Talk:List of catchphrases in American and British mass media

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Clean up required[edit]

Apologies to user:Elizium23 for jumping the gun and moving the list of "potential" catchphrases here. It was not my intention to offend. However upon looking into the subject I concluded that WP:NOTCATALOG applied to the catchphrase article, and according to precedent a list class article under the wiki project popular culture was in order. The same work on narrowing the scope and inclusion criteria for the list of catchphrases needs to be undertaken. I have worked on the wictionary article to further refine the definition of a catchphrase in accord with the definitions at the following external link. The consensus among those sources appears to be that a catchphrase:

1) attract attention

2) originaties in popular culture

3) is associated with a famous person or character

4) may come to identify the person or character responsible for it

This refinement is necessary to eliminate quotes, slogans, catchwords, idioms, neologisms etc. from the list. The same can be said for the List of political catch phrases.

-- Cdw ♥'s ♪ ♫(talk) 02:09, 4 November 2011 (UTC)[reply]

Basically, we should limit this to phrases which have articles or significant article subsections (and which have references there of course, which can be placed here per WMOS). I dont see a need to be too particular about what a catchphrase is, as long as the target article indicates it as such, but for any items which are not linked to an article (which is allowed here but should be uncommon), some indication that its not a neologism or other variant too off the mark is needed. Why not catchwords? if we eliminate that, what happens to "d'oh"? thats a word.Mercurywoodrose (talk) 02:51, 4 November 2011 (UTC)[reply]
It is my understanding that a catchword's secondary definition is typically a slogan and not associated with an actor/character. Therefore "D'oh" qualifies as a catchphrase. -- Cdw ♥'s ♪ ♫(talk) 03:23, 4 November 2011 (UTC)[reply]


Unreferenced additions and those not shown to have entered wider usage have been removed. Without verifiable refs anyone can add any old phrase!--Egghead06 (talk) 22:49, 31 January 2014 (UTC)[reply]

In British culture section[edit]

The 'Hitchhikers Guide' entries are probably notable quotes and not catchphrases. They were not spoken by Douglas Adams and the do not identify him. Please improve them or delete them. -- Cdw ♥'s ♪ ♫(talk) 03:37, 23 November 2011 (UTC)[reply]

I am concerned that some of the Feb/Mar 2012 entries may not meet the standard for inclusion. They should not be notable solely as lines from a popular television show, but should be expressions recognized by their repeated utterance within the culture. From catch + phrase. Defined as of the notion that the phrase will catch in the mind of the user. -- Cdw ♥'s ♪ ♫(talk) 06:09, 3 March 2012 (UTC)[reply]

As you say yourself, you are not British, so the frequency of use of these catchphrases away from their use by the originator is unknown to you. Given that not one of the phrases in this entire article carries a reference to show its use within the 'culture' every single catchphrase is in doubt, British and American?--Egghead06 (talk) 07:25, 3 March 2012 (UTC)[reply]
Really, not one? Even this one? -- Cdw ♥'s ♪ ♫(talk) 09:49, 4 March 2012 (UTC)[reply]
FWIW I've never heard of this as a catchphrase, let alone heard it used away from its original use. Do you have a source for it as a catchphrase?--Egghead06 (talk) 10:00, 4 March 2012 (UTC)[reply]

Hello everybody Peeps used by Harry Enfield's character Stavros, originally from Saturday Night Live see http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0mYssEXILjc — Preceding unsigned comment added by RussellEngland (talk • contribs) 07:58, 11 October 2013 (UTC)[reply]

That'll be the day![edit]

"That'll be the day!" was a well-known catch-phrase well before the 1956 move The Searchers. The Dictionary of Catch Phrases records it back to 1917, there was a play titled That'll be the day! in 1935, it is recorded in a 1941 book on New Zealand slang, and there were at least 4 copyright registrations in the 1940s for songs with that title.

Similarly, "Let's roll" was well known before 2001.

I have to question the organization of this page and maybe its very existence. It's divided into 4 categories now: American culture, British Culture, cinema, and literature. These are hardly mutually exclusive and we sometimes don't know where a phrase comes from.

The Eric Partridge Dictionary of Catch Phrases has over 500 pages, with thousands of entries. This article has about 100. I think it's pretty questionable as to how useful this page is going to be.

