question: What was superfluous
answer: As with other counties not ending in `` shire , '' the suffix was superfluous , as there was no need to differentiate between the county and a town
turker_answer: When other counties did not end in `` shire '' there was no need to differentiate between the county and town so the suffix was superfluous , or unnecessary .
rule-based: Superfluous was as with other counties not ending in `` shire , '' the suffix was superfluous , as there was no need to differentiate between the county and a town