Saturday Nation
Date: 24.12.2016
Page 31
Article size: 317 cm2
ColumnCM: 70.44
AVE: 144411.11
How students can avoid
using cliches in writing
BY BENSON OTIENO
tooth' is cliched. There is a
It is not uncommon to
find cliches or worn­out
tendency to use it even when
showing one not bearing a lot
of arms. 'The goose that lay
the golden eggs,' is fantastical
expressions in students'
writing at primary or sec­
ondary school. Even at the
tertiary level, one notices
their usage. Some of these
cliches have an illogical and
ridiculous effect. Creativity is
as it is borrowed from an old
needed to avoid them.
A cliche is a phrase or
opinion that is overused and
betrays a lack of original
thought. It is often stereo­
typical. Cliche s are often
idioms. The idioms are figu­
rative phrases with implied
meanings. When translated
to another language, they
may lose their meaning be­
cause people from a different
culture may not understand
them.
The first cliche for dis­
i
Writer Elechi Amadi
fairy tale, and so is 'they lived
happily ever after.'
When describing luck, some
use the expression 'as lucky
as a mother who had given
birth to a bouncing baby boy.'
This is not always true just as
'cosy mossy bed' suggests a
comfortable bed.
Idioms are unique to a par­
ticular language and always
retain their original form. It
some are written following
rote learning from texts.
The idiom, 'I ran as fast as
my thin legs could carry me'
together,' to show people of
is unusual to translate them
similar interest has also been
over used.
Another common cliche' is
from one language to another.
is a cliche. It is a ridiculous
'tears rolled down my chubby
cheeks.' The chubby cheeks
situations. In Elechi Amadi's
one as not all people have
thin legs. Another one is 'I
are not common to all.
The effect would be broken
grammar and creating comical
The Concubine, a local idiom
translated into English reads
as "The evening of the brother
trembled like a chameleon on
It is not advisable to pick
cussion its 'as happy as a
king.' This phrase has been
overused. Not all kings are
happy. For example, our own
President Uhuru Kenyatta
cannot be said to be always
happy. Often, he is faced
with a lot of pressure, mainly
from the opposition. William
Shakespeare in Julius Caesar
said: "Uneasy is the head that
a thin twig.' Similarly, 'I trem­
bled like the ghost of Banquo'
idioms to describe items
of tomorrow." This meant the
picked from a non­familiar
is unrealistic. A number of
environment. For instance,
day after tomorrow. In the
same way proverbs are not
'my heart beat as fast as
to be translated for use in
the tom­tom drums of West
another language.
Avoid using cliches. In
writing, do not overload with
idioms. This risks making it
unnatural. Not every sentence
or paragraph must contain an
wears the crown."
dom.' Not all bathrooms have
Students in secondary
schools tend to continue
using the ones they learnt in
primary school. They need
to show evidence of learning
new idioms from extensive
reading or their grammar
lessons. Sometimes they
are used out of context and
them might not have read
the Shakesperean tragedy,
Macbeth and, therefore, use
it without understanding its
background.
Africa.' Most people may not
know how the tom­tom drums
look like. Also an idiom like,
Some students errone­
'as white as snow' is unsuit­
ously describe taking a bath
as 'going to the frogs' king­
able in a tropical region like
Kenya where snow is only
seen at the peak of Mount
Kenya. Frequently, students
also use the expression "my
heart skipped a beat.' This is
frogs. Secondly, frogs are not
found on land but in pools or
swamps.
Many students begin their
compositions with the de­
scription: "The birds were
singing their early morning
songs." This is outdated.
'Birds of a feather always flock
also considered a cliche .The
idiom.
It is, therefore, observed
that writing by many students
is riddled with cliches . There
is need to learn new and more
relevant idioms.
use of 'took to my heels,' is
sometimes erroneous. It
should not be used when there
is no danger involved.
The phrase 'armed to the
The writer is a teacher of
English at Ng'iya Girls High
School in Siaya County.
[email protected]
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