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{{trope}}
[[File:
{{quote|'''Dr. Hibbert:''' Homer, I'm afraid you'll have to undergo a coronary bypass operation.
'''Homer:''' Say it in English, Doc.
'''Dr. Hibbert:''' You're going to need open-heart surgery.
'''Homer:''' Spare me your medical mumbo-jumbo.
'''Dr. Hibbert''': We're going to cut you open and tinker with your ticker.
'''Homer:''' [[They Just Don't Get It|Could you dumb it down a shade?]]
|''[[The Simpsons (animation)|The Simpsons]]''}}
An attempt by a specialist to make incomprehensible [[Techno Babble]] or other jargon comprehensible to the other characters. Usually this results in an explanation that's either [[Viewers are Morons|insultingly vague]] or just as incomprehensible as the original. This often occurs as the result of another character saying something like, [[Stock Phrase|In English, please?]]
Line 13 ⟶ 14:
The term originally meant someone not a member of the clergy or the bar, because those professions actually did use terms people outside wouldn't understand.
Compare [[Expospeak Gag]], where the incomprehensible technobabble was itself an obfuscated version of something straightforward, and [[Sophisticated As Hell]]. See also [[Phlebotinum Analogy]]. The next step after this is [[Buffy-Speak]], where the character either can't think of the proper term or can't think of a good
In cases of [[Technology Marches On]] or an improper assumption of [[Viewers are Morons]], this can lead to a reasonable explanation followed by an inane, overly simplified explanation of a concept that was already understood on the first try. Depending upon the setting it may also lead to the audience to assume different things about characters that ought to know better, for example explaining basic or advanced physics to space-faring humans like such topics wouldn't have been required reading already.
{{examples}}
▲== Anime & Manga ==
* In ''[[Suzumiya Haruhi]]'', Kyon often complains he doesn't understand what Yuki, Mikuru or Koizumi mean with their [[Techno Babble]], although they don't attempt to "dumb it down". In the Drama CD "Sound Around" however, we have two scenes in which this happens.
** Scene 1:
{{quote|
'''Kyon:''' What?
'''Yuki:''' Antimatter-dispersing oscillations perceived as sound waves.
'''Kyon:''' Please, could you make it so I can understand what you're saying?
'''Yuki:''' Antimatter. dispersing. oscillations. perceived. as. sound. waves... ''(begins to elaborate)'' }}
** Scene 2:
{{quote|
'''Kyon:''' In layman's terms?
'''Yuki:''' In layman's terms... we do this. ''(starts [[Magic From Technology|hyperspeed]] [[Language of Magic|chanting]])'' }}
* ''[[Baccano
{{quote|
* In ''[[
* ''[[Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann]]'':
** Leeron tries to explain to the heroes how sexual reproduction facilitates adaptation and evolution, and gets nowhere. They all get "In other words, love <3 makes the world go 'round," though.
** Subversion from the penultimate episode: {{spoiler|Lordgenome either doesn't know what this term means or can't explain any simpler.}}
{{quote|
'''Dayakka:''' I'm begging you, say that in layman's terms!
{{spoiler|'''Lordgenome:''' The multiverse probability fluctuation is controlled by them. While shifting through spacetime, they will approach and attack. ''(translation: the Mugann can [[Reality Warper|attack them from any point in the universe and from any point in the past or future]])''}}
'''Dayakka:''' Like I said, I don't understand! }}
* Used during an episode of ''[[Cowboy Bebop]]''. After
{{quote|
== Comic Books ==
* ''[[Y:
== Comics ==▼
▲* ''[[Y the Last Man]]'': When Dr Mann finally cracks how Yorick survived the [[Gendercide]], he has to ask her to "dumb the technobabble down about a thousand percent," since he once nearly blew off one of his testicles with a baking soda volcano.
* In ''[[Nodwick]]'', it usually falls to [[Deadpan Snarker|Nodwick]] to translate things said by [[The Smart Guy|Arthax]] (or other intelligent beings) into terms [[Dumb Muscle|Yeagar]] can understand. He usually does this in the most patronizing ways he can as he's not very fond of Yeagar. Arthax occasionally does this himself, with equal amounts of snark but slightly less patronizing.
== Fan Works ==
* When the scientists are involved in ''[[
==
* From ''[[Event Horizon]]'':
{{quote|
'''Miller:''' Try us, Doctor.
