Redundancies in the air

If you're a collector in the word game (as I am), keeping your redundancy box full is a fairly easy matter. All you have to do is pay attention occasionally.

That's what I was doing when I was driving along yesterday, listening to story on National Public Radio. The story was on the opening of the new Supreme Court term.

The anchor was interviewing a law professor about the various cases the court would be hearing this year.

At one point in the interview, the anchor -- in response to something the prof had said -- cut in with "Well, that's the key central point, isn't it?"

The law professor, who may find redundancies the elixir of life, repeated the interviewer's words.

"Yes, that's the key central point," she said and continued with her comment.

I hope that both of these intelligent people have some regrets. Meanwhile, I have a new redundancy for my collection.

Read more about journalism and issues facing the profession at JPROF.com.