Redundants

Redundants are items or expressions that duplicate information or functionality within a system. In common usage, redundants are often considered unnecessary, but they can also serve purposes such as emphasis, error tolerance, or clarity.

In language, redundants refer to pleonastic expressions or tautologies. Examples include “free gift,” “PIN number,” and “true fact.” Some redundancies are stylistic or traditional, while others arise from combining sources with overlapping meanings. Redundants can be perceived as either harmless or distracting, depending on context and audience.

In information theory and communication, redundancy is a deliberate feature to improve reliability. Extra bits or duplicated signals help detect and correct errors, at the cost of reduced efficiency. This form of redundancy is not merely wasteful but a design choice that enhances robustness in noisy environments.

In biology, genetic redundancy or redundancy among genes refers to situations where multiple genes perform overlapping roles. This can buffer organisms against mutations and contribute to developmental robustness, but it can also complicate functional studies when phenotypes do not manifest clearly due to compensatory genes.

In engineering and infrastructure, redundancy means duplicating critical components to maintain operation during failures. Examples include backup power supplies, redundant servers, and failover networks. Such redundancies increase reliability but require additional resources and maintenance.

In editing and writing, redundants are usually minimized to improve conciseness, though some authors use redundancy for emphasis or rhetorical effect. Whether redundants aid or hinder communication depends on purpose, audience, and context.