'''Dr. Weir:''' Right. Well, um, using layman's terms... [[Techno Babble|we use a rotating magnetic field to focus a narrow beam of gravitons. These, in turn, fold space-time consistent with Weyl tensor dynamics until the space-time curvature becomes infinitely large, and you produce a singularity. Now, the singularity...]]
'''Miller:''' ''(interrupting)'' "''Layman's'' terms"?
'''Cooper:''' Well, fuck layman's terms! Do you speak English? }}
* From ''[[The Matrix]]'':
{{quote|
'''Neo:''' What does that mean?
'''Cypher:''' It means "buckle your seatbelt, [[The Wizard of Oz (
** Neo, being a professional hacker probably understand what the words mean, but they don't make any sense to him since he's not sitting at a computer, as the terminology would imply.
* From ''[[Ghostbusters]]'':
{{quote|
'''Dr. Ray Stantz:''' You never studied. }}
** Later, Egon uses a Twinkie to describe how severe the paranormal activity in New York City had become. Leads to a [[Crowning Moment of Funny]]:
{{quote|
'''Venkman:''' ''(deadpan confusion)'' What about the Twinkie? }}
* ''[[
{{quote|
* Trying to explain TV shows to the Thermians in ''[[
* ''[[Apollo 13]]'' has several moments where, after the astronauts and mission-controllers explain the situation to each other in their own jargon, they repeat it in simpler terms for the sake of the
** When Lovell first powered up the Lunar Module, and tried to steer it:
{{quote|
'''Haise:''' It's not designed to fly attached like this, the center of gravity's in the command module!
'''Lovell:''' It's like flying with a dead elephant on our back. }}
** When Mattingly started talking Swigert through the abbreviated power-up procedure for the Command Module:
{{quote|
'''Mattingly:''' We'll just have to deal with that if it happens.
'''Swigert:''' ''(to himself)'' It's like driving a toaster through a carwash. }}
** When Mission Control decided that the Command Module had to be shut down:
{{quote|
* ''[[I, Robot (
{{quote|
'''Calvin:''' My general fields are advanced robotics and psychiatry, although I specialize in hardware-to-wetware interfaces, in an effort to advance USR's robotic anthropomorphization program.
'''Spooner:''' So...''what'' exactly do you do around here?
'''Calvin:''' I make the robots seem more human.
'''Spooner:''' Now wasn't that easier to say?
'''Calvin:''' Not really, no. }}
== Literature ==
* In ''[[Vorkosigan Saga|Memory]]'' by [[Lois McMaster Bujold]], we get:
{{quote|
"A what?" said Miles. "Simplify, please."
Weddell flashed a pained smile, doubtless searching his mind for words of one syllable. Miles regretted his last four beers. "A little bug that eats things," Weddell essayed, by way of further translation.
"Not that simplified," said Miles dryly. }}
* Telemain, the theoretical magician from [[Patricia C. Wrede]]'s ''[[Enchanted Forest Chronicles]]'', speaks entirely in technobabble (or [[Magi Babble]], rather). He briefly succeeds in speaking plain English when threatened with immediate bodily harm, but the effort costs him much. He even has trouble with "Those stairs only go down." Another example:
{{quote|
"What?" said Cimorene, looking puzzled.
"He's been trying to figure out how the wizards work their spells," Mendenbar explained, "but he hasn't done it yet." }}
* In the ''[[Discworld]]'' books, this shows up on occasion. Usually it's Ponder who has to simplify things so that the older wizards will understand them.
** An example from ''[[
{{quote|
'''Ponder:''' Er. As a matter of fact you can, I think. Er. Shouldn't be too much of a problem. People used to think it was, but I'm pretty sure it's all a matter of energy absorption and attention to relative velocities.
'''Ridcully:''' Relative velocities.
'''Ponder:''' Yes, Archchancellor.
'''Ridcully:''' My mother could move like lightning when--
'''Ponder:''' I mean how fast things are going when compared to other things. }}
** In later books, many of the more educated characters have tried to explain big thaumaturgical ideas to laymen; when one of those laymen offers up an analogy, the educated character notes that it's a "very useful metaphor that aids understanding while being completely inaccurate in every respect".
