Guerra de Yom Kippur
Etymology
The word comes from the Greek πλεονασμός pleonasmos , which means excess. The Belgian grammairiens Maurice Grevisse and André Goosse estimate that pleonasm and Redondance are almost Synonymes (see the book Nouvelle French Grammar with the Duculot editions, 1980, Paris, page 91).
Definition
A pleonasm is a term of rhetoric indicating a stylistic device by which the expression of an idea either is reinforced or specified by the addition of one or more selected words which are not initially necessary to the grammatical direction of the sentence. It is a as frequent means of expression in the literary language as in the familiar language.
Warning
This figure of expression had a quite misfortune since generally it is synonymous with " redundancy inutile" , of superfluity, etc It is however only them through where one is misled if it is badly employed. There exists besides to indicate these excesses several words which will be examined further.The word comes from a Greek word which means initially superabundance. What can bring by extension to " excès" or " with profusion". Pierre Fontanier (figures of the speech, 1830) indicates that it is necessary to take the meaning of " plénitude" when it is about this figure.
Study
The pleonasm often consists of terms which abound in the same direction, to insist on a point which one fears that he is not badly interpreted or not energetic enough.
canonical example:
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I saw it, of my eyes considering, which is called considering!
There are in this expression not only insistence to make admit its bona fide but also the effort to specify the direction of the verb " voir". Indeed, when we say: " It already seems me to have seen that some share… " , perhaps we simply heard it! The verb " voir" having a very broad direction, the character wants to thus convince that he is not the man who saw the man who met the man who killed the bear, but that he is well a direct witness, an eyewitness.
another example: " It was one hour late where, my brother and me, we had been forgotten and we had fun under the staircase, very dark place. Our shouts in our uproar drew the attention of our father who precipitated towards us and exclaimed: " What do you make still there, you two? Go up in top immediately and sleep! " We were carried out under the paternal index imperiously pointed towards the plafond."
It is of use to criticize " to go up in haut". However, in the text above, it does not shock. There are two remarks. Initially, the repetition of insistence which wants to be an order without call plays very well. The second remark is that, as opposed to what one believes, the verb " monter" instinctively call for the greater detail of a complement: to assemble what? to go up where? One assembles a wheel on a car, one assembles a theatrical part, one assembles a horse, one assembles the head to somebody, etc the idea of going in top, rising is not the only one which this verb can cause. The English language uses itself without complex of the " up" with the verbs: climb, jump,… It is enough for us to think of a tenancière of brothel which requires of a visitor: " You go up? " to seize the difference between " monter" and " to assemble là-haut". This French verb when it is about the idea of " gravir" need for a direction or an indication of place for the " has; plénitude" expression.
The pleonasm plays sometimes to give a balance to the brevity of a word or a phrase:
example: to go to foot
The expression is as useful there for the rate/rhythm as to ensure the direction:
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I like the walking
- Attention with walk (it is about the thing!)
- This machine goes bien" very; (and seldom with feet!)
- Attention with walk (it is about the thing!)
The most usual expression " aujourd'hui" comes from the same principle: " hui" , word of old French did not pass in the modern language by what it was too short and made a hiatus. The pleonasm came to balance it.
another example: " I turn in rond."
There too, it is more gratifiant to say: " I tourne." , more especially as on another side, a wheel turns, without making rounds around its axis!
But it is in its dynamic role that the pleonasm will be eminent to give energy to an expression and that it acquires its quality of stylistic device.
Fontanier recalls us on this subject two florets of the French language which come us from Télémaque de Fénelon and which, without one finding there to repeat, practically passed in the language:
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… this horror which makes draw up the hair on the head and which freezes blood in the veins.
In the same spirit: " to applaud of both mains" fact distinction between those which beat mollement hands (one typing the other?) and those which are more enthusiastic.
another example quoted by Fontanier:
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That the ire of the sky, lit by my wishes,
- Makes rain on it a flood of fires!
- Drawn I of my eyes to see there falling the lightning! (Crow, " Horace")
- Makes rain on it a flood of fires!
It is the type of illustration where a simple redundancy (" to see its yeux") because of a well defined context amplifies the general direction: I want myself to assist to with it, not to miss it, be in the forefront, and me repaître of this spectacle!
another example quoted by Fontanier, of the same author (" Nicomède"):
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And when it forces Nature to be keep silent,
- Three sceptres with its throne attached by my arm,
- Parleront instead of it, and will not keep silent themselves! "
- Three sceptres with its throne attached by my arm,
The redundancy " parler" and " not taire" suggest a direction much more extremely than that of simply speaking. Moreover, is the negation of an action never completely the opposite of this action? " Not taire" results here in " to continue to speak in spite of the preventions and the interdictions" (ref.: Keep silent yourself!).
