Examples I could think of:
- achieve achievement
- traditional traditions
- work of work
Would this be classified as a pun even if the subject isn't humorous? If not, how do I describe this word play?
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1The only thing is alliteration, the repetition of an initial sound. As for the words being like you say, there is no name for that, afaik. – Lambie Dec 08 '22 at 18:05
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Compare https://english.stackexchange.com/questions/7175/pairs-in-common-idioms-phrases/7193#7193 – Stuart F Dec 08 '22 at 18:22
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Achieve achievement (whatever it might mean) is, like walk the walk, talk the talk, write the writing, say the saying, and many more, what is technically called a Cognate Object, where the verb has a form of itself as its object. Such a construction adds no information, but it stylistically emphasizes the action. The other two examples I don't understand at all; certainly there is no special term for them. – John Lawler Dec 10 '22 at 17:51
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This is a form of tautolgy:
OED
tautology, n. 1. Unnecessary repetition, usually in close proximity, of the same word, phrase, idea, argument, etc. Now typically: the saying of the same thing twice in different words (e.g. ‘they arrived one after the other in succession’), generally considered to be a fault of style.
It is permissible in poetry by virtue of, or as an example of poetic licence =
OED
Licence
4. Deviation from recognized form or rule, indulged in by a writer or artist for the sake of effect; an instance of this. Frequent in phrase poetic (poetical, etc.) licence.
Greybeard
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