Why cliches take the biscuit in a dog-eat-dog world: Overused phrases can be a great way to break the ice thanks to their efficiency, researchers find
- Researchers at Manchester Met analysed corporate documents and emails
- Far from being hackneyed or lazy, cliches have creative effects, they found
Avoid cliches like the plague, the joke goes – but linguists now claim that stock phrases make communication more efficient.
Often mocked for being overused, cliches can be a creative way for speakers to signal their identity, agreement and group belonging, according to the experts.
Researchers at Manchester Metropolitan University analysed a cache of corporate documents and emails, where the most well-worn expressions were ‘moving forward’ and ‘hitting a brick wall’.
The use of cliches in TV’s The Apprentice was also examined.
Analysts found hopefuls vowing to ‘make Lord Sugar an offer he cannot refuse’ while others promised to ‘pick off the competition one by one’ and ‘pull out the big guns’ in a bid to make them appear confrontational in an environment where competitiveness was prized.
Researchers at Manchester Metropolitan University analysed a cache of corporate documents and emails, looking at the cliches used
The use of cliches in TV’s The Apprentice was examined. One cliche used by hopefuls, for example, was to ‘make Lord Sugar an offer he cannot refuse’
Far from being hackneyed or lazy, cliches have creative effects, said researcher Dr Derek Bousfield.
‘Moving on from the concept of cliches as formulaic and lacking in thought or originality, they have a role to play in creating a sense of community and signalling the genre of communication,’ he said.
‘Our research indicates that cliches are highly effective in conveying a speaker’s view of reality, and can be very useful in managing relationships and expressing identity.
‘Cliches mean the same thing to speaker and hearer time in, time out. In short, they are efficient.’
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