[Adrian Fry]

Buffet car announcements in which we are advised that 'hot and cold beverages' can be obtained. They sometimes go on to list every conceivable beverage on sale, making the earlier phrase redundant.

[Lightning Bug]

Ha, ha, Martin... that's one of my pet peeves. Yahoo has one of those lovely sponsored "news" articles entitled, "Cars so unique there's only one of them."

And, Julie...I see what you mean about "perspicuous". It makes me think about the old joke about the quest for an absolute solvent.

[George Simmers]

Well, it's never stopped me.

[Roger Slater]

Though "station" and "stop" don't mean the exact same thing, so they are perhaps rescued from a charge of redundancy, it's still true that saying either one without the other would fully convey the intended message.

But in general, I'm not sure I'm as vehemently against redundant phrases as some people here seem to be. It's colloquial speech, and we're not paying for words by the letter. A "full and complete stop" may be redundant, but it does serve the purpose of emphasis. If someone told you, "I love and adore you," I hope your response wouldn't be, "That's redundant!"

[Jerome Betts]

I think I'm with Roger. People are over-analysing spoken communication, which has a lot of redundancy. (Gives the bran time to catch up with extra processing time.) Things that look inelegant or redundant in cold print may have a function when heard over a PA system. Something formulaic with a couple of words which more or less mean the same may give you a chance to switch on and get the message even if you missed the beginning of it.

[Adrian Fry]

Jerome, of course, you're right. But I hope this thread qualifies - as it shold to be here at all - as an amusement. Incidentally, isn't the 'drills' in Drills & Amusements?

[Lightning Bug]

Thank you for noticing the intent, Adrian, and, Roger and Jerome, as much time as is spent on this board urging economy and efficiency in wording, I'd have thought it would be a safe place to discourage inefficiency.

[Alan Rain]

Since I returned here (UK), I notice the phrase 'going forward' has become a part of the language - it used to be corporate-speak, but it seems everyone is now going forward.
I shall resist.

[Michael Cantor]

"cease and desist"
"the rule of law" (this meant something at one time - it's now degenerated to a kind of political, mostly conservative, throat clearing.)

[John Whitworth]

I have always supposed 'As big as I am' to be an Americanism. For the Brit the first 'as' is redundant. Isn't that so, Brian?

I hate the phrase 'the rule of law', as if laws must aways be obeyed. What tosh! Break a law every day, just to keep yourself in practise.