Jun 27 2008
Clichés: Demons or Saviors?
Believe it or not, there was actually a moment in time when someone – for the very first time – used the phrase “needle in a haystack.” Imagine that! No one had ever said or written that phrase before.
Those who heard or read it must have jolted upright, thinking, “Wow, now that’s genius!”
But they did more than that. They were so impressed they remembered it and started using it themselves, causing others to jolt upright and do the same.
That’s how clichés become clichés: they are so dead-on descriptive they spread like wildfire. The same can be said of hundreds of other phrases, such as “both sides of the coin,” “blow off steam,” “into thin air,” “head over heels,” “light at the end of the tunnel,” “between a rock and a hard place,” “beat a dead horse” and on and on and on.
The business world is a mine field of clichés. Listen to any conference room discussion and you’ll hear a boatload of gems, such as …
Perhaps the worst cliché in terms of being overused these days is “at the end of the day.” I have already attacked it in another article about catch phrases, so I won’t say more about it here.
… Okay, I’ll say just this much more: If you hear someone use it, jolt upright, feign shocked excitement and exclaim, “Did you just say, ‘at the end of the day’? What a wonderful phrase! I’ve never heard it before. It says exactly what you want it to say, but in a such a new, refreshing and easily understood way. Wow, I’m impressed! Could I just jot it down and maybe use it myself sometime? In fact, it’s so good I wouldn’t be surprised if it became a cliché some day!”
The perpetrator will get the point.
You’re probably thinking I’m now going to tell you not to deaden your writing with clichés. You’re right, but only partially right. Yes, clichés have a tendency to dull writing. But remember, they became clichés for the same reason that classic books became classics: they’re very good. The trick is to use clichés that are new and fresh enough that they do not cause people’s eyes to glass over.
There are a few out there. My favorite is “polishing a turd.” Granted, it’s a little crusty – certainly not meant for white linen dinner party conversation. But even the most prissy among us will have to admit to its brilliance. Use it and I guarantee you’ll get a reaction. But if you tell anyone I suggested it, I’ll deny it.
