Sadly, Oliver Kamm is now behind the (London) Times paywall, but I'd be interested in his take on this...
On the (BBC Radio 4) news a few minutes ago, there was yet another reference to the "potential threat" from N. Korea's nuclear weapons.
What other kind of threat is there?
A threat refers to something which may happen, detrimentally, in the future*. It is by definition potential. To qualify it as "potential" --or indeed "actual"-- is otiose, superfluous** and indeed meaningless.
And the same goes for danger, risk, and more positively opportunity.
I ought to get out more..
* Sorry! "going forward". Yeugh!.
** Yes, to use both almost synonymous adjectives is itself either one or the other, but can it be both?
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