Olympian
Senior Member
- Joined
- Aug 14, 2008
- Member Type
- Interested in Language
- Native Language
- Hindi
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- India
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- India
Hello,
The following is from the 3rd episode titled 'The Great Game' of BBC TV series Sherlock
What is the meaning of 'ding-dong' here? Does it mean 'a physical fight'?
Is it a British usage or is it also used in AmE?
Sherlock: Just tell me what happened from the beginning.
Prisoner: We had been to a bar... Nice place, and, er, I got chatting with one of the waitresses, and Karen weren't happy with that, so... When we get back to the hotel, we end up having a bit of a ding-dong.
The following dialog is somewhat amusing from an English point of view.
Sherlock: Sigh
Prisoner: She's always getting at me, saying I weren't a real man.
Sherlock: Wasn't a real man.
Prisoner: - What?
Sherlock: It's not "weren't", it's "wasn't".
Prisoner: Oh.
Sherlock: Go on
Prisoner: Well... Then I don't know how it happened, but suddenly there's a knife in my hands... And me old man was a butcher, so I know how to handle knives. He learned us how to cut up a beast.
Sherlock: Taught.
Prisoner: What?
Sherlock: - Taught you how to cut up a beast.
Prisoner: Yeah, well, then I done it.
Sherlock: - Did it.
Prisoner: - Did it! Stabbed her, over and over and over, and I looked down, and she weren't... wasn't... moving no more. Any more. God help me, I dunno how it happened, but it was an accident, I swear.
Sherlock gets up to leave.
Prisoner: You've got to help me, Mr. Holmes! Everyone says you're the best.
Without you... I'll get hung for this.
Sherlock: No, no, Mr. Bewick, not at all. ..... Hanged, yes.
;-) You have to see it because it is more interesting with the expressions.
The following is from the 3rd episode titled 'The Great Game' of BBC TV series Sherlock
What is the meaning of 'ding-dong' here? Does it mean 'a physical fight'?
Is it a British usage or is it also used in AmE?
Sherlock: Just tell me what happened from the beginning.
Prisoner: We had been to a bar... Nice place, and, er, I got chatting with one of the waitresses, and Karen weren't happy with that, so... When we get back to the hotel, we end up having a bit of a ding-dong.
The following dialog is somewhat amusing from an English point of view.
Sherlock: Sigh
Prisoner: She's always getting at me, saying I weren't a real man.
Sherlock: Wasn't a real man.
Prisoner: - What?
Sherlock: It's not "weren't", it's "wasn't".
Prisoner: Oh.
Sherlock: Go on
Prisoner: Well... Then I don't know how it happened, but suddenly there's a knife in my hands... And me old man was a butcher, so I know how to handle knives. He learned us how to cut up a beast.
Sherlock: Taught.
Prisoner: What?
Sherlock: - Taught you how to cut up a beast.
Prisoner: Yeah, well, then I done it.
Sherlock: - Did it.
Prisoner: - Did it! Stabbed her, over and over and over, and I looked down, and she weren't... wasn't... moving no more. Any more. God help me, I dunno how it happened, but it was an accident, I swear.
Sherlock gets up to leave.
Prisoner: You've got to help me, Mr. Holmes! Everyone says you're the best.
Without you... I'll get hung for this.
Sherlock: No, no, Mr. Bewick, not at all. ..... Hanged, yes.
;-) You have to see it because it is more interesting with the expressions.