What is the word used to describe the redundancy of using two synonyms to define one thing?
- Incorrect: a baby lamb
- Correct?: 'a baby sheep', or just 'a lamb'
Is there even one word used to describe this duplication? Or would you just identify the mistake as "a redundant word"?
single-word-requests
edited 7 hours ago
Laurel
33k664117
asked May 27 '15 at 5:03
Jessica HolmesJessica Holmes
1413
add a comment |
- Incorrect: a baby lamb
- Correct?: 'a baby sheep', or just 'a lamb'
Is there even one word used to describe this duplication? Or would you just identify the mistake as "a redundant word"?
single-word-requests
edited 7 hours ago
Laurel
33k664117
asked May 27 '15 at 5:03
Jessica HolmesJessica Holmes
1413
2
A pleonasm: the use of more words than are required to express an idea.
– user66974
May 27 '15 at 5:09
2
In your particular example "baby" adds a little more than just emphasis. If a lamb is "a young sheep", a "baby lamb" is younger still -- not much more than a newborn (and presumably too cute to taste good -- yet).
– Chris H
May 27 '15 at 10:09
See my tongue-in-cheek answer at english.stackexchange.com/questions/375945/…
– Mark Hubbard
Jul 26 '18 at 14:33
A doublet of synonyms is frequently used for emphasis.
– Glenn
Aug 6 '18 at 15:40
It's called "English".
– Hot Licks
2 hours ago
add a comment |
- Incorrect: a baby lamb
- Correct?: 'a baby sheep', or just 'a lamb'
Is there even one word used to describe this duplication? Or would you just identify the mistake as "a redundant word"?
single-word-requests
edited 7 hours ago
Laurel
33k664117
asked May 27 '15 at 5:03
Jessica HolmesJessica Holmes
1413
- Incorrect: a baby lamb
- Correct?: 'a baby sheep', or just 'a lamb'
Is there even one word used to describe this duplication? Or would you just identify the mistake as "a redundant word"?
single-word-requests
single-word-requests
edited 7 hours ago
Laurel
33k664117
asked May 27 '15 at 5:03
Jessica HolmesJessica Holmes
1413
edited 7 hours ago
Laurel
33k664117
asked May 27 '15 at 5:03
Jessica HolmesJessica Holmes
1413
edited 7 hours ago
Laurel
33k664117
edited 7 hours ago
Laurel
33k664117
edited 7 hours ago
Laurel
33k664117
33k664117
asked May 27 '15 at 5:03
Jessica HolmesJessica Holmes
1413
asked May 27 '15 at 5:03
Jessica HolmesJessica Holmes
1413
asked May 27 '15 at 5:03
Jessica HolmesJessica Holmes
1413
1413
2
A pleonasm: the use of more words than are required to express an idea.
– user66974
May 27 '15 at 5:09
2
In your particular example "baby" adds a little more than just emphasis. If a lamb is "a young sheep", a "baby lamb" is younger still -- not much more than a newborn (and presumably too cute to taste good -- yet).
– Chris H
May 27 '15 at 10:09
See my tongue-in-cheek answer at english.stackexchange.com/questions/375945/…
– Mark Hubbard
Jul 26 '18 at 14:33
A doublet of synonyms is frequently used for emphasis.
– Glenn
Aug 6 '18 at 15:40
It's called "English".
– Hot Licks
2 hours ago
add a comment |
2
A pleonasm: the use of more words than are required to express an idea.
– user66974
May 27 '15 at 5:09
2
In your particular example "baby" adds a little more than just emphasis. If a lamb is "a young sheep", a "baby lamb" is younger still -- not much more than a newborn (and presumably too cute to taste good -- yet).
– Chris H
May 27 '15 at 10:09
See my tongue-in-cheek answer at english.stackexchange.com/questions/375945/…
– Mark Hubbard
Jul 26 '18 at 14:33
A doublet of synonyms is frequently used for emphasis.
– Glenn
Aug 6 '18 at 15:40
It's called "English".
– Hot Licks
2 hours ago
2
2
A pleonasm: the use of more words than are required to express an idea.
– user66974
May 27 '15 at 5:09
A pleonasm: the use of more words than are required to express an idea.
