# Blackberries are dime a dozen



## supermarioutd

Let's say I don't think very highly of Blackberry phone I think they are too common and can be found everywhere and they are not very original since a lot of people have them. 

Does this sentence work? :

_*Blackberries are dime a dozen these days. *_

Is dime a dozen commonly used? Is it old-fashioned? 

Is there a better more commonly used idiom?


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## elroy

It’s “*a* dime a dozen,” and it just means there are a lot of them.  It’s not a value judgment.


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## Barque

supermarioutd said:


> are dime a dozen


The phrase is _a dime a dozen, _meaning (not necessarily literally) you can get a dozen for a dime (10 US cents).

The phrase is commonly used but I don't think it fits that context. I'd expect _Blackberries are nothing special _or something similar. I can't think of another idiom offhand.

_Cross-posted._


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## supermarioutd

elroy said:


> It’s “*a* dime a dozen,” and it just means there are a lot of them.  It’s not a value judgment.



I found this example in Longman:

*PhDs are a dime a dozen nowadays.  
*
Doesn't it mean phDs are not as valuable as they used to be?


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## elroy

No.  It means many people have them and they’re common.


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## supermarioutd

So there is no idiom to refer to something that is tooo common and can be found everywhere and can be accessed by anyone?


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## AnythingGoes

supermarioutd said:


> I found this example in Longman:
> 
> *PhDs are a dime a dozen nowadays.
> *
> Doesn't it mean phDs are not as valuable as they used to be?


It means that _getting_ a PhD is less valuable than it used to be because so many people have them. From this you can conclude that the degree is also less valuable. (These opinions are expressed by the quoted text; they aren't necessarily true.)

You can't extend that to a commodity like a phone brand.


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## Barque

supermarioutd said:


> Doesn't it mean phDs are not as valuable as they used to be?


It doesn't literally mean that. It means a lot of people have one nowadays as Elroy says. But as with anything, becoming common does lead to a certain loss of status. So it's possible a PhD isn't considered as impressive or significant nowadays as it was earlier.


supermarioutd said:


> So there is no idiom to refer to something that is *very* tooo common and can be found everywhere and can be accessed by anyone?


"A dime a dozen" means just that but as I said it might not really fit in the context of Blackberries, at least to me. "A dime a dozen" means "easily found/available" rather than "commonly used", though the two ideas are very similar. I can't think of a suitable idiom offhand.


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## elroy

supermarioutd said:


> So there is no idiom to refer to something that is tooo common and can be found everywhere and can be accessed by anyone?


 It’s not an idiom, but “ubiquitous” might work.


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## supermarioutd

elroy said:


> It’s not an idiom, but “ubiquitous” might work.



Ubiquitous does not have a negative connotation. I need something that has a negative connotation.


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## supermarioutd

AnythingGoes said:


> It means that _getting_ a PhD is less valuable than it used to be because so many people have them. From this you can conclude that the degree is also less valuable. (These opinions are expressed by the quoted text; they aren't necessarily true.)
> 
> *You can't extend that to a commodity like a phone brand*.



So what can I use for a phone that is very common and I want to suggest it is not valuable because of that?


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## AnythingGoes

supermarioutd said:


> So what can I use for a phone that is very common and I want to suggest it is not valuable because of that?


You could call it _pedestrian._ See definition 4 in the WR dictionary.


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## Chasint

As a matter of interest, we don't have dimes in Britain so this doesn't really work here.


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## supermarioutd

Chasint said:


> As a matter of interest, we don't have dimes in Britain so this doesn't really work here.



What do you say in this situation?


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## elroy

AnythingGoes said:


> You could call it _pedestrian._ See definition 4 in the WR dictionary.


 I don't think that necessarily means lots of people have it or that it's easy to get.

You might consider "Everyone and their mother has one!".


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## PaulQ

Chasint said:


> As a matter of interest, we don't have dimes in Britain so this doesn't really work here.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> supermarioutd said:
> 
> 
> 
> What do you say in this situation?
Click to expand...

Blackberries/Ph.Ds are *ten a penny*."


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## Chasint

supermarioutd said:


> What do you say in this situation?


