English: clichés, part 2

Tutoring English, clichés used to be discouraged. The tutor wonders how true that remains.

The following is by my understanding.

I mention clichés in my post from April 1, 2015. Traditionally, academics don’t prefer them.

I went to a political forum last week for provincial candidates. It was uninspiring; the forum I watched among municipal candidates, a week earlier, was much better.

One problem at the provincial one was the use of clichés, which bothers me as an academic. I see a cliché as a lazy alternative to an actual opinion with thought behind it. My English teachers and professors thought the same.

Yet, nowadays, with governments so powerful, and so rewarding of cheerleading, I’m starting to wonder if clichés aren’t being encouraged, rather than discouraged as they once were.

To my mind, virtue signalling and cheerleading typically invoke clichés. Therefore, one can respond to (rather than answer) a question with them while saying nothing productive. I’ve witnessed it.

Some key phrases – clichés, I’d call them – I noticed in play: “We’ll have to get everyone to the table….” as well as “That’s definitely something that could be looked at….”

Theoretically, as I understand, most politicians have background in academics – a degree, at least. Were their English professors easier markers than mine were?

Jack of Oracle Tutoring by Jack and Diane, Campbell River, BC.