I've seen both "kneel" and "kneel down" writing.
When I enterd "kneel down" in the software After the Deadline, it says it's a redundant expression. Is that correct?
Example sentence:
I went over to the edge of the cliff and knelt down.
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Did you mean to write "keel" three times or is it "kneel"? Keel is a different word, although it does mean to go down, too. – Julia Sep 28 '15 at 13:36
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2"Kneel down" is redundant in the slightest possible way. I wouldn't worry about it, unless you are working up a George Carlin-esque routine for open mic night. – Robusto Sep 28 '15 at 13:40
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4Minimalists often forget that less is sometimes less, not more. – Robusto Sep 28 '15 at 13:43
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6Who cares if it's redundant as long as it's grammatical. 99% of everything is redundant. If you feel that "knelt down" must be just "knelt", then I demand that "went over" be just "went", and "to the edge of the cliff" be just "to the edge". For that matter, what's the deal with this "I"? It should be clear from the context who it was, so just drop it. Totally redundant. "Went to the edge and knelt". Perfect! Now just drop the "the" and the "and", and you're done. – RegDwigнt♦ Sep 28 '15 at 13:45
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1@anemone It's also an informality marker here ('I went over to the edge of the cliff and knelt' is grammatical and obviously synonymous – telicity is implied – but sounds far more formal). – Edwin Ashworth Sep 29 '15 at 23:05
Yes, "kneel down" is redundant.
However, it is still grammatically accurate and widely used.
