One Dialogue, Two Conversations: Difference between revisions

{{trope}}

 

Two characters are discussing something... but they're discussing two totally different things. Their actions and responses—vague enough to be applied to either topic—happen to match up so well, though, that neither notices for some time, if at all.

 

{{examples}}

* In [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NHvyH73oZrU a Vonage VOIP commercial], a couple with a new child walk into the room where the father refers to their daughter as "their new bundle of joy". Hearing the word "Bundle" the wife remembers something and explicitly states that they are loosing a lot of money to his current phone bundle and they should drop it. The husband, seemingly unable to hear the word "Phone" in her sentence, thinks she is talking about their child. So when she states they should get rid of the bundle as it will just get harder to do the longer they don't, the husband has a look of utter horror on his face.

 

== Anime and Manga ==

* The last episode of ''[[Kyou no Go no Ni]]'' ends with two of the characters talking about a childhood promise they made. The boy is talking about {{spoiler|a [[Childhood Marriage Promise]]}}, and the girl is talking about {{spoiler|her (broken) promise not to tell about the time the boy wet his bed}}.

* Episode 7 of ''[[Sayonara, Zetsubou-sensei]]'' opens with [[The Eeyore|Itokishi]] talking to his student [[Yaoi Fangirl|Harumi Fujiyoshi]] about producing "fan-made publications". He's talking about self-published poetry; she's talking about [[Hentai|erotic]] [[Doujinshi]].

* Several times in ''[[School Rumble]]''. A notable one is when Eri idly asks Tenma if she's seen a male body before. Tenma says yes, referring to a wrestling match she had recently gone to with Karasuma. The resulting conversation has Eri thinking Tenma is talking about sex while Tenma describes the various moves she saw at the match.

* In ''[[Ichiban Ushiro no Dai Maou]]'', when Akuto goes to visit Junko's father, he doesn't realize that the reason for the visit is a marriage interview, rather than just a typical meet and greet. Junko however, thought he knew, and their conversation is pretty ambiguous until she secretly meets with him in his room at night.

 

== Comic Books ==

 

** Earlier, {{spoiler|Kyon and Mori}} had a conversation about protection. {{spoiler|Kyon}} thought they were talking about bulletproof armour when actually...

*** Which started when {{spoiler|Mori}} misunderstood a comment about people ''literally'' [[Innocent Innuendo|sleeping together]].

* The ''[[Kingdom Hearts]]'' fanfic ''[[The Renegades]]'' features a chapter in which Axel and Larxene start a conversation in which tea is used [[Double Entendre|as a euphemism for sex]], and the other Nobodies start joining in on the wordplay. Eventually, [[The Big Guy|Lexaeus]] enters the conversation, [[Entendre Failure|and completely misinterprets their meaning]], remarking that there's probably enough tea to go around. The others burst into laughter while Lex blinks, confused.

 

== Film ==

'''Detective Krevoy:''' This wasn't your first time, was it, Ted? How many we talking?

'''Ted:''' Hitchhikers? I don't know - fifty... a hundred maybe - who keeps track? Hey, I know this is the Bible Belt, but where I come from this is not that big a deal. }}

* Done in a totally non-comedic fashion in ''[[Shutter Island]]'' when Teddy Daniels finds George Noyce. {{spoiler|Noyce actually gives away the entire, cruel [[Twist Ending]]: that Teddy is actually [[Tomato in the Mirror|Andrew Laeddis (who Teddy believes is responsible for his wife's death]]... [[Prophecy Twist|and he's right)]], that he's an inmate of the asylum, and that the entire "investigation" is just a game for Teddy's benefit. Teddy, however, is so wrapped up in his delusions that he can't understand anything Noyce is saying (except for the bit about experiments in the lighthouse, which, ironically, are ''Noyce's'' delusions), and the audience is so trusting of Teddy's subjective point of view that they can't appreciate Noyce's words [[Fridge Brilliance|until the movie's over]].}}

* Les Grossman's [[Cluster F-Bomb|infamous]] exchange with Flaming Dragon in ''[[Tropic Thunder]]''. They're a group of warlords trying to ransom a hostage, and he thinks they're a rival talent agency trying to sign his biggest star. Possibly subverted in that I doubt Grossman's approach would have been any different had he known they were warlords.

