clichés and all that jazz

I am big fan of clichés. No, really, I am. The thing about clichés is that they are inherently useful in conveying meaning beyond words. Put even more straightforward, clichés are a way to share complex things, like emotion or emphasis, in ways that are sure to be understood (you can read this article for a deeper explanation).

For example, your boss walks into the office in the morning and says, "We have an 'all hands on deck' situation; let everyone know." Would you a) think that you need to go outside, find a deck, and put your hands on it, or b) understand that there was something important she feels needs to be addressed now?

The reason almost all of you would choose option "b" above is simple - the cliché "all hands on deck" has the shared meaning (to most of us) that there is something serious that is going to take an entire group to help overcome.

So why, in many circles, are the use of clichés bad (which is now a cliché thing to say)?

Nevertheless, clichés play an essential part in our shared understanding of culture. You can find clichés that are unique to almost any cultural group or geographic region. They are built upon shared experience and meaning. In other words, they do the hard work for us in communicating more than just the words we use.

Is it easier to say and have others share (in the example above), "all hands on deck," or to have to explain the importance of a situation and try to compel the office that they need to be ready to help?

That there lies the power of the cliché: to quickly and effectively (most of the time) communicate with others, meaning that goes beyond words.

Here is a list of ten clichés I compiled.

What clichés do you find helpful or annoying (check here if you can't think of any)?