What's it called when...

[Stg-Flame]

Two words are used, one an adjective to describe a noun, but they both mean the same thing?

Examples:

Frozen Tundra
Gay Homosexual
Cancerous Cigarette
Hot fire
Cold ice

and so fourth.

 

[Cerpin Taxt]

redundancy

 

[Eos]

Tiny shrimp

 

[CatchPhrase]

oxymoron

 

[gorcorps]

Originally posted by: CatchPhrase
oxymoron

wrong, that's when they have opposite meanings

 

[Stg-Flame]

I was thinking it was redundant as well, but my roommate insists that the word starts with an I. Now I am not so sure anymore.

 

[KLin]

Stupid democrat.

 

[RedArmy]

Pleonasms

 

[mrSHEiK124]

Originally posted by: Chaoticpenguin666
I was thinking it was redundant as well, but my roommate insists that the word starts with an I. Now I am not so sure anymore.

It is redundancy. Perhaps the I word he is looking for actually describes himself (idiot)

Unless he's thinking inherent (which means implied/obvious I guess), both start with I

 

[Stg-Flame]

Haha, he still refuses to believe that it is redundant.

Thanks for clearing it up.

 

[RedArmy]

I mean, my post was serious.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pleonasm<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

Everyone is right in this thread, it's just who wants to be more right =p

 

[Auric]

Originally posted by: gorcorps

Originally posted by: CatchPhrase
oxymoron

wrong, that's when they have opposite meanings

As in jumbo shrimp.

 

[Mo0o]

Unless you mean tautology? "You made a wrong mistake" The wrong is unnecessary since mistake by definition is a wrong choice

 

[mobobuff]

Originally posted by: Chaoticpenguin666
I was thinking it was redundant as well, but my roommate insists that the word starts with an I. Now I am not so sure anymore.

Idiomatic expression? (As alluded to in RedArmy's post). Obviously we know what an idiom is, and that it does not inherently imply a redundant statement. Although I think it applies.

To be more specific, I think the word you're looking for is 'tautological'.

 

[Whoozyerdaddy]

Tundra isn't always frozen.

 

[pontifex]

Originally posted by: Auric

Originally posted by: gorcorps

Originally posted by: CatchPhrase
oxymoron

wrong, that's when they have opposite meanings

As in jumbo shrimp.

i don't see how that's an oxymoron...i guess it depends on context. if you're talking about food, shrimp is a noun not an adjective, so therefore it can't be an oxymoron, right?

 

[Billb2]

Perhaps he's thnking of antonym, which it isn't.

 

[Auric]

Originally posted by: pontifex

Originally posted by: Auric

Originally posted by: gorcorps

Originally posted by: CatchPhrase
oxymoron

wrong, that's when they have opposite meanings

As in jumbo shrimp.

i don't see how that's an oxymoron...i guess it depends on context. if you're talking about food, shrimp is a noun not an adjective, so therefore it can't be an oxymoron, right?

My intent was facetiousness as per eon's comment "tiny shrimp" and since "jumbo shrimp" is oft wrongly derided as an oxymoron by hackneyed comics and such as. Verily, in context there is no incongruity in a small thing being relatively large.

 

[DangerAardvark]

Originally posted by: Whoozyerdaddy
Tundra isn't always frozen.

And some fires are hotter than others. And some ice is colder than other ice.

BTW, it's already been identified as pleonasms. The examples in the OP are just terrible.