Friday, June 02, 2006

Cliché

A recent radio programme was lamenting the number of clichés being used by presenters and newsreaders. It made me wonder when something becomes a cliché. How many times does a phrase have to be used before it qualifies, and why do some phrases escape the label? After all, no-one says "God is love" is a cliché.

I suppose repetition and meaninglessness have to be qualities of a good cliché. Politicians have a particular skill at their deployment, along with the legendary linguistic skills of English football managers. Ernest Bevin once described a fellow politician as "clitch after clitch" (His pronunciation left a little to be desired!) I am sure we can agree on that, but what about Christian clichés? Maybe we ought to try and start a list.

Please contribute, because at the end of the day, I'll be over the moon to hear from you and sick as a parrot if I don't.
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4 comments:

Mike Peatman said...

More tea vicar thinking it's the first time anyone could possible have said that to you has to be another.

Steve Tilley said...

I take some pride in trying not to use repetition - this means that I have increased the size of the congregation coming early to hear me sound check the radio mics without saying 'check 1-2' or such like.

I also struggle with how many different ways to say, 'Good morning and welcome to St Paul's; if you're a visitor or newcomer you're especially welcome etc...'

Still, let's make a list of World Cup interview cliches and play bingo.

Mike Peatman said...

"Can they repeat the achievement of 1966?" or words to that effect

also

"They think it's all over"

Mike Peatman said...

It was a game of two halves - probably concerning any England performance.