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Pleonasm

  • 30-01-2012 10:26PM
    #1
    slowburner
    Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators Posts: 5,227 Mod ✭✭✭✭


    Pleonasm -it sounds naughty but all it describes is the tendency to use more words than are necessary to convey the meaning of a sentence.
    'Joint collaboration', is a pleonasm.

    I wouldn't like to name names but a certain relatively new, female, regular TV presenter of a short, daily programme on RTE 1, straight after the nine o'clock news, drives me bonkers with these pleonasms:
    'During the morning time'. 'During the evening time'.

    There are more but if I think about them, I fear I will break a tooth.


Comments

  • #2
    franc 91
    Closed Accounts Posts: 401 ✭✭franc 91


    a dead corpse, a handwritten manuscript, frozen ice, PC computer, successful achievement, lead-lined coffins are a health risk, he lived his life to the end, some people are superficial but that's just on the surface, ears pierced while you wait......


  • #3
    pickarooney
    Moderators, Arts Moderators Posts: 36,093 Mod ✭✭✭✭pickarooney


    'Tumorous lump' is both a pleonasm and a neoplasm.


  • #4
    mathepac
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 4,991 ✭✭✭mathepac


    What about 'ATM machine', 'PIN Number', 'the English RFU', 'the English FA', 'The London Times'?


  • #5
    P. Breathnach
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 12,089 ✭✭✭✭P. Breathnach


    mathepac wrote: »
    What about 'ATM machine', 'PIN Number', 'the English RFU', 'the English FA', 'The London Times'?
    Yes; yes; no; no; no.


  • #6
    slowburner
    Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators Posts: 5,227 Mod ✭✭✭✭slowburner


    franc 91 wrote: »
    a dead corpse, a handwritten manuscript, frozen ice, PC computer, successful achievement, lead-lined coffins are a health risk, he lived his life to the end, some people are superficial but that's just on the surface, ears pierced while you wait......
    The first five are definite neoplasms.
    'Some people are superficial but that's just on the surface' - tautology?
    I can't see anything invalid about the remaining three statements.


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  • #7
    wonton
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,214 ✭✭✭wonton


    I always hear people saying "and plus" in a statement when either would be enough

    " I don't really want to go out tonight.................and plus i'm in work early tomorrow"


  • #8
    tommy2bad
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,254 ✭✭✭tommy2bad


    wonton wrote: »
    I always hear people saying "and plus" in a statement when either would be enough

    " I don't really want to go out tonight.................and plus i'm in work early tomorrow"

    I hear and also a lot.


  • #9
    slowburner
    Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators Posts: 5,227 Mod ✭✭✭✭slowburner


    tommy2bad wrote: »
    I hear and also a lot.
    That could slip by the pleonasm police fairly easily.


  • #10
    mathepac
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 4,991 ✭✭✭mathepac


    and also be missed ...


  • #11
    odds_on
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,869 ✭✭✭odds_on


    P. Breathnach wrote: »
    Yes; yes; no; no; no.
    Have you been watching the Vicar of Dimbelby? - No, no, no, no - yes!


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