Idiom pet peeve "If and when"

[Squatch]

This one always bothers me. Example:

I will quit smoking if and when the Mariners win the pennant.

OK, besides the obviously false assumption that the Mariners will ever win the pennant, the usage of "if" in "if and when" seems superfluous.

"If" something happens means there is a chance that it will not happen.

"When" eliminates that chance.

Just me being anal, I s'pose.

[Jim__]

1. I think the "if" in "if and when" eliminates the false assumption.

In your example:

I will quit smoking if and when the Mariners win the pennant.

OK, besides the obviously false assumption that the Mariners will ever win the pennant, the usage of "if" in "if and when" seems superfluous.


There isn't an assumption that the Mariners will win the pennant.

[madinmaryland]

2. If and when the Mariners win the pennant,

I will read this post.

:evilgrin:

[radwriter0555]

3. "senseless killings"... "innocent victims"... as opposed to SENSIBLE

killings and guilty victims?

[bif]

4. "anytime soon."

They use it to end about half tthe stories on NPR. As in, "They won't be coming home, anytime soon. For NPR in Washington..."