* A running gag in ''[[Jeeves and Wooster (
* In ''[[Spin]]'', Tyler uses the ''exact'' [[Stock Phrase]] ("In English, please, Jase"), when Jason describes a technology as "molecular autocatalytic feedback loops, basically, with contingent programming written into their reproductive protocols".
=== Print Media ===▼
* Happens in the (fake) sixth season trailer of ''[[Raumschiff Gamestar]]'': Dr. Chris explains "[[Techno Babble|This is a quantum-mechanical expansion mechanism that can revert the ship to the submolecular state.]]" As the crew gives him blank stares, the [[My Future Self and Me|Future!Dr. Chris]] adds: "A bomb."▼
== Live
* Parodied in one ''[[The Armstrong and Miller Show]]'' sketch where a news reporter is interviewing a prominent scientist about a discovery that "could change science forever!" The conversation goes something like this:
{{quote|
'''Scientist:''' No.
'''...'''
'''Exasperated Reporter:''' Some of our viewers are quite smart. Perhaps there is someone watching at the moment who's capable of understanding your theory?
'''Scientist:''' There isn't.
'''Exasperated Reporter:''' How can you be so sure?
'''Scientist:''' 'Cause... Graham's on holiday and Chung-Yao is dead... }}
** This sketch becomes so much better if you know that Ben Miller, who plays the scientist, was working on a Ph.D. thesis called "''Novel quantum effects in low-temperature quasi-zero dimensional mesoscopic electron systems''" before switching to comedy.
* In ''[[
** "Out of Gas" has:
{{quote|
'''Mal:''' I need that in Captain Dummy talk, Kaylee.
'''Kaylee:''' We're dead in the water. }}
** And again, in "Objects in Space"...
{{quote|
'''Simon:''' You are talking to a doctor. }}
* ''[[The Middleman]]'':
{{quote|
'''Middleman:''' The High Energy Yield Data Accumulation Resource. In technical terms, it's a global analysis and information-gathering device capable of performing both onboard evidence analysis as well as universal intelligence searches across all data platforms.
'''Wendy:''' And in non-technical terms?
'''Middleman:''' It's a big silver ball. It gives us answers to things. }}
* Billy on [[Mighty Morphin Power Rangers]] would sometimes use complicated dialogue to make his point. Trini was usually the one who translated it into plain English.
{{quote|
'''Trini:''' "Billy doesn't want to dance just to attract girls." }}
** There was an instance in which ''he'' translated ''her'' answer: she presented her fellow Rangers with a delicacy from her gourmet cooking class, which looked like brownies. She referred to the secret ingredient as "escargot." Which is French for "snails." Cue the disgusting spit-out.
** Subverted in [[Power Rangers RPM]]. Flynn's morpher malfunctions and Dr. K tells him what happened. When he asks her to say it again in Laymens Terms, she responds "That ''was'' in laymans terms".
* Occurs with absolutely ''infuriating'' frequency in ''[[NCIS]]'', where this happens with ''everyone'' who talks to Gibbs and reports some sort of evidence. Despite being told this roughly once per episode, his co-workers ''never'' [[Idiot Ball|manage to remember]] it in the future. Of course, Abby and Ducky are Gibbs' closest friends and knowingly enjoy teasing him like this, McGee's continually being flustered by Gibbs into retreating behind his protective wall of technobabble is his own particular running gag, and Tony and Ziva overlap in fields of expertise with Gibbs so he doesn't really need layman's terms with them. McGee's inability to stop doing this to Gibbs is lampshaded in a season five episode when Tony bets twenty dollars that he's about to say something nobody else understands again, and McGee ''still'' does it, prompting Gibbs to say that he's starting to think McGee just can't help himself.
** Played with brilliantly in ''Doppelganger'', when Gibbs needs to talk to a bunch of techno geeks. He brings McGee along to translate their technobabble into layman's terms, and McGee also has to translate his layman's terms back into technobabble.
* Often done in ''[[Criminal Minds]]''. Anything Reid has to say will almost always be technobabble mixed with obscure literary references, to the point that the other agents sometimes stop asking him to explain. He just launches into the simpler definition right after, which in itself isn't that simple.
