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Darene Posted 19 years ago
Vocabulary
" just the facts ma'am, just the facts!"
Hello,
Please help me explain the meaning of this in red:
A strong left orientation is quite uncomfortable with anything that does not have schedules, outlines and structure. Here, one wants to know, "Do I use pencil or pen?" Or "How many words are required to complete this essay." We say to left brained people, "Just the facts ma'am, just the facts!"
Isn't ma'am a title used for females only? if so, why did the author use it here? and what does he mean by that?
Thank you.
Please help me explain the meaning of this in red:
A strong left orientation is quite uncomfortable with anything that does not have schedules, outlines and structure. Here, one wants to know, "Do I use pencil or pen?" Or "How many words are required to complete this essay." We say to left brained people, "Just the facts ma'am, just the facts!"
Isn't ma'am a title used for females only? if so, why did the author use it here? and what does he mean by that?
Thank you.
Top answer
" -- this is a well-known line of dialogue from an old TV show called Dragnet. Detective Sgt Friday was always using this line to get factual answers from the witness to a crime. Similarly, left-brained people are preoccupied with factual information processing.
- " -- this is a well-known line of dialogue from an old TV show called Dragnet.
- Detective Sgt Friday was always using this line to get factual answers from the witness to a crime.
- Similarly, left-brained people are preoccupied with factual information processing.
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7 Answers
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"Just the facts ma'am, just the facts!" -- this is a well-known line of dialogue from an old TV show called Dragnet. Detective Sgt Friday was always using this line to get factual answers from the witness to a crime. Similarly, left-brained people are preoccupied with factual information processing.
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This makes it more difficult to be translated. So, is the author here trying to emphasize the fact that left brainers are fond of details?
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Or is he asking them to just give the facts and stop telling details?
Now I'm more confused
Now I'm more confused
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Please just tell me what the author is trying to say so that I paraphrase it, I gave up traying to translate that line..
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Details are okay as long as they are factual, and not fanciful ideas, speculation, or interpretation.
If you are trying to translate this, then omit the phrase entirely - it's a cultural reference to people familiar with Dragnet and although it's become a standard expression in the U.S., it has no meaning elsewhere, apparently.
You can just say "We say we want only facts, not spe
If you are trying to translate this, then omit the phrase entirely - it's a cultural reference to people familiar with Dragnet and although it's become a standard expression in the U.S., it has no meaning elsewhere, apparently.
You can just say "We say we want only facts, not spe
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