I found this phrase in a financial news bulletin:

The European Central Bank left its key interest rates unchanged Thursday, maintaining accommodative policy as the euro zone struggles to pull itself together after nearly two years of contraction.

Yes, but what is funny in this?

Contraction

NOUN:
*The act of contracting or the state of being contracted.
*A word, as won't from will not, or phrase, as o'clock from of the clock, formed by omitting or combining some of the sounds of a longer phrase.

*The formation of such a word.
*Physiology The shortening and thickening of functioning muscle or muscle fiber.
*A period of decreased business activity.

In the USA the phrase pull yourself together means to control your emotions so you can function, so I can see where the juxtaposition of phrases within "...to pull itself together after nearly two years of contraction" might be considered funny.

No? Oh well, I'll laugh anyway.

I just figured it was funny because contacting is already pulling together, no?

Yes, I see, sorry wsieber. I didn't see it. :-) Sorry too this redundancy is a square reality.

Sounds like tautology to me!!