Put the emphasis on “at all”; let “getting married” run light before it.
So, are you scared about getting married at all?Clerks II · 2006 — Chapter 12 of 17 · 2'06" · B2
Wedding Jitters, But Only About Dancing, Explained: tie your life to someone
The talk starts as a simple question about marriage, but the answer is a fear of the wedding dance. One line cuts through it: “what you're sweating is dancing at your reception?” The mismatch is the point: a lifetime commitment draws less worry than one dance.
What happens
One person about to get married is asked whether they are scared. They say they are not afraid of marriage itself, only of the wedding—because they cannot dance. The conversation turns from cold feet to the reception, family, and the impression they want to make on Emma's relatives.
Listen for
at allgo through withtie your life to someoneget you
00:00 / 02:06Space play · ← → lines · R repeat
Now
Phrase of the scene
tie your life to someone
commit your whole life to someone
Marriage is framed as tying one’s life to another person, then set against the trivial worry about dancing.
You shouldn't tie your life to someone just because you're afraid of being alone.
Also in this scene
- at all
even a little; used for emphasis
- go through with
complete something difficult as planned
- get you
understand someone’s point or nature
- pass up on
decline or miss a good opportunity
- the more imperative concern
the supposedly more urgent issue
Everything marked in this scene
27 notes across 33 lines
while a talk is already happening not a physical middle, but a talk already in progress
were we in the middle of a conversation I don't remember leaving?complete the wedding as planned not pass through a wedding, but carry it through
I was just thinking about it, and I was thinking that maybe you were waiting for some friend to try and stop you from going through with the wedding by asking if you're even ready to go and get married.object clause: The “that” clause is the object of “thinking”; “maybe” softens the guess inside it.
I was just thinking about it, and I was thinking that maybe you were waiting for some friend to try and stop you from going through with the wedding by asking if you're even ready to go and get married.on the point of doing it
You're about to tie your life to someone, someone who doesn't even really get you as well as your friends do, and what you're sweating is dancing at your reception?commit your whole life to someone
Marriage is framed as tying one’s life to another person, then set against the trivial worry about dancing.
You're about to tie your life to someone, someone who doesn't even really get you as well as your friends do, and what you're sweating is dancing at your reception?relative clause: The “who” clause describes the someone; the comparison is about understanding, not possession.
You're about to tie your life to someone, someone who doesn't even really get you as well as your friends do, and what you're sweating is dancing at your reception?Keep “you're” light and quick; land on “sweating.”
You're about to tie your life to someone, someone who doesn't even really get you as well as your friends do, and what you're sweating is dancing at your reception?worrying — Spoken and casual; use “worried” in formal writing.
You're about to tie your life to someone, someone who doesn't even really get you as well as your friends do, and what you're sweating is dancing at your reception?think; guess — American colloquial “think”; use “think” in formal writing.
Well, I figure she'll eventually get me.understand someone’s point or nature
He half-jokingly argues that a spouse will eventually understand you, as if convincing himself as much as his friend.
My parents have been married for 35 years, and they still don't get each other.present perfect: “Have been married” describes a state lasting 35 years; it is not the same as “got married.”
My parents have been married for 35 years, and they still don't get each other.let that chance go that refers to her loving him, not a physical object
I mean, what am I supposed to do, pass up on that because I have a few stupid doubts and some jitters?Link “pass up on” as one run; clip “that” short.
I mean, what am I supposed to do, pass up on that because I have a few stupid doubts and some jitters?nervousness — Common for pre-event nerves; avoid in formal documents.
I mean, what am I supposed to do, pass up on that because I have a few stupid doubts and some jitters?at this stage
Besides, dancing at the reception's the more imperative concern at this point, because I only get, well,the supposedly more urgent issue
He calls dancing at the reception “the more imperative concern,” deadpan and mock-formal, inflating a small worry into a priority.
Besides, dancing at the reception's the more imperative concern at this point, because I only get, well,one of the few chances
No. Anybody can slow dance, but this is one of the only times I've ever gonna meet most of Emma's extended family,dance slowly as a couple
No. Anybody can slow dance, but this is one of the only times I've ever gonna meet most of Emma's extended family,relatives beyond the immediate family
No. Anybody can slow dance, but this is one of the only times I've ever gonna meet most of Emma's extended family,show style or skill flair means style, not an object
and I'd like to be able to show some flair on the dance floor, you know?in the area for dancing
and I'd like to be able to show some flair on the dance floor, you know?create a memorable effect on people
He wants to perform well on the dance floor so her relatives see his good side, not just a burger-selling loser.
Like, make an impression so that maybe they'll see whatever it is that Emma sees in me instead of all feeling like I'm some burger-peddling loser who couldn't even bust a move.nominal clause: The “whatever” clause is what they might see; “that Emma sees in me” explains the vague “it.”
