Wordly Wisdom

Tautology is saying the same thing twice, which is either unnecessary or a good way to fill up space and gain time. It also means qualifying a word that doesn’t need qualifying: brutal violence, dangerous minefield, dreaded dictator, horrific disaster (so much worse than gentle violence, safe minefields, cuddly dictators and pleasant disasters).

The present tangle of wires in my living room ... is one of the terrible banes of my life. ... There is something about our times that mean that those who articulate rage with extra lashings of venom have found their hour. Michael Gove in the Times, 11 May 2009. (A bane is already something pretty terrible, and lashings of ginger beer means lots and lots.)

Random anarchy will rule the soulless boulevards. Simon Jenkins predicts the fate of Dubai in the Guardian, 20 March 2009. (Anarchy is not known for its rules and regulations.)

absolute perfection accidentally fortuitous acute crisis additional bonus adequate enough aesthetic taste already built in arbitrary prejudice at any one time apocryphal folklore attach together avian bird flu awkward predicament close proximity complete monopoly cooperate together continue on dangerous minefield dangerous time bomb descend down difficult dilemma end objective end result enter in extend out fall down false illusions first began free gift future plans false myth false rumours final outcome first arrived first invented forward on (v) free gift future plans general consensus horrific violence important milestone initial starting point inundated by floods mainstream majority orbit around panacea for all ills (panacea = cure-all) past history physical size potential danger/hazard preferred instead pre-planning prior warning safe haven still remains subsumed down sufficient enough tactile feel temporary blip terrible tragedy two-way dialogue transfer over transition over to… two twins ultimately we all suffer in the end universal panacea upward ascent very literal virulent hate campaign visual appearance vocal songs

13 different sizes

a range of different colours

appalling violence

a macabre dance of death

Cheap At-Home Genetic Testing Opens Deep Pandora's Box MIT Technology Review (more dangerous than those shallow Pandora’s Boxes that only contain a few trivial evils)

0 0 0

comes in 13 different colours, a range of different colours

Despite persistent denials to the contrary

fake sham Church of England vicar “cajoled” them to take part in the fake sham ceremonies in return for cash. Times June 11 10 (A fake sham ceremony would be a real ceremony.)

flu fears in Mexico causing “mass run on face masks”, caption in Guardian April 25, 2009

from 1900 onwards (time doesn’t go backwards)

horrible tragedy Tony Blair on the Middle East “the horrible tragedy is that innocents die”

horrific genocide

including for example things such as x, y, z and the like

initial starting point (bbc.co.uk January 26, 2007)

in the parlance of Hollywood speak (Library Journal)

I'm not criticising him in a derogatory way.

It would be nice to have the option of an alternative choice.

murder most foul, as in the best it is (Ghost of Hamlet’s father)

Nicolae Ceausescu, the dreaded Romanian dictator (not like those more cuddly dictators that no-one’s frightened of)

phenomenal tragedy of sex abuse in the Catholic church, Catholic commentator w/e of Pope’s visit

prefer instead to

publishers over-gild their lilies Guardian April 16, 2005, possibly thinking of over-egging puddings. (If there’s anything worse than a tacky gilded lily it’s an over-gilded lily.)

The New Romantics “immersed themselves in baroque, sartorial fashion”. Independent Aug 1 05

It gives the desert a strange aesthetic beauty. Michael Brooks, Guardian Mar 2 00

share X in common (share X, have X in common)

shocking eyesore

the horrific Hurricane Katrina disaster (Much worse than those mild disasters which don’t do much damage.)

The reason was because…

The Rosetta Stone – the vital key to understanding hieroglyphics. (A key opens a door. What more do you want from a key? Also, only one key fits the lock.)

the visual eye of Richard Curtis (bbc.co.uk)

throughout the whole day

using [painkillers] with unwise abandon (Is it OK to use them with thoughtful abandon?)

We’re living in a global world. Swedish scientist

while also