– user66974
May 27 '15 at 5:09
2
2
In your particular example "baby" adds a little more than just emphasis. If a lamb is "a young sheep", a "baby lamb" is younger still -- not much more than a newborn (and presumably too cute to taste good -- yet).
– Chris H
May 27 '15 at 10:09
In your particular example "baby" adds a little more than just emphasis. If a lamb is "a young sheep", a "baby lamb" is younger still -- not much more than a newborn (and presumably too cute to taste good -- yet).
– Chris H
May 27 '15 at 10:09
See my tongue-in-cheek answer at english.stackexchange.com/questions/375945/…
– Mark Hubbard
Jul 26 '18 at 14:33
See my tongue-in-cheek answer at english.stackexchange.com/questions/375945/…
– Mark Hubbard
Jul 26 '18 at 14:33
A doublet of synonyms is frequently used for emphasis.
– Glenn
Aug 6 '18 at 15:40
A doublet of synonyms is frequently used for emphasis.
– Glenn
Aug 6 '18 at 15:40
It's called "English".
– Hot Licks
2 hours ago
It's called "English".
– Hot Licks
2 hours ago
add a comment |
2 Answers
2
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It seems that the linguistic term is "redundancy":
In English usage, redundancy is usually defined as the use of two or more words that say the same thing, but we also use the term to refer to any expression in which a modifier’s meaning is contained in the word it modifies (e.g., early beginnings, merge together—many more are listed below). Think of redundancies as word overflows.
This list is far from complete, and we’re developing it organically (i.e., adding redundancies as they come up in our work) rather than compiling the list by stealing from other online sources, which would be too easy. If you feel strongly that any redundancy should be added here, please comment.
Or, as Josh61 noted, pleonasms, specifically semantic pleonasms:
Pleonasm (/ˈpliːənæzəm/, from Greek πλεονασμός pleonasmos from πλέον pleon "more, too much") is the use of more words or parts of words than is necessary for clear expression: examples are black darkness, or burning fire. Such redundancy is, by traditional rhetorical criteria, a manifestation of tautology.
Semantic pleonasm is a question more of style and usage than of grammar. Linguists usually call this redundancy to avoid confusion with syntactic pleonasm, a more important phenomenon for theoretical linguistics.
answered May 27 '15 at 6:20
Catija♦Catija
3,4041224
add a comment |
Tautology!
The saying of the same thing twice over in different words, generally considered to be a fault of style (e.g. they arrived one after the other in succession ).
synonyms: repetition, repetitiveness, repetitiousness, reiteration, redundancy, superfluity, periphrasis, iteration, duplication; More
a phrase or expression in which the same thing is said twice in different words.
plural noun: tautologies
LOGIC
a statement that is true by necessity or by virtue of its logical form.
answered Nov 17 '17 at 2:15
Shrenik JobanputraShrenik Jobanputra
91
'Baby' and 'lamb' are different things. Had the writer said, 'an infant sheep, just a lamb' that would be a tautology. The two comments have expressed all that can be said and your answer has neither added anything more, nor is it correct. But do not be discouraged. Keep trying.
– Nigel J
Nov 17 '17 at 4:39
add a comment |
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2 Answers
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It seems that the linguistic term is "redundancy":
In English usage, redundancy is usually defined as the use of two or more words that say the same thing, but we also use the term to refer to any expression in which a modifier’s meaning is contained in the word it modifies (e.g., early beginnings, merge together—many more are listed below). Think of redundancies as word overflows.
This list is far from complete, and we’re developing it organically (i.e., adding redundancies as they come up in our work) rather than compiling the list by stealing from other online sources, which would be too easy. If you feel strongly that any redundancy should be added here, please comment.
Or, as Josh61 noted, pleonasms, specifically semantic pleonasms:
Pleonasm (/ˈpliːənæzəm/, from Greek πλεονασμός pleonasmos from πλέον pleon "more, too much") is the use of more words or parts of words than is necessary for clear expression: examples are black darkness, or burning fire. Such redundancy is, by traditional rhetorical criteria, a manifestation of tautology.
Semantic pleonasm is a question more of style and usage than of grammar. Linguists usually call this redundancy to avoid confusion with syntactic pleonasm, a more important phenomenon for theoretical linguistics.
answered May 27 '15 at 6:20
Catija♦Catija
3,4041224
add a comment |
It seems that the linguistic term is "redundancy":
In English usage, redundancy is usually defined as the use of two or more words that say the same thing, but we also use the term to refer to any expression in which a modifier’s meaning is contained in the word it modifies (e.g., early beginnings, merge together—many more are listed below). Think of redundancies as word overflows.
