Single word cliches

Stephen Doyle

 

This stuff has always been more common in spoken speech, but I see it more often in writing.

Single word cliches are used by writers who seem to be clumsily channeling their grade school English teachers.

"Depart" is much worse than "leave," since it means the same thing and has twice as many syllables.

"Garner" is worse than "get" for the same reason.

"Globe" might have been a good variation on "world" when the world was much younger, but that's no longer true.

"Decade" is slightly worse than ten years, since it means the same thing as those two one-syllable words.

"Upon" is worse than plain old "on," since it has a different meaning and is twice as long.

"Vibrant" is favorite single word cliche for real estate agents and planners and those writing about planning issues.

No, changing our language won't really make us safer in city traffic.

"Excited" is not the best word when you're only pleased about something.

See also Avoid these cliches like the plague and Semantics and the homeless.