彭蒙惠英语：陈旧习语的艺术(2/2)
The Art of The Cliché
陈旧习语的艺术(2/2)
The Art of the Cliché
Does the use of common phrases make us more eloquent or just lazy?
Getting an earful
Writing with originality and style is demanding and time-consuming—hardly something we can tackle in the midst of a busy day filled with hurried e-mails, phone calls and brief encounters with colleagues.
You don’t have to listen very hard to get an earful of clichés. Politicians dote on them, whether promising to break the gridlock or facing the challenges of the new millennium; athletes can’t answer a question without referring to the need to “go out and execute”; and corporate America would come to a standstill without a daily call to “make sure we’re all on the same page.”
In fact, clichés traditionally had a positive connotation in one of the world’s oldest cultures. For centuries, the Chinese honored individuals who could repeat the venerable phrases of Confucius, says anthropology professor Robert Moore. In fact, individuals with such knowledge were accorded high-status jobs and were considered morally good.
Classic or overused?
Clichés have been around a long time in all languages—probably since the beginning of language, says Young.
Many linguists and language guardians, however, condemn clichés. The art of conversation has been diminished because people are willing to settle for shallow dialogue that avoids more substantive, engaging conversation, says communications expert Debra Fine. A perfunctory exchange of clichés often substitutes for more meaningful dialogue. “It’s much easier to say, ‘How are you doing?’ than ‘What’s been going on with work since the last time we spoke?’ Blame it on everyone being rushed, I guess.”
Or blame it on the comfort factor. Clichés are “like familiar food we eat,” says professor of English Gerald Schiffhorst. “In everyday speech, the well-worn phrase might be better in some cases because it’s reliable and often indispensable.”
Specialized Terms
Perfunctory (adj) 敷衍塞责 done quickly, without taking care or interest
Vocabulary Focus
Earful (adj) 听腻了的消息
Dote (v) show (too) much fondness for sb/sth
Gridlock (n) 交通堵塞
Connotation (n) an idea that is suggested by a particular word although it is not necessarily a part of the word’s meaning
Condemn (v) say that one disapproves of sb/sth
Indispensable (adj) 不可缺少的
Discussion Question
Do you like to use clichés in your daily life—maybe for most of us would be Chinese clichés. What’s people’s reaction when they hear that?
Extra Exercise
1. Translate the following sentence into Chinese, ‘The art of conversation has been diminished because people are willing to settle for shallow dialogue that avoids more substantive, engaging conversation, says communications expert Debra Fine.’
2. According to the recording, what’s ‘the three levels of conversation’?
