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caught in the middle

English translation: caught out by the 'free dictionary'

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20:37 May 22, 2011

English to English translations [Non-PRO]
Art/Literary - Idioms / Maxims / Sayings / lyrics

English term or phrase: caught in the middle

The free dictionary reads "to be in a difficult situation because two people who you know well are arguing and both of them criticize each other to you".

This meaning is quite obvious for me, but I am not sure if it reflects the real meaning as in 'The Show' by Lenka:
"I'm just a little bit caught in the middle
Life is a maze and love is a riddle
I don't know where to go I can't do it alone I've tried
And I don't know why [...]"

or in 'Caught in the middle' by A1

"Things are so different now you're gone
I thought it'd be easy i was wrong
And now i'm caught
And now, i'm caught in the middle
Even though i'm with someone new
All i can think about is you
And now i'm caught
And now, i'm caught in the middle"

In fact I cannot see the two arguing parties.

Could someone shed some light on it?
1) is it really an idiom or should I understand it directly?
2) how should this be understood?

I would like to learn native speakers' opinion

Thanks in advance

Rafal Korycinski KudoZ activity Questions: 359 (1 open) (3 closed without grading) Answers: 1325 Poland
Local time: 03:12

English translation:caught out by the 'free dictionary'

Explanation:
The 'free dictionary' has lead you astray!

'caught in the middle' refers to a situation where someone finds themselves between two contenders, but those contenders do not necessarily have to know the person well, nor does there have to be any argument. It's simply that the person caught in the middle is expected/obliged to make a choice, knowing that whatever that choice is it will upset one of the contenders (and maybe even both of them) and maybe not satisfy the person in the middle either ("heads I wind, tails you lose situation").

In the first text (Lenka), the contenders are 'life' and 'love' - the man in the middle must chose - although he's not sure how to handle either of them.

In the second text (song lyrics) the contenders are 'you' (i.e. the person corresponding 'you're' in the first line) and 'someone new' (in line 5).

Selected response from:

xxxmediamatrix
Local time: 21:12

Grading comment

Thank you!
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer

Summary of answers provided

4 +10

find it difficult to choose between conflicting options

Mark Nathan

3 +3

caught out by the 'free dictionary'

xxxmediamatrix

between a rock and a hard place

Lourdes Sanchez

to be caught between two stools / to sit on the fence/ to fall between the cracks

Ellen Kraus

Discussion entries: 5

Lourdes Sanchez

18:30 May 23, 2011

as a mythology and sports fan I posted my option. Life is a maze and love is a riddle, he thinks it was going to be easy but he was wrong....etc does not seem an easy situation to me

Slow it down
Make it stop--
Or else my heart is going to pop
'Cause it's too much
Yeah, it's a lot
To be something I'm not

I'm a fool
Out of love
'Cause I just can't get enough

I'm just a little bit caught in the middle
Life is a maze and love is a riddle
I don't know where to go I can't do it alone I've tried
And I don't know why

I am just a little girl lost in the moment
I'm so scared but I don't show it
I can't figure it out
It's bringing me down I know
I've got to let it go
And just enjoy the show

The sun is hot
In the sky
Just like a giant spotlight
The people follow the signs
And synchronize in time
It's a joke
Nobody knows
They've got a ticket to that show
Yeah

I am just a little girl lost in the moment
I'm so scared but I don't show it
I can't figure it out
It's bringing me down I know
I've got to let it go
And just enjoy the show oh

Ellen Kraus

18:16 May 23, 2011

@Lourdes Sanchez. as a Greece fan, I had suggested Scylla and Charybdis earlier, but as I pointed out, I find this option less appropriate since it implies to choose among two evils rather than two opposing or conflicting options.

Lourdes Sanchez

15:44 May 23, 2011

a reference to the one I provided (and more)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Between_Scylla_and_Charybdis

Ellen Kraus

08:30 May 23, 2011

between to options with negative sides. to choose between the devil and the deep blue sea or between Scylla and Carybdis most probably more imply dangers rather than something negative. though I ´d feel tempted to use the first one.

Rafal Korycinski

Poland

ASKER

Thanks!

08:08 May 23, 2011

Thanks for all the answers. The meaning in English is quite the same as in my native tongue (a choice between 2 contenders/conflicting options while each of them have it's drawbacks). Now I am caught in the middle, having to choose the most helpful answer :) Mark's answer has definitely better headline, while mediamatix's explanation made the issue more clear. I don't want to toss the coin, so I chose the time criterion.

Answers

4 mins confidence:

between a rock and a hard place

Explanation:
another way to say "to be in the middle"

Lourdes Sanchez
Local time: 21:12
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Spanish

10 mins confidence:

peer agreement (net): +3

caught out by the 'free dictionary'

xxxmediamatrix
Local time: 21:12
Native speaker of:

English
PRO pts in category: 4

Grading comment

Thank you!

15 mins confidence:

to be caught between two stools / to sit on the fence/ to fall between the cracks

Explanation:
are some more options

Ellen Kraus
Local time: 03:12
Native speaker of:

German

20 mins confidence:

peer agreement (net): +10

find it difficult to choose between conflicting options

Explanation:
For example you are on a boat in a river and on one bank there is a tribe of cannibals and on the other some hungry crocodiles - so you are literally caught in the middle. You could also be caught in the middle trying to choose between two good things. It is in this sense that you are "lost" i.e. you do not know what direction to go in.

Mark Nathan
Local time: 03:12
Native speaker of:

English
PRO pts in category: 28

Notes to answerer

Asker: Thank you for your contribution!

Voters for reclassification
as
PRO / non-PRO

Non-PRO (3): sibsab, Allison Wright, Thayenga

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Changes made by editors

May 22, 2011 - Changes made by Thayenga:
Level	PRO => Non-PRO

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caught in the middle

English translation: caught out by the 'free dictionary'

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English translation: caught out by the 'free dictionary'

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KudoZ™ translation helpThe KudoZ network provides a framework for translators and others to assist each other with translations or explanations of terms and short phrases.

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