📖 Genuinely, Undoubtedly: The Redundancy Revival 📚
Introduction
Ah, emphatic redundancies. They’re like the double fudge on a chocolate cake—sometimes unnecessary yet undeniably delightful.
Embrace the Redundancy!
- Genuinely, Undoubtedly: When you mean it so much, you say it twice. Originating from 18th century literature and even gracing children’s locutions in North America, this phrase has been used by notable authors including Henry Fielding and Thomas Macaulay.
- Historical Highlight: “The king is really and truly a Catholic.” - Thomas Macaulay, The History of England (1849)
Related Terms and Expressions:
- Truly, Madly, Deeply: The title of a 90s hit song by Savage Garden, repetitive in essence but full of intensity. (Recommended: Give it a listen next time you need to level up your intensity in emotions.)
- Absolutely, Positively: Another combo emphasizing certainty. Use when “yes” just isn’t enough.
Synonyms:
- Really and truly
- Honestly and sincerely
- Certifiably and assuredly
Antonyms:
- Dubiously, Questionably
- Maybe, Possibly
Humor-Filled Quote:
“Repetition does not transform a lie into a truth.” — Franklin D. Roosevelt
Oh FDR, if only you’d lived to witness the gleeful redundancy in modern language!
Literature to Sink your Teeth into:
- Humorous and Emphatic Redundancies: A Collection by Renee Repetitio.
- Languages Lost in Layers: Why We Double Down by Quentin Quibble.
Movies that Relish Repetition:
- Do the Right Thing (1989), directed by Spike Lee – essentially about reaffirmation on what’s right, over and over.
- Groundhog Day (1993), starring Bill Murray – because who doesn’t love repeating the same day?
Quirky Quotes:
“Why say the same thing twice when you can say it twice?” — Unknown Word Lover
### Which of these phrases is a proper redundancy?
- [x] Genuinely, undoubtedly
- [ ] Positively, maybe
- [ ] Dancing delicately
- [ ] Flying fish
> **Explanation:** "Genuinely, undoubtedly" is a classic redundancy used for emphasis. The others, while whimsical, don't pack the same repetitive punch.
### True or False: 'Truly, Madly, Deeply' is a redundancy-filled song title?
- [x] True
- [ ] False
> **Explanation:** True! Savage Garden's song title leans into redundancy to amplify emotional intensity. Singing these words turns a feeling into a sweeping declaration.
### Which book contains the phrase "really and truly"?
- [ ] Moby Dick
- [ ] To Kill a Mockingbird
- [x] The History of England
- [ ] Pride and Prejudice
> **Explanation:** Thomas Macaulay's *The History of England* contains the emphatic "really and truly". Seems like even history isn't immune to a bit of extra emphasis.
### Which of these serves as a similar phrase for 'absolutely, positively'?
- [ ] Doubtfully, cautiously
- [x] Absolutely, certainly
- [ ] Coolly, calmly
- [ ] Lightly, surely
> **Explanation:** "Absolutely, certainly" is a direct redundancy serving the same emphasis as "absolutely, positively". The more assured, the better!
Farewell Thought:
Remember, the next time someone tells you to “say what you mean”, feel free to tell them really and truly, genuinely and undoubtedly, that you already did. After all, in a language full of flavors, why settle for plain when you can double down?
- W. T. Wittywords, October 1, 2023
