If you’re like pretty much every other person in the world, you have cliches and catchphrases that you’re fond of. There are times that I stop and think about those that I use, or hear from other people. One recently caught my attention, “I laughed my butt off.” There are other variations on this phrase, but this one will suffice.

I know I’ve used that phrase before, but it has dropped from my list of currently used cliches. I think that’s a good thing. Whoever says it never means it; there has never been a report of someone’s rear end falling off because they laughed too hard. (I’m pretty sure I would have seen that it it was on the news. If I somehow missed it, I’d rather keep it that way. ) What is the purpose for saying that? Why do we have to exaggerate something to the point of absurdity? Why can’t we be content with, “I laughed,” or “That was funny?”

Though there are several reasons that could be said, ones like wanting to illustrate how funny it was or wanting to one-up somebody else, I don’t think we could actually pin it down. But while I have your ear… uh, eyes, let’s wander down a path few care to go down.

How would we talk if we said what we actually mean? This goes further than the laughing catchphrase, what about the so-called white lies? Or even when we add a superlative to an adjective? “That is the worst thing I’ve ever smelled.” You can’t guarantee it’s the worst, you’re just trying to make a point. This could be expanded to cuss words. Most of the time, the are used to express distaste, which can be done without them.

This wandered more than I intended for it to, but there are some things that deserve more attention.