On this subject, Fontanier points out the matter of Voltaire who gives a criticism of the obviousness " to speak and not taire" , not deprived insincerely since it is a question of making fun of this work.
Conclusion:
The pleonasm is a dynamic figure which does not support the cold analysis, the analysis " post-mortem". In the familiar speech, the redundancies are more current than one thinks and pass most of the time unperceived in the fire of the conversation. Of course, if one meets fixed in a list the syntagms: " to go up in haut" , " to go down in bas" , that will make smile. The first direction come to mind took the step. The context will be thus always determining to judge accuracy and interest of the expression.
defects of the pleonasm:
- the pleonasm (Greek perissologia: )
It is an addition of details which make redundancy and nothing brings again, if not of heaviness in the expression. A pleonasm without effect, to some extent.
It is often the result of a weakening, of a deterioration, even of the ignorance of the direction of a word:
H. Morier (Dictionary of poetic and rhetoric, ED. 1975) give the sentence: " This book swarms with too many erreurs". Indeed, the adverb " trop" is of too! because the idea of an excess is already illustrated by the verb " fourmiller".
It is also dependant on the prospect for the account: " It read, its book open on the genoux". It will be objected that one can read a book only once it is open. However, while to read hardly but the head of a character leant on his work suggests, the adjective " ouvert" bring back imagination to the book itself, tight on each side by the hands. The error would have rather been to write: " It divided into sheets a book open on its genoux". Description is targeted on the book, which, if it is laminated, is inevitably open. We see there still which difference is done between pleonasm and pleonasm.
- the battology (of ancient king Battos which was stammerer!)
One will find most of the time this word like synonym of the first. It illustrates the repetition of the same idea in hardly different forms and without much originality. A little as a stammerer who would circumvent a word that it does not manage to emit by others easier to pronounce. It is guessed that in this redundant style the hard periphrases and the carelessnesses will be current.
On this subject, here the example of Boileau (the lectern) city by Fontanier:
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the Discord smiles about it, and, the following of the eyes,
- Of joy, by seeing them, push a cry in the skies.
One rather raises in this distich a negligence of style. If Boileau had attentively been read again, it could better have written: " … and, seeking them of the eyes,… Of joy, discovering them,… "
Generally, it serves the language spoken by pinning the conversation and betrays either the embarrassment of the expression, or the time of ordering of the ideas, or the time of breathing of elocution, etc
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Yes, I like the music, as an amateur only, not of specialist…
- tautology (even speech)
One will find also this word like synonym of the first. But its meaning remains important because it makes it possible to translate the Anglicism: " truisme" (self-evident truth). It is " the assertion évidente" , the useless explanation because the idea went already from oneself.
It results from a lapse of memory or an ignorance of the etymology of a word:
traditional examples: a universal panacea, extravagant expenditure…
where the adjective allots a characteristic already contained in the definition of the mot.
It is the product of a naivety which escapes its author: example extracted from a free newspaper of the morning:
" The helps arrived quickly on the spot of the accident, but for the driver killed on the blow, it was already too tard."
Lastly, the canonical example:
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fifteen minutes before its death, it was still in life.
This awkward song soldiers whom owed endorsed in spite of him them captain Jacques de Chabannes, lord of Palice, made much speak about it. There still, it is more about a fault of expression that of a real naivety. One does not say: " This small child, what a life! " ? The sentence would have passed very well if he had been written: " … it was still full with vie" , but undoubtedly the requirements of metric of the worms made some decide differently. In any case, one is sure that this large captain did not die " débranché" and that it fought to the last breath, contrary to his comrade in arms, Bayard, who had the broken vertebrae and a long anguish.
Car-exemplative definition
To twice say the same thing while repeating itself.
Usual redundancies
To abolish : To abolish completely. To entirely abolish.
To drive back : To drive back with the foot of the wall (misinterpretation: to drive back with a wall, a tree).
To accumulate : To accumulate the errors ones after the others, to accumulate the things ones on the others
To complete : To complete completely.
Currently : Currently in progress.
Thus : Thus this is why. Thus consequently. Thus for example.
To defer : To defer with later.
To add : To add moreover, moreover.
Blood alcohol content : Blood alcohol content.
To light : To light the light (blurred etymology).
Alternate : To be placed in front of a double alternative.
To destroy : To destroy completely. To entirely destroy.
Prerogative : Exclusive prerogative.
Appearance : External appearance.
To applaud : To applaud with the two hands. (see study)
To approach : () To approach close to somebody (correct with the precision: very close, near,…).
Back : Twenty years ago behind.
To sit () : To sit down on its séant.
Aubaine : A good aubaine.
Today : At the day of today (Explanation of Bernard Cerquiglini in images), today was already in oneself a pleonasm since '' today '' means “the day when one is”. (Comes from Latin hodie , contraction of Ho (c) die " in this day-ci".)
