Phrases That Originated in Films, TV or Literature

[Jimski]

Catch 22 is routinely used still, and not always in the correct way.

[ursus arctos]

I have also encountered the "God spoke Elizabethan English" crowd. They are something else.

[Hot Pepsi]

It used to be that I could just drop a Simpsons or Seinfeld reference into everyday speech and assume everyone would get it. But even people my own age who watched those shows haven't in a while so it's harder to be understood. I don't know if The Kids Today have anything comparable because TV, music, and film consumption is so much more fragmented and diverse.

When I was a kid, we all watched a lot of the same shows, even stuff we didn't really like very much, just because it was on. Like I could make a reference to Potsy and Ralph, or Isaac the Bartender or Rerun and Dewayne and expect most of my friends would know what I was referring to.

[Incandenza]

Sure. That makes more sense. A bit like how the golf tournament that we call The British Open is known just as The Open over there. Or The English Beat was just The Beat.

I thought the latter was because there was already a band called The Beat, so the other one had to use The English Beat?

Dave Wakeling lives in Southern California and before the pandemic would seemingly play a concert in town at least a few times a month. Sadly never went to see them, hopefully I have another chance.

[Incandenza]

It used to be that I could just drop a Simpsons or Seinfeld reference into everyday speech and assume everyone would get it. But even people my own age who watched those shows haven't in a while so it's harder to be understood. I don't know if The Kids Today have anything comparable because TV, music, and film consumption is so much more fragmented and diverse.

I used to be with it. Now what I'm with isn't it, and what's it seems weird and scary to me.

[Hot Pepsi]

I thought the latter was because there was already a band called The Beat, so the other one had to use The English Beat?

Dave Wakeling lives in Southern California and before the pandemic would seemingly play a concert in town at least a few times a month. Sadly never went to see them, hopefully I have another chance.

Yes, that's why they changed it. The Subs UK and a few other bands are like that too, I think.

[S. aureus]

All part of getting old

[Hot Pepsi]

I used to be with it. Now what I'm with isn't it, and what's it seems weird and scary to me.

Indeed. I've also used cromulent in everyday speech and forgot that it's not "real" word. I hope the OED will include it.

[Amor de Cosmos]

Spinal Tap gives us a few:

It goes up to 11

The difference between brilliant and stupid is so narrow.

What's wrong with being sexy?

Best not mention it really.

[Jah Womble]

Yes, that's why they changed it. The Subs UK and a few other bands are like that too, I think.

They were always UK Subs (well, 'UK Subversives' originally) - but there were one or two others like 'London Suede' and 'Charlatans UK'.

[Hot Pepsi]

They were always UK Subs (well, 'UK Subversives' originally) - but there were one or two others like 'London Suede' and 'Charlatans UK'.

Oh right! Charlatans are what I was thinking.

[San Bernardhinault]

Grok is still out there, fairly widely used, I think, and comes from Heinlein

[lambers]

Count me among the "Good grief"ers, along with most of the Simpsons references.

I use "shiny" from Firefly quite often. Not many people get the reference, but most understand the meaning I'm trying to convey. Well, I've yet to be challenged on it...

[Patrick Thistle]

I use "shiny" from Firefly quite often. Not many people get the reference, but most understand the meaning I'm trying to convey. Well, I've yet to be challenged on it...

I use Shiny sometimes. My all.time favourite ever quote comes from Firefly. "I was on the losing side. Still not convinced it was the wrong one."

[Amor de Cosmos]

"Riddle me this."

From the comic book, or TV series? Certainly before the movies I'm sure.

Where's HP?

[ursus arctos]

Was definitely a recurring feature of the television series

Dunno about the comics

[Hot Pepsi]

"Riddle me this."

From the comic book, or TV series? Certainly before the movies I'm sure.

Where's HP?

I don't recall it being in the comics much, but I haven't been a regular reader in about 20 years.

[Walt Flanagans Dog]

"Are you sitting comfortably? Then I'll (/we'll) begin"

Also a number of quiz show catchphrases endure, I hear most of these in a work context:

"That's the 64,000 dollar question" (though this has been eclipsed by the million pound question)
"I've started so I'll finish"
"Starter for ten"
"Final answer?"

A work colleague is fond of "phone a friend question" to describe something he doesn't know the answer to.

[ChrisJ]

"Walk a mile in [someone else's] shoes" comes from a 19th century poem I believe.

Kipling -

"Softly, softly..."

"The cat who walks by himself"

"The law of the jungle."

Conan Doyle -

"Elementary, (my dear Watson)." (I know, see Casablanca, Star Trek, etc.)

Few more Pythons -

"Which is nobody's fault - not even the Romans."

When someone can't be immediately spotted: "He's been taken up! No, he's over there."

"Do you find it... risible?

[Snake Plissken]

I throw a lot of tv/movie phrases into everyday conversation just for the amusement of it. Firefly is absolutely one of my main standbys. I even once pulled off the Mal “I do the job, and then I get paid” speech in a fit of anger.

[lambers]

Fantastic work, Snake.

Since my previous post, I found myself using "Does that seem right to you?", using the same inflection as the villain of the final TV episode. I reckon that's a farily common one with me too, but probably not really a phrase that originated from the show.

[Patrick Thistle]

My Dad used to refer to things being "Bible-black" when he meant black. That's from Under Milk Wood by Dylan Thomas. I don't think Dad ever read it but he liked the adjective.

[Hot Pepsi]

Python ones I use:
Let’s not bicker and argue about who killed who.

Come see the violence inherent in the system.

Apart from better sanitation, the medicine, education, wine, public order, irrigation, roads, a fresh water system, and public health ... what have the Romans ever done for us?'

PFJ/JPF

We are all individuals! (I’m not)

[willie1foot]

They were always UK Subs (well, 'UK Subversives' originally) - but there were one or two others like 'London Suede' and 'Charlatans UK'.

UK Squeeze

[Walt Flanagans Dog]

And in the other direction The Detroit Spinners (or sometimes Motown Spinners), renamed in certain markets to avoid confusion with the folkies from England. Not an altogether successful tactic, because the latter's Wiki page lists “Working My Way Back To You" as their most successful chart hit in Australia, peaking at number 12 in 1980.