment, plus them playing it up a little.  ;D   We know he's not bloodthirsty, as you said.... He really really really misses 'the battlefield'? 


_________________________________________________________________________

We solve crimes, I blog about it, and he forgets his pants.  I wouldn't hold out too much hope!

Just this morning you were all tiny and small and made of clay!

I'm working my way up the greasy pole.  It's… very greasy.  And…  pole-shaped.
 

October 18, 2013 3:37 pm  #10


Re: An English/cultural question again.

Hi
So if I got that right it is at least possible to use 'oh god yes' in a normal conversation.
My question is similar to Shell's and mainly about this scene, so I post it here.

I normally watch SHERLOCK in english, but if I see the german version I often think that people wouldn't talk like John and Sherlock do.
Do you also think this in the english version (and I just don't notice it) ?
And to german members:
Am I even in the german version wrong and you think people do talk like that?

Would be nice if you could help me, because I'm sometimes like "aaargh this show is so great but how do they taaaaalk!?!"...


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That...was amazing.
 

October 19, 2013 4:18 am  #11


Re: An English/cultural question again.

Sherlock has a very stylized way of speaking, but it's an important part of his character.  In the English I've never noticed anything strange about the way John talks.


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Proud President and Founder of the OSAJ.  
Honorary German  
"Anyone who takes himself too seriously always runs the risk of looking ridiculous; anyone who can consistently laugh at himself does not".
 -Vaclav Havel 
"Life is full of wonder, Love is never wrong."   Melissa Ethridge

I ship it harder than Mrs. Hudson.
    
 
 

October 19, 2013 6:54 am  #12


Re: An English/cultural question again.

I would say the same about the German version.


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I still believe that love conquers all!

     

"Quick, man, if you love me."
 

October 19, 2013 7:23 am  #13


Re: An English/cultural question again.

The weirdest thing for me about the German version John and Sherlock adressing each other with the formal "Sie"
This is SO not how people talk - two young guys sharing a flat, you would never use "Sie". And especially not with a strong friendship like between those two... The moment Sherlock said "Sherlock, please" to John in ASIP would have been the right one to change that. Now it's just weird

But whatever, I always watch it in English anyway ;)


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"I asked you for one more miracle. I asked you to stop being dead." 

"I heard you."


(The Empty Hearse)
 

October 19, 2013 9:41 am  #14


Re: An English/cultural question again.

Okey,  thank you very much for your answers!
It's nice to know that there's nothing wrong with 'our show'. 
Maybe I was just a bit too critical with the dubbed version.
And yes, the 'Sie' is very weird.

Thanks! 


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That...was amazing.
 

October 19, 2013 11:40 am  #15


Re: An English/cultural question again.

shouldbestudying wrote:

FluteLocked wrote:

Hi
So if I got that right it is at least possible to use 'oh god yes' in a normal conversation  

Oh god yes !
 

I'm curious though.  What is this "normal conversation" being spoken of?


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Proud President and Founder of the OSAJ.  
Honorary German  
"Anyone who takes himself too seriously always runs the risk of looking ridiculous; anyone who can consistently laugh at himself does not".
 -Vaclav Havel 
"Life is full of wonder, Love is never wrong."   Melissa Ethridge

I ship it harder than Mrs. Hudson.
    
 
 

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