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12-17-2012, 01:31 PM
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#1
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Literotica Guru
sr71plt is offline
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Mid-Atlantic, USA
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Redundant Expressions
A new series of posts on yet another writers'/editors' aid in effective, concise, crisp writing. These are redundancies a writer should try to avoid--in the U.S. style system. The element that should be dropped is in italics. As with so much, of course, these may purposely be used in dialogue to help reveal character.
Also, there could be a reason why the reduncy is needed in a particular case. It's something that should be scrutinized, though, to determine whether it is needed.
Adjectives, Adverbs/ and Nouns:
absolute necessity
active consideration
advance reservation
baffling enigma
both alike
Capitol building
close proximity
complete monopoly
completely surround
component parts
conclusive proof
doctorate degree
eliminate entirely
enclosed herewith
end result
equal halves
exact same
final outcome
free gift
future plans
future occurrence
general rule
great majority
important essentials
invited guest
might possibly
more superior
mutual cooperation
mutually agreeable
new initiatives
new innovations
new recruit
old adage
past history
personal opinion
personally reviewed
positive identification
proposed plan
really dangerous
root cause
self-confused
serious crisis
single unit
surrounding circumstances
temporary reprieve
temporary loan
unsubstantiated rumor
untimely death (unless you really, really didn't like the person)
usual custom
weather conditions
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12-18-2012, 02:42 PM
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#2
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Literotica Guru
sr71plt is offline
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Location: Mid-Atlantic, USA
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Prepositional Phrases (element that might be dropped is in italics):
6 a.m. in the morning
red in color
rectangular in shape
large in size
heavy in weight
brief in duration
few in number
classified into groups
depreciated in value
estimated at about
filled to capacity
last of all
plan in advance
smile on his face
Last edited by sr71plt : 12-19-2012 at 09:45 AM.
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12-19-2012, 02:37 AM
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#3
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Literotica Guru
RodenAddison is offline
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Canada
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One I've come to despise is a 'newsism'.
"Our reporter is there, on the ground."
I've never heard on the bus, or in a plane, or cowering behind a stone wall.
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Roden Addison - Barnes and Noble
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“Writing is not necessarily something to be ashamed of, but do it in private
and wash your hands afterwards.” –Robert Heinlein
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12-19-2012, 12:07 PM
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#4
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Literotica Guru
sr71plt is offline
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Location: Mid-Atlantic, USA
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Verb Extras (element that might be dropped is in italics):
assemble together
attached hereto
cancel out
connect up
continue on
enclosed herein
face up to
follow after
hurry up
joined together
lift up
made out of
merge together
penetrate into
study up
termed as
visit with
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12-20-2012, 10:05 AM
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#5
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Ancient writer
oggbashan is offline
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Facing the sea.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by RodenAddison
One I've come to despise is a 'newsism'.
"Our reporter is there, on the ground."
I've never heard on the bus, or in a plane, or cowering behind a stone wall.
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I hate it when the news anchor cuts to a colleague standing outside in the rain, snow or close to heavy traffic to say something that could have been said more clearly in the studio. I can understand it for reporting on disasters such as floods or rail crashes when the pictures add to the story but I have seen too many unnecessary outside broadcasts.
Why does a reporter have to stand outside 10 Downing Street or close to the Houses of Parliament to speak about a political issue when nothing is happening in the background? They could have a stock shot of either place as a still background if they want to have a scene that is not just a talking head.
A worse example is commentary on underwater nature films. What is the point of recording a speech from a diver breathing through a mouthpiece when later dubbing could convey the information much more effectively?
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12-20-2012, 02:04 PM
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#6
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Literotica Guru
sr71plt is offline
Join Date: Jul 2006
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Quote:
Originally Posted by oggbashan
Why does a reporter have to stand outside 10 Downing Street or close to the Houses of Parliament to speak about a political issue when nothing is happening in the background? They could have a stock shot of either place as a still background if they want to have a scene that is not just a talking head.
