english language question

[mash101]

If a phrase which contradicts itself is an oxymoron - eg 'non-stop flight', then is there a name given to a phrase which repeats its meaning, such as 'true fact'?

[incitatus]

Yes, its a tautology

[incitatus]

and my favourite oxymoron is military intelligence

[babthrower]

You could also call it a redundancy. A tautology is a statement which predicates an identical thing, suggesting a cause e.g. 'Chlorine whitens clothes because of its bleaching effect.' The fault is that 'whitens' and 'bleaching' mean (in this case) the same thing. So the statement does not give the reason why chlorine has that effect, it simply restates the effect using different words. (The word 'because' suggests the statement is an explanation.)

[de1m0nte]

Another one is "free gift". But hey, if they want the extra syllables...

[djvipernet]

like "safe haven" hehe. always makes me wonder if we have a few UNsafe havens around somewhere ;)

[jeeves]

what was australian language like in the past, and how will it be in the future