There are now over 8 billion people on Earth, and each of them speaks in their own way. Unfortunately, many make mistakes in speech. Only a few can be called speakers with impeccable language skills.
In English, actor and writer Stephen Fry is rightly considered one such example. His expertise in grammar leads him to work on textbooks and audiobooks.
But most ordinary people misplace stress in words, use filler words, and rely on redundant expressions. Today, we will talk specifically about redundant phrases.
How to Avoid Speech Mistakes
Redundant expressions are extra words or phrases that aren’t necessary. You can easily communicate without them, even in casual conversation. Yet they often creep into everyday speech.
They are not tautologies, because we aren’t repeating the same idea in different words. These extra words are implied, so they are not needed.
For example, “buttered butter” is a tautology. The phrase “descend down” is a redundancy, because “descend” already means moving downward. There are many such expressions. Think about how you speak in everyday life — you’ll likely notice some redundant words in your own speech.
For adult Russian speakers, it can be challenging to unlearn these habits. But it’s possible. Children just starting to learn Russian have an easier time speaking correctly from the beginning.
That’s why it’s important to teach bilinguals correctly from the start, both in writing and in everyday conversation.
To help a bilingual child speak without redundancies, practice is key. For clear speech, they need to know as many word meanings as possible and keep practicing in conversation.
When a child is first speaking Russian, watch for filler words and unnecessary words. Don’t be afraid to correct them — but do it gently. Go through sentences together and explain why certain words are unnecessary.
Why Redundant Words Appear in Speech
Speech mistakes often come from emotion. When people want to express themselves strongly or explain something passionately, they add extra words.
Also, even native speakers don’t always know the meaning of all Russian words, especially those borrowed from other languages. Redundant words are sometimes used to clarify a thought. This can especially affect bilinguals.
But redundancies can be acceptable in certain cases. For example, if a phrase uses homonyms, clarification is not excessive.
Examples of Redundant Expressions
| Redundant Expression | Correct Version | Explanation |
| Memorable souvenir | Souvenir | A souvenir is already something to remember |
| Young girl | Girl | A girl cannot be old |
| My autobiography | Autobiography | “Auto” already means the story is written by oneself |
| Bill for payment | Bill | A bill is always for payment |
| Unexpected surprise | Surprise | A surprise is always unexpected |
| Joint cooperation | Cooperation | Cooperation always implies working together |
| Open vacancy | Vacancy | A vacancy is always an open position |
Check yourself. Do you use these redundant expressions? Before speaking, analyze your sentence. Is there anything unnecessary? Which words can you leave out? Avoiding these mistakes can help you become a model speaker.
