# The Tragedy of a Small Vocabulary \ Redundancy in New Zealand **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [October 31, 2001, 6:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-tragedy-of-a-small-vocabulary-or-redundancy-in-new-zealand/90673 "2001-10-31T06:21:15Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2001, 6:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-tragedy-of-a-small-vocabulary-or-redundancy-in-new-zealand/90673/1 "2001-10-31T06:21:15Z")
So my aunt moved to New Zealand last summer. I got word today that she’s buying a house in a new development there. Guess what its called. Go on, guess. Nope. No, one more guess. Wrong again. It’s called (get ready for this)… “Vista View” Is that fantastic, or what? Vista View! Just rolls off the tongue! Who cares what it means; it sounds great! My aunt plans on really getting into the spirit of her new home. She plans on naming her new dwelling Casa House. It’s located on Parkway Lane. She’s got a new pet, Perro the dog. Her boyfriend is named Guy. And she got a promotion. Know where she works? Department of Redundancy Department. I could go on like this all night, but for a small fee I won’t. ---
**Author:** ![reprise](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ea666f/32.png) [@reprise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/reprise)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2001, 6:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-tragedy-of-a-small-vocabulary-or-redundancy-in-new-zealand/90673/2 "2001-10-31T06:36:11Z")
Redundancy is built into the NZ way of life - that’s why they have two islands. 😃 ::d&r:: from the kiwis ---
**Author:** ![bagkitty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7ab992/32.png) [@bagkitty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bagkitty)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2001, 6:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-tragedy-of-a-small-vocabulary-or-redundancy-in-new-zealand/90673/3 "2001-10-31T06:37:28Z")
Hey, drive along Highway 3 in south western Alberta, go through the Crowsnest pass, look down and to the right… that’s it, down there at the bottom of the valley, the town is called “Hillcrest”. ---
**Author:** ![Slip\_Mahoney](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e47774/32.png) [@Slip\_Mahoney](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slip_Mahoney)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2001, 6:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-tragedy-of-a-small-vocabulary-or-redundancy-in-new-zealand/90673/4 "2001-10-31T06:47:53Z")
Vista View? That’s reiterating it again one more time by saying the same thing twice by repeating it. ---
**Author:** ![Ice\_Wolf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/dfb087/32.png) [@Ice\_Wolf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ice_Wolf)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2001, 7:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-tragedy-of-a-small-vocabulary-or-redundancy-in-new-zealand/90673/5 "2001-10-31T07:12:22Z")
Ahem. A Kiwi just clearing her throat here. [Ahem!](http://www.nettravelexchange.com/cool/index31.shtml) > [@](#): > > Homer Alaska’s Vista View Bed and Breakfast features lodging with a panoramic view of Kachemak Bay, Homer and the Kenai Mountains. Man, you sure get dry throats easy this time of year here in NZ. [Ahem, Ahem!](http://chattanooga.tn.usa.rightcity.com/detaillist/Portland/OR/USA/37/449/) > [@](#): > > Terwilliger Vista Bed and Breakfast - Vista view of the city > 515 Southwest Westwood Drive, Portland, OR _getting a glass of water_ [Aaaaahhh!](http://digest.garynumanfan.nu/1999/1-545.txt) > [@](#): > > Reverend Kristina K. Panos > Chairwoman of the Department of Redundancy Department > US Senate That’s much better. Now, what were you charming folks taking about again? ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2001, 7:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-tragedy-of-a-small-vocabulary-or-redundancy-in-new-zealand/90673/6 "2001-10-31T07:16:01Z")
Very droll. With Simpsons trivia too. ---
**Author:** ![Bob\_Scene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e19adc/32.png) [@Bob\_Scene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bob_Scene)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2001, 7:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-tragedy-of-a-small-vocabulary-or-redundancy-in-new-zealand/90673/7 "2001-10-31T07:45:53Z")
One of the popular tourist spots in L.A. is “the La Brea Tar Pits.” Translate **that** into English! ---
**Author:** ![Slip\_Mahoney](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e47774/32.png) [@Slip\_Mahoney](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slip_Mahoney)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2001, 8:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-tragedy-of-a-small-vocabulary-or-redundancy-in-new-zealand/90673/8 "2001-10-31T08:10:02Z")
The Soft Cheese Tar Pits? Maybe the Tartar Pits. But they would have to be in the Crimea, cest na pas? ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2001, 10:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-tragedy-of-a-small-vocabulary-or-redundancy-in-new-zealand/90673/9 "2001-10-31T10:42:20Z")
Wasn’t “Vista View” the name of the slum project in “White Men Can’t Jump?” ---