{{quote|'''Grossman''': "Take a step back and literally '''FUCK YOUR OWN FACE!''' I don't know what kind of Pan-Pacific bullshit power play you're trying to pull on me, but Asia, Jack, is my territory. So whatever you're thinking, you better think again! Otherwise I'm gonna have to head down there and I will rain down an ungodly fucking firestorm upon you! you're gonna have to call the fucking United Nations and get a fucking binding resolution to keep me from fucking destroying you. I'm talking about scorched earth motherfucker! I will massacre you! I WILL '''FUCK YOU UP'''!"}}

* In ''[[Touch Of Pink]]'' Alim and Giles discuss a man who's played an important role in their lives. Giles talks about the [[Jerk Jock|guy]] he's been sleeping with, Alim talks about his imaginary friend, and both are surprised that the other already knows.

* In ''[[Being There]]'' (both movie and source novella), the vast majority of the conversations [[Seemingly-Profound Fool|Chance the Gardener]] has with other characters turn out as this due to their preconceived notions about him—because he ''looks and sounds'' like a cultured businessman, that's what he's assumed to be, rather than the mentally-challenged gardener he actually is.

* A very good one happens in the first ''[[Shrek]]'' movie when Shrek overhears Donkey's conversation with Fiona about {{spoiler|her turning into an ogre at night. Because he hears only part of the conversation, when she says, "Who could love such a hideous, ugly beast?", he thinks she's referring to him.}} The confrontation he has with her the next day is very much two different conversations:

{{quote|'''Fiona:''' You heard what I said?

* In ''[[Enemy of the State]]'', [[Will Smith|Dean]] weaponizes this trope. {{spoiler|Early in the movie some [[Chekhov's Gunman|Chekhov's Gunmen]] [[The Mafia|Mafiosi]] confronted him about a tape being used as evidence in a legal case he was on}}. In the main plot of the movie an acquaintance had slipped Dean a tape with evidence of murder by an NSA agent. When Dean has finally figured out the plot but got captured by the NSA, {{spoiler|he tells the NSA agents that the Mafiosi have the tape they want. A meeting is arranged and the NSA and Mafia play out this trope. They end up murdering each other rather thoroughly, never realizing that they were talking about two completely different tapes.}}

* In ''[[The Rescuers Down Under]]'', Bernard tries to propose to Bianca, but misplaces the ring. While he looks for it, Bianca receives word of the mission to Australia, and when Bernard returns and tries to propose again, she thinks he's talking about the mission and accepts. He is delighted, but is perplexed that she wants to do it now, and that she only needs to wear khaki shorts and hiking boots.

 

== Literature ==

* In ''[[Sense and Sensibility (novel)|Sense and Sensibility]]'', Mrs. Jennings watches a conversation between Colonel Brandon and Elinor and assumes he is proposing to her, and has a conversation with Elinor afterwards, congratulating her. The colonel had actually been offering a living to Edward. Elinor and Mrs. Jennings don't realise they're on different pages until their second conversation about it.

* A sinister example in the Ruth Rendell novel, ''The Lake of Darkness''. {{spoiler|One character is trying to do a good deed with a pool win and is offering to buy a house for another character and his mother in the country. The other character thinks he's being hired as a hitman.}}

* Pritkin and Cassie have a brief one in ''Hunt the Moon''. {{spoiler|Cassie believes they're talking about how Mircea considers Pritkin a danger to her physical well-being, while Pritkin believes she's speaking of Mircea's distrust of Pritkin as a potential romantic rival.}}

* ''[[The Monk]]'': Don Christoval is just trying to be nice. Leonella swears he wants her.

 

* ''[[3rd Rock from the Sun]]'' often uses this trope.

** A memorable example occurred when Harry realized Tommy had grown taller than him. So they went to an enlargement clinic, not realizing, of course, that it was a penis enlargement clinic. [[Hilarity Ensues]].

'''Diane''': (''while walking with Rick to the office'') No no, we don't need to hear from Mr. Skeptic. Rick here is after something and I can show him where it is.

(''They enter Sam's office.'' ''[[Beat]]''. ''Slap!'') }}

 

== Music ==

* "Pass the Pepper" by Lou and Peter Berryman.

 

== Newspaper Comics ==

* In one ''[[Zits]]'' comic strip, teenage Jeremy is explaining to his friend Hector how he's Googled everybody he knows. Hector is somewhat startled (perhaps at the fact that Jeremy now knows everything he'd need to know about everybody), as Jeremy goes on: "Friends, teachers, neighbors... you name 'em, I've Googled 'em." All the while, Jeremy's dad is standing behind them with an increasingly alarmed look on his face, until he runs over to Jeremy's mom to learn that Google is actually an internet search, and not, [[Is That What They're Calling It Now?|well]]...

 

 

* Comedian Carl Barron tells of a conversation based around the two meaning of the word 'thongs' (either footwear or underpants).

