I heard this the other day on the HGTV “House Hunters International” television program.

Problem:
Travertine is not marble.

Explanation:
The statement was made by a real-estate agent showing a house to a prospective buyer.

The problem with the statement is that it contains the phrase “travertine marble”, which is a common English blunder.

Travertine is a sedimentary rock.

In contrast, marble is a metamorphic rock that is created by the metamorphism of limestone.

Therefore, travertine is not a type of marble and should not be used to modify the noun “marble”.

Solution:
“That’s imported travertine from Italy.”