*two a penny*
or *ten a penny*
phrase
Things that are said to be two a penny or ten a penny are not valuable or interesting because they are very common and easy to find.
[British, informal]
Two a penny definition and meaning | Collins English Dictionary

There may be a more up-to-date phrase but I can't think of one at the moment.


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## supermarioutd

elroy said:


> You might consider "Everyone and their mother has one!".



Is this a common phrase? Or did you make it up?


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## Barque

I think "everyone and their uncle" is more, well, common but this one is quite possible too.


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## supermarioutd

According to this dictionary, dime a dozen means not valuable:

a dime a dozen (phrase) definition and synonyms | Macmillan Dictionary


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## Barque

That's the secondary meaning, which follows from the first. It says (underlining mine): _extremely common, and therefore not very valuable or special. _That idea was expressed in a couple of posts above - see 7 and 8, and also 17 for the British version.


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## supermarioutd

Barque said:


> I think "everyone and their uncle" is more, well, common but this one is quite possible too.



Is this common? Does it work perfectly?

*Everyone and their uncle has (or have?) a Blackberry these days. *


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## supermarioutd

Barque said:


> That's the secondary meaning, which follows from the first. It says (underlining mine): _extremely common, and therefore not very valuable or special. _That idea was expressed in a couple of posts above - see 7 and 8, and also 17 for the British version.



I know but why can't I say Blackberries are a dime a dozen?


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## Barque

supermarioutd said:


> *Everyone and their uncle has (or have?) a Blackberry these days. *


I can imagine it being said, yes. (I don't know about Iran but hardly anyone here uses a Blackberry now. I see mostly Samsungs and iPhones and various Chinese brands.)



supermarioutd said:


> I know but why can't I say Blackberries are a dime a dozen?


You could if you liked. I just don't really think it fits. You won't necessarily get the same opinion from everyone on this. As AnythingGoes said in #7, it doesn't go very well with a common commodity brand.


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## elroy

supermarioutd said:


> Is this a common phrase? Or did you make it up?


 It's a common phrase (in US English), and no, I didn't make it up.

I don't think I've ever heard the version with "uncle" in US English.


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## supermarioutd

> Everyone and their mother has or have? a Blackberry these days. ?


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## elroy

"has"


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## supermarioutd

It is an interesting idiom. I have never heard it in a movie. 

everybody and their mother


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## PaulQ

I hear and say "Every man and his dog..."


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## supermarioutd

PaulQ said:


> I hear and say "Every man and his dog..."



Would you use it with a negative connotation? Like my example? 

_*Everyone and their dog has a Blackberry these days. But my phone is unique and special. *_


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## PaulQ

Yes.


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## kentix

supermarioutd said:


> Doesn't it mean phDs are not as valuable as they used to be?


I would say it means they are not as special. I'm not sure the word valuable fits well.

I think that even though the phrase uses a money reference, it's not about money. It's about being (actually the opposite of being) special and exclusive.

That's why I'm not sure the BlackBerry use is a good one. Because it's too literal. BlackBerrys cost real money so a dime a dozen could have a literal meaning.

I think if it's more figurative it's more effective._ "In Las Vegas, Elvis impersonators are a dime a dozen."* _(I apologize if the reference is not understood.) Nobody is buying them for real money, it's just an expression meaning they aren't rare or special.

* Las Vegas, the gambling capital of the U.S. and a large entertainment center, is famous for having many people who dress like and act like singer (and American icon) Elvis Presley to entertain tourists.


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## irinet

supermarioutd said:


> Would you use it with a negative connotation? Like my example?
> 
> _*Everyone and their dog has a Blackberry these days. But my phone is unique and special. *_



Hi,
That is so strange to me: everyone is  considered *many* - their dog, but the verb is singular - has.

Does this follow a rule, or it's only an idiom?!


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## AnythingGoes

irinet said:


> That is so strange to me: everyone is  considered *many* - their dog, but the verb is singular - has.
> 
> Does this follow a rule, or it's only an idiom?!


"And their dog" functions as a parenthetical in this phrase, as if it were _Everyone — and their dog — has one. _If you dropped the parenthetical, you'd have _Everyone has one. _The agreement doesn't change.


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## elroy

irinet said:


> their dog, but the verb is singular - has


 This is normal with "everyone": "Everyone needs to bring their pencil."


