Clichés are about as useful as lipstick on a pig. Also, re-arranging deck chairs on the Titanic. Not to mention bringing coals to Newcastle. But are they as useless as all that? So grammarians, ...

Public speaking is full of advice. Most of it is repeated endlessly, shared with good intentions—and followed with disappointing results. "Just be yourself." "Don’t be nervous." "Confidence will come ...