Main Translations

• English: Cliché
• Thai: คลิเช (kli-che)
• Phonetic: kli-che (pronounced with a short 'i' sound, similar to the English word)
• Detailed Explanation: In English, "cliché" refers to a phrase, idea, or expression that has been overused to the point of losing its original meaning or impact. It often carries a negative connotation, implying a lack of originality or creativity. Usage scenarios include literary criticism, everyday conversations, and media analysis. For example, phrases like "time heals all wounds" are considered clichés because they are predictable and lack fresh insight. Emotionally, it evokes frustration or boredom, and semantically, it highlights the nuances of language evolution and cultural saturation.
• Thai: คำพูดเชย (kham phut chey)
• Phonetic: kham phut chey (where "kham" means "word," "phut" means "speak," and "chey" means "outdated" or "worn out")
• Detailed Explanation: In Thai, "คำพูดเชย" is a secondary translation that emphasizes overused expressions in Thai culture, such as proverbs or idioms that have become stale. It is commonly used in discussions about literature, advertising, or social media. Emotionally, it conveys disappointment in unoriginal content, and semantically, it reflects how Thai language values novelty in communication. For instance, in Thai media, critics might use this term to describe repetitive plot devices in TV dramas, highlighting cultural preferences for fresh storytelling.

Overview of Usage Scenarios

A cliché is primarily used as a noun in both English and Thai to describe overused ideas, phrases, or tropes that lack originality. Common scenarios include literary and artistic critiques, business communications to avoid repetition, casual conversations in leisure settings, and formal discussions in education or media. In English, it's often employed to encourage creativity, while in Thai, it appears in contexts where cultural traditions intersect with modern influences, such as in social media or advertising. Overall, the word serves as a tool for highlighting the balance between tradition and innovation across various contexts.

Example Sentences

Example Sentences in Different Scenarios

Business Scenario

• English: In your marketing pitch, avoid using clichés like "think outside the box" to make it more engaging.
• Thai: ในพรีเซนเทชั่นการตลาดของคุณ หลีกเลี่ยงการใช้คลิเช เช่น "คิดนอกกรอบ" เพื่อให้มันน่าสนใจมากขึ้น (nai bpree-sen-teh-chun gan tar-lad khong khun, leek-lee-ang kan chai kli-che chee yang "kid nok gra-bp" pheua hai man na-sin-mak eung).
• Grammatical Breakdown: "In your marketing pitch" (prepositional phrase acting as an adverbial modifier); "avoid using clichés" (main verb phrase with "avoid" as the imperative verb and "clichés" as the direct object); "like 'think outside the box'" (example clause); "to make it more engaging" (infinitive phrase indicating purpose).
• Structural Analysis: This is a declarative sentence with a compound structure, using subordination to provide advice. In Thai, the sentence follows a subject-verb-object pattern, with the English loanword "คลิเช" integrated seamlessly, reflecting bilingual influences in business Thai.

Leisure Scenario

• English: That romantic comedy is full of clichés, like the predictable happy ending.
• Thai: หนังรักคอมเมดี้เรื่องนั้นเต็มไปด้วยคำพูดเชย เช่น ฉากจบที่คาดเดาได้ (nung rak kom-meh-dee reuang nan tem pai duay kham phut chey chee yang chak job thi khat-dao dai).
• Grammatical Breakdown: "That romantic comedy" (subject noun phrase); "is full of clichés" (predicate with "is" as the linking verb and "full of clichés" as the complement); "like the predictable happy ending" (appositive phrase for elaboration).
• Structural Analysis: This declarative sentence uses simple present tense for general statements. In Thai, it employs descriptive language with classifiers ("เรื่องนั้น" for "that story"), common in casual Thai to express opinions in entertainment contexts.

