I've noticed an interesting little phenomenon (in myself and others): when I tell a story over and over to different people, I often find myself using the same words and phrases each time (even though they are rarely the most brilliant words).

Yes, boronia...you're mentioning this has me recalling the same phenomenon when I'm telling certain favorite stories over the years. Phrases and words seem to flow out in close repetition from moment to moment to fit those scenarios, and never seem to stray from a set linguistic recipe to fit the image. Not by choice, but they spring automatically each time from the subconscious in almost perfectly similar patterns. Not rehearsed monologues, but those tales one tells (or, at least, that I tell) from life's experience. Strange that something more original wouldn't assemble itself each time to keep the tale fresh to oneself at least, especially to those who pride themselves in their creativity and originality. Laziness? Convenience? Perhaps.

But would you tell a story the same way to a group of more intellectual friends than you would, say, at a family barbecue...colloquially speaking? Sometimes I find the words flow out with a different charge, though just as automatically, when I've been around certain groups of people for a length of time.