hackneyed

Summary

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day: "Hackneyed"

Episode Release Date: January 15, 2025
Host: Merriam-Webster (Peter Sokolowski)

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Introduction to "Hackneyed"

In the January 15th episode of Merriam-Webster's "Word of the Day," host Peter Sokolowski delves into the adjective "hackneyed", pronounced H-A-C-K-N-E-Y-E-D. He defines "hackneyed" as describing something that has lost its interest or appeal due to overuse, rendering it neither fresh nor original. This sets the stage for a comprehensive exploration of the term's meaning, usage, and historical context.

Usage Example

Sokolowski illustrates the term with a contemporary example from Tim Grierson's Vulture, stating:

"Any positive lesson here is lost in all the hackneyed jokes, and by the end the movie falls apart entirely."
[00:45]

This example underscores how overused elements can undermine the overall quality and originality of creative works.

Historical Perspectives on "Hackneyed" Phrases

H.W. Fowler's Insights

Referencing his 1926 work, "A Dictionary of Modern English Usage," lexicographer H.W. Fowler dedicates a section to "Hackneyed Phrases." Sokolowski highlights that Fowler advised against phrases like "too funny for words" and "my better half," which remain familiar to modern audiences. However, Fowler also criticized more obscure expressions such as the Latin "hinc ille lacrymae," which have since faded into obscurity.

"In his 1926 tome... Fowler was not the first usage writer to warn against the overuse of hackneyed, that is, trite or cliched phrases."
[01:30]

Other Literary Critiques

Sokolowski notes that Fowler was part of a broader movement among late 19th and early 20th-century authors who opposed trite and banal expressions. For instance:

• Frederick Lawrence Knowles (1890): Warned against terms like "agitate" and "tintinnabulatory."
• Margaret Aschman and Gerhard Lohmer (1917): Discouraged phrases such as "the dreamy mazes of the waltz."

These critiques reflect a consistent effort among lexicographers and writers to promote linguistic originality and discourage cliché usage.

"A number of authors in the late 19th and early 20th century had similarly taken up against trite and banal turns of phrase."
[01:15]

Persistence of Hackneyed Phrases

A key discussion point revolves around whether the opposition to hackneyed phrases has led to their obsolescence. Sokolowski argues that this is unlikely, citing examples of phrases like "blushing bride," "bated breath," and "one fell swoop," which have endured despite historical criticisms. He posits that language naturally evolves, and phrases may fall in and out of favor over time irrespective of prescriptive advice.

"Perhaps a more plausible explanation is that phrases come and go with time."
[02:05]

This perspective offers a hopeful outlook for those weary of overused expressions, suggesting that disliked phrases may eventually fade from common usage on their own merits.

Conclusion and Insights

Sokolowski wraps up the episode by reflecting on the dynamism of language and the cyclical nature of phrase popularity. The discussion emphasizes that while experts can influence language trends, the ultimate fate of words and phrases lies in their continued use and cultural relevance.

"Only time will tell, as they say, with your word of the day."
[02:15]

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Additional Resources

For more definitions, wordplay, and trending word lookups, listeners are encouraged to visit Merriam-Webster.com.
[02:22]

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This episode of Merriam-Webster's "Word of the Day" offers a deep dive into the word "hackneyed," exploring its meaning, usage, and the historical efforts to keep language fresh and original. By examining both contemporary examples and historical critiques, Sokolowski provides listeners with a thorough understanding of why certain phrases become overused and how language continues to evolve over time.

Transcript

[A]

Foreign it's the Word of the Day podcast for January 15th. Today's Word is hackneyed, spelled H A C K N E Y E D. Hackneyed is an adjective. Something is considered hackneyed when it's not interesting or funny because of being used too often. In other words, it's neither fresh nor original. Here's the word used in a sentence from Vulture by Tim Grierson. Any positive lesson here is lost in all the hackneyed jokes, and by the end the movie falls apart entirely. In his 1926 tome, A Dictionary of Modern English Usage, lexicographer H.W. fowler offers a good deal of advice under the heading Hackneyed Phrases. While some of the phrases he cautions against, such as too funny for words or my better half, will be familiar to most readers today, others such as the Latin hinc ilae lacrymae, have mostly fallen into obscurity. Fowler was not the first usage writer to warn against the overuse of hackneyed, that is, trite or cliched phrases. A number of authors in the late 19th and early 20th century had similarly taken up against trite and banal turns of phrase. In 1890, for example, Frederick Lawrence Knowles advised against using agitate, the tintinnabulatory, and in 1917, Margaret Aschman and Gerhard Lohmer discouraged the dreamy mazes of the waltz. Were these hackneyed phrases so objected to that they became obsolete? This is unlikely, as the same manuals which object to long dead expressions, also object to blushing bride, bated breath, and one fell swoop, all of which have survived. Perhaps a more plausible explanation is that phrases come and go with time. This is, in a way, a pleasant explanation, for it means that the seemingly ubiquitous phrase you detest stands a fair chance of falling by the wayside. Only time will tell, as they say, with your word of the day. I'm Peter Sokolowski.

[B]

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