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ClichA clich (from French, stereotype) is a phrase or expression, or the idea expressed by it, that has been overused to the point of losing its intended force or novelty, especially where the same expression was at one time distintively forceful or novel. By extension, "clich" applies also to almost any situations, subjects, characterizations, or objects that have similarly become overly familiar or commonplace. As a result, many feel that they should be avoided like the plague. Because the novelty or frequency of an expressions use vary between different times and places, whether a given expression is a clich depends largely on who uses it and who makes the judgment. It was a dark and stormy night as an opening to a story, is one of the most recognizable clichs in English; likewise and they all lived happily ever after. Proverbs and well-word maxims often take on the air of clichs, as an apple a day keeps the doctor away. In literary fiction, clichs often take the form of predictable characters or situations, for example the stereotypical pirate might have a pegleg, an eyepatch, a hook for a hand, and a parrot on his shoulder, and be searching for buried treasure using a map with an "X" marking the burial spot: all of these features are clichs. Vampire clichs include a long black cape, slick black hair, and an Eastern European accent. (The most famous, Bela Lugosi's was Hungarian.) Fangs, though, would not be a clich: they are simply part of being a vampire (by definition), and can neither claim novelty nor be criticized for conventionality. Movie clichs are similar to the ones found in literature, with a particular focus on predictable situations. For example, a common film clich is for a fruit stand to be knocked over during a chase sequence. Another clich is when heroes believe they just killed the monster, only for it to come back for one last scare. In visual art, commonly found cliches include using roses and hearts to express the often complex and personal emotion of love. The generic nature of the symbols is part of what makes these icons ineffective in conveying a deeply personal experience. The expression in other words, though often used, is not a clich, because it never had nor pretended to have originality or forceful meaning. On the other hand James Joyce's characterization of the ocean, from Ulysses, while original and vivid, is unlikely ever to gain sufficient currency to become a clich: The sea. The snotgreen sea. The scrotumtightening sea. Extensive use of clichs is sometimes seen as an indicator of poor verbal skills and is common in colloquial language. Clichs are occasionally viewed as insincere, especially when spoken sarcastically. See also External links
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