X is the new Y, 2005, diagrammatically
This chart of an entire year’s worth of variations on the theme of “X is the new Y” snowclone is brilliant. (Spotted on Languagelog.)
Taking the instances out of context creates some pleasing apparent non-sequiturs, like “12 is the new 1″, “nepotism is the new polio”, and “October is the new December”. Intriguing. The section on technology and computing is also quite interesting, if you follow that sort of thing; hardware nerds will be pleased, I am sure, to note at least one literally correct inclusion: the Sempron really is the new Duron, the one line replaced the other. And it’s nice to see that the actual phrase “x is the new y” makes the list.