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I'm watching the movie "The Beach", from the year 2000, and in one of the scenes, a group of people living together, is having their nightly routine of learning a phrase from a foreign language, and some people are selected who need to repeat the phrase that someone suggested, in their respective language. This time the choice falls on the character played by Leonardo Dicaprio. This is the first time he has to do this, and he is a little nervous. With a shaking voice, he repeats slowly and hesitantly the phrase "sutra cu putovati mnogo milja biciklom". It turns out he nails it on the head. The group is cheering for him and one of the leaders of the group gives him an approving gesture and says: "Yes, Richard! Represented Man!"

Represent (source: Urban Dictionary) To give homage to where your from, usually with a nickname like Motor City, an area code like 305 or just saying the name like The Bronx. I represent New Jersey and Manhattan

Does he mean that because Richard made a good answer he represented his country and therefore payed his homage?

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    I guess? This colloquial use of "represent" doesn't always have to make clear what group is being "represented," simply that the person "made a good showing," as the British might say.
    – Andy Bonner
    Apr 21, 2022 at 21:12
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    That definition from Urban Dictionary makes no sense to me (and it should be you're from).
    – Kate Bunting
    Apr 22, 2022 at 7:38
  • I haven't seen the movie, but I suspect the line would be better written as "Represented, man!"
    – stangdon
    Apr 22, 2022 at 14:28
  • @STRANGDON And what would that mean? Can you say that when someone does something well, as a sign of approval?
    – Static Bounce
    Apr 22, 2022 at 17:32
  • @StaticBounce It doesn't really change the meaning, it's just that "man" is a form of address that you might use in place of someone's name.
    – stangdon
    Apr 26, 2022 at 22:37

2 Answers 2

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As others have noted, I think that the transcription works better with a comma, because "man" seems to be a vocative:

"Yes, Richard! Represented, man!"

M-W gives the following definition of "represent":

slang : to perform a task or duty admirably : serve as an outstanding example

In that case, the subject would have been omitted:

"Yes, Richard! [[You]] represented, man!"

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What@stangdon has suggested, adding a comma after Represented, makes sense.

"Yes, Richard! Represented, Man!"

The nearest definition for represent I found in Cambridge Dictionary says

to be something or to be equal to something [emphasis added]:

This sum of money represents a large percentage of our working capital.

Represented in that highly condensed remark from that leader hence could mean the phrase Leonardo Dicaprio repeated in his language was equal to the original.

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