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Comic Strips
Arthax: And all this time I thought The Green Man was merely an anthromorphization of man's fear of nature.
Yeagar: Huh?
Nodwick: Arthax think green guy not real like tooth fairy.
Yeagar: Oh.
Yeagar: Huh?
Nodwick: Arthax think green guy not real like tooth fairy.
Yeagar: Oh.
Fan Works
"So in a nutshell, we got thrown into ponyland, magic barrier made us ponylanders, we can go back to our real bodies but only temporarily and we need a pony to change us."
— Destroyah, The Bridge
Slang: C-Conditional sssssssssstatementssssssssssss, sssssssssssir?
Nimja: Yes. Conditional statements
are statements which, according to different boolean conditions-
Slang: P-pleasssssssssse, sssssssssssssir... Englisssssssssssh...
Nimja: [smiles] Very well. Basically, if something is true, then something happens as a result, and otherwise, something else happens as a result.
Slang: Und... how exactly vould zat look in programming, sssssssssssir?
Nimja: Yes. Conditional statements
are statements which, according to different boolean conditions- Slang: P-pleasssssssssse, sssssssssssssir... Englisssssssssssh...
Nimja: [smiles] Very well. Basically, if something is true, then something happens as a result, and otherwise, something else happens as a result.
Slang: Und... how exactly vould zat look in programming, sssssssssssir?
— Pokémon × Nimja: Play the Game, "And Now For Something Completely Different"
Julie: What are the other Laws of Magic? You can tell me that, right? Because it would be pretty stupid if no one knew any of the laws subject to capital punishment.
Carlos: Thou shalt not kill by use of magic, thou shalt not transform others. Thou shalt not invade the mind of another. Thou shalt not enthrall another. Thou shalt not reach beyond the Borders of Life. Thou shalt not swim against the Currents of Time. Thou shalt not seek beyond the Outer Gates.
Julie: No avada kedavra, no frog prince, no mind-melds, no mind-whammies, no zombies, no wibbley-wobbley timey-wimey stuff, and no, what, Cthulhu?
Carlos: You and your fancy science words.
Carlos: Thou shalt not kill by use of magic, thou shalt not transform others. Thou shalt not invade the mind of another. Thou shalt not enthrall another. Thou shalt not reach beyond the Borders of Life. Thou shalt not swim against the Currents of Time. Thou shalt not seek beyond the Outer Gates.
Julie: No avada kedavra, no frog prince, no mind-melds, no mind-whammies, no zombies, no wibbley-wobbley timey-wimey stuff, and no, what, Cthulhu?
Carlos: You and your fancy science words.
"I am contemplating the divergent possibilities of Reality. We Martians believe that this universe is merely one of an infinite number of possible outcomes. The prescient powers of my race enable me to visualize these realities and explore their alternative facets."
"What does that mean in English?"
"My xenoglossic abilities make me fluent in all Earth languages, Citizen Kincaid."
"I meant plain English."
"What does that mean in English?"
"My xenoglossic abilities make me fluent in all Earth languages, Citizen Kincaid."
"I meant plain English."
Film — Animation
Sam Sparks: When you shot it into the stratosphere, you figured it would induce a phase change from the cumulonimbus layer?
Flint Lockwood: That's actually a really smart observation.
Sam Sparks: I mean, the clouds probably have water in them, which I guess is why you shot it up there in the first place.
Flint Lockwood: That's actually a really smart observation.
Sam Sparks: I mean, the clouds probably have water in them, which I guess is why you shot it up there in the first place.
The Flash: How are we supposed to get inside again?
Lex Luthor: Multi-frequency band, encryption analyzer-replicator pack.
Flash: Some of us don't speak Star Trek.
Lex: Think of it as a fancy garage-door opener.
Lex Luthor: Multi-frequency band, encryption analyzer-replicator pack.
Flash: Some of us don't speak Star Trek.
Lex: Think of it as a fancy garage-door opener.
Film — Live-Action
Dr. Hare: A bad head cold has the most extraordinary effect on the olfactory and gustatory nerves.
Leonora: The what?
Dr. Burke: The pong.
Reed Richards: If we're going to identify the source of the mutation, we need to isolate your recombinant DNA so we can active positional genomes.
Ben Grimm: (turns to Sue) Huh?
Sue Storm: We have to do a physical in order to see what got zapped.
Ben Grimm: Oh. Why didn't just you say so?
Ben Grimm: (turns to Sue) Huh?
Sue Storm: We have to do a physical in order to see what got zapped.
Ben Grimm: Oh. Why didn't just you say so?
