Are clichés ‘a gift from the gods’ or something to ‘avoid like the plague’? The answer, it may surprise you to know, is “it’s not black and white”. Used sparingly (and appropriately), a cliché can be a shortcut to understanding. But things begin to go wrong when people overuse them, littering entire paragraphs with these stale phrases like… well, confetti.
The grammarian Eric Partridge identified four types of cliché:
- The expression that has been used so indiscriminately it has lost its meaning. “To the manner born” is a good example of this. It originally meant ‘following an established custom’ but, over time, has become “to the manor born” as people mistakenly believe it means born to a life of luxury.
- Terms that have become so hackneyed that only the laziest (or amateur) writers ever use them. (“To nip in the bud” or “call a spade a spade” are two that spring to mind).
- The use of selective foreign phrases such as “terra firma” or “plus ҫa change”.
- Snippets of famous quotations from literature – “A thing of beauty is a joy forever” and “A little knowledge is a dangerous thing” (you know the type).
Then there is a fifth category: what’s known as a ‘stock modifier’. These are phrases that are unfailingly used together “like rhubarb and custard”. For instance, all consequences must now be “far-reaching” and a person can no longer merely be “moved”: they must be “visibly moved”.
In defence of clichés, most began life as someone’s incredibly witty and apposite way of expressing a thought but became a victim of their own success (see, there’s another one). Because they were so clever people began claiming them as their own and they became overused. Well, you know what they say about “Too much of a good thing”.
To ensure you only use clichés when they are genuinely helpful, you need to be able to recognise them. This means you can use them consciously and selectively to keep your writing fresh and original. If this post has given you “food for thought” I welcome your comments!
