Question
fuxi
23 Jul 2014

  • Japanese
  • English (US)
Question about English (US)

What does "on head of" mean?

220
00:13:44,297 --> 00:13:46,903
And that becomes
brother-and-sister double-dating?

221
00:13:46,907 --> 00:13:48,350
Because I'm on head of yours.

222
00:13:48,376 --> 00:13:50,000
Come on.
It'll be fun.

Answers
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jms
24 Jul 2014

  • English (US)

It doesn't make any sense in english, it's not proper english syntax. If you can tell me the season and episode number I'll try to respond.

jms
24 Jul 2014

  • English (US)

I checked it out on Netflix, and what the actress is saying (poorly) is "What goes on in that head of yours?" Which is a very gentle, intimate form of rebuke.
It is a way of conveying "You are very weird and I don't understand your thinking at all; but I still accept you." It can also express exasperation, frustration or that you think the person isn't thinking clearly or is behaving stupidly.

Usually it is only used between family members or close friends. In the context of the scene from Dexter, it further establishes the familial bond between the characters; and while the way that they are behaving is highly unprofessional of the workplace; the real life behavior of cops, judges and medical examiners in Dade and Brevard counties in south Florida isn't much better. Thankfully, the serial killer theme is pure fiction!

fuxi
24 Jul 2014

  • Japanese
Thanks a million for everything. It seems the script was mistaken. After reading your explanation, I got to hear as it is.
I'm now inferring that you can paraphrase it as "what is happening in your head?, and once again do it as "what are you thinking?", which I suppose might mean a very gentle rebuke with a sprinkle of exasperation or such things as you say. Am I correct?

And thanks for your explanation about cultural background, which really helps learning english.

Sadly, in Japan, you can't use Netflix. :-)
0 likes
jms
24 Jul 2014

  • English (US)
I suspect that the script was probably derived from closed captioning, which is mostly done using the same sort of software that's used in voice navigated customer service systems. Those expert systems often get slang words or technobabble wrong, sometimes hillariously so. Of course, it would have been easier all alound if the actress had enunciated her words... She was decidedly not trained on the classical stage. Compare her diction to Ian McDimarid as Emperor Palpatine in Return of the Jedi in the scene when Vader brings Luke before him right before the trap is sprung on the rebel alliance fleet. That is classical diction! You are correct in your additional interpretations. My father said something like this to me countless times when I was a child.I find that half the struggle of learning the next language is understanding the cultural context. Japanese is easier in that regard is English. You can say some terribly inappropriate things in other english speaking countries if you don't know the differences in word usage. For example, to say "Wow, I'm stuffed!" in a restaruant in the US is to say variously, "Great food, but I can't eat another bite!", "I'm full to the point of discomfort." or "I ate too much." You get the general sense. If you say the same thing in a restaruant in the UK, you'd be saying something quite obscene, since the phrase is slang for sexual intercourse. This happened to the sister of a friend of mine about 30 years ago when his family visited while he was an exchange student at University in the UK. To hear him tell it, the whole restaurant very quiet after she said it. Oops.

I suspect that the script was probably derived from closed captioning, which is mostly done using the same sort of software that's used in voice navigated customer service systems. Those expert systems often get slang words or technobabble wrong, sometimes hillariously so. Of course, it would have been easier all alound if the actress had enunciated her words... She was decidedly not trained on the classical stage. Compare her diction to Ian McDimarid as Emperor Palpatine in Return of the Jedi in the scene when Vader brings Luke before him right before the trap is sprung on the rebel alliance fleet. That is classical diction!
You are correct in your additional interpretations. My father said something like this to me countless times when I was a child.I find that half the struggle of learning the next language is understanding the cultural context. Japanese is easier in that regard is English. You can say some terribly inappropriate things in other english speaking countries if you don't know the differences in word usage. For example, to say "Wow, I'm stuffed!" in a restaruant in the US is to say variously, "Great food, but I can't eat another bite!", "I'm full to the point of discomfort." or "I ate too much." You get the general sense. If you say the same thing in a restaruant in the UK, you'd be saying something quite obscene, since the phrase is slang for sexual intercourse. This happened to the sister of a friend of mine about 30 years ago when his family visited while he was an exchange student at University in the UK. To hear him tell it, the whole restaurant very quiet after she said it. Oops.

fuxi
24 Jul 2014

  • Japanese
Yeah, we are allowed to some extent to say something funny in English in English speaking counties. However, when I went to the US, it was not so easy. Americans were a little hard on foreigners who don't have a good command of English. They seemed to say you have to speak english because you are in the US, as in When in Rome...
There still seems to be lots of differences culturally and language-wise between the US and the UK. Even I think so, watching the movies of each countries. In Japan, English education is done in American English, so British English is very confusing. I won't say "I'm stuffed" in the UK if I go there. I knew the expression only in American way.
I saw Retuern of the Judi a long time ago. Watching movies or TV series is really a good way of learning English, I think. Yeah, you have to know lots of cultural things to really understand the movies. There's still a long way to go before I reach the goal of learning English.
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jms
25 Jul 2014

  • English (US)

Well your English is much better than my mostly nonexistent Japanese. But you are right, we Americans are very friendly and very poorly educated, hence the insistance that everyone speak english. I know what you mean regarding culture, I enjoy watching anime, two of my favorites are Gintama and Nichijo. Which are more culturally specific than other anime comedies. Most of the more subtle humor or pop-culture jokes about Japanese TV stars are mostly lost on me. Yes, I know, Gintama doesn't really do subtle. It is the South Park of Japan, as far as intentional offensiveness is concerned. Rude, wrong and very funny.

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What does "on head of" mean? 220 00:13:44,297 --> 00:13:46,903 And that becomes brother-and-sister double-dating? 221 00:13:46,907 --> 00:13:48,350 Because I'm on head of yours. 222 00:13:48,376 --> 00:13:50,000 Come on. It'll be fun.
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