—KHirsch (talk) 15:53, 30 March 2012 (UTC)[reply]

And each one of these thousands of entries are catchphrases which have 'gained usage beyond its initial scope' as per this articles lead?--Egghead06 (talk) 16:02, 30 March 2012 (UTC)[reply]
Well you can read the introduction or peruse a few entries to see how they compare. Many of those are British, Australian, or historical, but some from the first 10 pages that are quite familiar to me, as an American: "according to plan", "hard act to follow/touch act to follow", "act your age", "after you, my dear Alphonse", "against my religion", "age before beauty", "ain't it a shame?", "ain't love grand!", "ain't nobody here but us chickens", "ain't that something", "ain't that the limit?", "ain't that the truth?", "ain't we got fun?", "ain't you got no homes to go to?", "it's all done with mirrors", "all dressed up and no place to go", "all good clean fun", "all I know is what I read in the papers", "all over but the shouting". —KHirsch (talk) 21:04, 30 March 2012 (UTC)[reply]


'That'll be the day!' and 'Let's roll' may well have been around before they became notable. They were however popularized by their usage as given, not by their pervious existence. The four categories are intended to identify the origination of the catchphrase's notability. There may well be errors and inconsistencies within the lists and they should be corrected with attribution to reliable sources. Some of those listed might require removal from the list if they are deemed not to be notable. The notes column in the table is for explaining their notability and or historical origins.

As to the Dictionary of Catch Phrases the authors definition of a catchphrase may differ from the intent of this pop culture and list class article. Please feel free to add anything from the publication that is notable in pop culture. -- Cdw ♥'s ♪ ♫(talk) 17:04, 31 March 2012 (UTC)[reply]

Not spoken by...[edit]

It doesn't matter that a character never spoke the actual words. There are plenty of catchphrases in popular culture that weren't. They are still valid pop culture catchphrases. -- Cdw ♥'s ♪ ♫(talk) 01:31, 7 April 2012 (UTC)[reply]

I feel that if a person never uttered the catchphrase, or if it never appeared in the work cited, we should not, in Wikipedia's voice, be attributing it to those sources, when only a [note 1] exists to inform the reader that it is falsely attributed. That is misleading. Elizium23 (talk) 17:18, 7 April 2012 (UTC)[reply]
It is not a false attribution. They arise in popular culture by their repeated use. This article is intended to list those catchphrases that have "gained use beyond their initial scope". Many catchphrases evolve over time. Take for example "Mans best friend". Would anyone argue it is not a pop culture standard? Has it not existed and been used and reused for decades? Those are not the actual words uttered by George Graham Vest; see the article Man's best friend (catchphrase) for the derivation of the shortened version. That article more than justifies it's inclusion in this list. Likewise "Elementary, my dear Watson" is a pop culture standard and the wiki-link identifies it as non-canonical. William Gillette, who played Holmes on stage and radio, used the phrase, "Oh, this is elementary, my dear fellow", it evolved from there.
To be included in this list, a catchphrases must be verifiable and should be wiki-linked to the article or section of the article that defines it as such. That being said, I concede there is another potential for abuse of that definition. Anyone can edit an article to identify a particular phrase as a cathcphrase. That doesn't make it a pop cultural standard. I have doubts about some of the entries in the "British Culture" section. However I do not delete them because I am not versed in british culture and I haven't taken the time to research their notability. That is a job for editors who feel the need to do so. It is proper for any editor to challenge an entry with a [dubious – discuss] tag, or here on the talk page but it is bad wiki etiquette to take it into ones own hands and delete verifiable entries without discussion and consensus. If another editor thinks the "This catchphrase was never uttered by the character." note is insufficient they are free to create a note explaining the derivation of the phrase more thouughly. But don't edit war. -- Cdw ♥'s ♪ ♫(talk) 16:43, 8 April 2012 (UTC)[reply]
You are right to have doubts about some of the entries in the British Culture section. I can find no evidence to show that some of the more recently added phrases have made it into wider use and beyond their originator.--Egghead06 (talk) 07:50, 10 April 2012 (UTC)[reply]

Repeated phrases[edit]

I have noticed that multiple phrases were repeated multiple tumes in different categories, such as Pikachhu's "Pikachu!" (Which isn't a catchphrase... Or maybe animal sounds should be listed.) Or Mario's "Woo-hoo!" repeated as "Yahoo!" (Which is scripted as Wahoo in the game scripts...) As well, can the quotes be alphabetized, in order of source, or put in order of date? 68.191.63.135 (talk) 02:55, 23 March 2013 (UTC) ~Blade Avuari[reply]

How you doin'[edit]

How is this a catchphrase ? Did Matt Leblanc invent it ? Millions of people say this every day, and their friends don't assume they are quoting Matt Leblanc.Eregli bob (talk) 22:40, 22 August 2013 (UTC)[reply]