Formal Occasion

• English: Scholars often critique modern literature for relying on clichés that undermine its depth.
• Thai: นักวิชาการมักวิจารณ์วรรณกรรมสมัยใหม่ที่พึ่งพาคลิเชจนทำให้ขาดความลึกซึ้ง (nak wi-cha-kan mak wi-ja-ren wannakam samai mai thi peung-pa kli-che jan tam hai khat khwam leek soon).
• Grammatical Breakdown: "Scholars" (subject); "often critique" (verb phrase); "modern literature" (direct object); "for relying on clichés" (prepositional phrase); "that undermine its depth" (relative clause).
• Structural Analysis: This complex declarative sentence uses subordination for cause and effect. In Thai, it features formal vocabulary ("นักวิชาการ" for scholars), typical in academic settings, with "คลิเช" as a borrowed term to maintain precision.

Informal Occasion

• English: Ugh, that song's lyrics are such a cliché—it's all about "love at first sight."
• Thai: อืม เพลงนี้เนื้อเพลงเชยมากๆ เป็นเรื่อง "ความรักครั้งแรก" ทั้งเพลง (eum, pleng nee neung pleng chey mak-mak pen reuang "khwam rak khrang raek" thang pleng).
• Grammatical Breakdown: "Ugh" (interjection); "that song's lyrics" (subject); "are such a cliché" (predicate); "it's all about 'love at first sight'" (explanatory clause).
• Structural Analysis: This exclamatory-declarative hybrid uses casual language for emphasis. In Thai, informal particles like "อืม" add emotional weight, making it suitable for everyday chats about pop culture.

Example Sentences in Different Sentence Types

Declarative Sentence

• English: A cliché is an overused expression that lacks originality.
• Thai: คลิเชคือคำพูดที่ถูกใช้บ่อยจนขาดความคิดสร้างสรรค์ (kli-che keu kham phut thi thuk chai boi jon khat khwam khit sang san).
• Grammatical Breakdown: "A cliché" (subject); "is" (linking verb); "an overused expression that lacks originality" (predicate nominative with relative clause).
• Structural Analysis: Straightforward declarative structure for definitions; Thai version mirrors this with a simple subject-predicate setup.

Interrogative Sentence

• English: Is that phrase just another cliché we've all heard before?
• Thai: ประโยคนั้นเป็นคลิเชที่เราทุกคนเคยได้ยินมาก่อนหรือเปล่า? (bpra-yok nan pen kli-che thi rao thuk kon keuy dai yin mak orn reu bplao?)
• Grammatical Breakdown: "Is that phrase" (subject and auxiliary verb); "just another cliché" (predicate); "we've all heard before" (relative clause).
• Structural Analysis: Yes/no interrogative form; Thai uses rising intonation markers like "หรือเปล่า" for questions.

Imperative Sentence

• English: Don't use clichés in your writing if you want to stand out.
• Thai: อย่าใช้คลิเชในงานเขียนของคุณถ้าอยากโดดเด่น (ya chai kli-che nai ngan khian khong khun tha a-yak dod den).
• Grammatical Breakdown: "Don't use" (imperative verb with negation); "clichés in your writing" (object); "if you want to stand out" (conditional clause).
• Structural Analysis: Direct command structure; Thai imperative is softened with "อย่า" for politeness.

Exclamatory Sentence

• English: What a tired cliché that line is!
• Thai: คลิเชแบบนั้นช่างน่าเบื่อจริงๆ! (kli-che baep nan chang na-buea jing-jing!)
• Grammatical Breakdown: "What a tired cliché" (exclamation phrase); "that line is" (predicate).
• Structural Analysis: Emphasizes emotion; Thai uses intensifiers like "ช่าง" and "จริงๆ" for exaggeration.

Example Sentences of Different Difficulties

Simple Sentence

• English: That's a cliché.
• Thai: นั่นเป็นคลิเช (nan pen kli-che).
• Grammatical Breakdown: "That's" (subject); "a cliché" (predicate nominative).
• Structural Analysis: Basic subject-verb-complement; ideal for beginners.

