Here is the fifth edition of "WHY do They Say it THAT Way?" What's the deal with someone when they _

Question

something like that a vehicle or some other thing is "blue IN COLOR" or "red IN COLOR," etc.? Like... what's an alternative: red in like... WEIGHT? "Blue in... SIZE"? Come ON, people!

Oh, and you could even describe something that's not a person as just plain ol' WHITE or just BLACK, without saying "white..." or "black IN COLOR," because HELLOOOOO, THINGS don't come from races called stuff like White or Black. So there's no confusion between being white in color or black in color if someone already knows that the reference is to a thing instead of a person, RIGHT?

Maybe a piece of fruit could be described as orange in COLOR vs. orange...as the kind of fruit itself, but nothing else deserves that same kind of distinction, does it?

Even the words -blue- and -green- can be used for something other than actual colors, as in "feeling blue" or "green with envy," or a "greenie missionary," etc., but shouldn't it just be OBVIOUS, when describing the color of something, that the words

"IN COLOR" need not be used in that kind of (the usual) situation?

Will you please come back periodically and check for my responses to your answers?

Happy Christmas, and Happy New Year!
Mike

Hi, Aida,

Thanks for the compliment! Oh, YEAH, no kidding, about things said like "PIN numbers" and "DSL line," etc. Yeah, I make sure I don't say one of the words that was already included as part of the initialism abbreviation. Oh yeah, and "hot water heater," exactly. Just "water heater," huh? Because ya don't heat water if it's already hot, huh? Yeah, you know that one... :-Z (Heh, "Hey, Mort, it's getting cold in here. Will you turn on the 'hot air heater'? Thanks, bud!" Pppsch! :-D )

So I take it that you only say "PIN," "ATM," "VIN," "DSL," etc., right?

Thanks for your great response!
Mike


Hey, Butterfly,

Yeah, I do wonder that a lot. You're welcome my having posted that, and thank YOU for the compliment!

Oh, and thanks, also, for the happy-New-Year wish back!

Thanks for your great response, and thanks for marking my question as interesting!

(Oh, P.S. If someone wishes you a happy Christmas up to 6 days after Christmas, it's still okay to wish them that back, too, because after all, the Christmas season is still here until New Year's Eve. Right? :-) )

Thanks for your great response,
Mike


Hey, Picador,

Whow, that's an interesting hypothesis. I haven't thought of that before. It makes me wonder why people would have that kind of aversion. I appreciate your thought.

Yeah, I've heard the Canadian "Eh?" and I certainly use "Right?" plenty of times. But I think the reasons for using those are different than "in color," etc., because "Eh?" and "Right?" are questions, right after a statement, that basically ask, "Don't you think?" or "Am I right?" as a way of requesting a confirmation. Right? Wouldn't you say so? ;-)

Anyway, thanks for your thougtful answer,
Mike

Hi, again, Butterfly,

Hey, thanks for taking my little hint seriously and adding Christmas in there a few days after Christmas. Nice touch!


Mike


Hey, again, Picador,

Thanks for the added comment, and you're welcome for the compliment!


Mike

Answer 1

I have a theory that people have an aversion to using terse statements such as "It's green" or "She's irritable." "It's green in color," or "She's irritable by nature" seem to be more comfortable. It may have to do with an unconscious sense of musicality or perhaps a sense of propriety.
Whatever that impulse is, I believe that it underlies the infamous Canadian "eh?" or the youthful "Right?" at the end of statements.

Edit - We all filter our perceptions through our sensibilities. I personally have that aversion out of a sense of propriety - not wanting to sound pompous - but it's not a theory that I'd care to defend in a learned journal.
Thank you for your compliment.

Answer 2

Hmm...makes you wonder if people really think before they speak, or even think about anything at all. Obviously you do. Thank you. That was intelligent and thoughtful.

Happy Christmas and New Year to you too.

Answer 3

You have an excellent point. We tend to be redundant. Notice how we talk about ATM machines and scuba apparatus and hot water heaters?