* ''[[Numb3rs]]''. Once an episode, Charlie or one of his colleagues references an obscure mathematical concept that can be used to help solve a case, then creates an analogy to make it understandable. A real mathematician would probably be insulted to hear these concepts and theorems dumbed down to such a level. And they're ''still'' confusing. This predictable behavior is [[Lampshade Hanging|lampshaded]] at one point when the agent prompts him for the analogy: "Think of it as a..." In later seasons, the agents are just as likely to go "Wait! I know this one!" and trot out the totally inadequate analogy themselves. Then again, you try explaining graduate level math concepts like Floyd–Warshall algorithm or K-optimal pattern discovery in under 30 seconds.
* ''[[Stargate SG-1]]'' and ''[[
{{quote|
'''Sheppard:''' Try. }}
** This, however, gets subverted when [[Omnidisciplinary Scientist|Samantha Carter]] gets command of Atlantis:
{{quote|
'''Sheppard''': "
'''Carter''': *opens her mouth to explain*
'''McKay''': ([[Insufferable Genius|understanding instantly]]) "Sam, we are geniuses!"
'''Carter''': *smiles as if to say "Thank God I don't have to waste time explaining!"* }}
* ''[[Star Trek: Voyager]]'', episode ''Night'':
{{quote|
* In ''[[
** Rimmer and Lister take it in turn to try to explain a stasis leak to Cat:
{{quote|
'''Rimmer:''' It's a rent in the space-time continuum.
'''Cat:''' ''(to Lister)'' What ''is'' it?
'''Lister:''' The stasis room freezes time, you know, makes time stand still. So whenever you have a leak, it must preserve whatever it's leaked into, and it's leaked into this room.
'''Cat:''' ''(to Rimmer)'' What ''is'' it?
'''Rimmer:''' It's singularity, a point in the universe where the normal laws of space and time don't apply.
'''Cat:''' ''(to Lister)'' What ''is'' it?
'''Lister:''' It's a hole back into the past.
'''Cat:''' Oh, a magic door! Well, [[
** And from "Future Echoes" (and also the first American pilot):
{{quote|
'''Rimmer:''' Um, so Lister can understand it.
'''Holly:''' Oh, dear... }}
* In the American ''[[The Office]]'' Oscar is trying to explain to Michael why they should use up their budget surplus. Michael asks for Oscar to explain it as he would to an eight-year-old. Oscar ''without missing a beat'' breaks it down into an analogy, comparing the budget to money given to a child for a lemonade stand. At the end of Oscar's analogy, Michael can only respond, "Explain it to me like I'm ''six''."
* From ''[[
{{quote|
''(Sawyer slaps Faraday)''
'''Faraday:''' The Island... think of the Island like a record spinning on a turntable... only now, that record is skipping. Whatever Ben Linus did down at the Orchid station... I think... it may have... dislodged us.
'''Miles:''' Dislodged us from what?
'''Faraday:''' Time. }}
* Often subverted in ''[[The Big Bang Theory]]''. Penny, who is of roughly average intelligence, often has trouble understanding the extremely confusing scientific conversations going on between Leonard and his friends. Often times, when they try to repeat it in what they call "layman's terms", it is still horribly confusing.
* Subverted in ''[[
* Done done done and done in ''[[Bones]]'', mostly said by Booth, Cam, or Angela to the "squints" (or more scientific squints). However, since the squints all have different specialties, they normally need to explain things more simply to begin with.
* In ''[[
** The Doctor's complete inability to explain [[Timey-Wimey Ball|time travel theory]], despite his best efforts, including "This is my Timey-Wimey Detector. It goes ding when there's stuff,"
** When he discovers a Time Portal to France.
{{quote|
'''Rose:''' What's that?
'''The Doctor:''' Don't know. Made it up. Didn't want to say "Magic Door." }}
** After trapping The Wire on a cassette tape:
{{quote|
'''The Doctor:''' Hope so. But just to be on the safe side though, I'll use my unrivalled knowledge of trans-temporal extrapolation methods to neutralise the residual electronic pattern.
'''Rose:''' You'll what?
'''The Doctor:''' I'm gonna tape over it. }}
** Then you have ''[[Torchwood]]'', where Captain Jack Harkness refuses to avoid technobabble claiming it's "good for the soul". Tosh still explains things sometimes to Gwen, as her background is in law enforcement not science.
