Comments on: Clichéd clichés

By: guaranteed facebook fans

guaranteed facebook fans — Wed, 02 May 2012 01:27:46 +0000

Brutal Stuff, still I would have to report that with the abundance of views it can be been with them can be desirability meditating about trying to help the spelling and also the english! Designed a terribly good read though, great stuff.

By: Cheryl

Cheryl — Fri, 29 Jul 2011 19:03:33 +0000

I think there’s also a big difference between colloquialisms and cliches, too. To me, when I read a book that has a character saying things only said in certain regions, that’s really showing me something about who they are (and I’ll admit to comparing colloquialisms, I think my husband says them all and loves to make up new ones…) and where the come from. For example, there are certain phrases or ways words are put together that only someone from southern indiana would say. To me, a character saying, “Hornier than two peckered billy goat” is way more than a simple cliche. You know someone is from the south when they come up with these weird sayings. A saying like this goes way more to developing a character than saying something like “pass the buck” or another such boring and useless cliche.

I strive to protect the colloquialism from being lumped with cliches.

By: Amy Armstrong

Amy Armstrong — Sat, 23 Jul 2011 17:53:56 +0000

While we’re on annoying cliches, especially business cliches or wacky words, I’ve learned to hate the word “transitioning.” I see so many emails with phrases like, “I will be transitioning to the other office in the afternoon.” How about a more straight-up phrasing like, “I have a stupid meeting at this other place, so I’ll get there when I get there.” The former is lame; the latter, I respect. Okay, so “I’ll get there when I get there” is also a cliche, but it’s not MBA-ese.

Have you heard the phrase, “sense of urgency”? It used to be “raising the level of anxiety” (as if that were a good thing!) Every time I hear we should be “serving our client base” with a “sense of urgency”, I envision my co-workers waddling around the office holding their crotches as if they have to go really, really bad.

By: Anna St. George

Anna St. George — Fri, 22 Jul 2011 12:11:07 +0000

It is hard to stay cliche free while writing, especially when you are in the moment, having a good run on your words. As Whitney found, they can just sneak in there without thought. Should it stay or should it go? When it fits, it fits…

By: Teri Carter

Teri Carter — Thu, 21 Jul 2011 14:59:15 +0000

“The whole ten yards.” Ughs.

If you’re on vacation and you haven’t read Barbara Kingsolver’s THE LACUNA, run out and buy it immediately. Best book I’ve read in a year.

By: Stephen

Stephen — Wed, 20 Jul 2011 21:39:23 +0000

I’ll third the motion that business cliches are horribad. I had a boss once who was a proponent of everything good, who campaigned for synergy and wanted us all “on the bus!” I think, in my latest attempt at a great best-seller, that I kept my cliche-wielding to a minimum, and even then I only used them in an ironic tone in a scene meant to make the reader chuckle. We’ll see, I guess.

In any event, I know what you mean about vacations and oxygen; I’m at about the same place. Have a great vacation!

By: Miriam

Miriam — Wed, 20 Jul 2011 20:21:30 +0000

Oh, business cliches are the worst, Maril. I remember when my husband started using “optics” in normal human conversation. Worst part is that cliches are sticky and no matter how diligent you are about keeping it clean, you resort to them time and again. Catherine, wine makes everything better…

By: Catherine Whitney

Catherine Whitney — Wed, 20 Jul 2011 19:41:49 +0000

The other day I found myself writing these words: “They swallowed it hook, line and sinker.” Horrified, I stopped writing, poured a glass of wine, and then I was better.

By: Tamara

Tamara — Wed, 20 Jul 2011 16:49:41 +0000

Is the word “ginormous” a cliche yet? I sure hope so and that it soon “goes the way of the dodo.”

By: M. Caliban

M. Caliban — Wed, 20 Jul 2011 16:14:59 +0000

Favorite: “Teaching grandma to suck eggs.”