1856 Tasty Snowclones

Language Log has the most fascinating list of “snowclones” and a history of the word’s evolution. A snowclone is an expression which uses a certain formula (sort of like a cliché, but not exactly) for a shortcut to familiarity. An example of a snowclone, and from which it gets its name, is “If Eskimos have 20 words for snow, then the Illini must have at least that many for losing.” Actually, there is no such thing as an Eskimo language, and in the languages of that part of the world, there are no more words for snow than in English. But it is a phrase that is used anyway, particularly by journalists. Calling it a “snowclone” is relatively recent--maybe 2 or 3 years. Other examples of snowclones are:

The right X for the right Y: (The right tool for the right job)

Have X, will travel:

Every schoolboy knows ----------

Once an X, always an X.

Language Log not only provides the list, but develops the story of the earliest known use, such as Thoreau or Dickens or even the Bible. It makes very interesting reading.

Snowclones are easy to track using Google hits, or "ghits." For instance, enter "every schoolboy knows * " and you get 17,300 ghits. (The asterisk is a truncation symbol and substitutes for the word or phrase you’re looking for.)

“Nowadays every schoolboy knows that the essential and permanent conflict in life is a conflict between the past and the future, between the accomplished past and the forward effort.” H. G. Wells

“I knew that the virus was incredibly infectious, and, as every schoolboy knows, epidemics are unpredictable.” Emma Tennant

". . . as every schoolboy knows, the Arabs have at various times inhabited parts of Europe, lived along the Mediterranean, been contiguous to European nations and been assimilated culturally and otherwise by them." Arab World Project

Try this “snowclone” in Google and you will be amazed by what “every schoolboy knows.” It will restore your faith in the public school system.

Update: I tried "Once a * librarian, always " and found some rather dull examples showing not much fexibility within the career field:

“Once a * librarian, always a *”

Once a music librarian, always a music librarian.
Once a serials librarian, always a serials librarian.
Once a teacher-librarian, always a teacher-librarian. . .
Once a children’s librarian, always a children’s librarian. . .
Once a Public Librarian, Always a Public Librarian . . .
Sorry, once a reference librarian, always a reference librarian. It is a curse. ... [Air America]
Once a retired librarian, always a retired librarian I always say.