* ''[[QI]]'': "Explain it like you'd explain it to a small child." "But I was, dear." This can get annoying on ''QI''; since the Clever Stuff is genuine Clever Stuff and not just [[Phlebotinum]] [[Techno Babble]], the comedic "baffled layman" reaction from Alan Davies sometimes interrupts and kills off an explanation some of us might like to have heard all of.
* Carl Sagan's documentary ''[[Cosmos]]'' is a famous example of presenting science to the casual viewer in a comprehensible way.
* ''[[That '70s Show]]'':
{{quote|
'''Eric:''' Wh-what's going on? We're not moving!
'''Donna:''' Oh man, you dropped your transmission.
'''Eric:''' In English, Donna, in English!
'''Donna:''' Your car! No! Go! }}
* Everyone from the ''[[Alias (TV series)|Alias]]'' cast in response to [[Insufferable Genius|Marshall]]: "IN ENGLISH, MARSHALL!"
* ''[[Regenesis]]'': Sandstrom's favorite method of teaching advanced virology involves a vulgar pun and expressive wiggling of his fingers.
* A common gag in ''[[Eureka]]'', being about a town full of brilliant scientists who speak like, well, brilliant scientists... and [[Only Sane Man|Jack Carter]]. For example:
{{quote|
'''Dr. Fox''': Yeah, the aligned carbon-14 allows hyperdense cubit storage in an optical quantum processor... diamonds can store tons of data and transmit it super-fast. }}
* In ''[[Better Off Ted]]'', [[Those Two Guys]] parody this [[Like an Old Married Couple]];
{{quote|
'''Lem:''' We take bovine cells, and surrounding them with a bed of rich nutrients, grow them into fully developed cow tissue or "beef".
'''Phil:''' Cowless meat, grown in a lab.
'''Lem:''' I just said that.
'''Phil:''' I'm ''explaining'' it.
'''Lem:''' No, you're ''repeating it!'' }}
== New Media ==
Line 223 ⟶ 222:
* One of the language options for [[The Other Wiki]] is "Simple English". This can be helpful for some of the more obscure topics - since articles on, say, advanced mathematics only get edited by people who already understand them, they tend to drift inexorably into impenetrable jargon. Or if you prefer, the words get harder.
== Newspaper Comics ==
* ''[[Dilbert]]'' has to [http://dilbert.com/strip/2003-08-07 explain] things to the [[Pointy-Haired Boss]].
== [[Oral Tradition|Oral Tradition, Folklore, Myths and Legends]] ==
* After [[Celtic Mythology|Celtic folk hero Cu Chulainn]] and his future wife Emer [[Geeky Turn On|flirt in the nerdiest, most convoluted conversation ever]], Cu Chulainn has to take his charioteer Loeg aside and translate to him what exactly they were saying between all the riddles and obscure references. The explanation is twice as long as the conversation itself.
▲== Print Media ==
▲* Happens in the (fake) sixth season trailer of ''[[Raumschiff Gamestar]]'': Dr. Chris explains "[[Techno Babble|This is a quantum-mechanical expansion mechanism that can revert the ship to the submolecular state.]]" As the crew gives him blank stares, the [[My Future Self and Me|Future!Dr. Chris]] adds: "A bomb."
== Video Games ==
* From ''[[Portal (
{{quote|
* Also done in ''[[
{{quote|
* ''[[Fallout 2]]'', Harold asks you to bring a hydroelectric magnetosphere regulator for Gecko's nuclear power plant.
{{quote|
'''Harold:''' Well, technically... it's a thingy. }}
* From a cutscene in ''[[Command And Conquer Renegade]]'':
{{quote|
'''Havoc''': English, Doc.
'''Mobius''': Dr. Pettrova is attempting to create genetically enhanced super soldiers. }}
* [[Zone of the Enders]]: your helpful AI ADA informs you that by the superphysical properties of [[{{Phelbotinum]] Metatron]] inducing a charge alters the fabric of space-time which can be compartmentalized by the insertion of reality anchors into the points of "simultaneous compression and expansion", the destruction of which will open a final pocket that is otherwise nonexistant in this universe, or as she explains it:
{{quote|
* ''[[Republic Commando]]'': The spider droids explanation
{{quote|
'''Scorch''': In other words; shoot the red dot. }}
== Web Animation ==
* In the [[Doctor Who Expanded Universe]] webcast ''Scream of the Shalka'' Alison does this to herself to make better sense of what the Doctor's saying, to his annoyance.
