of
consonant with – agreeing/matching
could hardly be less propitious – is bad/unfortunate/unpromising
due to the fact that – because
during such time as – while
during the course of – during
except for the fact that – except/but
few in number – few
for the reason that/for the very good reason that – because
give up on (it) – give up
go in to bat for – defend/help/represent
in accordance with – under
in addition to which – besides
in a majority of cases – usually
in all probability – probably
in anticipation of – expecting
inasmuch as – since
in association with – with
in close proximity to – near
in connection with – about
in consequence of – because of
in contradistinction to – compared to/compared with
in excess of – over/more than
in isolation – alone
in less than no time – soon/quickly
in many cases/instances – often
in more than one instance – more than once
in order to – to
in respect of – about/concerning
in spite of the fact that – although/even though
in the absence of – without
in the amount of – for
in the event that – if
in the light of the fact that – because
in the near future – soon
in the neighbourhood of/in the vicinity of – near/about
in the recent past – recently
in view of/in view of the fact that – because
irrespective of the fact that – although
large in size/stature – large/big
make a recommendation that – recommend that
nothing if not – very
notwithstanding the fact that – even if
of a delicate nature/character – delicate
of a high order – high/great/considerable
of the opinion that – think/believe
on account of the fact that – because
on a temporary basis – temporary/temporarily
on the grounds that – because
on the part of – by
owing to the fact that – because
pink/purple/puce, etc in colour – pink/purple/puce, etc
prior to – before
provide a contribution to – contribute to/help
regardless of the fact that – although
subsequent to – after
there can be little doubt that – no doubt, clearly
there is a possibility that – possibly/perhaps
to the best of my knowledge and belief – as far as I know/I believe
until such time as – until
with a view to – to
with reference to – about
with regard to – about
with respect to – about/concerning
with the exception of – except
People prone to pompous long-windedness can be gently reminded of their sins by quoting to them a well-known nursery rhyme rewritten in circumlocutory style:
Observe repeatedly the precipitate progress of a trio of sightless rodents: together they coursed apace on the heels of the agriculturalist’s consort, who summarily disjoined their caudal appendages with a cutler’s handiwork. One had never witnessed such mirth in one’s existence as the incident involving those hemeralopic and nyctalopic mammals.
The rhyme is, of course, Three Blind Mice.
An utterly unique added extra: Tautology
Mr and Mrs David Smith are proud to announce the birth of a baby girl, Sarah Anne.
Now, like ‘Dog Bites Man’, this isn’t really news. But what if Mrs Smith had given birth to an adult girl? That would be news! Obviously Mrs Smith had given birth to a baby; it happens all the time. The newsy bit is that it was a girl.
The use of the word baby here is what is known as pleonasm, the use of redundant words. The same would apply if Mrs Smith invited the neighbours in to see her ‘new baby’. Are there any old babies? Of course all babies are new!
When a word repeats the meaning of another word in the same phrase it is called tautology and, usually, all verbal superfluities are known by this term.
Free gift! Added extra! Added bonus! These are exciting claims. And also wasted words: classic examples of tautology, the use of more than one word to convey the same thought.
A gift, if not free, is not a gift – except perhaps in the slang usage, ‘That car was an absolute gift at £6,000’.
Something extra is clearly something added. And a bonus is normally an addition. Even if the word is used to describe something apart from money, an added bonus is an added addition. Nonsense, obviously. Yet we hear and read phrases such as added bonus every day, from people who have not thought what they are saying or writing, or do not care.
So accustomed are we to tautology in everyday speech and reading that this form of language misuse can pass unnoticed:
Will David’s income be sufficient enough for you both?
How many of us would normally detect that enough is a wasted word?
Avoiding redundant words and expressions is a sign of a caring writer and here, to help you, is an A to Z of some of the more common superfluities.
An A to Z of Tautology
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