Things people say that are redundant

[belfpala]

Thanks for the correction regarding octopussess! :P
In the business world "please RSVP" is the norm, it is common in wedding invitations as well.

Hmm, I'll try to pay more attention (how does one "pay" attention anyway?). I usually see things like

What: [event]
When: [date]
Where: [place]

RSVP by: [date]

I was about to write that my French is pretty ugly. "Pretty ugly." The opposite of redundant?

[eriseis]

Hmm, I'll try to pay more attention (how does one "pay" attention anyway?). I usually see things like

What: [event]
When: [date]
Where: [place]

RSVP by: [date]

I was about to write that my French is pretty ugly. "Pretty ugly." The opposite of redundant?

Oxymorons are not the opposite of pleonastic phrases :P
Pretty in this case means "particularly" "to some degree" "somewhat". So no.
[I know you may be kidding, but I can see 5 pages being written about "pretty ugly" xD ]

[Xeones]

I was at the bank today and the lady told me to enter my PIN number. Of course being a smart ass I said "why would you say number twice?", to which she looked at me like just enter it.

Then I was at Best Buy and the sign said LCD display, and the other day someone was telling me something new about the HIV virus.

All these could be used without the extra word at the end, are we allowed to be redundant like this now, and is it perfectly acceptable?

This reminds me of the start of Role Models. You know where the guy was a total douche?

[Adam Jensen]

I was at the bank today and the lady told me to enter my PIN number. Of course being a smart ass I said "why would you say number twice?", to which she looked at me like just enter it.

Then I was at Best Buy and the sign said LCD display, and the other day someone was telling me something new about the HIV virus.

All these could be used without the extra word at the end, are we allowed to be redundant like this now, and is it perfectly acceptable?

I don't see the problem with it personally.

It isn't something most people notice when they say or hear. I say PIN number all the time and I would give you a dirty look for correcting me, simply because its one of those things I could not care less about. I'd be thinking "really? he's going to get all semantic about that?"

[bals]

I wish this thread were named "Redundant Things People Say That Are Redundant"

[Scrambledegg]

If you don't care what people think, why are you posting here?

[Kevyne-Shandris]

Who cares? If you point out every redundant thing people say you just make yourself out to be a jackass and condescending. And people don't like that.

It's "entertainment" for smart alec kids with too much time on their hands.

In the old days if they weren't working from 3AM to 9PM, they'd starve to death...brain and attitude along with it.

[Gheld]

I was at the bank today and the lady told me to enter my PIN number. Of course being a smart ass I said "why would you say number twice?", to which she looked at me like just enter it.

Then I was at Best Buy and the sign said LCD display, and the other day someone was telling me something new about the HIV virus.

All these could be used without the extra word at the end, are we allowed to be redundant like this now, and is it perfectly acceptable?

A PIN is a specific type of number. An LCD is a specific type of display. HIV is a specific virus.

So none of PIN Number, LCD Display or HIV virus are actually redundant.

"I'm going to enter my PIN" <--- Well how do you intend to get out?
"My computer has an LCD" <--- That's great, where? Lots of cases have LCD temperature gauges on the case, you could easily be referring to that.
"I have HIV." <--- a little more clear, but then I rarely hear anybody say "HIV Virus."

[ComputerNerd]

Perhaps because people while recognising the acronym as being associated with said item are rarely able to recall what it acually means.
Therefore it becomes easier if they are describing the item with the extra word.

A PIN is a specific type of number. An LCD is a specific type of display. HIV is a specific virus.

So none of PIN Number, LCD Display or HIV virus are actually redundant.

"I'm going to enter my PIN" <--- Well how do you intend to get out?
"My computer has an LCD" <--- That's great, where? Lots of cases have LCD temperature gauges on the case, you could easily be referring to that.
"I have HIV." <--- a little more clear, but then I rarely hear anybody say "HIV Virus."

It simply being a "display" does not limit it to a monitor, but even that term does not tell you with certainty where it is.
A fan controller that sits in a drive bay equally can have a "display" and can equally be described as a "monitor" due to the intent to monitor fan speeds.

Mainly comes down to context, and perhaps what people expect it to mean.

[Deleted]

I find being pedantic one of the most annoying traits a person can have.

I'd much rather spend the day with someone who said PIN number and ATM machine and slightly misquoted things than someone who went about correcting every little detail in a conversation.

[belfpala]

I don't see the problem with it personally.

It isn't something most people notice when they say or hear. I say PIN number all the time and I would give you a dirty look for correcting me, simply because its one of those things I could not care less about. I'd be thinking "really? he's going to get all semantic about that?"

Pedantic.

:P

[Adam Jensen]

Pedantic.

:P

Eh, that word works too.

[Zoma]

I've used "PST me" before because when I first started MMOs, I didn't know what PST stood for, and when I don't know a word's meaning, I usually try to figure it out what it means based on the context instead of asking. When I realized the people saying "PST" wanted you to /whisper them, I decided PST was an onomatopoeia for whisper (ex. "pst, listen to this") instead of an acronym for "Please send tell."

For the others, I have no idea whether I use "PIN" or "PIN number", "ATM" or "ATM machine", etc because I don't pay attention to that. To me, they're the exact same thing, even if one is technically incorrect. People will know what you mean regardless of which you use.

[Snugglees]

While entering my PIN number I was told by my BFF forever that there was a new HIV virus out. It was some sort of horrible STI infection that was easily spread. Who knew?

[belfpala]

People will know what you mean regardless of which you use.

That's correct, and ultimately communication is the goal. If you get your message across, perfect.

In some cases, to me, it just seems like a sign of mental sloppiness or lack of knowledge when people use those redundancies.

Of course, I probably made more than one mistake in this post.

[xenaros]

I don't understand the upset around the acronyms where the end word is repeated, people only repeat them to add context.

If you start throwing out acronyms in a conversation it is easy to be confused, especially as some have multiple meanings. By adding context, there is no doubt or confusion, it benefits the communication. Yes, in a bank you'd know what PIN meant as you;d expect it there, but saying PIN number is carried across from habit.

I haven't ever heard anyone say some of them acronym examples given anyway, PIN number and ATM machine are pretty much all I've heard.

[eriseis]

That's correct, and ultimately communication is the goal. If you get your message across, perfect.

In some cases, to me, it just seems like a sign of mental sloppiness or lack of knowledge when people use those redundancies.

Oh, c'mon, belfpala, you're better than that. <3

[belfpala]

Oh, c'mon, belfpala, you're better than that. <3

Nah, not really. I'm a jerk in IRL. Mhmmmhmm, I know what I did here.

[Tyrianth]

I agree with your analysis mostly, but I don't understand your RSVP example. It's short for "répondez, s'il vous plaît." I've never seen anyone write or say "RSVP please" or "please RSVP" which would be the equivalent of "PST please" or similar. If you're pointing out that people use it as a construct on its own where the actual words that make up the acronym don't make sense, that's fine. I DPS'd that boss, etc.

Obviously language evolves. No question. Cherry comes from the French cherise, which at some point in the last few hundred years was mistaken as a plural.

Octopodes, not octopedes is the proper plural for octopus, btw (<-- acronym'd!)

If you want to get all languagey on us, then "btw" isn't actually an acronym. It's an initialism. Acronyms form pronounceable words like RADAR or NASA.

[belfpala]

If you want to get all languagey on us, then "btw" isn't actually an acronym. It's an initialism. Acronyms form pronounceable words like RADAR or NASA.

What? You don't pronounce it... umm... buttwa!?