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It isn't something they just made up as a good idea. Their consumer studies showed that watchers felt they were more authoritative by being on the scene and also that the viewers preferred shifting visuals backing up the points to unrelieved talking head. I'm pretty sure their studies reached correct conclusions as far as the comparative size of audience they'd get.
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12-20-2012, 03:06 PM
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#7
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Literotica Guru
sr71plt is offline
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Location: Mid-Atlantic, USA
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"Repeat after Me!" Phrases (element that might be dropped is in italics):
any and all
exact same
just exactly
new all-time record high
today's modern manager
unless and until (one or the other; both not needed)
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12-21-2012, 12:00 PM
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#8
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Literotica Guru
sr71plt is offline
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Location: Mid-Atlantic, USA
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Prefixes, Suffixes (element that might be dropped is in italics):
irregardless
to the westward
unrelentless
upcoming
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12-21-2012, 01:30 PM
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#9
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Viva la Tarte!
blulilacgrl is offline
Join Date: May 2012
Location: dancing on coals and trying not to burn my feet
Posts: 7,930
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He shrugged his shoulders.
What else is he going to shrug?
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01-28-2013, 09:51 PM
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#10
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Literotica Guru
_Lynn_ is offline
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Location: Somewhere, USA
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Bumping to the front
Last edited by MistressLynn : 05-21-2013 at 04:26 PM.
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05-21-2013, 04:27 PM
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#11
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Literotica Guru
_Lynn_ is offline
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Bump!
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05-22-2013, 07:21 AM
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#12
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Literotica Guru
DeYaKen is offline
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: Dorset, England
Posts: 1,369
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Not a redundancy as such but it gets right up my nose
Quite unique, very unique or even most unique.
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05-22-2013, 11:16 AM
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#13
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Literotica Guru
robertreams is offline
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Location: minnesota, USA
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I got up out of bed.
I rose up
i fell down
Even in general writing one can say things such as "The warning light on the instrument panel behind the steering wheel." Sentences such as this can make a story very long. I read this kind of stuff al the time. I like concise.
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05-22-2013, 12:55 PM
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#14
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Literotica Guru
sr71plt is offline
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I had already mentioned it, but one that just about everyone uses is "upcoming." You don't "downcome" and "overcome" has an entirely different meaning. Coming already gives you the direction. No need to say it twice. But nearly everyone does.
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05-25-2013, 12:06 AM
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#15
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Literotica Guru
JustaSCOUNDREL is offline
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Location: Southwest U.S.A.
Posts: 1,750
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How about "A genuine imitation."
I will add "cowering behind a stone wall" when bullets are flying seems like a reasonable place to be.
Mike
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05-25-2013, 10:23 AM
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#16
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Literotica Guru
lovecraft68 is offline
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Closer than you think.
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Some of these is where to me the "rules" and how people speak, and write vary.
"Sitting there with a smile on his face."
Yes, I know, where else would a smile be(unless its a red one beneath his chin)
But fact is that is how people speak, and I think it flows well and sounds good,
"He was sitting there with a big ole smile on his face."
Maybe a few extra words but so what?
If someone were to write a novel going entirely "by the rules" it would read as stilted, boring and as if it were written by a computer program.
Redundancy in the examples given here(well a good many as some are stupid and I've never read them anywhere, so who uses them, who knows?) for the most part is not really going to turn anyone off except for the very anal.
There is a fine line between following the rules and believable thought/speaking processes. Especially if you're writing in first person, because anyone speaking one hundred percent grammatically correct would sound like Mr. Spock.
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05-25-2013, 11:04 AM
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#17
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Literotica Guru
_Lynn_ is offline
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Somewhere, USA
Posts: 48,315
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Quote:
Originally Posted by sr71plt
A new series of posts on yet another writers'/editors' aid in effective, concise, crisp writing. These are redundancies a writer should try to avoid--in the U.S. style system. The element that should be dropped is in italics. As with so much, of course, these may purposely be used in dialogue to help reveal character.
