Two-word tautologies

[MoleAtTheCounter]

Past history
Free gift
Aromatic smell
Mass exodus (a BBC favourite)

Please post more examples.

@ColonelNobbyNobbs , yes, that's right.

Thank you both, I understand now.

Self-isolation

@littlequestion , is that a two-word tautology?

Ok then- self isolation

But you can isolate someone else. Schools have isolation units for the purpose.

@littlequestion , it's still not tautological.

'The reason is because ...'
Younger MNers might not realise that this formulation is relatively new. It crept in somewhere around the 90s. Before that, everyone said 'This reason is that ...'

There is no need for 'because' because 'the reason' for X already contains the idea that X is true on account of whatever reason is specified.

The reason that I went to the shop was that I needed bread = fine

The reason that I went to the shop was because I needed bread = not fine.

Literally, what you are saying when you add 'because' is that I needed bread is the cause of the reason, rather than actually being the reason. (Which is particularly irksome if you are a Kantian because in Kant's view reason is the only thing that is uncaused. But that's another issue)

I also hate the warning in front of TV programmes "Content contains ... [e.g. sex, swearing, etc]. Not strictly a tautology, but still an unnecessary double use of the same concept. The 'content' is 'that which the programme contains'. The programme is the container. Why, then, describe its contents as [sub]containers of their own content. Bizarre and ontologically extravagant.
Why not say 'Programme contains ...' or 'Contents include ...'

Apologies if someone has already mentioned: comprises of.

It cropped up several times in a book I was reading recently; it's very irritating.

[on the train] "We are approaching our final destination"

What other sort can there be?

I'm not so sure about that one. Is the definition of 'destination' 'the final place you're going to' ot just 'a place you're going to'? I think it's the latter, which means that you can have multiple destinations en route to your final destination.

Exactly. Every train station is a destination on that journey.

‘Final destination’ sounds a bit ominous though.

Agree with you there

That reminds me ‘station stop’ always sounds wrong to me. I mean a train can stop between stations but it’s surely understood that they only announce scheduled stops. I think ‘destination’ would be an odd way to refer to every stop, though.

“Return back” always annoys me. To “return” means to “come back”, so return back means to come back back. Bloody stupid.

And ‘reply back’.

Bit late in the day but had to add the very annoying: 'hence why'.

And ‘equally as’

Faroe Islands

And of course the River Avon.

Yes. I always start hearing "Final Countdown" in my head at that announcement. I think trains should play it, actually :)

I don't mind most such things - lots of set phrases and common usage. But I am driven to fury by the trailer for "The Crown" which Netflix insists on showing me constantly. King dies, clipped vowels, self-restraint, and "let's not over-complicate things unnecessarily", suggests the new Elizabeth II.

I am supposed to admire her stoicism and her strength of character, but all I can think is no! Drop the "over" or the "unnecessarily". Every day ...

There are lots of 'hill hill' - 'Torpenhow Hill' is rather spoilt by there not really being a hill there.

Wiki of course has this.... enjoy,

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Listofftautologicalplaceenames

Did you mean https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_tautological_place_names?