Snowclone is a recently created term used to describe a certain type of formula based cliché which uses an old idiom in a new context. The term emphasizes the use of a familiar (and often particular) formulea and previous cultural knowledge of the reader to express information about an idea which. The idea being discussed is usually contextually different than the meaning from the original use of that formulea, but can be understood using the same trope as the original formulea was used. It has been described as an internet meme due to its frequent use on blogs which are critical of journalism. A common example of a snowclone is "violet is the new red," refering possibly to the idea that red traditonally a firey and expressive color for a dress at a party, but which has fallen out of popularity in favor of violet. It is interesting that the term has become fairly widely known in a short time, and that there is a pricise date of the coining of the term, as it was first used in an email sent on Thursday, January 15, 2004. [1] This precise dating is etymologically interesting, and has become increasingly possible due to the phenomenon of internet memes.
History edit
The term was coined in responce to the following request from the blog Agoraphilia: [2] “the thing we need a name for is a multi-use, customizable, instantly recognizable, time-worn, quoted or misquoted phrase or sentence that can be used in an entirely open array of different jokey variants by lazy journalists and writers.”
The term can be applied to a wide variety of formulations, common ones include (where the N, X, Y, Z are filled in to taste):
- If Eskimos have N words for snow, X surely have Y words for Z.
- In space, no one can hear you X.
- X is the new Y.
- All your X are belong to us.
Snowclone - is a made up nonsense word. It has no meaning whatsoever. There is no derivation or meaning in the word, none.
See Also edit
External Links edit
- The dating of this term, and a brief history of its growth can be found at the blog, Language Log here.