Cliches

[William Warren]

Based on what I've observed in various types of religious groups as  
well as education settings and such, I've often highlighted the role  
of cliches as entry paths for group identity.  They show that the  
person who uses the right ones in the right places at the right times  
in the right way is assumed to be a part of group x, y, or z, and can  
be listened to without throwing up social alarms about their  
pedigree.  When used purposely, not just as a natural part of ones  
conversation, they seem to especially be used in this way, thereby  
showing that for the person using them, the boundary markers are in  
place as far as their group identity.

I look forward to seeing what you say in the TV interview, which  
hopefully won't be edited as severely as the newspaper article.  Will  
the TV interview be accessible on the University web site?


paz,

Bill Warren
Director of the Center for New Testament Textual Studies
Landrum P. Leavell, II, Professor of New Testament and Greek (and of  
cultural anthropology)
New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary


On Feb 3, 2007, at 10:48 AM, Kephart, Ronald wrote:

> All,
>
> Apparently, after 17+ years at this place, somebody in "media  
> relations"
> realized there's a linguist on campus and that I am it. So, when a  
> columnist
> for the local paper called for an interview on cliches, I was  
> drafted. I did
> the phone interview and the resulting article made me appear to be  
> among the
> crypto-fascist language police. It probably didn’t help that I  
> suggested
> that expressions such as “at the end of the day” may spread “like a  
> virus”
> thru a population- viruses are bad, so cliches are bad. Plus, there  
> was no
> mention of my mention of Dawkins and memes. Aaargh!
> http://www.jacksonville.com/tu-online/stories/012707/bum_7597467.shtml
>
> The "cliches" they were interested in, by the way ( a cliché I  
> guess), are
> things like "at the end of the day," "in the red/black," "level  
> playing
> field," "level of support," etc.
>
> Anyways... now they want me to do a tv spot on this in a series  
> called "Ask
> the UNF Expert," which will air on Feb 12. Suddenly, I'm an expert on
> cliches? Frankly, I find the whole thing kind of boring (a cliché,  
> perhaps?)
> and I'd really like to rent a chimpanzee suit to wear to this  
> thing, but
> I've already promised to behave. I do plan to go in with an agenda  
> that
> might include calling attention to: (1) the difference between  
> language
> prescription and description; (2) the metaphorical nature of many  
> (most?)
> cliches; (3) the interactive functions of cliches as transitions  
> and so on;
> (4) the fact that cliché itself is a French word being used to  
> negatively
> characterize a part of English discourse (shades of 1066); (5) The
> possibility that they’re misusing the word cliché; (6) ?
>
> So, at the end of the day, and having said that, if anyone has  
> suggestions
> or comments on something I’m missing here, I’ll greatly appreciate  
> any level
> of support.
>
> Ron
>
> -- 
> Ronald Kephart
> Associate Professor of Anthropology
> University of North Florida
> (904) 620-1659
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