Government Affairs Blog

The trouble with the cliché

The Concise Oxford dictionary defines cliché as a hackneyed or over-used phrase or opinion.  Inevitably, we will all from time to time use clichés in our day-to-day conversation.  The cliché has also become part of our political discourse.

Those who say the unoriginal and state the obvious are assumed to have little to contribute to the political debate.  Except that the cliché contains an element of truth to it.  This is why it resonates and refuses to go away.  By deploying the cliché the speaker or writer is immediately connecting with their audience.  The hidden sub-text is “it may be a cliché but you know it is true”.  The user of such devices is doing more than that: they are nodding and winking at you.  If you accept the truth of the cliché it is likely you agree with it.  In fact, it can become short-hand for a whole raft of views and feelings that no longer need to be expressed.

A caller to a radio talk show recently described the views of Cabinet Ministers arguing for Catholic adoption agencies to be open to gay couples as “political correctness gone mad”. 

The concept of “political correctness” must surely rank as one of the most oft-repeated terms to abuse the English language.  It is loaded with so much meaning and open to such wide interpretation that, ironically, it has become meaningless. 

Where does this leave the communications professional who must battle with such language?  Does one refute the cliché or embrace it for all that it is worth?