Authorization : After prior approval.
Future : To have a bright future in front of oneself, a plan for the future.
To prove () : To prove to be exact. To prove to be true.
Downpour : A downpour of rain (per defect a downpour is made of rain, one can however specify " downpour of grêle").
To inform : To inform in advance, in advance.
To banish : To banish definitively.
Profit : Profit profits.
Voluntary S : Voluntary volunteers.
Beep : After the sound beep.
Goal : The final goal.
Penmanship : A beautiful penmanship (etymological pleonasm).
Campus : An university campus.
Because : Because indeed. (Explanation of Bernard Cerquiglini in images)
Nightmare : To make a bad nightmare.
Chronic : Chronicle of time.
Fall : To make a vertical fall.
Claquer : Claquer bruyamment the door.
To collaborate : To collaborate together.
Like : Such as for example. (admitted, because the word can be conjunction of cause or time, even an adverb of intensity)
To commemorate : To commemorate a birthday, a memory (misinterpretation: one commemorates an event, one celebrates a birthday), the etymological direction to commemorate is well " to recall to the mémoire" , which is valid primarily for an event which occurred only once.
To begin : To start initially.
To compare : To compare together. To compare between them (misinterpretation: one compares one with the other, one with another).
Completely : To abolish completely. To complete completely.
To concert () : To act in concert together.
To conclude : To conclude and while finishing.
To agree : To agree between them.
To confront : To confront mutually.
Economic situation : The current conjuncture.
Consensus : A common consensus.
Instruction : A precise instruction.
To constellate : Constellated with stars (blurred etymology).
To build : To build a new house.
To satisfy () : To be satisfied only with.
To continue : To still continue.
To be appropriate : To be appropriate together.
To correct : To correct deferred action (but one can correct at once or later)
Cotiser () : Cotiser with several.
Color : A dress of green color, blue color, red color, etc (completely allowed pleonasm by the even written use, it is probable that one really any more does not feel it like such).
Again : Redemander again. To reject again (is not a pleonasm if it is about a third request or rejection, in jurisdiction).
To begin : To begin, we will start. Initially to begin. (allowed in " oral" , to draw the attention of an audience)
To discover : To discover for the 1st time.
To ravel : To ravel successively, after
To defray : To defray its expenses.
To dispatch () : You dispatch quickly (Dispatch you! Quickly!), to hurry in haste.
To descend : To go down in bottom.
To destroy : To entirely destroy (without precision, yes, but one can specify " to destroy partly, with half… ").
To become : To become thereafter.
To differ : To differ with a latter date (an exact date is needed).
To disperse : To disperse that and there.
Gift : A free gift.
Thus : Thus consequently.
Henceforth : From henceforth
Shower : To receive a cool water shower.
Dune : A sand dune.
To last : To last a long time (correct, because " durer" is not the idea express length, but to continue to exist, resist, etc).
Echo : Sound echo.
Share : To pay its share of share.
Municipal official : Municipal municipal official.
To take along : To take along with oneself.
In progress : Currently in progress. At present in progress.
Still : Still always.
Finally : Finally to conclude. Finally to finish. Finally to finish. (admitted, with the oral examination)
Then : Then, then afterwards.
To help () : To help mutually.
Rib steak : A rib steak with the bone.
To enter : To enter inside.
Error : An involuntary error.
Esclaffer () : Esclaffer of laughing.
Stage : An intermediate stage.
Évertuer () : Évertuer to be made efforts.
To export : To export abroad.
Extracted : Extract drawn from.
Faggoted : To be badly faggoted (blurred etymology).
Straw : A wisp of straw (forgotten etymology).
Giant : A large giant (partial pleonasm: the gradation remains possible even at a giant).
To freeze : To freeze of cold.
Lodging : The lodging and cover (rather misinterpretation, by confusion with indicating cover what is drawn up on the table).
Neck, narrow part : A neck, a bottleneck.
Herds : Old herds (but the direction first did not have the pejorative connotation of old personal effects).
Chance : An unforeseen chance.
Hemorrhage : A blood hemorrhage.
Hour : Fourteen hours of the afternoon, twenty hours of the evening.
Illusion : Misleading illusions.
Illustrated : (To make a list) nonillustrated without images.
Immoler () : () Immoler by fire (immoler, it is initially to offer in sacrifice, without relationship with fire).
To import : To import from abroad.
To inaugurate : To inaugurate the opening of a living room.
Without delay : Without delay soon (known as mainly by joke).
Index : An alphabetical index (the alphabetical order is only implicit when it is about a catalog).
Authorities : Decisional authorities.
To insulate () : To isolate all alone (the precision " to insulate itself in groupe" is however perfectly possible).
To join : To join together.
To raise () : To rise upright.
Magma : Magma in fusion.
But : But however. But however. But however.