Intermediate Sentence

• English: Many movies use clichés to appeal to audiences quickly.
• Thai: ภาพยนตร์หลายเรื่องใช้คลิเชเพื่อดึงดูดผู้ชมอย่างรวดเร็ว (pab yin tern lae reuang chai kli-che pheua deung dut pheu chom yang rot dee-ow).
• Grammatical Breakdown: "Many movies" (subject); "use clichés" (verb and object); "to appeal to audiences quickly" (infinitive phrase).
• Structural Analysis: Includes purpose clause; Thai adds adverbs for nuance.

Complex Sentence

• English: Although clichés can sometimes be effective, writers should avoid them because they reduce the impact of their work.
• Thai: แม้ว่าคลิเชจะมีประสิทธิภาพบ้าง แต่ผู้เขียนควรหลีกเลี่ยงเพราะมันลดทอนผลกระทบของงาน (mae wa kli-che ja mee pra-sit-phi-phap bang, tae pheu khian kor leek-lee-ang phro khun man lod ton phal kra-thop khong ngan).
• Grammatical Breakdown: "Although clichés can sometimes be effective" (subordinate clause); "writers should avoid them" (main clause); "because they reduce the impact" (subordinate clause).
• Structural Analysis: Multiple clauses for contrast and reason; Thai uses conjunctions like "แม้ว่า" for complexity.

Related Phrases and Expressions

Synonyms/Near Synonyms:

• Platitudes – Overused sayings that lack depth, often used in motivational speeches to criticize insincere advice.
• Trope – A recurring theme or device in storytelling, similar to clichés but with a more neutral connotation in literature.

Antonyms:

• Original idea – A fresh, innovative concept that avoids repetition, commonly used in creative writing to praise uniqueness.
• Novelty – Something new and unexpected, contrasting clichés in marketing to highlight product innovation.

Common Collocations:

• Avoid clichés – Used in writing advice to urge originality, e.g., "Writers must avoid clichés to engage readers."
• Cliché-ridden – Describes content full of overused elements, e.g., "The script was cliché-ridden and predictable."

Cultural Background and Usage Habits

Cultural Background:

• Cultural Point 1: In Western cultures, clichés often stem from historical literature and media, such as Shakespearean phrases, and are critiqued in modern contexts to promote individualism. In Thai culture, clichés may derive from traditional proverbs (e.g., "น้ำขึ้นให้รีบตัก"), reflecting collectivism, but are increasingly influenced by global media, leading to a blend of local and borrowed expressions.

Usage Habits:

• Habit 1: Clichés are frequently used in informal Thai conversations among younger demographics on social media, but avoided in formal settings like academia. In English, they appear daily but are less popular in professional contexts, with high frequency in entertainment reviews.

Grammar Explanation

Grammatical Function:

"Cliché" primarily functions as a noun, serving as the subject, object, or complement in a sentence (e.g., subject in "Clichés are common"). It can also act as an adjective in informal usage, like "cliché phrase," though this is less standard.

Tense and Voice:

As a noun, "cliché" doesn't change with tense, but verbs around it do (e.g., present: "uses clichés"; past: "used clichés"). In active voice, it's straightforward (e.g., "Writers avoid clichés"), while passive voice might be: "Clichés are avoided by writers." In Thai, it remains invariant as a noun, with context determining tense through verbs.

References

Etymology and History:

The word "cliché" originates from French, derived from the printing term "clicher," meaning "to click" or refer to a stereotype plate used in 19th-century printing. It evolved in English by the early 20th century to mean overused expressions, influenced by literary movements like modernism that valued originality.

Literary References:

• From George Orwell's essay "Politics and the English Language" (1946): "Never use a metaphor, simile, or other figure of speech which you are used to seeing in print." This critiques clichés in writing, highlighting their role in dulling language.
• In Thai literature, such as in the works of Sidaoruang, clichés are referenced in critiques of traditional Thai novels, emphasizing the need for modern innovation.