Unnecessary repeated use of different words that mean the same thing

[Kumquat]

I recently had a conversation with someone where he talked about a friend who neither "comprehended or understood" what he was trying to say. I then asked him, politely, what the actual difference was between the meaning of the words "comprehend" and "understand."He was neither able to help or assist. Can anyone advise?

 

[The Antikythera Mechanism]

I, personally, have no idea.

 

[RexCathedra]

This is a common rhetorical trope in English, and really only possible in English, at least to any great degree, because of English's history as the product of a linguistic shotgun marriage.

We have common pairs of synonyms or virtual synonyms, one member of the pair from Germanic sources ('understand') and one from Latin direct, or Latin via Norman French (comprehend).

Blame William the Conqueror. He's why it's such a big -- or large -- deal.

 

[Fungus]

I, personally, have no idea.

I, also, have no idea, too.

 

[Creaky]

You can have levels of understanding, "he understood a little about nuclear fusion" - comprehension is absolute and could be replaced by "fully understood".

 

[Barrel of Fun]

It annoys and infuriates me as well.

 

[1234andcounting]

I am both unconcerned and untroubled by it, myself.

 

[Blackadder]

Doesn't bother or trouble me.

 

[Creaky]

It jars when, as in the OP, people use neither . . . . or rather than neither . . . . nor but there is little difference in meaning.

 

[Norman Potting]

"And also" is one that bugs me but I still manage to use it a lot, and in large quantities.

 

[The Antikythera Mechanism]

The problem is that are teachers don't know there arses from they're elbows. They should of and could of spent more time spending you're money making sure their are less chances that were loose out in overall educational standards.

 

[DTES]

I completely agree - all tautologies tend to annoy me.

The phrase "free gift" gets me (more than it reasonably should). If it wasn't free, it wouldn't be a gift; just call it a gift.

 

[dougdeep]

I'm appalled and disgusted.

 

[Frutos]

[yt]11lEtj-MuMk[/yt]

I love George Carlin.

 

[shoreham seagull 1973]

At this present moment in time i have no idea either.

 

[Prince Monolulu]

I almost always say that.

 

[dazzer6666]

People on here are over-exaggerating.

 

[dougdeep]

Led Zepp were Dazed and Confused.

 

[Guinness Boy]

I have enjoyed and savoured this thread but I do worry what your girlfriend and partner made of it. Whilst you are looking for unnecessary and needless synonyms I fear and worry she may be downstairs crying and sobbing.

 

[Creaky]

Some are being unnecessarily superfluous