Also, there could be a reason why the reduncy is needed in a particular case. It's something that should be scrutinized, though, to determine whether it is needed.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by lovecraft68
Some of these is where to me the "rules" and how people speak, and write vary.
"Sitting there with a smile on his face."
Yes, I know, where else would a smile be(unless its a red one beneath his chin)
But fact is that is how people speak, and I think it flows well and sounds good,
"He was sitting there with a big ole smile on his face."
Maybe a few extra words but so what?
If someone were to write a novel going entirely "by the rules" it would read as stilted, boring and as if it were written by a computer program.
Redundancy in the examples given here(well a good many as some are stupid and I've never read them anywhere, so who uses them, who knows?) for the most part is not really going to turn anyone off except for the very anal.
There is a fine line between following the rules and believable thought/speaking processes. Especially if you're writing in first person, because anyone speaking one hundred percent grammatically correct would sound like Mr. Spock.
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I highlighted two points SR made in his initial post.
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05-25-2013, 01:49 PM
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#18
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Literotica Guru
lovecraft68 is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by MistressLynn
I highlighted two points SR made in his initial post.
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So no one else can express it? I wasn't quoting or "speaking" to him. Just making a point. If every thread stopped when one person made a point most wouldn't go past 4/5 posts.
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05-25-2013, 04:49 PM
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#19
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Literotica Guru
_Lynn_ is offline
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Somewhere, USA
Posts: 48,315
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Quote:
Originally Posted by lovecraft68
So no one else can express it? I wasn't quoting or "speaking" to him. Just making a point. If every thread stopped when one person made a point most wouldn't go past 4/5 posts.
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Or it could be that I was just reinforcing your comments as valid points.
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05-25-2013, 06:35 PM
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#20
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Literotica Guru
sr71plt is offline
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Mid-Atlantic, USA
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Or maybe you just spoiled his backbiting. 
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05-26-2013, 01:59 AM
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#21
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Literotica Guru
emap is offline
Join Date: Apr 2004
Posts: 6,367
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Silly little observation, but I've never seen or heard anyone say baffling enigma except Batman. Yes I am talking the 60's show where every punch was either baf or pow.
Hey do not look at me like that, I'm not that old but it was shown fairly often when I was growing up so I have seen it.
I even remember the line. "Another baffling enigma from E. Nigma." It was said often I think, or they played the same episode often. 
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05-26-2013, 02:08 AM
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#22
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always on the move
geronimo_appleby is offline
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: In transit
Posts: 86,342
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Quote:
Originally Posted by blulilacgrl
He shrugged his shoulders.
What else is he going to shrug?
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off his coat?
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05-26-2013, 05:19 AM
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#23
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Literotica Guru
emap is offline
Join Date: Apr 2004
Posts: 6,367
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Bad geronimo no treat for you.
One never needs to say shrugged his shoulders. You either shrug, or shrug out of his coat.
If there is nothing but shoulders to shrug, you just need shrug. Anything else sounds like you are talking to a two year old and nobody should want to read that. Oddly they seem to be upset that I don't write that way, but well I suppose I collect the morons to complain about my stories. 
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05-26-2013, 06:31 AM
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#24
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always on the move
geronimo_appleby is offline
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: In transit
Posts: 86,342
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Quote:
Originally Posted by emap
Bad geronimo no treat for you.
One never needs to say shrugged his shoulders. You either shrug, or shrug out of his coat.
If there is nothing but shoulders to shrug, you just need shrug. Anything else sounds like you are talking to a two year old and nobody should want to read that. Oddly they seem to be upset that I don't write that way, but well I suppose I collect the morons to complain about my stories. 
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ah, well *shrug* 
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05-26-2013, 07:34 PM
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#25
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Guest
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My favorite is HOT WATER HEATER
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