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## You little ripper!

In Australia it’s more common to say, _Everyone and his dog has one!_


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## elroy

“His,” not “their”?


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## You little ripper!

Yes.


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## velisarius

kentix said:


> I think if it's more figurative it's more effective._ "In Las Vegas, Elvis impersonators are a dime a dozen."* _(I apologize if the reference is not understood.) Nobody is buying them for real money, it's just an expression meaning they aren't rare or special.


 Absolutely.


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## Chasint

> In Australia it’s more common to say, _Everyone and his dog has one!_





elroy said:


> “His,” not “their”?


This is the politically-correct gender-neutral 'they' that is used as a singular pronoun. Depending where you are and what company you keep you may be berated for using 'his'.


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## supermarioutd

You little ripper! said:


> In Australia it’s more common to say, _Everyone and his dog has one!_



Would you say this to your friend? :

_*Come on man! Everyone and his dog has a TOYOTA these days. You need to get a special and unique car like Porsche. *_


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## You little ripper!

supermarioutd said:


> Would you say this to your friend? :
> 
> _*Come on man! Everyone and his dog has a TOYOTA these days. You need to get a special and unique car like Porsche. *_


 I’m not sure one actually  “needs” a Porsche, but if I had a friend, I might.  I’d probably put an ‘a’ in front of the “Porsche”.


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## Barque

supermarioutd said:


> Everyone and his dog has a TOYOTA these days.


Yes.


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## supermarioutd

Barque said:


> Yes.


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## supermarioutd

You little ripper! said:


> I’m not sure one actually  “needs” a Porsche, but if I had a friend, I might.  I’d probably put an ‘a’ in front of the “Porsche”.



Instead of need to I can use should. 

_*Come on man! Everyone and his dog has a TOYOTA these days. You should get a special and unique car like a Porsche. *_


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## Packard

_Blackberries are so run-of-the-mill; I would not own one.

Blackberries are so pedestrian; they are not for me._


run-of-the-mill
*Dictionary result for run-of-the-mill*
/ˈˌrən ə(v) T͟Hə ˈmil/
_adjective_

lacking unusual or special aspects; ordinary.


pe·des·tri·an
*Dictionary result for pedestrian*
/pəˈdestrēən/
_*adjective*_

*1.
lacking inspiration or excitement; dull.*
"disenchantment with their present, pedestrian lives"
synonyms: dull, plodding, boring, tedious, monotonous, uneventful, unremarkable, tiresome, wearisome, uninspired, uncreative, unimaginative, unexciting, uninteresting, lifeless, dry; More


(Both definitions from Google definitions)


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## kentix

supermarioutd said:


> Come on man! Everyone and his dog has a TOYOTA these days. You should get a special and unique car like a Porsche.


You don't really need to explain that a Porsche is special.

We would probably just say:

_Come on man! Everyone and his dog has a TOYOTA these days. You should get a Porsche or something like that. _


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## PaulQ

supermarioutd said:


> I found this example in Longman:
> *PhDs are a dime a dozen nowadays. *
> Doesn't it mean phDs are not as valuable as they used to be?





elroy said:


> No. It means many people have them and they’re common.


supermarioutd,
"A dime a dozen", and "10/two a penny" are both examples of the economic theory of supply, demand, and price.

If the supply is low and the demand is high, then the price will be high.
If the supply is high and the demand is high, then the price will be normal
If the supply is low and the demand is low, then the price will be normal
If the supply is high and the demand is low, then the price will be low
If there is a shortage of eggs, then eggs will command a high price perhaps $1 each or £1 each. 
If there are millions of eggs available and people are throwing them away, the price will fall - a dozen eggs will cost a dime (10 cents) or you can buy 10 eggs for £0.01.

The idioms refer to *why *the price is low, and not the value of each item.


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## lingobingo

The world and his wife has one these days!


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## supermarioutd

lingobingo said:


> The world and his wife has one these days!



So many variations!


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## You little ripper!

Chasint said:


> This is the politically-correct gender-neutral 'they' that is used as a singular pronoun. Depending where you are and what company you keep you may be berated for using 'his'.


 “Every woman and her dog has one” is what a lesbian friend of mine would say.


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