Please educate me on the expression "up in here"

[Zeldar]

Until I began hearing this used for all sorts of "places" to be, the idea of "up in here" had connoted such things as:

hot air balloon
airplane
helicopter
tree house
penthouse
attic
upper floor apartment
etc.

Where is the place (or places) referred to in the current usage?

Is there a specific place involved or is it just an expression with minimal meaning?

[Munch]

It means "here". When have you heard it when the context didn't make it clear what was meant?

[Shagnasty]

Right. It is just stylistic. "Up in there" also means roughly the same thing as "there" but is slightly more active and aggressive.

[awldune]

It just means "in here," although it sometimes adds emphasis.

"It's hot in here" vs. "Whew! It's HOT up in here!"

[Zeldar]

Originally Posted by Munch

It means "here". When have you heard it when the context didn't make it clear what was meant?

I was trying to remember a specific instance until I saw

Originally Posted by awldune

It just means "in here," although it sometimes adds emphasis.

"It's hot in here" vs. "Whew! It's HOT up in here!"

This is the type of saying where the emphasis is pretty clear but there's still this sense (at least to me) of "up" suggesting something I just don't understand.

Not that other expressions make better sense, but "up here" or "in here" convey a meaning that gets fuzzy (again, to me anyway) when they're combined without reference to the place involved.

If it matters, there are quite a few of the "just for emphasis" things going around these days that are just as vague. Slang doesn't have to make sense to be effective, but "up in here" just rubs me wrong, I guess.

[Chessic Sense]

This thread is the silliest one up in here, once then now yet.

[Hello Again]

It seems to me the pure construction is "up in this bitch" and "up in here" is merely the polite form.

What say you, slang experts?

[Hello Again]

BTW "up" as an intensifier is also seen in "up in my face" which describes a situation in which a person has confronted you on a particular issue (perhaps, without justification). It means exactly the same thing as saying a person "got in your face" about the subject, just more so.

My supervisor was all up in my face about the TPS reports. Doesn't he know I already filed them in triplicate?

[Zeldar]

Originally Posted by Hello Again

It seems to me the pure construction is "up in this bitch" and "up in here" is merely the polite form.

What say you, slang experts?

My OP question/concern has been addressed to my satisfaction. Now I see.

[Nzinga, Seated]

Ya'll gonna make me act a fool.

[Hello Again]

Originally Posted by Nzinga, Seated

Ya'll gonna make me act a fool.

That's how I roll.

[Drain Bead]

Originally Posted by Nzinga, Seated

Ya'll gonna make me act a fool.

Nzinga, you been doin' that for a minute.

[msmith537]

Originally Posted by Nzinga, Seated

Ya'll gonna make me act a fool.

Y'all gonna make me lose my cool.

[Nzinga, Seated]

Originally Posted by Drain Bead

Nzinga, you been doin' that for a minute.

Yeah, but now I'm doing it UP IN HERE!

[Unintentionally Blank]

Bazinga! er, N'zinga!

[MeanOldLady]

Oh fuck! I was multi-quoting this thread to laugh at the goodness, but then I found myself quoting the whole damn thing. There is much hilarity (up in) here!

[G0sp3l]

If I gotta bring it to you cowards then it's gonna be quick, a'ight

[SeaDragonTattoo]

...and shit.

[Snowboarder Bo]

Run and tell that home home homeboy!

[DiosaBellissima]

Originally Posted by Nzinga, Seated

Ya'll gonna make me act a fool.

+100000000

[blondebear]

Doc, I got this funny feeling...right up in here.

[Ferret Herder]

Originally Posted by blondebear

Doc, I got this funny feeling...right up in here.

Then don't be doin' that, fool. Shee-it.

[ToeJam]

Great, now this thread has got me bouncin again,
Bouncin again, bounce-bouncin again

[Peremensoe]

Funny people.

Originally Posted by Zeldar

Where is the place (or places) referred to in the current usage?

"Up" doesn't refer to the place, it refers to the people involved.

Originally Posted by Hello Again

BTW "up" as an intensifier is also seen in "up in my face" which describes a situation in which a person has confronted you on a particular issue (perhaps, without justification). It means exactly the same thing as saying a person "got in your face" about the subject, just more so.

Right. Up means active, aroused, energized, focused, like starting up an engine. You put your guard up. If somebody bothers you, you may get either your dander or your ire up.

Being in somebody's face is confrontational, but up in somebody's face is flat-out asking for a fight. Being in a nightclub means you're there, but up in the club means you're really on the scene.

[Zeldar]

Thanks for that spin on it, spark240, and an angle I hadn't considered for some usages.

However, there do seem to be usages that imply some elevated position held by the speaker, and it's those where the "exalted position" is vague or puzzling.

This may be an imagined situation, but it's not too far from some I can almost remember:

Plaintiff: This gal ran off with my man and my gold watch.
Defendant: Ain't done it. He wasn't your man and that watch ain't even gold.
Judge: Y'all need to get a story I can believe up in here.

[monstro]

I like using it in this way:

Doctor: Now can you tell me where the pain is located?

Me (making a circular gesture around face): All up in this area here, Doctor. All up in here!