{{quote|
'''Alison:''' The sonic internet.
'''The Doctor:''' Mmhm. And that machine adds automatic coordination. It keeps all their slaves doing what they’re supposed to be doing without the Shalka having to think about every little command. It must be able to record, playback, relay and boost the screams.
'''Alison:''' Their sonic service provider.
'''The Doctor:''' Stop that. }}
▲== Web Comics ==
* [http://www.schlockmercenary.com/d/20020505.html This] ''[[
▲* [http://www.schlockmercenary.com/d/20020505.html This] ''[[Schlock Mercenary (Webcomic)|Schlock Mercenary]]'' strip, except that she skips the technobabble.
* In ''[[Sluggy Freelance]]'':
** In [http://www.sluggy.com/comics/archives/daily/000105 this] strip, Dr. Schlock has to go a step beyond layman's terms when talking to Sam and Kiki.
{{quote|
** Later he has to use a [http://www.sluggy.com/comics/archives/daily/000106 puppet show] to explain himself.
* [[Inverted Trope|Inverted]] in [
{{quote|
'''Kari:''' Cooooool...
'''Vaegyr:''' Yes. I was hoping for something more tactical in nature.
'''Kari:''' The lance on that vashnir is one of the new spine-mounted models. It could ruin the Daimyo's day in a heartbeat -- but they need the perfect vector. Gun for gun, the Daimyo has a decisive advantage. }}
* ''[[Broken Plot Device]]'': [https://web.archive.org/web/20131026082346/http://www.brokenplotdevice.com/2008/10/20/between-a-frog-and-some-storage-space/ "Frog keep bad things trapped in closet."]
* ''[[Exterminatus Now]]''
{{quote|
'''Team:''' ''([[Beat Panel]])''
'''Scientist:''' [http://exterminatusnow.comicgenesis.com/d/20100613.html Shiny void rift plus big space gun make world go 'splodey.] }}
* Lampshaded in [http://bobadventures.comicgenesis.com/d/20100713.html this] ''[[The Inexplicable Adventures of Bob|InexplicableAdventuresOfBob,]]'' contrasting Bob's [[Book Dumb|view of things]] with Molly's [[Techno Babble]].
* Used in ''[[Wapsi Square]]'' [http://wapsisquare.com/comic/partsvibrate/ here.]
* Completely inverted in ''[[
* In ''[[Goblins]]'', [[The Ditz|Minmax]] [[Too Dumb to Live|considers peeing on a superpowered weapon of the gods]]. Kin frantically tries to stop him and explain why it's such a bad idea, but whenever she's nervous or upset, she reverts to [[Sesquipedalian Loquaciousness]]. When this fails, she resorts to "Penis go boom".
== Western Animation ==
* In ''[[The Simpsons (
** We have:
{{quote|
'''Homer:''' Say it in English, Doc.
'''Dr. Hibbert:''' You're going to need open-heart surgery.
'''Homer:''' Spare me your medical mumbo-jumbo.
'''Dr. Hibbert''': We're going to cut you open and tinker with your ticker.
'''Homer:''' Could you dumb it down a shade? }}
** Also parodied in one of the ''Treehouse of Horror'' episodes, where Homer winds up in 3-D:
{{quote|
'''Wiggum:''' Whoa, whoa, whoa, slow down, Einstein!
'''Scientist:''' ... wherein lies the doomed individual. }}
* [[Affectionate Parody|Spoofed to hell and back]] on ''[[Futurama]]''. After Leela asks what would happen at this juncture on [[Star Trek]]--[[It Makes Sense in Context]]
{{quote|
'''Bender:''' Like putting too much air in a balloon!
'''Fry:''' Of course! It's so simple! }}
:: Then when it doesn't work:
{{quote|
'''Fry:''' Like a balloon, and... something bad happens! }}
* In ''[[Code Lyoko]]'', Jérémie is frequently asked to translate his [[Techno Babble]] by his friends. (Note that in the original version, what they naturally ask for is: "In French, please.")
{{quote|
'''Ulrich:''' In English?
