Do You Employ Redundancy? #7

The last of these ventures into the land of redundant words, repetitions and silly syntax. If you’ve travelled with me, you should know what to do with Fowler’s Modern English Usage!

Absolutely guaranteed: Any guarantee that isn’t absolute (as it should be) isn’t worth the paper that describes it.

Advance warning: Warnings, by their nature, occur before an event; qualifying them with ‘advance’ is superfluous. A warning issued after the event is pointless.

At the present time: ‘At present’ means now. Enough said.

Merge together: If you merge things, you bring them together. You can’t merge apart.

Completely finished: Something finished is complete, that’s what ‘finished’ means. And I’m finished with this definition.

During the course of: ‘During’ means ‘throughout the duration or course of’. Let’s cut out the inessential.

Free gift: A gift is, or should be, free. Though I accept that some gifts are given more freely than others. But marketers can usually be relied upon to distort all language to their advantage.

Written down: If you’ve written it, you’ve taken it down. You no more need write it down than up, unless, of course, you’re using the expression in the accountants’ manner.

Final rant in this series. But there’ll be other series! 

I’m looking at the very frequent use of ‘very’, very soon.

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Another adventure in the land of unwanted words, repetitions and gory grammar. If you’re guilty, the sentence is a serious session absorbing Fowler’s Modern English Usage!

Absolutely essential: Something essential is necessary. ‘Absolutely’ is an unnecessary appendage; cut it out.

Advance notice: Notices, by their nature, proclaim a future event. Once the event is done with, they become redundant, rather like the use of ‘advance’ here.

Ask a question: If you pose a question, you are seeking an answer. You can ask, or you can question; to do both is a tautology. Please chose one.

Collaborate together: Collaboration requires connection with others. You can’t collaborate alone.

False pretence: Pretence is deception; it’s already false.

Foreign imports: Imports originate in another country; their foreign nature is therefore implicit. Don’t make them feel unwelcome by repeating the fact, eh?

Protest against: Protest is opposition: simple as that, really.

Suddenly exploded: Ain’t no such animal as a slow explosion. It can’t be any more immediate than it is.

For a number of days: ‘Days’ is a plural. You can’t have 1 days, so, if you’re spending days, there must be more than one. Okay?

As for example: ‘As’ implies an example is provided; use ‘as’ or ‘for example’ or ‘e.g.’, but not together, please.

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

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A further foray into fascinating fixations with unwarranted words, repetitions and similar scandalous sins of syntax. If guilty, you’re sentenced to serious sessions roasting over the flames of Fowler’s Modern English Usage!

Actual fact: A fact is something real, something actual, as opposed to something imaginary. ‘Actual’ is an unnecessary spare part.

Came at a time when: If something happens when it happens, it occurs at the time of occurrence. The phrase ‘at a time’ is tautology and should be rejected.

Direct confrontation: When you confront something, you tackle it head-on, and you can’t get any more direct than that, so cut it out.

Enter in: To enter is to go in. Chuck out ‘in’.

First began: The beginning is when something first comes to be. ‘First’ is as extraneous as a third foot (unless you’re a tripod).

Major breakthrough: Interesting, this one. In most cases, a breakthrough suggests significant progress. ‘Major’ isn’t exactly redundant, but the meaning of ‘breakthrough’ is implicit. However, it is possible to have a ‘minor breakthrough’, where such an event is a useful step on a journey toward a specific goal.

Postpone until later: You postpone an event by putting it off until later. Enough said.

Repeat again: If you repeat an action or a piece of text, you do it again. No further explanation required.

Since the time when: Since indicates that time has passed. ‘The time when’ just adds extra words, contributing nothing to the meaning.

Unexpected surprise: Surprise, surprise! Ooh, that was unexpected. Need I say more?

Another rant expressed. But there will be more!

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