Like, make an impression so that maybe they'll see whatever it is that Emma sees in me instead of all feeling like I'm some burger-peddling loser who couldn't even bust a move.Let the “t” in “bust” soften and slide into “a”; stress “move.”
Like, make an impression so that maybe they'll see whatever it is that Emma sees in me instead of all feeling like I'm some burger-peddling loser who couldn't even bust a move.dance; make a move — Playful or self-mocking among friends; not for formal settings.
Like, make an impression so that maybe they'll see whatever it is that Emma sees in me instead of all feeling like I'm some burger-peddling loser who couldn't even bust a move.a loser who sells burgers — A self-mocking put-down; never use it to insult someone to their face.
Like, make an impression so that maybe they'll see whatever it is that Emma sees in me instead of all feeling like I'm some burger-peddling loser who couldn't even bust a move.Wedding Jitters, But Only About Dancing, explained
What's really going on
The scene keeps turning a wedding-jitters talk into a joke about logistics. One person almost announces the role they are playing—the friend who asks if you're ready—then asks anyway. The reply moves the fear from marriage to the reception, which sounds silly until the conversation lands on compatibility: “someone who doesn't even really get you as well as your friends do.” The defense is that time will fix it, met by the dry counter that “My parents have been married for 35 years, and they still don't get each other.” The final move is to treat the match as too good to “pass up on,” then go back to worrying about dancing. The joke is that the smallest problem is the only one anyone can solve.
Theme
MarriageThe scene turns wedding jitters into a debate about compatibility, doubt and whether to commit anyway.
FriendshipA friend asks the hard question, then needles the answer with a counterexample.
Listen for
- getting married at all — Put the emphasis on “at all”; let “getting married” run light before it.
- what you're sweating — Keep “you're” light and quick; land on “sweating.”
- pass up on that — Link “pass up on” as one run; clip “that” short.
- bust a move — Let the “t” in “bust” soften and slide into “a”; stress “move.”
You're about to tie your life to someone, someone who doesn't even really get you as well as your friends do, and what you're sweating is dancing at your reception?It points out the mismatch: the person is about to bind their life to someone who may not understand them, yet is fixated on dancing at the reception.
My parents have been married for 35 years, and they still don't get each other.A blunt counterexample: a long marriage does not guarantee mutual understanding, so time alone may not fix not being understood.
I mean, what am I supposed to do, pass up on that because I have a few stupid doubts and some jitters?It treats a few doubts and jitters as too small a reason to give up a good match.
Like, make an impression so that maybe they'll see whatever it is that Emma sees in me instead of all feeling like I'm some burger-peddling loser who couldn't even bust a move.It explains the dance anxiety: making an impression so Emma's relatives see what she sees, not a burger-selling loser who cannot dance.
Questions about this scene
Why is the person more scared of the wedding than of marriage?
In the dialogue, they say they always wanted to get married one day, but they are scared of the wedding because they do not know how to dance.
What does “bust a move” mean here?
It means to dance. The line worries that Emma's relatives will see them as a burger-peddling loser who cannot even bust a move.
Why does the conversation turn to Emma's extended family?
The person says this is one of the only times they will meet most of Emma's extended family, so they want to show flair and make an impression on the dance floor.
Is there an answer to whether a spouse will eventually “get” the person?
Not in this dialogue. One line says a spouse will get you eventually; another answers with parents married 35 years who still do not get each other.
Why does dancing become the more imperative concern?
The person calls it that because they believe they only get one chance to dance at their wedding, and they want to make an impression on Emma's relatives.
Clerks II · 17 chapters
All chapters →
Up next · Chapter 13You and what army?A Man Confesses He's the Father
Chapter 1take issue withCoworkers Argue Over Wheelchair Blogger
Chapter 2hit the jackpotDante and Emma Argue Over a House
Chapter 3more than meets the eyeTransformers Argument at Mooby's
Chapter 4sow your wild oatsCan't Be Friends With Your Boss
Chapter 5Say what you will aboutTrilogy Showdown at Mooby's
Chapter 6give someone the time of dayDante and Becky Debate Marriage
Chapter 7at its finestPlanning a Donkey Show for a Send-Off
Chapter 8piece togetherRandal Grills Elias About Sex
Chapter 9bet dollars to donutsLance Dowds Visits Mooby's
Chapter 10blow off some steamA Slur at the Mooby's Counter
Chapter 11term of endearmentRandal Defends a Slur
Watching · Chapter 12tie your life to someoneWedding Jitters, But Only About Dancing
Chapter 13You and what army?A Man Confesses He's the Father
Chapter 14at its finestGoing-Away Party Turns Into a Stage Act
Chapter 15smooth things overDante and Randal's Jail Blowup
Chapter 16take a bullet for someoneFriends Fight Over Moving Away
Chapter 17pan outFriends Negotiate the Quick Stop LoanChapter 12 of 17 · about 17 min to go