Well-Worn Phrases

There are some phrases and expressions that get used relentlessly and, after a while, don't have any real value as they just become clichés and hackneyed. I mean, 'at the end of the day' is one and 'in my humble opinion', 'with due respect' and probably 'time and time again.' One of my aunts was always saying, 'with due respect,' and I was with her and my mother one afternoon, and every time she used the phrase, my mother and I used to crease up with laughter, but my aunt was unaware. I suppose, on reflection, when was unaware she was over-using the phrase.  I don't think some people realize that they over-use these phrases. They just become rather like part of the fabric of their language and become very worn and pointless. American terminology such as 'have a nice day' just sounds totally insincere and doesn't really mean anything. I actually hate it and resent its use when you realize it doesn't really have any genuine meaning.  You get told this when you leave somewhere, such as a shop, theme park or another entertainment establishment. 

Then we get those phrases and expressions that politicians use relentlessly. Just think 'levelling up,' which I suppose get termed 'sound bites.' One such term which became somewhat controversial was used during the Major government of the 1990s. 'Back to Basics', which came to rather haunting that government when there were several scandals at that time, which rather made the phrase redundant. Then, during the Blair government that came along in 1997, we got the term 'Cool Britannia.' Used to supposedly promote British culture, but it soon fell flat on its backside and didn't promote anything much, except a handful of pop groups. We've had such terms as 'Get Brexit Done,' used during the 2016 EU Referendum. Whether it was actually 'done' is another matter although I think it rather depends on which side of the 'in' or 'out' fence you sit. Oh dear, that is another well-worn cliché. 'Sitting on the fence' sounds rather painful.  

How about this lot: 'Let me be perfectly clear.' Well, so many politicians speak a sort of convoluted double Dutch, most of it is actually totally unclear. 'Tackle the real issues.' Again, they don't always tackle anything, so it's another redundant phrase. ''Window of opportunity.' Oh dear, a really awful cliché and is just mindless mumbo-jumbo (and is that one another 'well-worn' phrases?" Not really a 'window' of anything, and to mix your metaphors, totally unclear of anything, except waffle.

How about this one: 'We'll never be found wanting? First, what on earth does it actually MEAN? Wanting in what sense of the word? I have no idea and I don't expect many politicians would either. 

'Not fit for purpose.' Well, I can think of a lot of things and organizations that fit into this category, usually quangos (quasi-autonomous government organizations.) There were many such quangos set up under the Thatcher administration at the time that various utilities were privatized in the 1980s. So, water got Ofwat, electricity and gas got Ofgen, and the railways got Railtrack. Ironic to think that we became more regulated during this period and as a result created more civil service jobs to regulate these companies. The over-used term 'watchdog' now comes to mind. I have this impression in my mind of this large, slathering hound, a bit like the famous 'Hound of The Baskervilles', watching over the bureaucrats who administer these quangos. Begs the question: do the watchdogs then get their own regulator, so a watchdog gets it's own watchdog? If they don't, it's about time they did.

Then, what about 'crunchtime'? Meaning what, do you suppose? Is 'The Crunch' the point when something is supposed to come to fruition, the end of the road for something (which, in itself, is a cliché. Strange how these phrases just jump out at you.) Supposedly coming to conclusion when 'deadline looms.' Which would mean that things are 'In the pipeline.' But let's hope they don't get blocked if it refers to Ofwat and water regulation. By which time we would have 'considered all options.'

I'm having fun with this, as you may have realized. 

As regards Railtrack, let's just hope they didn't get 'sidetracked' or 'ran into the buffers', or even 'went off the rails'! When they started it was 'full steam ahead.' But then they rather 'ran out of steam'. 

I'm likely to find more of these hackneyed phrases. I just love searching them out. Just listening to some of our politicians, who tend to use far too many of these types of phrases, so look out for further similar posts.

I think this post has hit the buffers and more than probably come off the rails, so I may as well end it here.