The breakneck pace of catchphrase evolution suggested by this strip at Language Log ("ultra-hip nostalgic retro-phrase, ironically evoking the earlier era of ten days earlier") reminds me of a Lafferty story, which also deals with compressed timelines and is avaliable online: Slow Tuesday Night.
The panhandler was Basil Bagelbaker, who would be the richest man in the world within an hour and a half. He would make and lose four fortunes within eight hours; and these not the little fortunes that ordinary men acquire, but titanic things.
(R. A. Lafferty: Slow Tuesday Night)
Catchphrases are not a new phenomenon. How far back in history they go? Is there any study that deals with that question? I suppose the population density provided by cities is necessary for catchphrase spreading.
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