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| Pic courtesy prowritingaid |
You've encountered them, gentle reader.
Lazy cliches are everywhere. Once upon a time they were used in everyday conversation by everyday people.
Frankly, I have no problem with that, but when they crop up in what is seen as professional journalism, I draw a line.
Let's list a few -
"Icon" or "iconic" (overused, and as a consequence, meaningless).
"Incredible" (favoured by young and breathless on-line reporters).
"Literally" (usually means exactly the opposite)
"Ironic" (as ubiquitous as "iconic" and just as meaningless)
"A cautionary tale" (tales are boring if they're cautious)
"Cautiously optimistic" (I'd prefer recklessly optimistic)
"Needless to say" (then don’t say it)
"Anything" gate (Why?)
"Part and parcel" (again, meaningless)
These things sneak into the language and propagate like a virus. Unfortunately, there's no vaccination. The cure is copy editors, but with their demise, and the growth of digital content, it's not going to happen.
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