My New Year’s resolution is to stop turning over plain old “new leaves.” From now on, the only kind I’ll be turning over will be “proverbial new leaves.” Nothing livens up a clichĂ© like “proverbial.” It wafts away the tiredness effortlessly, like a breath of fresh air. A proverbial breath of fresh air.
Who knew writing could be so easy?
What about you? What’s your resolution?
I have a mild addiction to using the word proverbial. Honestly, if I could use it in every third sentence, I would. Other words I simply cannot get enough of include: pantheon, quite, utterly, absurd, horrendous and horrific. I also have a severe obsession with the exclamation point!!! I have always wondered why certain words appeal to me while others don’t.
Anyway, thanks for starting a “proverbial” bonfire of linguistic self-inquiry in me this morning.
Keith, I’m glad to hear about the you-know-what fire under you.
Pingback: The pen is mightier than the shovel. « Word Power