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Picture of shufitz
posted
I read, "The American Empire has seen a resurgence in recent years."

Is that a good usage? I mean, the Empire hasn't 'seen' a resurgence. It has 'had' one, and observers have seen it happen.

Yes, I know this is picking a nit, but is the source I read technically wrong?

This message has been edited. Last edited by: shufitz,
 
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Picture of aput
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In my work I am constantly reading text like "its profile has witnessed a thrilling resurgence recently and is now leading the real estate charge", and so I find "see a resurgence" refreshing literal and uncomplicated.

Going back to the literal root, I suppose it's waves that rise back up. There's not much that literal resurgers can do except resurge; I'd be reluctant to say that a wave literally had a resurgence. So 'have' and 'undergo' are already paddling a little into the metaphorical sea, and 'experience' is only slightly deeper water. What can experience can see. Whatever is personified or reified as having a resurgence has thereby been given other cognitive powers including sight, so they can see their resurgence as they're experiencing it.
 
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Picture of Kalleh
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What an eloquent discussion, Aput.

This may be one of those times when the terminology is changing, whether or not it is right, Shu. I surely hear that phrase a lot.
 
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<Asa Lovejoy>
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So, even the folks at the Wall Street Journal are admitting to our imperialist intentions? Frown Confused Roll Eyes
 
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Picture of Richard English
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Since America has never, until recently, had Imperial ambitions, let alone an Empire, how could it have a resurgence?


Richard English
 
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Picture of Kalleh
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Good point, Richard (and welcome back! Wink). I agree; we can hardly call it an "American Empire" in the first place.
 
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