Grammar Moses: If past history is any indication, I'm being redundant

You might think repetition and redundancy are one and the same. You would be wrong.

If you are flying a rocket to the moon, redundancy is valuable. You want the backup doohickey to fire if the primary doohickey sputters.

But in writing and speaking, redundancy is your enemy.

Bob Baurhyte wrote to me recently.

“Some things really bug me, like ‘past history' … as opposed to, what, ‘future history'? I hear it all the time.”

That bugs me, too, Bob.

You're wearing spectacular crimson red pants today.

In this sentence, “red” is redundant because “crimson” is a shade of red.

Don't repeat unconfirmed rumors.

Because a rumor, by definition, is unconfirmed, it is unnecessary to use the modifier.

That ATM machine just ate my debit card.

Because an ATM is an initialism for “automated teller machine,” it's silly to call it a machine twice.

Redundancies do not add anything to the conversation.

Repetition, however, can make a speech.

“Government of the people, by the people, for the people” -- Abraham Lincoln.

“I came. I saw. I conquered.” -- Julius Caesar.

“It was the best of times. It was the worst of times.” -- Charles Dickens.

Repetition, used well, helps us develop a rhythm in our writing and speech. I can discern many of my favorite writers by the rhythms they use. If you read this column regularly, you'll notice my go-to rhythms. You can probably pick out the editorials I write, too.

Repetition used poorly can be irritating. Or hilarious, depending on your point of view.

In Cheech and Chong's Sister Mary Elephant skit, Tommy Chong plays a high school student and is asked to give a report on his summer vacation. It goes:

“The first day of my vacation, I woke up. Then I went downtown to look for a job. Then I hung out in front of the drugstore.

“The second day of my summer vacation, I woke up.

Then I went downtown to look for a job. Then I hung out in front of the drugstore.

The third day of my summer vacation, I woke up ...”

You get the picture. Nothing you'd actually want to present to your high school class. But in a comedic context, with a screeching nun trying to quiet the class, priceless.

Let's conjugate

Karen Baker writes, “My concern is about something I've heard in conversation occasionally over the past few years. I wasn't too interested in its ‘correctness' until I heard it used on a national TV commercial: ‘My cat just loves to be pet.'”

Well, Karen, your cat may love to be your pet, but it loves to be petted.

One thing I hear often is that a TV show is broadcasted. Or that weather is forecasted.

The past tense of “cast” is cast.

If I were to lead the parade today, then on Monday you might compliment me by saying, “You led the parade with élan.”

That's “led,” without an a.

The Oxford comma

Debates have been had and — I'm guessing — battles have been fought over whether the Oxford comma is a requirement or as vestigial as the human appendix.

I've withheld an answer from Dundee Middle School student Sean O'Rourke long enough.

I will shield myself from all of you Oxford comma enthusiasts with the floppy cover of my AP Stylebook.

The Oxford — or “serial” — comma is unnecessary in most cases. The Oxford comma is the one that comes after the penultimate item in a list. And if you remember from a previous column, that means the second-to-last item.

The secondary colors are green, purple and orange.

Oxford comma lovers would insert a comma after purple.

Neither AP nor I find this necessary.

However, AP tells us, if an element of the series requires a conjunction, then you would use the Oxford comma.

I had orange juice, toast, and ham and eggs for breakfast.

In this case, ham and eggs is considered one thing.

Write carefully!

• Jim Baumann is assistant vice president/managing editor of the Daily Herald. Write him at jbaumann@dailyherald.com. Put Grammar Moses in the subject line.