No it isn't but then this whole article has moved so far away from its intent as to be useless. The lead says "This is a list of catchphrases, where a catchphrase is a short phrase or expression which has gained usage beyond its initial scope. These are not merely catchy sayings. Even though some sources may identify a phrase as a catchphrase this list is for those that meet the definition given in the lead section of the Catchphrase article and are notable for their wide spread use within the culture." Most listed do not fit into this definition and most do not have citations to show the phrase has moved into common usage. The entire article needs a mass cull.--Egghead06 (talk) 06:47, 23 August 2013 (UTC)[reply]

Cowabunga[edit]

Was "Cowabunga" from Clarabell in the Howdy Doody (very early -1950s) Howdy Doody TV Show ? 71.114.93.70 (talk) 05:13, 5 January 2014 (UTC)[reply]

Rocko[edit]

It is a wtf category but it should honestly stay 73.52.84.159 (talk) 15:34, 24 June 2016 (UTC)[reply]

"It's goodnight from me..." "...and it's goodnight from him"[edit]

I've added the above catchphrase to the list, since I feel it meets all the requirements mentioned above. Certainly the phrase springs to mind whenever The Two Ronnies are mentioned, and conversely mention of the catchphrase brings the show directly to mind. If others think it doesn't qualify, feel free to remove it.

I was also tempted to add in Eric Morecambe's repeated use of "ahem... Arsenal!", but wasn't sure whether it was memorable enough for the list - what do others think? Grutness...wha? 02:59, 3 August 2016 (UTC)[reply]

Good Night and Good Luck[edit]

"Good Night and Good Luck" was the well-known sign-off catch phrase of Edward R. Murrow.

I noticed that Walter Cronkite's sign-off "That's the way it is" was included in the article.

Dactyllic (talk) 18:47, 1 August 2017 (UTC)[reply]

"Good night, and good luck" is listed under the American catchphrases, and was considered among the top 100 TV Land catchphrases list. AngusWOOF (bark • sniff) 18:51, 1 August 2017 (UTC)[reply]

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Lacking[edit]

Fascinating (Spock). Get Smart! (The Chief). I said you don't say it (or whatever it be in English) (Maxwell Smart). Scotty, beam me up! (Cap. Kirk)--Manfariel (talk) 03:00, 25 April 2019 (UTC)[reply]

Missed it by that much, another Maxwell Smart 184.146.183.87 (talk) 15:00, 1 May 2022 (UTC)[reply]

This is Sparta![edit]

Movie: 300 — Preceding unsigned comment added by Kenorb (talk • contribs) 13:17, 25 January 2021 (UTC)[reply]

Requested move 5 February 2022[edit]

The following is a closed discussion of a requested move. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made in a new section on the talk page. Editors desiring to contest the closing decision should consider a move review after discussing it on the closer's talk page. No further edits should be made to this discussion.

The result of the move request was: Moved to List of catchphrases in American and British mass media. Interested editors should deal with appropriate redirect for List of catchphrases outside of RM process. Mike Cline (talk) 14:30, 1 March 2022 (UTC)[reply]

List of catchphrases → List of catchphrases in American and British mass media – The title of this article is far from its real scope. Either the article gets renamed or the article is expanded to cover what it actually is supposed to cover. If it is renamed, the list should be split. Super Ψ Dro 16:32, 5 February 2022 (UTC)[reply]

  • @Super Dromaeosaurus: if your proposed move is done, should List of catchphrases remain as a redirect? Or if not, what should become of it? I agree that there's a problem here. My preferred solution would be to split into separate standalone lists for American television and British television, and make the List of catchphrases into a list of lists, along the lines of Lists of slogans. Or possibly it should just redirect to Lists of slogans, since there's a very fuzzy boundary separating "catchphrases" from "slogans". Colin M (talk) 21:47, 15 February 2022 (UTC)[reply]
I agree with redirecting it to the list of slogans. If both topics had their lists, they wouldn't be too different from each other, and many would probably get confused as to whether they should add a certain phrase to a list or to the other. Maybe something even better would be to rename the Lists of slogans to Lists of catchphrases and slogans? Or we could just redirect it to List of political slogans. Super Ψ Dro 21:57, 15 February 2022 (UTC)[reply]
  • Support, rename to List of catchphrases in British and American television and film. It shouldn't be covering slogans or phrases in general as then it would have to include the campaign political sayings, slogans in general in advertising and media, memes, and so forth. British first since those are listed first, otherwise, reorder those sections. I agree with making List of catchphrases either comparable to Lists of slogans or redirect to Catchphrase. AngusW🐶🐶F (bark • sniff) 22:11, 15 February 2022 (UTC)[reply]
The discussion above is closed. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made on the appropriate discussion page. No further edits should be made to this discussion.
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