Forums / Discussion / Meme Research

Co Ed Magazine has a piece up called "10 best catch phrases of all time" or something like that. Each of these catch phrases is derived from a mainstream TV show or movie, which has in turn become a widely-recognized, often spoofed piece of language.

Linky: http://coedmagazine.com/2010/06/15/10-greatest-catch-phrases-of-all-time/

This has me thinking about other catch-phrases like, "Thank You, Captain Obvious" and "I came" which are also rooted in places other than the internet.

I think it's worth opening up a discussion about how catch phrases originate elsewhere, but are often used online, blurring the line between "Internet Meme" and other pop culture memes, since we're headed in a direction where they're one in the same.

Main stream media catch-phrases will always be more popular than internet ones, considering the fact that internet catch-phrases originate off of the main stream media.

That's not necessarily true. A lot of internet catch-phrases don't originate from the mainstream media- like "Do a Barrel Roll"- which comes from a game.
Also, some phrases are mainly associated with the internet- including- "What is This I don't Even," and "I can't hear you over the sound of how awesome I am."

IMO, these are internet memes:
- catchphrases that originate from the internet and produce derivatives/copies on the internet.
- catchphrases outside the mainstream media whose derivatives originate from the internet.
- catchphrases in the mainstream media whose derivatives on the internet: have a different usage/meaning/connotation on the internet, are clearly more popular on the internet than they ever were IRL (I mean, little to no usage IRL), are popular on the internet at a time when its not popular IRL, or is associated with a particular internet image, video, or website.
- misc. catchphrases that become popular only because of the internet.

So…I herd you leik mudkipz

Ontopic: I think the guyz at that site forgot "X, Im home!". I really dont know where it started, but I will always remember "Wendy, Im home!" from the shining.

"don’t originate from the mainstream media- like “Do a Barrel Roll”- which comes from a game."

Games are mainstream in my personal opinion.

But generally you are right, but take BZZZ for instance, its mainstream, and its gonna be popular for years to come..

"Party Hard" is a 4chan meme, and a Something Awful meme, and it was all inspired by a mainstream song. I think the whole concept of "Internet Memes" is ontologically invalid. Memes are memes, despite what media they pass through.