{{quote|'''Carl''': I always wear thongs.

{{quote|'''@fart''': in all sincerity i really did believe we were talking about Edward Scissorhands }}

 

* Most of the Alan Ayckbourn play ''Relatively Speaking''.

* ''[[Fiddler on the Roof]]'': Tevye and Lazar Wolf meet up in a bar in one scene. Lazar Wolf wants to talk about potentially marrying Tevye's daughter Tzeitel. However, Tevye doesn't know that, believing that Lazar Wolf wants to buy one of his cows. Cue an awkward conversation between the two with [[Double Entendre]]s and innuendos abound.

* In an relatively old Norwegian theater piece, ''Rett i Lomma'' ("Right in the Pocket", referring to money easily obtained through fraud), the [[Villain Protagonist]] (Erik) has spent the last two years making up fake personalities to cash in on their various "illnesses" and subsequent state support money. Then a tax inspector shows up and wants some signatures on a few papers in order to confirm the next payment to "Mr. Thomasen". Erik promptly says he is Thomasen and signs the paper. But the inspector also needs Erik's signature. He asks his friend Normann to do this, but the attempt is thwarted as Normann is forced to take on another role as the inspector mentions other people and Erik begins lying about them too. This leads to him and Normann having to play various fake roles in order to cover up the fraud as more and more oblivious people arrive at the scene and begin asking questions. [[Hilarity Ensues]] as they take on more and more ridiculous personality traits and come up with more and more complex excuses. Most conversations are then misunderstood as the roles become too complex to keep track of. Several scenes have not double, but ''multi-layered'' conversations.

* In [[Moliere]]'s play ''[[The Miser]]'', Harpagon and his steward Valere are talking about the supposed thievery Valere has done. Harpagon is talking about his stolen money box, while Valere is talking of Harpagon's daughter whom he's in love with. Harpagon is so fixated on the stolen money that he takes unusually long to realize what's up, even when Valere begins talking of the "fair eyes", "modesy" and "purity" of the daughter.

 

== Video Games ==

Was...was that really how it happened? It occurred to Junpei that perhaps that was how it worked... Perhaps he'd been mistaken all these years. Had he misunderstood life so gravely? The thought terrified him. June seemed to be entirely oblivious to Junpei's mounting confusion and terror. }}

* ''[[Da Capo]]'' ([[Visual Novel]]): As Junichi and Nemu set off for school, they start talking about who should get married first, and Junichi decides that they should get married at the same time. Nemu immediately assumes he means to ''[[Brother-Sister Incest|each other]]'', and the practical-thinking Junichi doesn't understand why Nemu's getting so flustered. And just a moment later as Nemu threatens to deliver a [[Megaton Punch]], Sakura suddenly admonishes them that they can't do "that", because they're brother and sister. Both siblings [[Brother-Sister Incest|take it the wrong way]] and start realizing their feelings for each other, until Sakura finishes her sentence—that siblings shouldn't ''hit'' each other. Oops.

* Larry's final conversation with Annette Boning in ''[[Leisure Suit Larry]] 7: Love for Sail!'' features Larry trying desperately to prevent Annette from thinking he's gay, while Annette is trying desperately to stop Larry from blackmailing her about her husband's assassination.

* There are a few party banter conversations like this in [[Dragon Age]]. Most of them [http://dragonage.wikia.com/wiki/Oghren/Dialogue#Oghren_and_Wynne involve Oghren], who does it [[Mind Screw|on purpose]].

** Notable examples include Oghren announcing that he caught Alistair practicing "pike-twirling" in the woods, and that he likes "polishing his weapon" in public to relieve tension. In both cases he's not being euphemistic, but makes it sound extremely dirty.

* In ''[[Tales of Monkey Island]]'', you have to do this deliberately. Guybrush has to exchange insults with a pirate, while simultaneously cheering up Morgan.

 

== Web Comics ==

* ''Dangerously Chloe'' had a moment after Naomi have [[Mistaken for Aliens]] Teddy and his succuibi roomies, then Prudence got literally dropped on top of him and knocked him out. And since her angel wings and halo are [[Invisible to Normals]], Naomi talks about Prudi being a runaway [[Alien Abduction|abductee]] while Prudi assumes they talk about the whole Angelic business.

* ''[[The Noob]]'' has [http://www.thenoobcomic.com/index.php?pos=301 a case] where [[One Scene, Two Monologues|a monologue and internal monologue running their own ways]]... until they collide perfectly.

 

== Web Original ==

 

== Western Animation ==

 

{{reflist}}

[[Category:Dialogue]]

[[Category:A Failure to Communicate]]