Dr. Nilsson: Dermatic penetration at a 35 mm distance of Arteria carotis communis.
Jacob: Really, whould you like me to nod as I understand or do you feel like saying it again, in Swedish?
Nilsson: Well there's two freaking holes right into the artery. That alone would be the cause of death!
Jacob: Really, whould you like me to nod as I understand or do you feel like saying it again, in Swedish?
Nilsson: Well there's two freaking holes right into the artery. That alone would be the cause of death!
Executive: The water has one unique quality that separates it from other proprietary brands. According to our lab report, it has an aperient element that makes it cathartic.
CEO: What is that in English?
Executive: It makes you shit like clockwork, sir.
CEO: What is that in English?
Executive: It makes you shit like clockwork, sir.
Literature
Owl: The atmospheric conditions have been very unfavorable lately.
Christopher Robin: The what?
Owl: The flood-level has reached an unprecedented height.
Christopher Robin: The who?
Owl: There's a lot of water about.
Christopher Robin: The what?
Owl: The flood-level has reached an unprecedented height.
Christopher Robin: The who?
Owl: There's a lot of water about.
— Winnie the Pooh, "Piglet is Entirely Surrounded by Water"
Johannes: This is a mundane location lent arcane significance via—
[Zarenyia starts to fake-snore]
Johannes: It's a magic gate.
[Zarenyia starts to fake-snore]
Johannes: It's a magic gate.
Live-Action TV
[Warning beeps]
EMH2: Doctor, some... thing just went off line.
EMH: ... Specifically?
EMH2: The secondary gyrodyne relays in the propulsion field intermatrix have depolarised.
EMH: [rolling eyes] In English!
EMH2: I'm just reading what it says here!
EMH2: Doctor, some... thing just went off line.
EMH: ... Specifically?
EMH2: The secondary gyrodyne relays in the propulsion field intermatrix have depolarised.
EMH: [rolling eyes] In English!
EMH2: I'm just reading what it says here!
— Star Trek: Voyager, "Message in a Bottle"
Vila: So you see, Bek, this thing tapped into Orac's channels, sucked up all his energy, so that it could come squirting out and swallow us all.
Avon: The plain man's guide to alien invasions.
Avon: The plain man's guide to alien invasions.
— Blake's 7, "Shadow"
"Colonel Astrid said they lacked a life-support system to carry them through the trauma of molecular integration. Well, I took it to mean they snuffed it before they got going properly."
— Section Leader Grose, Blake's 7, "Moloch"
Holly: How simple do you want it?
Rimmer: So Lister can understand it.
[Lister nods enthusiastically]
Holly: [worried look] Oh dear...
Rimmer: So Lister can understand it.
[Lister nods enthusiastically]
Holly: [worried look] Oh dear...
— Red Dwarf, The American pilot
Diggle: What the hell is this?
Felicity: No offense, but you'd need like...Ph.D.s for the dumbed-down version.
Diggle: How about the very dumbed-down version?
Felicity: It's a quantum flux anchor that utilizes wave theory to fire nano-particulates across an Einstein-Rosen bridge to create a secure claxon field.
Diggle: How about the very, very, dumbed-down version?
Caitlin: Felicity made a magnet that will draw whoever's trying to breach through to us.
Diggle: You could have just said that.
Felicity: No offense, but you'd need like...Ph.D.s for the dumbed-down version.
Diggle: How about the very dumbed-down version?
Felicity: It's a quantum flux anchor that utilizes wave theory to fire nano-particulates across an Einstein-Rosen bridge to create a secure claxon field.
Diggle: How about the very, very, dumbed-down version?
Caitlin: Felicity made a magnet that will draw whoever's trying to breach through to us.
Diggle: You could have just said that.
Dorien: Well, I think you have to analyse the motivational aspects in this situation in the context of Sharon's insecurity.
Tracey: Speak English, will ya?
Kwan: What are you doing?
John-117: Scanning the integrity of all bio interfaces for evidence of abnormalities.
Kwan: Is that your way of saying you don't feel well?
John-117: (beat) Yes.
— Halo (2022), "Contact"
Video Games
"Momentum, a function of mass and velocity, is conserved between portals. In layman's terms, speedy thing goes in, speedy thing comes out."
Palutena: The monster situation is quite clamant.
Pit: Is that...a good thing?
Palutena: You know, it's importunate. Or unpropitious.
Pit: ...Are you still speaking English right now?
Palutena: I'm sorry, Pit. I didn't mean to confuse you. Let me make this easier for you. BIG MONSTERS KILL PIT! GRRR!