Manga : Japanese Manga.
To go : To go to foot (see study).
Maximum : To the great maximum. To the maximum of its apogee.
Meander : Sinuous meanders.
Media : Media of information.
Even : Even until.
Mikado : Japanese Mikado.
Medium: Ambient conditions.
Mirage : A misleading mirage.
Less : The least small detail, defect.
Monopoly : To have the exclusive monopoly.
To assemble : To go up in top (see study).
Mutually : To help itself mutually.
To swim : To swim in water.
Dwarf : A small dwarf (idem that for " large géant").
Born : Born native from.
Nimber : Nimbus of an aureole (tautology. Nimbus is reserved to the religious characters).
Node : To make X nodes per hour.
Obérer : Obérer of debts (but one tends to use " obérer" to mean handicap).
To oppose : To oppose its veto.
Option : Option with the choice.
Storm : An electric storm.
Toe S : Toes of the feet.
Orthography : A correct orthography (yes when it is about science, but not for the manner whose a word is written).
Lapse of memory : An involuntary lapse of memory (however, there are voluntary lapses of memory more and more!).
Even : A pair of binoculars.
Panacea : A universal panacea.
Words : Verbal words.
Wig : To carry a false wig (particular pleonasm, like all the pleonasms containing " faux" with a name which expresses the idea of something of forgery (e.g. " forgery prétexte" , " false it; …), theoretical risk of misinterpretation, a false wig would be logically of truths hair, but spontaneously it is included/understood well that it is about a true wig…).
Nobody : A human person.
Personally : Me, personally, I… (tic of conversation, especially)
Perspective : Future prospects.
Peter : Peter with his bottom.
Small : The least small one.
Phase S : Successive phases.
To trample : To trample on the spot.
To be able : Perhaps we could (a case " tautologique" is also posed with the verb capacity and the subjunctive which marks already the possibility, but it is pleonasmic with the verbs of the first group which have one code and present subjunctive identical).
To predict : To predict in advance.
First : The first at the head.
To prepare : To prepare in advance.
Pretext : A false pretext.
Proof : A convincing proof.
To prevent : To prevent in advance.
To envisage : To envisage in advance.
Priority : First priority.
Project: A future project.
To forecast : To forecast in advance.
Then : Then.
Unspecified : Generally unspecified.
To harp : To harp without stop the same thing.
Rafale : A gust of wind (blurred etymology).
Rebattre : Rebattre without stop the same thing (misinterpretation: Rebattre ears).
To move back : To move back behind.
Redemander : Redemander again.
To remake : To still remake (but one can remake several times something which each time was demolishes).
To gather () : To gather together.
To reject : To reject again (idem that for " refaire").
To relay () : To take turns in turn, successively.
Rencogner : Rencogné in a corner.
To meet : To meet to make knowledge.
Renifler : Renifler of the nose.
To return : To return to later.
To repeat : To repeat the same thing (allowed with the oral examination; for example to encourage to better do: repeat once again!).
Recovery : With X taken again different.
To reserve : To reserve in advance.
Summary : A short summary (rather misinterpretation: summary for report).
To retain : To retain in advance.
Retrospective : A " flashback" retrospective.
To join together () : To meet together. Satisfactory : Enough satisfactory.
To powder : To powder with salt (blurred enough etymology).
Jolt : An earth tremor (only etymological pleonasm, " sismique" is relative only to the French earthquakes, his direction is specialized definitely more than the Greek word from which it comes).
Separately : Separately one of the other (one is in right to indicate who or what one separates).
Only : I have only ten centimes.
Shah : Shah of Iran.
Interdependent : Interdependent from/to each other.
Sumptuary : Extravagant expenditure.
To leave : To leave outside.
Status quo : The status quo current.
Successive : Successive stages (but " étape" can have the simple direction of place of rest).
Continuations : Consequent continuations.
To follow : To follow behind.
To surprise : To surprise with the improvist.
To try : To try to make in kind of.
To telephone : To telephone remotely.
To turn : To turn in round (see study).
Topography : The topography of the places (often misinterpretation for geography).
Tri : Recycling (attention, the sorting can be a separation, a distribution, a classification, etc).
Intermediary: By the means of an interpreter.
Unanimous, unanimity : All are unanimous (but " tous" can indicate a group from which one comes to speak). Unanimously total.
See : Let us see seeing (rather known as by joke).
Even : And even (however the direction first of the word is " vraiment").
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phenomenon weather (to snow, rain, be windy…)+dehors (yes, but the song: It rains in my house!)
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small + name in ette (van, maisonnette, etc): partial pleonasm, the diminutives have a complex direction which is not reduced to the size, moreover the gradations of size remain always possible (yes, but generally, there will be an emotional, emotional addition: a small lamb; a small kitten, etc).
See too
Appendix: French pleonasms|French pleonasms