This list is far from complete, and we’re developing it organically (i.e., adding redundancies as they come up in our work) rather than compiling the list by stealing from other online sources, which would be too easy. If you feel strongly that any redundancy should be added here, please comment.
Or, as Josh61 noted, pleonasms, specifically semantic pleonasms:
Pleonasm (/ˈpliːənæzəm/, from Greek πλεονασμός pleonasmos from πλέον pleon "more, too much") is the use of more words or parts of words than is necessary for clear expression: examples are black darkness, or burning fire. Such redundancy is, by traditional rhetorical criteria, a manifestation of tautology.
Semantic pleonasm is a question more of style and usage than of grammar. Linguists usually call this redundancy to avoid confusion with syntactic pleonasm, a more important phenomenon for theoretical linguistics.
answered May 27 '15 at 6:20
Catija♦Catija
3,4041224
add a comment |
It seems that the linguistic term is "redundancy":
In English usage, redundancy is usually defined as the use of two or more words that say the same thing, but we also use the term to refer to any expression in which a modifier’s meaning is contained in the word it modifies (e.g., early beginnings, merge together—many more are listed below). Think of redundancies as word overflows.
This list is far from complete, and we’re developing it organically (i.e., adding redundancies as they come up in our work) rather than compiling the list by stealing from other online sources, which would be too easy. If you feel strongly that any redundancy should be added here, please comment.
Or, as Josh61 noted, pleonasms, specifically semantic pleonasms:
Pleonasm (/ˈpliːənæzəm/, from Greek πλεονασμός pleonasmos from πλέον pleon "more, too much") is the use of more words or parts of words than is necessary for clear expression: examples are black darkness, or burning fire. Such redundancy is, by traditional rhetorical criteria, a manifestation of tautology.
Semantic pleonasm is a question more of style and usage than of grammar. Linguists usually call this redundancy to avoid confusion with syntactic pleonasm, a more important phenomenon for theoretical linguistics.
answered May 27 '15 at 6:20
Catija♦Catija
3,4041224
It seems that the linguistic term is "redundancy":
In English usage, redundancy is usually defined as the use of two or more words that say the same thing, but we also use the term to refer to any expression in which a modifier’s meaning is contained in the word it modifies (e.g., early beginnings, merge together—many more are listed below). Think of redundancies as word overflows.
This list is far from complete, and we’re developing it organically (i.e., adding redundancies as they come up in our work) rather than compiling the list by stealing from other online sources, which would be too easy. If you feel strongly that any redundancy should be added here, please comment.
Or, as Josh61 noted, pleonasms, specifically semantic pleonasms:
Pleonasm (/ˈpliːənæzəm/, from Greek πλεονασμός pleonasmos from πλέον pleon "more, too much") is the use of more words or parts of words than is necessary for clear expression: examples are black darkness, or burning fire. Such redundancy is, by traditional rhetorical criteria, a manifestation of tautology.
Semantic pleonasm is a question more of style and usage than of grammar. Linguists usually call this redundancy to avoid confusion with syntactic pleonasm, a more important phenomenon for theoretical linguistics.
answered May 27 '15 at 6:20
Catija♦Catija
3,4041224
answered May 27 '15 at 6:20
Catija♦Catija
3,4041224
answered May 27 '15 at 6:20
Catija♦Catija
3,4041224
answered May 27 '15 at 6:20
Catija♦Catija
3,4041224
3,4041224
add a comment |
add a comment |
Tautology!
The saying of the same thing twice over in different words, generally considered to be a fault of style (e.g. they arrived one after the other in succession ).
synonyms: repetition, repetitiveness, repetitiousness, reiteration, redundancy, superfluity, periphrasis, iteration, duplication; More
a phrase or expression in which the same thing is said twice in different words.
plural noun: tautologies
LOGIC
a statement that is true by necessity or by virtue of its logical form.
answered Nov 17 '17 at 2:15
Shrenik JobanputraShrenik Jobanputra
91
'Baby' and 'lamb' are different things. Had the writer said, 'an infant sheep, just a lamb' that would be a tautology. The two comments have expressed all that can be said and your answer has neither added anything more, nor is it correct. But do not be discouraged. Keep trying.
