became a fan... of the film, that is

Status
Not open for further replies.

Ostap

Banned
Joined
Feb 5, 2022
Member Type
Interested in Language
Native Language
Russian
Home Country
Russian Federation
Current Location
Russian Federation
In the documentary "Back in Time," Adam F. Goldberg, creator of "The Goldbergs" TV show, recalled that his mother came back from the movie theater in 1985 and told him, "I just saw this amazing movie called Back to the Future. It's about a boy who goes back and falls in love with his mom." Her review immediately turned off the younger Goldberg for obvious reasons — although he later came around and became a fan... of the film, that is!
link with timecode

Hello everyone! When the speaker said "became a fan", and right after that clarified himself, it's clear from the tone of voice that "a fan" sounded ambiguous. Does it mean (it was probably just a joke, but still) that it could be understood as if Goldberg became a "fan (lover) of his mother"?
 

Tarheel

VIP Member
Joined
Jun 16, 2014
Member Type
Interested in Language
Native Language
American English
Home Country
United States
Current Location
United States
No. In my opinion there is no possibility of making that mistake.
 

Ostap

Banned
Joined
Feb 5, 2022
Member Type
Interested in Language
Native Language
Russian
Home Country
Russian Federation
Current Location
Russian Federation
No. In my opinion there is no possibility of making that mistake.
What was the point of adding that piece at the end then?
 

Tarheel

VIP Member
Joined
Jun 16, 2014
Member Type
Interested in Language
Native Language
American English
Home Country
United States
Current Location
United States
Now you're asking me to be a mind reader. They were clearly talking about the movie, Back to the Future.
 

Ostap

Banned
Joined
Feb 5, 2022
Member Type
Interested in Language
Native Language
Russian
Home Country
Russian Federation
Current Location
Russian Federation
Now you're asking me to be a mind reader. They were clearly talking about the movie, Back to the Future.
It's not mind-reading, it's logic. If he had ended the sentence with "... came around and became a fan." -- there would be no questions. But the fact of adding "of the film, that is!" makes it clear he deliberately made the previous part sound ambiguous for the sake of a joke.
 

Tarheel

VIP Member
Joined
Jun 16, 2014
Member Type
Interested in Language
Native Language
American English
Home Country
United States
Current Location
United States
It may be a bit of a joke, but that doesn't mean there's any ambiguity.
 

jutfrank

VIP Member
Joined
Mar 5, 2014
Member Type
English Teacher
Native Language
English
Home Country
England
Current Location
England
Does it mean (it was probably just a joke, but still) that it could be understood as if Goldberg became a "fan (lover) of his mother"?

Yes. It's a weak joke.
 
Last edited:

SoothingDave

VIP Member
Joined
Apr 17, 2009
Member Type
Interested in Language
Native Language
American English
Home Country
United States
Current Location
United States
It's a joke. He's not a fan of romancing his mother.
 

Skrej

VIP Member
Joined
May 11, 2015
Member Type
English Teacher
Native Language
English
Home Country
United States
Current Location
United States
Does it mean (it was probably just a joke, but still) that it could be understood as if Goldberg became a "fan (lover) of his mother"?
Not a fan/lover of his mother per se, but a joke about not falling in love with his mother - aka an Oedipus complex.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top