Pit: Ahhh, that makes perfect sense! Thank you!
Pit: Is that...a good thing?
Palutena: You know, it's importunate. Or unpropitious.
Pit: ...Are you still speaking English right now?
Palutena: I'm sorry, Pit. I didn't mean to confuse you. Let me make this easier for you. BIG MONSTERS KILL PIT! GRRR!
Pit: Ahhh, that makes perfect sense! Thank you!
"...Hmph. While that explanation might elicit admiring nods from your professors at the academy, it will only earn you blank looks here. Take a deep breath and try again—this time in a language those of us without the Echo might comprehend."
— Cid nan Garlond, Final Fantasy XIV
Doctor Fate: Mercenaries are the hounds of duty.
Deadshot: English, please?
Doctor Fate: You are disposable.
Deadshot: English, please?
Doctor Fate: You are disposable.
Mr. Freeze: Demonstrate the Scarab's recuperative methodology.
Blue Beetle: Might as well be speaking Greek, brah.
Mr. Freeze: Show me how it heals your wounds.
Blue Beetle: Might as well be speaking Greek, brah.
Mr. Freeze: Show me how it heals your wounds.
Webcomics
Dr. Andrew Wong: The images in Bob's subconscious suggest a struggle to deal with an unbearable ennui resulting from a lack of personal and professional satiety. The lower functions of Bob's brain are trying to compensate for a lack of spacial and conjugal connection he requires and that would otherwise stimulate his higher neural pathways and modulate his RNA transcription in the pre-frontal cortex.
Dr. Thaddeus Euphemism: Okay, how about we try that again in English...
Dr. Andrew Wong: He's bored and lonely.
Dr. Thaddeus Euphemism: Okay, how about we try that again in English...
Dr. Andrew Wong: He's bored and lonely.
Web Original
Wile E. Coyote: Your honor, I contend the Road Runner has ignored the intended lethality of this ACME merchandise, committing numerous violations of...
Granny: In English!
Wile E.: He won't let me catch him.
Granny: In English!
Wile E.: He won't let me catch him.
— Judge Granny, "Inherit the Windbag"
<LordPie> which part confuses you more, my complex lexicon or the fact that i beat you with your own logic?
<jestaa> using big words doesn't make you more smarter.
<LordPie> Sorry, let me put it in an language that you can understand
<LordPie> OMG, ROFL LOL!!!!!!!!! J00 GOT OWNED!!11111!!
<jestaa> using big words doesn't make you more smarter.
<LordPie> Sorry, let me put it in an language that you can understand
<LordPie> OMG, ROFL LOL!!!!!!!!! J00 GOT OWNED!!11111!!
— bash.org, #637196
Maya: [talking very fast] Hold on! I detect an exponential increase in photon energy levels!
Misato: Say that again?
Makoto: She said the photonic energy levels are rising.
Misato: IN ENGLISH!
Maya: WE'RE FUCKED!
Misato: Say that again?
Makoto: She said the photonic energy levels are rising.
Misato: IN ENGLISH!
Maya: WE'RE FUCKED!
— EvAbridged 3.0 Rei is (not) Pleased
In photographic terms, these two compound lenses have the equivalent of an f-number of .58. If you don't speak nerd, that means "dang, they see good".
— True Facts: The Ogre Faced Spider
Western Animation
The Thing: Can you gimme that again in Swahili?
Mr. Fantastic: You don't speak Swahili.
The Thing: And I don't understand what you just said, neither!
Mr. Fantastic: You don't speak Swahili.
The Thing: And I don't understand what you just said, neither!
Leela: I didn't wanna leave them either, Fry, but what are we supposed to do?
Fry: Well, usually on the show someone would come up with a complicated plan then explain it with a simple analogy.
Leela: Hmm. If we can re-route engine power through the primary weapons and reconfigure them to Melllvar's frequency, that should overload his electro-quantum structure.
Bender: Like putting too much air in a balloon!
Fry: Of course! It's so simple!
Fry: Well, usually on the show someone would come up with a complicated plan then explain it with a simple analogy.
Leela: Hmm. If we can re-route engine power through the primary weapons and reconfigure them to Melllvar's frequency, that should overload his electro-quantum structure.
Bender: Like putting too much air in a balloon!
Fry: Of course! It's so simple!
"This morning our house became infested with an acute, febrile, contagious virus, or as it's known on the street, the flu."
— Lisa Loud, The Loud House, "One Flu Over the Loud House"
"I am trying to find scientific guidance on the forging of social bonds, street name: friendship."
— Lisa Loud, The Loud House, "Friend or Faux?"