'''Jérémie:''' You get inside the cabin, you're teleported to the virtual world. }}
* Parodied in the classic ''[[Looney Tunes]]'' cartoon ''Duck Dodgers in the 24 1/2th Century''. Dodgers (Daffy Duck) is explaining to his eager young Space Cadet (Porky Pig) how he plans to locate Planet X, the only known source of Illudium Phosdex, the shaving cream atom, the world's supply of which is alarmingly low...
{{quote|
'''Cadet:''' Ah, p-p-p-p-p--oh, sure.
'''Dodgers:''' ''(cue glazed look; looks at the incomprehensible scribblings on the board, then annoyedly back at Cadet)'' Well I wish you'd explain it to me sometime, buthhhter! }}
:: The answer? He had just plotted out a path [[A Worldwide Punomenon|from Planet A to Planet B to Planet C...]]
* In ''[[Batman:
{{quote| '''Atom''': The [[CP 4]] barium-sonar wave will indicate any monocellic vili-silicates in our vicinity
'''Aquaman''': English, man, English!
'''Atom''': (Sigh
* Played with in ''[[Ren and Stimpy]]'', in one of the "Captain Hoek and Cadet Stimpy" segments. They've gone through a black hole into a parallel universe, and miss the bus back to reality as the place they're in starts to break up.
{{quote| '''Ren:''' ... I guess it's hopeless.
'''Stimpy:''' Wait! I know! I'll set the [[Buffy-Speak|space-time doohickey]] to our molecular wavelength, switch 'er into reverse, and turn it up to full blast! And we'll simply implode!
'''Ren:''' Implode? What's that?
'''Stimpy:''' Eh, sorry, Captain, but you're a layman, aren't you? I'll try to explain it in technical terms. }}
:: He never manages a vocal explanation, instead going "I'll show you!" and sucking in his stomach.
* The ''[[Justice League (
{{quote| '''Martian Manhunter:''' To halt the process, we need to create an Einstein-Rosen bridge to drain off the infecting anti-fusion matter.
'''Flash:''' Create a what to do what?
'''Hawkgirl:''' Make a wormhole, to suck away the bad stuff.
'''Flash:''' Oh. }}
* From the ''[[Phineas and Ferb]]'' episode "Bubble Boys", when the kids' bubble drifts down towards some public art:
{{quote| '''Gretchen:''' With our angled descent, leaning will be ineffectual!
'''Others:''' What?
'''Gretchen:''' We're gonna crash! }}
* The ''[[
* From the ''[[
{{quote| '''[[Sassy Black Woman|Aka Pella]]:''' Yo, we gotta get those flyboys back to Earth safely, but we need them to conserve what little fuel they have left!
'''[[No Indoor Voice|Loud Kiddington]]:''' HUH!?
'''Aka:''' I said they can't waste any gas!
'''Loud:''' WHY DIDN'T YOU SAY THAT IN THE FIRST PLACE!? }}
* Inverted in the ''[[Family Guy]]'' episode "Family Goy":
{{quote| '''Dr. Hartman:''' I'm sorry, Mrs. Griffin, but you have what we in the medical profession call gross black boob death.
'''Lois:''' You mean breast cancer?
'''Dr. Hartman:''' That is the layman's term. }}
* Reoccurring moment in the original ''[[Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 1987
{{quote| '''Donatello''': Well, being it's how it's a giant magnet, I'll have to realign the polarity of its electrostatic impediments.
'''Others''': In English!
'''Donatello''': Oh... In other words, I'll simply do this! }}
* Spoofed by ''[[
{{quote| '''Sheriff:''' He said he was with you, sparking up a J.
'''Peggy:''' In English, please?
'''Sheriff:''' ''Lighting'' up a J?
''(Peggy gasps and falls back into her chair.)'' }}
== Real Life ==
* "Rock Star" physicist Brian Cox
** Parodied on BBC Radio 4's "The Now Show": "Newton's law of universal gravitation states that every point mass in the universe attracts every other point mass with a force that is directly proportional to the product of their masses and inversely proportional to the square of the distance between them. And that's a bit like this packet of Smints."
* Introductory instructors in technical fields must walk the fine line between an explanation that's simple enough for the students to understand and one that's technical enough for them to apply correctly. (One method is to first say it in layman's terms and then [[Show, Don't Tell|show]] it in technical detail.)
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{{reflist}}
[[Category:Dialogue]]
[[Category:Comedy Tropes]]
▲[[Category:Laymans Terms]]
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