Fact of the matter is any form of the language, where cliches are conspicuous by their absence, is gobbledygook.

Common men -- laymen or hoi polloi, if you please -- should thank those writers who churn out this ubiquitous variety with remorseless regularity, for cliches take them closer to the language. Had it not been for these gems, history and development of civilization would be lost on a large chunk of humanity.

Now don't say the lion's share rests with scribes for flooding the mankind with a spate of cliches and their minor siblings. If journalese accounts for most of them, so do officialese, diplomatese or bureaucratese. Those put off by cliche-ridden style of writing, a visit to the Mars or a round or two of caves is recommended, for these are probably the only places which might have remained insulated from the raiders who tuck into cliches with gay abandon.

There are many, who are equally at ease with these pearls of wisdom be at home or office. But it public functions, or functions in public, that bring the best -- for some the worst -- out of them.

How else would you come across august audiences or distinguished dignitaries or worthy and honourable presidents who always begin what ever they do on auspicious note, never mind if they rub shoulders with anti-socials or blackmarketeers, or occasionally pickpockets.

If speeches were not inspiring who do you think would come to attend such gala functions, where halls are always chock-o-block: what if the speakers faltered a few times, mixed up names and designations and strayed away from the main course, or there were vacant seats in the auditorium that could accommodate the entire city.

But then niceties were never supposed to be part of public functions. Or, what do ministers do in inaugurals if organisers cared for maintaining decorum. Why ministers or for that matter even a rank newcomer to any service organisation are honourable is a million dollar question, especially when much is written about their deals in journalese simultaneously.

Who said fruits were the monopoly of trees? Discussions, deliberations, seminars, workshops, are always fruitful. And yes talks are always wideranging and sessions brainstorming. If they were not submissions would never be humble or developments never pathbreaking or trendsetting. What if critics say the very developments were part of human existence or at least as old as hills.

If thanks were not heartfelt or efforts sincere would response be spontaneous. It would if you were swimming in the milk of human kindness or lost in a sea of humanity, or at least attending a gathering of eminent citizens.

No wonder, in cities inhabited by so many eminent and worthy citizens, the first citizen is always in for a floral welcome even if he happens to be the last to sneak in.

If mutual interests is what sets the pace for bilateral talks and concentration on priority areas are essential to kick-start economy then law and order situation is always tense, but under control.

Last but not the least, don't stir up a Hornet's nest by writing another piece in defence of cliches.