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Tuesday 13 May 2014

Do You Employ Redundancy? #6

Yet another adventure in the land of redundant words, repetitions and guilty grammar. If you’re doing this, you should try a serious session with Fowler’s Modern English Usage!

Actual experience: An experience is something that happened. It can only be ‘actual’, unless, of course, it’s vicarious. But there’s no reason you should admit to that is there?

Advance reservations: Reservations are, by their nature, actions that occur before the event, so cut the ‘advance’, please: it’s superfluous.

Meet together: A group, whether it consists of people or things, is a coming together. I can’t imagine a situation, other than ‘virtual’ in which you could meet apart.

Completely opposite: Something opposite isn't always diametrically opposed, but the modifier is nevertheless extraneous.

Consensus of opinion: Consensus is agreement, though not necessarily about an opinion. So ‘consensus of opinion’ isn’t entirely redundant, but the qualifier is generally unnecessary.

Few in numberFew refers to a number. Using ‘number’ here is simple repetition.

Ten p.m. in the evening: The abbreviations p.m. identifies the time of day. You don’t need ‘in the evening’. Use one or the other, not both.

Possibly might: Might suggests possibility. Unless you’re using it for effect, cut the ‘might’ or the ‘possibly’.

Added bonus: A bonus is something added. In the case of a banker, it’s also undeserved, but that’s a different issue.


One more rant done with. But there will be another!
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