Redundancy (1). Today: Examples. Washington Irving wrote that “redundancy of language is never found with deep reflection. Verbiage may indicate observation, but not thinking. He who thinks much says but little in proportion to his thoughts.” Those words are worth reflecting on. This linguistic pitfall is best exemplified rather than discoursed on: o “A woman …

Garner’s Usage Tip of the Day: Redundancy (1) Read More »

Miscellaneous Entries. ready, willing, and able. In law, this set phrase traditionally refers to a prospective buyer of property who can legally and financially consummate the deal. A less common variant is “ready, able, and willing.” reasonable; rational. Generally, “reasonable” means “according to reason; sensible.” “Rational” means “having reason.” Yet “reasonable” is often used in …

Garner’s Usage Tip of the Day: Miscellaneous Entries Read More »

redound. “Redound” now used most commonly in the verbose clichés “to redound to the benefit of” (= to benefit) and “to redound to one’s credit,” may also be used in negative senses {to redound against or to the shame of}. E.g.: “If I leave before the new villa is complete, I will have more questions …

Garner’s Usage Tip of the Day: redound Read More »

redoubtable. “Redoubtable” (= [1] venerable; or [2] fearsome) is a 14th-century loanword from the Old French “redoutable” (= dreaded). Both senses are common: o Sense 1: “Chipperfield and a number of ‘britischer Architekten,’ as Architectural Review notes in its April 2006 issue, have been leaving a redoubtable imprimatur on Germany’s landscape.” Suzanne Stephens, “David Chipperfield …

Garner’s Usage Tip of the Day: redoubtable Read More »

recreate; re-create. A distinction is fading. “Recreate” = (1) to amuse oneself by indulging in recreation; or (2) (of a pastime) to agreeably occupy. “Re-create” = to create anew. Classically, the hyphen makes a great difference — e.g.: o “Her days are divided between frolicking in the sand and recreating in a resort hotel.” A. …

Garner’s Usage Tip of the Day: recreate Read More »