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Swedes often say CD Skiva as in Compact disk disk. In English you sometimes say ATM machine as in Automated teller machine machine. What are other examples of such redundant endings?

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    possible duplicate of Terms for duplicated words
    – Robusto
    Commented Apr 16, 2011 at 18:16
  • The "what would you call them" part is clearly a dupe. The "what are other examples" part could live on as a community-wiki list.
    – RegDwigнt
    Commented Apr 16, 2011 at 18:50
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    Oh, and I fail to see how "compact disk skiva" is in the same league as "compact disk disk".
    – RegDwigнt
    Commented Apr 16, 2011 at 18:53
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    I agree it's not exactly in the same league. I was merely offering an anecdote that after translation is similar to make the question more interesting. I'm guessing making this into a community wiki is a moderator power as I seem to be unable to, feel free.
    – Kit Sunde
    Commented Apr 16, 2011 at 19:28

8 Answers 8

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PIN Number (Personal Identification Number Number) comes to mind

They are referred to as RAS Syndrome, with the RAS standing for Redundant Acronym Syndrome

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  • Beat me by a hair!
    – ChrisO
    Commented Apr 16, 2011 at 18:13
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LCD display (Liquid Crystal Display display)

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  • I've never heard anyone use that. I've heard LCD screen, though, which is perfectly acceptable.
    – Adam
    Commented Apr 24, 2011 at 4:28
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GUI Interface (Graphical User Interface Interface).

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EULA agreement (End User License Agreement agreement)

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This phenomenon isn't exclusive to acronyms either. The La Brea Tar Pits can be translated as The The Tar Tar Pits.

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VIN Number (Vehicle identification number number), also tuna fish.

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    Well, tuna is also a fruit. Merriam-Webster.
    – RegDwigнt
    Commented Apr 16, 2011 at 18:23
  • The "tuna" in "tuna fish" is an adjective, so the phrase is not truly redundant. "Gimme some fish! What kind of fish? Tuna fish."
    – Marthaª
    Commented Apr 16, 2011 at 22:19
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    Yakitori chicken would be a possible.
    – The Raven
    Commented Apr 16, 2011 at 23:19
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    I was stationed in Japan when I was in the Army. I was a Japanese linguist and it always cracked me up when I would go in the mess hall and they would be serving chicken yakitori. The staff would look at me funny when I would say "I'll take some chicken grilled chicken"
    – Kevin
    Commented Apr 17, 2011 at 0:36
  • In Texas - you get Chicken Fried Chicken, as opposed to chicken fried anything else. Chicken fried seems to mean schnitzel
    – mgb
    Commented Apr 17, 2011 at 3:59
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VAT Tax ( Value Added Tax Tax )

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  • At least in the UK, I’ve never or rarely heard it called this — it’s generally just VAT in my experience.
    – PLL
    Commented Apr 23, 2011 at 16:39
  • i have heard that in india .
    – Lincity
    Commented Apr 24, 2011 at 3:11
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AC current/ DC current (alternating current/direct current)

IP protocol (internet protocol)

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