the end of love in Manhattan

[sitifan]

What is the relationship between "the end of love in Manhattan" and "looking at houses together" in the dialogue below? https://m.imdb.com/title/tt0698663/quotes/?ref_=tt_trv_qu

• Elizabeth: He never did call, of course. Bastard! I don't understand.
• Carrie Bradshaw: [voiceover narration] She told me one day over coffee.
• Elizabeth: I don't understand. In England, looking at houses together, would have meant something.
• Carrie Bradshaw: [voiceover narration] Then I realized, no one had told her about the end of love in Manhattan. Welcome to the age of un-innocence. No one has breakfast at Tiffany's, and no one has affairs to remember. Instead, we have breakfast at seven a.m., and affairs we try to forget as quickly as possible. Self-protection and closing the deal are paramount. Cupid has flown the co-op! (my bold)

 

[Tarheel]

If two people are looking at houses together they probably have a serious relationship. They are perhaps looking for a house to buy where there will live. They could of course just like looking at houses. Context will tell you which it is.

As for the relationship between the two phrases in bold, they're in the same book.

Context should help you help you figure out what is meant by those phrases.

A novel is a story, and each story has things about it that distinguish it from every other story. I suggest that you read it without pausing too much to ask questions. After you've finished, if you have questions then ask them, and we'll puzzle them out.

 

[dunchee]

In England, looking at houses together, would have meant something.

... looking at houses together would have meant something.
Translation: Elizabeth still believes in love.

... about the end of love in Manhattan.
Translation: It literally means what it says -- you can't find love in Manhattan anymore, so looking at houses together doesn't mean the guy loves Elizabeth or wants a serious relationship. The rest of Bradshaw's narrative (and the TV show) says pretty much the same thing.

 

[Tarheel]

@sitifan
My apologies! I thought you were talking about a novel -- not a TV show! However, at least some of of what I said is still relevant. In any case, I have some new things to say.

Apparently, they had been looking at houses together. (You have to infer that.) The dialogue is supposed to look natural, but that doesn't mean it's anything real people would say. It's invented speech. What do I mean by that? Well, somebody had to write it, and I think that not even all native speakers would have "gotten" all the references. (You might want to google "Breakfast at Tiffany's".)

Looking at houses together is not something people do regularly.

Keep in mind that it's fiction. Don't assume that people say those things in real life. (I don't know about you, but I don't refer to movies I might or might not have seen when I'm talking to somebody -- certainly not so cleverly.)

Most people would have a hard time answering your questions. Why is that? Those phrases only mean something in that particular dialogue.

People don't talk like that in ordinary speech. The writers of that show write for entertainment purposes. They are not writing that stuff to educate people about how to use the English language.

What am I trying to say? Well, it's another illustration of how important context is. As for the phrases in question, would they be used in ordinary speech? In a word, no.

I can't overemphasize this. Explaining what those phrases mean in that context is not going to help in understanding what they mean in ordinary speech. (They are not used in ordinary speech.)

Is it true that you can't find love in Manhattan? Well, that's debatable. In any case, try working that into a conversation.

Do you know the expression "flew the coop"?

I suggest that you watch that show for its entertainment value only. Also, keep in mind that you have plenty of choices.

 

[sitifan]

Do you know the expression "flew the coop"?

Yes. fly the coop
1: to leave suddenly or secretly : to escape or go away
In the morning the suspect had flown the coop.
2: to leave home
All their children have flown the coop.
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fly the coop#:~:text=: to leave suddenly or secretly,children have flown the coop.

 

[Piscean]

The Age of Innocence is a 1993 romantic film.
Breakfast at Tiffany's is a 1961 romantic film.
An Affair to Remember is a 1957 romantic film.
Love in Manhattan is a series of love stories.

The writer of the lines in post #1 is playing with these titles.

 

[Tarheel]

Yes. fly the coop
1: to leave suddenly or secretly : to escape or go away
In the morning the suspect had flown the coop.
2: to leave home
All their children have flown the coop.
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fly the coop#:~:text=: to leave suddenly or secretly,children have flown the coop.

It's usually used, I think, in the past tense, as in your examples.

 

[Piscean]

Yes. fly the coop
1: In the morning the suspect had flown the coop.
2: All their children have flown the coop.

It's usually used, I think, in the past tense, as in your examples.

had flown is past perfect and have flown is present perfect.