Snowclones, snowclones every where, nor any stop and think

From Wikipedia: A snowclone is a type of cliché and phrasal template originally defined as "a multi-use, customizable, instantly recognizable, time-worn, quoted or misquoted phrase or sentence that can be used in an entirely open array of different jokey variants by lazy journalists and writers."

That means, when you take a well worn phrase and replace certain words to create a new phrase that cause people to immediately say, “I saw what you did there.”, you’ve created a snowclone.

Old phrase - Pink is the new black.
New phrase - Black is the new black.

Okay, that’s great for a lazy fashion writer, trying to explain the changes of the season- but it’s pretty bland as far as snowclones go. Let’s pick another.

Cliché - Pink is the new black.
Snowclone - Random is the new order (this was used for an ipod shuffle ad).

Nice.

The first snowclone that I’d really noticed, and this was from years before I’d even heard of the word, was a take off on “Lions and tigers and bears, oh my!”. It seemed to me that every time a journalist had three things in their article, whoever did the headlines just had to use that cliché. Lazy, lazy headline writer.

Of course, you might think that I’m against such practices. You’d be wrong. I love snowclones. I don’t care that the originator was lazy. As far as I’m concerned, lazy is the new black.

most irritating phrases

The good folks over at Oxford University have decided that these are the top ten most irritating phrases:

1 - At the end of the day
2 - Fairly unique
3 - I personally
4 - At this moment in time
5 - With all due respect
6 - Absolutely
7 - It's a nightmare
8 - Shouldn't of
9 - 24/7
10 - It's not rocket science

okay, some of these aren't exactly phrases, but I understand what they are getting at. But you know, I personally feel that, at the end of the day, these phrases are okay. At this moment in time, with all due respect to Oxford University, people shouldn't worry about how they speak. After all, it's not rocket science, but policing your words for a fairly unique way of talking 24/7, absolutely worrying about saying something you shouldn't of, is a horrible way to live. I've tried it and it's a nightmare.

Anywho, they are wrong. There are much more annoying "phrases" then that, if you know what I mean. Whatever. meh.