Why "and etc." is a double trouble mistake

What kind of error is it?

Redundancy Error

Why do people make this mistake?

People often use "and etc." thinking it emphasizes the list's continuation, similar to saying "and so forth". However, the word "etc" is an abbreviation for the Latin phrase "et cetera", which means "and other things". Therefore, "and etc" translates to "and and other things", which is repetitive and incorrect.

What is correct?

The correct usage is simply "etc." without "and" before it, as "etc." already serves to indicate additional similar items.