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Friday

25 ridiculously redundant phrases writers like to use


Redundant writing can be ridiculous.
                          
Redundancy is repeating an idea again and again. (See? I just did it.) And it drives readers bonkers.

Remember Yogi Berra?

The Major League baseball player, coach, and manager has often been quoted for his language missteps and frequently redundant quips.

“It’s like déjà vu, all over again,” Berra said. Yep, that’s redundant.

Beware of these 25 ridiculous redundancies.
These phrases may be popular, but frequent usage does not make them correct. Grab that blue pencil, and take a look.

  1. 4 p.m. in the afternoon
  2. absolutely sure
  3. added bonus
  4. advance planning
  5. basic fundamentals
  6. close proximity
  7. completely perfect
  8. end result
  9. estimate at approximately
  10. false pretenses
  11. filled to capacity
  12. foreign imports
  13. free gift
  14. gather together
  15. invited guests
  16. merged as one
  17. new beginning
  18. plan ahead
  19. postpone for a later date
  20. repeat again
  21. revert back
  22. rudely interrupt
  23. still remain
  24. traditional custom
  25. unintentional gaffe
What commonly used redundant wordings bother you the most?

Image/s:
Facepalm

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5 comments:

  1. I'm not sure I agree with number 22. It is possible to interrupt politely (excuse me, sir; your wife is on the phone about your child's illness) or forcefully with time-critical information (Bob! Your house is burning down!) without it being specifically rude.

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  2. I thought the same thing as I was reading it. And filled to capacity....I don't know, I think there are gradients of being filled. If I am in church I might say it's "filled" even if there is one seat left. Filled to capacity means people are standing in the aisles. It just gives more information.

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  3. And sometimes guests are not invited. They just show up.

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  4. Most of these are forgivable, depending on context and desired emphasis. Just another absolutist grumpy grammarian type list.

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  5. Oh my gosh, these are funny when you really look at them. I've used a few myself, I have to admit! Thank you for the list, I'm going to save this!

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