お話し中、ごめんなさい。

[kachibi]

お話し中、ごめんなさい。

I want to ask, the one who says the above sentence, is the one who has been originally in a discussion and suddenly someone calls him/her and he/she says to other discussion members "sorry, I have a call, wait." OR

is the one who interrupts someone else who is using a phone because he/she has an urgent message to tell this someone and so he/she tries to stop this someone from using the phone for a while?

 

[Flaminius]

This phrase is used as an apology for interrupting an on-going conversation. If the conversation is carried out by telephone is beside the point.

 

[kachibi]

So, suppose I see A and B having a conversation. And I try to talk to A and hence I am going to interrupt their conversation. So I say "お話し中、ごめんなさい" to them?

If yes, it is interesting. In English, literally, it seems to be translated as "during the conversation, sorry." It is interesting that the interrupter (I) says "during the conversation" to A and B as it is like the interrupter is ADDRESSING to the fact that the conversation is ongoing.

Am I right?

 

[SoLaTiDoberman]

"お話し中、ごめんなさい"
"Sorry to interrupt your conversation."

"お電話中、ごめんなさい"
"Sorry to interrupt your talking on the phone."