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"“Cliché: Love It or Loathe It”"

Post on: July 17, 2021

In our daily conversation, we may have heard people say, “Aiyoh, not that cliché again!” A cliché is a frequently used term; but what do we really mean by cliché?

A cliché (pronounced Klee -Shey) is an expression which was thought-provoking when first coined but soon became an overkill. People overused them and it ended a hackneyed phrase. Some find it infuriating while others adore it as they rationalise that when used sparingly, it can demonstrate one’s mastery of writing. Love it or loathe it, it is here to stay.

We’ve compiled a list of clichés that may have lost its lustre, nevertheless…

1. A charm offensive — It is a concentrated attempt to gain favour or respectability by being pleasant and obliging to people. This expression was often used to refer to the Soviet Union’s president, Mikhail Gorbachev in his endeavours to make friendly overtures towards the West in the ’80s.

2. Absence makes the heart grow fonder — it means when you miss a person or thing, the desire for it increases. Another idiom that contradicts this saying is “Out of sight, out of mind”.

3. Avoid like the plagues — It is an old expression which means to keep away from someone or something, the plague having being particularly contagious (The soldier did not polish his boots as instructed, so he is avoiding his superior like the plague).

4. The elephant in the room — It means there is an obvious problem but the people concerned do not want to address it. The rationale behind the phrase is that an elephant in a room would be impossible to overlook, however, the people in the room choose to behave as if the elephant was non-existent. (The extended family sat sipping their tea quietly, not wanting to bring up the elephant in the room about Roger who is 8 years and yet not attending school).

5. From the cradle to the grave –It is an expression to mean a person’s life from birth to death. (In some welfare states, the government takes care of its citizens from the cradle to the grave).

6. In a parlous state — It means in a dangerous condition. Parlous is an archaic form for Perilous.(His company has a high debt ratio and is in a parlous financial state).

7. Killing Fields — It is a place where many people have been killed, usually due to war or civil unrest. (The peacekeeping forces were alerted by the massacre but could not locate the killing fields).

8. Look at someone or something with a jaundiced eye — It means a biased view. (The teacher used to vouch for James but ever since he was caught cheating in the examination, she began seeing him with a jaundiced eye).

9. Loose Cannon — It means someone who is an embarrassment to his friends because of his reckless behaviour. (The team was worried about Peter attending the party because he tends to be a loose cannon after a few alcoholic drinks).

10. A moot point — This means that it is open to discussion or debate. (His retrenchment which resulted in his children performing badly in the exams is indeed a moot point).

As children, we were all too familiar with the cliché: “They lived happily ever after”. An adult may deem it a dreary, overused cliché but children await expectantly for this phrase every time they read a book — it motivates them in finishing a book and thus cultivating a lifelong reading habit.

This hyperbolic phrase ends many books, movies and stories on a high note. In the same fashion, the Jolly Good Times shall conclude this article — invite your kakis (buddies) to Like us on Facebook and our Website.

By Shaji Thomas Varughese

#JollyGoodTimes #ClichéLOveItOrHateIt #ShajiThomasVarughese
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