COMMON REDUNDANCIES (to Avoid)
Not all redundancies are "repetitively redundant" or "huge giants." Many of them, like the title of this page, are actually quite subtle and are, therefore, hard to spot. The title, "Common Redundancies to Avoid," assumes that there are some redundancies that don't need to be avoided, and it's quite safe to say that that asumption is entirely false; that's what makes it redundant.
Following is a list of common redundancies commonly found in the writings of the common writer who writes commonly (Tee hee). A quick scan of these should help you generalize what to look for in your own writing. Enjoy!
DISCLAIMER: There is need for some caution in poking fun at, or even trying to avoid all redundancies. Sometimes a word or idea is repeated, not because of carelessness or lack of understanding, but for emphasis. The phrases "Twelve Midnight" and "Twelve Noon" are both clearly redundant, but they could be translated as, "the stroke of midnight" or "high noon," respectively. They are redundant to emphasize exactitude. Even the taboo number "666" can be thought of as an emphasis on the power of "mankind, mankind, mankind" in contrast with the authority or power of God. In Canada, we commonly hear people say something such as, "not too too bad," which is a type of contra-emphasis. Again, something can be said to be "very, very good," for emphasis. In compiling the following examples, I tried to emphasize redundancies that do not work well and phrases of emphasis, only those whose presence adds nothing to meaning but are distractions from meaning.
ABSOLUTELY ESSENTIAL
|
MIX TOGETHER
|