– Nigel J
Nov 17 '17 at 4:39
add a comment |
Tautology!
The saying of the same thing twice over in different words, generally considered to be a fault of style (e.g. they arrived one after the other in succession ).
synonyms: repetition, repetitiveness, repetitiousness, reiteration, redundancy, superfluity, periphrasis, iteration, duplication; More
a phrase or expression in which the same thing is said twice in different words.
plural noun: tautologies
LOGIC
a statement that is true by necessity or by virtue of its logical form.
answered Nov 17 '17 at 2:15
Shrenik JobanputraShrenik Jobanputra
91
'Baby' and 'lamb' are different things. Had the writer said, 'an infant sheep, just a lamb' that would be a tautology. The two comments have expressed all that can be said and your answer has neither added anything more, nor is it correct. But do not be discouraged. Keep trying.
– Nigel J
Nov 17 '17 at 4:39
add a comment |
Tautology!
The saying of the same thing twice over in different words, generally considered to be a fault of style (e.g. they arrived one after the other in succession ).
synonyms: repetition, repetitiveness, repetitiousness, reiteration, redundancy, superfluity, periphrasis, iteration, duplication; More
a phrase or expression in which the same thing is said twice in different words.
plural noun: tautologies
LOGIC
a statement that is true by necessity or by virtue of its logical form.
answered Nov 17 '17 at 2:15
Shrenik JobanputraShrenik Jobanputra
91
Tautology!
The saying of the same thing twice over in different words, generally considered to be a fault of style (e.g. they arrived one after the other in succession ).
synonyms: repetition, repetitiveness, repetitiousness, reiteration, redundancy, superfluity, periphrasis, iteration, duplication; More
a phrase or expression in which the same thing is said twice in different words.
plural noun: tautologies
LOGIC
a statement that is true by necessity or by virtue of its logical form.
answered Nov 17 '17 at 2:15
Shrenik JobanputraShrenik Jobanputra
91
answered Nov 17 '17 at 2:15
Shrenik JobanputraShrenik Jobanputra
91
answered Nov 17 '17 at 2:15
Shrenik JobanputraShrenik Jobanputra
91
answered Nov 17 '17 at 2:15
Shrenik JobanputraShrenik Jobanputra
91
91
'Baby' and 'lamb' are different things. Had the writer said, 'an infant sheep, just a lamb' that would be a tautology. The two comments have expressed all that can be said and your answer has neither added anything more, nor is it correct. But do not be discouraged. Keep trying.
– Nigel J
Nov 17 '17 at 4:39
add a comment |
'Baby' and 'lamb' are different things. Had the writer said, 'an infant sheep, just a lamb' that would be a tautology. The two comments have expressed all that can be said and your answer has neither added anything more, nor is it correct. But do not be discouraged. Keep trying.
– Nigel J
Nov 17 '17 at 4:39
'Baby' and 'lamb' are different things. Had the writer said, 'an infant sheep, just a lamb' that would be a tautology. The two comments have expressed all that can be said and your answer has neither added anything more, nor is it correct. But do not be discouraged. Keep trying.
– Nigel J
Nov 17 '17 at 4:39
'Baby' and 'lamb' are different things. Had the writer said, 'an infant sheep, just a lamb' that would be a tautology. The two comments have expressed all that can be said and your answer has neither added anything more, nor is it correct. But do not be discouraged. Keep trying.
– Nigel J
Nov 17 '17 at 4:39
add a comment |
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2
A pleonasm: the use of more words than are required to express an idea.
– user66974
May 27 '15 at 5:09
2
In your particular example "baby" adds a little more than just emphasis. If a lamb is "a young sheep", a "baby lamb" is younger still -- not much more than a newborn (and presumably too cute to taste good -- yet).
– Chris H
May 27 '15 at 10:09
See my tongue-in-cheek answer at english.stackexchange.com/questions/375945/…
– Mark Hubbard
Jul 26 '18 at 14:33
A doublet of synonyms is frequently used for emphasis.
– Glenn
Aug 6 '18 at 15:40
It's called "English".
– Hot Licks
2 hours ago