Today we continue our fall campaign to cut the clutter by looking at eight more common redundancies. The sentences in italics were found in newspapers, newsletters, advertisements, and blogs. The lame wisecracks, I confess, are my own.
- How do you clean the front headlight lens on a 2002 Honda Accord?
Honestly, if your car's headlight isn't up front, it's probably not worth cleaning. - My grateful thanks to all of you who have worked so hard to bring this part of our undertaking to a satisfactory conclusion.
And ungrateful thanks to those lazy buggers who never bothered to show up. - What would banner ads look like in a world where they were required to tell the honest truth?
Probably just as unappealing as they look now in a world that demands the dishonest truth. - If you're tired of running out of hot water in the shower, it's time to replace that old hot-water heater.
Ever wonder why anybody would bother to heat water that's already hot? - The resident has no legal right to occupy his or her assigned room or any other residence hall room during the interim period of time between academic terms.
You have to go to college to come up with a double redundancy like this one. - Yes, you can be a part of a live studio audience on a real Hollywood TV set at one of the major TV studios!
Unless, of course, you'd prefer to sit over there with the dead people. - In 2006, ten Virginia banks merged together to create Carter Bank & Trust.
But watch out: with the economy in a tailspin, that bank now may be merging apart. - Security dilemmas force countries to arm against each other even though they would both prefer mutual cooperation.
Oh sure, we're willing to cooperate--but not together!
Stop back every other Friday this fall for more tips on how to cut the clutter. In the meantime, check out our list of 200 common redundancies.
More Tips on How to Cut the Clutter:
Comments
The comments made more interesting read than the redundancies themselves
Some of these usages are uncommon and am surprised to know they appeared in print. Never known anyone saying ‘hot-water heater’ or ‘interim period of time between’. Hot-water heater is also a crude technical error.
I just Googled “hot-water heater”–and up came “about 2,000,000″ results.
It’s not my usual custom to reply back to blogs, but I’m truly sincere when I again repeat that this might could possibly be the best ever post on redundancies.
Never cut your “lame wisecracks.” They make more for more enjoyable reading.
This is also funny: “I just Googled “hot-water heater”–and up came “about 2,000,000″ results.”
Thanks
You’re actually incorrect on ‘hot water heater’. In England, where I grew up, they are called hot water heaters because they continuously heat and reheat WATER THAT IS ALREADY HOT – used for bathrooms, baths etc.
So, yes, hot water heater is correct.