pleonasm: the use of more words or parts of words than are sufficient for clear expression.
One pleonasm I use is to add the word “system” after a word that already means a system; for example, “roof system”.
I invite you to cite other pleonasms you encounter in our industry.
Automatic Entrance Door Assembly
word word word assembly, or even,
Roof System Assembly
Hot Water Heater. It’s also incorrect - you are heater cold water.
I think just “water heater” is more appropriate since it will also heat lukewarm water.
Is is a waste of energy to heat hot water. The purpose of heaters to raise the temperature of COLD water.
Pre-engineered … anything.
Pre-manufactured … anything.
I always (1) laughed at and (2) changed “pre-qualified contractors”.
Lynn - To what did you change the expression:
“contractors”
“qualified bidders”
“pre-contractors”
I finally convinced the owner to use “qualified”. It would be difficult to be “pre-qualified”, after all.
Type, as in:
heavy-duty type
galvanized type
vertical type
rated type
perforated type
suspended type
etc.
water resistant type roof system assembly
shouldn’t it be hyphenated?
water-resistant-type-roof-system assembly
I would term the above (water-resistant-type-roof-system assembly) as an all-inclusive performance statement?
Isn’t there a rule, somewhere, where every third hyphen, should become a random and unnecessary comma?
“prior to” vs “before”
“in lieu of” vs “instead of”
“according to manufacturer’s written instructions” (repeated over and over in spec sections)
I’ve been using MasterSpec since 1982 and sometimes it seems the authors are paid by the word.
One of the most beautiful and elegant sentences I’ve ever read is in Strunk & White’s Elements of Style: “Omit needless words.” Great advice for everyone–not just specifiers.
The use of the word “that” where the sentence makes sense without it. (And no, I cannot think of a single example right now)
The word process often is unnecessary. “We are in the process of planning…” should be “We are planning…”
However, it’s a great word for discovering that the person you’re talking with is from Canada.
VCT tile
CMU block
ACP panels
There are many others, I just cannot think of them right now.
The example that Lynn gave was an excellent one.
The example Lynn gave was an excellent one.