**Author:** ![Ice\_Wolf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/dfb087/32.png) [@Ice\_Wolf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ice_Wolf)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2001, 11:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-tragedy-of-a-small-vocabulary-or-redundancy-in-new-zealand/90673/10 "2001-10-31T11:14:30Z")
> [@](#): > > _Orig. by reprise_ > Redundancy is built into the NZ way of life - that’s why they have two islands. I could be exceptionally cruel tonight and comment that the above quote shows that _knowledge of geography_ obviously isn’t built into the Aussie way of life – as NZ is made up of way more than two islands – but I won’t. But I will put in a smilie – 😃 – just to show it’s all in good fun. ---
**Author:** ![Ice\_Wolf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/dfb087/32.png) [@Ice\_Wolf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ice_Wolf)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2001, 11:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-tragedy-of-a-small-vocabulary-or-redundancy-in-new-zealand/90673/11 "2001-10-31T11:20:30Z")
I’ll add here that there _are_ some RL drekkie names various developers have put on their subdivisions, apartment blocks and the like around here. Auckland, after all, is “yuppie haven”. Thanks to those in this thread, though, who’ve pointed out the other instances of this kind of stuff. And **Miller** – you have one very odd aunt, if you’ll excuse my saying so. The JAFA Ice Wolf (Just Another Fucking Aucklander) ---
**Author:** ![hawthorne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c89c15/32.png) [@hawthorne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hawthorne)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2001, 2:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-tragedy-of-a-small-vocabulary-or-redundancy-in-new-zealand/90673/12 "2001-10-31T14:00:17Z")
Odd NZ Aunts, starter for 10. My wife’s NZ aunt (ok she’s Australian born) is heading for a more obscure location post Sept 11. Yep, she’s concerned that Palmerston North might be a target. ---
**Author:** ![Yue\_Han](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/eada6e/32.png) [@Yue\_Han](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yue_Han)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2001, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-tragedy-of-a-small-vocabulary-or-redundancy-in-new-zealand/90673/13 "2001-10-31T14:44:08Z")
My parents live on LaRue Street. –John ---
**Author:** ![Lolo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f475e1/32.png) [@Lolo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lolo)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2001, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-tragedy-of-a-small-vocabulary-or-redundancy-in-new-zealand/90673/14 "2001-10-31T14:53:28Z")
I’m **literally** laughing my ass off! That’s right, my ass is coming off my body as I laugh. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2001, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-tragedy-of-a-small-vocabulary-or-redundancy-in-new-zealand/90673/15 "2001-10-31T15:09:58Z")
Calvin Trillin, the food critic, used to refer to pretentious restaurants as “La Maison de la Casa House.” ---
**Author:** ![Zappo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b3f665/32.png) [@Zappo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zappo)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2001, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-tragedy-of-a-small-vocabulary-or-redundancy-in-new-zealand/90673/16 "2001-10-31T15:32:45Z")
The main drag through parts of southern Bucks County, PA is called Street Road. Zap! ---
**Author:** ![abuse\_angel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d07c76/32.png) [@abuse\_angel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/abuse_angel)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2001, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-tragedy-of-a-small-vocabulary-or-redundancy-in-new-zealand/90673/17 "2001-10-31T16:39:20Z")
it’s not the official name, but i can’t count how many people i’ve heard refer to that water between texas and mexico as “the rio grande river.” ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2001, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-tragedy-of-a-small-vocabulary-or-redundancy-in-new-zealand/90673/18 "2001-10-31T17:01:23Z")
Hey, stop picking on Vista View. I’ve heard they have great shrimp scampi there. ---
**Author:** ![Athena](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/35a633/32.png) [@Athena](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Athena)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2001, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-tragedy-of-a-small-vocabulary-or-redundancy-in-new-zealand/90673/19 "2001-10-31T17:15:38Z")
One of the main roads in Boulder is called “Table Mesa.” ---
**Author:** ![Yumanite](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/b487fb/32.png) [@Yumanite](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yumanite)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2001, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-tragedy-of-a-small-vocabulary-or-redundancy-in-new-zealand/90673/20 "2001-10-31T17:24:56Z")
Anyone want to hiking? I was thinking of heading over to Picacho Peak this afternoon… [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-tragedy-of-a-small-vocabulary-or-redundancy-in-new-zealand/90673.md?page=2)