Some Redundant Words are Redundant
by Chris MacDonald
Is it just me, or are 2 of the words in this sign redundant?
Once you’ve said that something is “reserved,” that pretty much means “strictly” (is there such a thing as “sort of” reserved?). And the same goes for “only”. The word “reserved” means “only these people can use this.”
The picture was taken outside a grocery store in Toronto.
Normative Signs: The Poetry of "Ought" 
Once you’ve had the kind of parking area that people abuse, ‘strictly reserved’ seems fairly tame! ‘Absolutely, positively, we are not kidding, it’s reserved, you will be towed, don’t park here!’ doesn’t even work. So while it may be redundant technically, in parking-speak it’s quite understated and likely ineffective.
Good point! When I’ve used these signs in my ethics & regulation class, I tell my students always to try to figure out what the *history* of a given sign (or regulation) is. If something seems odd, there’s usually a history that makes it make perfect sense!
[…] just for emphasis, like the word “strictly” on the sign that says parking spots are “strictly reserved for customers”? Or did someone at some point cause a hassle (a major one?) by availing themselves of the […]