Colloquialisms are words or phrases that we use in conversation or informal situations.
An example would be the different ways people refer to carbonated beverages: cola, soda, soda pop, and pop.
Another example is cooked batter: pancake, griddle cake, flap jack, Johnny cake, and short stack.
They can be words (gonna), phrases (hang on), or aphorisms (when the going gets tough, the tough get going).
A few examples of colloquialisms include:
- bat out of hell
- beating a dead horse
- bigger than a barn
- bump on a log
- couldn't care less
- crazy as a loon
- deader than a doornail
- dumb as stump
- drunk as a monkey
- happy as a pig in shit
- hell for leather
- hotter than hell
- knocked into next week
- like flies on shit
- like white on rice
- meaner than a snake
- neat as a pin
- not the brightest crayon
- older than dirt
- one fry short of a happy meal
- piece of cake
- shut your pie hole
- slow as molasses
- tighter than a banjo string
Colloquialism, clichés, and slang are close cousins and hard to differentiate. In general, colloquialisms are limited to a specific geographic location (the southern states) and slang is more widespread (America).
It isn't important for the sake of revision to worry about the finer points of distinction. We aren't in English class anymore. The important point is to use them wisely.
Both colloquialisms and slang can be used as a dialogue plant and payoff: a phrase repeated two or three times at critical points in the story between two characters.
Creating unique colloquialisms and slang for your fantasy world can add a dash of spice. Don't over do it.
Getting the historical slang wrong will earn you e-mails pointing out that the phrase was not used until _____. Nitpickers love this stuff.
Both can add color to your prose and dialogue. Sprinkled throughout a manuscript, they are fine. A few sprinkled in a paragraph is considered overdoing it.
Revision Tips
? Turn on the
Clichés, Colloquialisms, and Jargon option in the toolbox in Word. These items will be marked for you. As you read through your draft, decide which to keep and which to kill. Have you used the cliché intentionally?
? Can you twist it or make it fresh?
? Have you committed colloquialism abuse? Should you trim them?
? Does the languge fit the time and place?
? Does the languge fit the background and personality of the character uttering it?
For all of the revision tips on colloquialisms and other revision layers, pick up a copy of:
