h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

On the other hand, seemingly tautological phrases can convey more information than might otherwise be apparent.

Looking at the "I myself" case, for example: "Britain's rail network is not very good. I myself think we should sell it all to Richard Branson."

In that case "I myself" acts as shorthand for "I think this, but I recognise that this is not the majority's opinion".

In the case of the acronyms, I think that sometimes it makes the meaning clearer when you add the final word, particularly if the context doesn't make it obvious.

e.g. Compare:
"Damn!"
"What's wrong?"
"I've forgotten my PIN!"
"What pin?"
"The pin for my cash card."
"Ah I see. Oh dear."

With:
"Damn!"
"What's wrong?"
"I've forgotten my PIN number!"
"Oh dear."

Having said that, "AI Intelligence"???

A compelling case for capital punishment I believe. And the computer magazine in which I saw it should be subject to the strictest penalties by the ELP Police.

(ELP = English Language Police)

Marduk, thanks for the funniest phrase I've read in weeks! I would ask your permission to use it in my daily work life, but I'm going to use it regardless of whether I get permission or not, so ... heheheh. Thanks anyway.

Well, I must say, I am most impressed. You seem to have the right definition after all. And, I notice, you manage to convey your point with all the tact I would expect of a bit of hair. Clearly, however, you are not referring to a mustache in the classical sense, as it exists above the intake opening for food, but rather that stripe of fur which covers the exhaust port. With language as foul as yours, it is the only possible conclusion.

No problem, JD. Use it in good health. I never claim monopoly over any line I use, because it's a waste of humour.

-Marduk

While we're on this topic, I just thought I'd add that a Dickhead, with a capital D, is a fan of Dick Dale.

*sigh* I'll never get the hang of this. Anyhoo, just so's there's a click-able link, let's try it this way:

http://www.h2g2.com/A404155

- JD

There's a special way of putting a link out here? I didn't know that there's a special H-2g2-TML

Yeah, I was trying to use the special GuideML ... but I guess forum posts default to plain text. GuideML is pretty neat, actually. Just a slightly-higher level language than HTML that simplifies a lot of things for writing Guide entries. There's a lot of good info on the main page's link to GuideML clinic, the exact location of which escapes me for the moment.

I concur, Tautology is the word.
Oxymoron comes from the latin Oxy: Smart and Moron: Stupid. I tend to use it a lot as does my good friend Basil Fawlty's Moustache and we're as Aussie as.
Speaking of Oxymorons, there is a peculiar phenomenom in Australia. In response to a provoking, witty or ambiguous question (retorical or otherwise) we will often answer: "No, no, yair" or "Yair, no". It is really quite prevalent.
Boomshankar.
The Jezois.