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Monday, August 23, 2010

Usage issue: Anniversary

I was reading a grocery flyer this morning (my life is so exciting...) and came across a very common, but redundant, expression: the store was celebrating its "One-year anniversary". Since an anniversary is by definition "the yearly return of a date on which an event took place in a previous year" (Canadian Oxford Dictionary), using the word "year" in connection with "anniversary" is superfluous. "First anniversary" (or "second", "third", etc.) is all that is needed.

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About Me

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Canada's Word Lady, Katherine Barber is an expert on the English language and a frequent guest on radio and television. She was Editor-in-Chief of the Canadian Oxford Dictionary. Her witty and informative talks on the stories behind our words are very popular. Contact her at wordlady.barber@gmail.com to book her for speaking engagements; she can tailor her talks to almost any subject. She is also available as an expert witness for lawsuits.