Connecticut  - A newspaper colleague, born and reared in Mississippi, once explained that Southerners are fond of repeating themselves--most often in multiples of three.

An example of this might be, "I declare, it certainly is hot out! I can't remember the last time it was this hot outside. Don't you think this is the hottest it's ever been?" And for years I patiently listened while I was given the same information three times--thinking it was some Southern quirk I simply was meant to endure. Then I came across the following snippet of conversation while rereading Jane Austin's Emma.

"Now was the time for Mr. Frank Churchill to come among them; and the hope strengthened when it was understood that he had written to his new mother.... For a few days every morning visit in Highbury included some mention of the handsome letter Mrs. Weston had received. 'I suppose you have heard of the handsome letter Mr. Frank Churchill had written to Mrs. Weston: I understand it was a very handsome letter, indeed. Mr. Woodhouse told me of it. Mr. Woodhouse saw the letter, and he says he never saw such a handsome letter in his life.'

It was, indeed, a highly-prized letter."

So it turns out that Southerners aren't alone in this idiosyncratic repetitive quirk or else their English ancestors brought it over from the old country and passed down the trait, bundled in their DNA. Nevertheless, it's an irritating manner of speech and one you'd do well to jettison, should it be yours.

Thoughts on Writing
Repetition may be warranted, but if it must be used, use the device to either move the story along or supply additional substantive information, as in the following example: "I declare, it certainly is hot out! I can't ever remember the thermometer reading 115 degrees--in the shade. Having lived here all your life, can you remember a time when it was this hot?"

And should three tries simply not be enough, like Jane Austin, you can always nail home the point by encapsulating the bare-bones minimum at the end in a stand-alone paragraph.

"I think I'm going to faint!"