# Please educate me on the expression "up in here" **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 22, 2010, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-educate-me-on-the-expression-up-in-here/558015 "2010-10-22T15:50:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2010, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-educate-me-on-the-expression-up-in-here/558015/1 "2010-10-22T15:50:13Z")
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? ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2010, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-educate-me-on-the-expression-up-in-here/558015/2 "2010-10-22T16:29:05Z")
It means “here”. When have you heard it when the context didn’t make it clear what was meant? ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2010, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-educate-me-on-the-expression-up-in-here/558015/3 "2010-10-22T16:34:05Z")
Right. It is just stylistic. “Up in there” also means roughly the same thing as “there” but is slightly more active and aggressive. ---
**Author:** ![awldune](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c77e96/32.png) [@awldune](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/awldune)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2010, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-educate-me-on-the-expression-up-in-here/558015/4 "2010-10-22T18:02:56Z")
It just means “in here,” although it sometimes adds emphasis. “It’s hot in here” vs. “Whew! It’s HOT up in here!” ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2010, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-educate-me-on-the-expression-up-in-here/558015/5 "2010-10-22T18:25:53Z")
> [@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 > [@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. ---
**Author:** ![Chessic\_Sense](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7c8e57/32.png) [@Chessic\_Sense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chessic_Sense)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2010, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-educate-me-on-the-expression-up-in-here/558015/6 "2010-10-22T18:30:19Z")
This thread is the silliest one up in here, once then now yet. ---
**Author:** ![Hello\_Again](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/85e7bf/32.png) [@Hello\_Again](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hello_Again)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2010, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-educate-me-on-the-expression-up-in-here/558015/7 "2010-10-22T18:37:30Z")
It seems to me the pure construction is “[up in this bitch](http://www.explosm.net/comics/1311/)” and “up in here” is merely the polite form. What say you, slang experts? ---
**Author:** ![Hello\_Again](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/85e7bf/32.png) [@Hello\_Again](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hello_Again)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2010, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-educate-me-on-the-expression-up-in-here/558015/8 "2010-10-22T18:46:52Z")
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?_ ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2010, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-educate-me-on-the-expression-up-in-here/558015/9 "2010-10-22T18:47:55Z")
> [@Hello\_Again](#): > > It seems to me the pure construction is “[up in this bitch](http://www.explosm.net/comics/1311/)” 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. ---
**Author:** ![Nzinga\_Seated](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b5ac83/32.png) [@Nzinga\_Seated](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nzinga_Seated)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2010, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-educate-me-on-the-expression-up-in-here/558015/10 "2010-10-22T19:36:00Z")
Ya’ll gonna make me act a fool. ---
**Author:** ![Hello\_Again](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/85e7bf/32.png) [@Hello\_Again](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hello_Again)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2010, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-educate-me-on-the-expression-up-in-here/558015/11 "2010-10-22T19:39:34Z")
> [@Nzinga\_Seated](#): > > Ya’ll gonna make me act a fool. That’s how I roll. ---
**Author:** ![Drain\_Bead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e47774/32.png) [@Drain\_Bead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drain_Bead)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2010, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-educate-me-on-the-expression-up-in-here/558015/12 "2010-10-22T20:00:31Z")
> [@Nzinga\_Seated](#): > > Ya’ll gonna make me act a fool. Nzinga, you been doin’ that for a minute. ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2010, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-educate-me-on-the-expression-up-in-here/558015/13 "2010-10-22T20:11:30Z")
> [@Nzinga\_Seated](#): > > Ya’ll gonna make me act a fool. Y’all gonna make me lose my cool. ---
**Author:** ![Nzinga\_Seated](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b5ac83/32.png) [@Nzinga\_Seated](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nzinga_Seated)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2010, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-educate-me-on-the-expression-up-in-here/558015/14 "2010-10-22T21:08:18Z")
> [@Drain\_Bead](#): > > Nzinga, you been doin’ that for a minute. Yeah, but now I’m doing it UP IN HERE! ---
**Author:** ![Unintentionally\_Blank](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/unintentionally_blank/32/5418_2.png) [@Unintentionally\_Blank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Unintentionally_Blank)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2010, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-educate-me-on-the-expression-up-in-here/558015/15 "2010-10-22T21:21:35Z")
Bazinga! er, N’zinga! ---
**Author:** ![MeanOldLady](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/meanoldlady/32/10737_2.png) [@MeanOldLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MeanOldLady)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2010, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-educate-me-on-the-expression-up-in-here/558015/16 "2010-10-22T21:47:39Z")
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! ---
**Author:** ![G0sp3l](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c68b51/32.png) [@G0sp3l](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/G0sp3l)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2010, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-educate-me-on-the-expression-up-in-here/558015/17 "2010-10-22T22:00:32Z")
If I gotta bring it to you cowards then it’s gonna be quick, a’ight ---
**Author:** ![SeaDragonTattoo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df705f/32.png) [@SeaDragonTattoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SeaDragonTattoo)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2010, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-educate-me-on-the-expression-up-in-here/558015/18 "2010-10-23T02:00:29Z")
…and shit. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2010, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-educate-me-on-the-expression-up-in-here/558015/19 "2010-10-23T02:04:22Z")
Run and tell _that_ home home homeboy! ---
**Author:** ![DiosaBellissima](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a8b319/32.png) [@DiosaBellissima](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DiosaBellissima)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2010, 2:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-educate-me-on-the-expression-up-in-here/558015/20 "2010-10-23T02:07:27Z")
> [@Nzinga\_Seated](#): > > Ya’ll gonna make me act a fool. +100000000 😛 [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-educate-me-on-the-expression-up-in-here/558015.md?page=2)