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Latest post Sat, Aug 12 2006 12:54 PM by MrPedantic. 2 replies.
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Qim  +  255134 Sat, 12 Aug 06 12:42 PM

Is this proper English, or is it really a repetition of terms?

I am trying to refer to snow.

Qim
Joined on Tue, Jan 31 2006
Junior Member 69
Inchoateknowledge, 3 yr 103 days ago
It is ok to me.


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MrPedantic  +  255141 Sat, 12 Aug 06 12:54 PM
Hello Qim

"Specks" means "small marks or foreign bodies on a surface". "Fluff" on the other hand refers to a dense, minutely fibrous, irregular, three-dimensional structure, usually of organic origin. So "specks" may consist of small pieces of "fluff".

When snow sticks to a window pane, and doesn't melt, you might well describe it as "specks of fluff". Some readers might find the phrase less appropriate in other contexts, e.g. falling snow; but I'm not sure it would ever be reprehensible.

All the best,

MrP


Joined on Tue, Oct 12 2004
Veteran Member 12,592
...opella forensis / adducit febris...
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