I love Star Trek. My first experience as a teenager was watching The Next Generation. Later on, my favorite series became Deep Space Nine, although the animated Lower Decks now comes in a close second. After watching countless episodes, one particular quirk came to my attention. It was an odd turn of phrase that keeps popping up across the series. It goes like this:

• There is some sort of spaceship on the sensors.
• The patient has been exposed to some sort of alien virus.
• It appears to be some sort of communication device.

The phrase “some sort” or its variant “some kind” shows up in almost every Star Trek episode. Don’t believe me? Watch this YouTube compellation of all the times it is said in the Next Generation!

My beef with this phrase is that it adds nothing to the discussion. Saying something is “some kind of” is an example of a pleonasm. This occurs when a speaker or writer adds words that convey no extra value. For example, when Johnny Cash sang of a “burning ring of fire” he was using a pleonasm. After all, fire by its nature is burning. Another example is a “free gift.” A gift by its very nature is free! In Star Trek, the statement “some kind of spaceship” is pointless. One can just say it is a spaceship and be done with it!

Why do I bring this up? In order to improve our speaking and writing skills, identifying unnecessary words is a helpful process to master. Eliminating words that fail to add value is a way to develop effective and efficient communication.

In the Star Trek example, the constant use of “some sort” is meant to convey a sense of mystery regarding the item observed. However, in my opinion it lacks value. How could these statements be improved? Here are suggestions:

• There is a scout class ship on the sensors.
• The patient has been exposed to a illness similar to Klingon virus.
• It is an ancient short range communication device.

Here is your challenge if you wish to take it. Next time you draft a speech review your word choices. You may find “some sort” of pleonasm of your own to iron out.

Until the next post, as the Vulcan’s say, live long and prosper!