Why do you repeat it again?

Today’s English
July 4th, 2017

When will you return back from Chennai?
Return itself means “come back", then why do you say “back" again?
Correct usage: when will you return from Chennai?  (OR)
When will you come back from Chennai?

This is what we say “redundancy” – unnecessary repetition of a word or phrase.  Redundancy is a funny error that has to be avoided in spoken English as well as in formal writing. Here are some examples to make you aware of this.

1. Redundancy : adequate enough (The water is adequate enough here)

Reason: adequate = enough, so don’t use both.

Solution: The water is enough here. (OR) The water is adequate here.

2. Redundancy: but yet (he had money but yet he had no mind to help her)

Reason: but = yet, so use only one.

Solution: He had money, but he had no mind to help her. (OR)  He had money, yet he had no mind to help her.

3. Redundancy: first discovered (America was first discovered by Columbus.)

Reason: if you find first before others, that’s discovery. You can discover something only once.

Solution: America was discovered by Columbus.

4. Redundancy: repeat again (Please, repeat that word again.)

Reason: to repeat itself means “say or do something again.” So don’t use “again” with repeat.

Solution: Please repeat that word.

5. Redundancy: manually by hand (The system was not working and I prepared the key list manually by hand)

Reason: manually means “by hand".  Don’t say manually along with by hand.

Solution: It was done manually (OR) it was done by hand.

6. Redundancy: software programmes (I am skilled at these software programmes)

Reason: software itself refers to programmes used to operate a computer. Why both software and programmes?

Solution: I’m skilled at dealing with these programmes.

7. Redundancy: answer key (Have you prepared the answer key for your paper?)

Reason: key means a set of answers to certain exercises and problems. So avoid “answer" that is already included in “key"

Solution: Have you prepared the key for your paper?

8. Redundancy: and so ( He was sick and so he didn’t come to office.)

Reason: two coordinating conjunctions cannot be used nearby. And  or so can be used but not both in this context.  “And so” is correct only in sentences like “Ganesh is fat and so is his wife.” (Here so is not a conjunction)

Solution: He was sick and he didn’t come to office. (OR) He was sick, so he didn’t come to office.

Have you got it? In Tamil, haven't you heard people often say “catch pidi”? That's all about it.

Just for fun! (Ignorance is bliss!)

Girl: The messages you sent me are adequate enough. Don’t repeat it again.

Boy: You may even change your number but yet I will follow you as your shadow.

Girl: Why?

Boy: because you are so beautiful and so I can’t help it.

Girl: but Vimal also follows me too.

Boy: but it’s me who first discovered you.

Girl: I’m going abroad. I will never return back to you. Good bye!

Boy: ……..?!