Redundancy, Tautology, and Ambiguity

Question 1

Tautology and Redundancy

Answer 1

(These words are used interchangeably in
language assessment.)

These terms refer to the use of unnecessary words or statements – saying the same thing in different ways.

For example: What is your personal opinion?

All opinions are personal, therefore it is not necessary to use this word.

Question 2

Tautology

Answer 2

A linguistic term. We use this word in to describe language use
only.

Question 3

Redundancy

Answer 3

Can relate to language, but can also be used to describe other
things that are unnecessary. For example, if somebody is made redundant,
his/her job is no longer necessary

Question 4

Ambiguity

Answer 4

If something is ambiguous, its meaning is unclear or inexact. It has more than one
meaning.

For example: The hen laid an egg and then the dog ate it.
What did the dog eat – the hen or the egg?