culminate v. end v. result

Question

"A series of financial disasters culminated in the collapse of the country's largest bank."

Source: MacMillan English Dictionary.

Question: What does this sentence convey? Does it implies that disasters has ended after the collapse of the bank or they contine?

Whic of the following options would be the same in meaning as the original and be idiomatic?

1) A series of financial disasters ended in the collapse of the country's largest bank."

2) A series of financial disasters resulted in the collapse of the country's largest bank."

Thank you.

AlpheccaStars · Accepted Answer

hhtt"A series of financial disasters culminated in the collapse of the country's largest bank."

To me, there were a series of bad financial decisions or poor management on the part of the bank's president and high-level management. These bad decisions and perhaps an adverse economy resulted in the bank's going out of business.

One of the oldest and largest UK banks, Barings, declared bankruptcy (1995) when one of its currency traders in Singapore placed big bets over a 4-5 year period of time and lost a total of £827 million. The bank had poor supervisory controls, and the trader was able to hide the mounting losses.

Hhtt · Answer

But I do not discuss how band went to bankruptcy and I am not interested in management of the bank I am just interested in the meaning of culminate because its meaning is complex when thinking in my native language. the most confusing part is meaning of culminate for this context.

Does culminate refer to that disasters continue after the collapse of the banks or we do not know whether or not disasters continue we just can know from that verb that "the final important result was collapse of the bank" and there is not important damaging result after that collapse? So is this explanation correct?

Thank you.

Clive · Answer

"A series of financial disasters culminated in the collapse of the country's largest bank."

Source: MacMillan English Dictionary.

Question: What does this sentence convey? Does it implies that disasters has ended after the collapse of the bank or they continue? The collapse was the worst and final disaster.

culminate - reach its highest and final point

Which of the following options would be the same in meaning as the original and be idiomatic?

1) A series of financial disasters ended in the collapse of the country's largest bank." This implies but does not state that the collapse was the worst disaster.

2) A series of financial disasters resulted in the collapse of the country's largest bank." This implies but does not state that the collapse was the worst and final disaster.

.

AlpheccaStars · Answer

hhttDoes culminate refer to that disasters continue

No. The disasters just affected the bank. Here is an example of a series of financial disasters...

Because of disaster #1, the bank loses $10 million.
Because of disaster #2, the bank loses $3 million.
Because of disaster #3, the bank loses $55 million..
Because of disaster #4, the bank loses $122 million.
Because of disaster #5, the bank loses $300 million. (The culmination happens here.)
The bank is insolvent and goes bankrupt. The bank goes out of business.

There are no more disasters, because the bank is out of business, and there are no more bad managers to make disastrous financial decisions. "Culminate" means to reach the worst / highest point, at which everything collapses.

Hhtt · Answer

Clive"A series of financial disasters culminated in the collapse of the country's largest bank." Source: MacMillan English Dictionary.Question: What does this sentence convey? Does it implies that disasters has ended after the collapse of the bank or they continue? The collapse was the worst and final disaster. culminate - reach its highest and final point Which of the following options would be the same in meaning as the original and be idiomatic?1) A series of financial disasters ended in the collapse of the country's largest bank." This implies but does not state that the collapse was the worst disaster.2) A series of financial disasters resulted in the collapse of the country's largest bank." This implies but does not state that the collapse was the worst and final disaster. .

When saying this implies but not state ... , this implies what? The problem with imply

This is actually a very clear answer. From this answer, I understand that culminate both implies end of the disasters and the points out that collapse was the worst result of them. But I cannot determine whether or not disasters just affected the bank/some banks or not? Would you like to make it clear?

Thank you.

Hhtt · Answer

AlpheccaStars hhttDoes culminate refer to that disasters continueNo. The disasters just affected the bank. Here is an example of a series of financial disasters...Because of disaster #1, the bank loses $10 million.Because of disaster #2, the bank loses $3 million.Because of disaster #3, the bank loses $55 million..Because of disaster #4, the bank loses $122 million.Because of disaster #5, the bank loses $300 million. (The culmination happens here.)The bank is insolvent and goes bankrupt. The bank goes out of business. There are no more disasters, because the bank is out of business, and there are no more bad managers to make disastrous financial decisions. "Culminate" means to reach the worst / highest point, at which everything collapses.

How do we know from the verb culminate that disasters only affect the bank. For example, can it affect other firms but damage of that bank could be highest.

Thank you.

Clive · Answer

When saying this implies but not state ... , this implies what? The problem with imply

1) A series of financial disasters ended in the collapse of the country's largest bank." This implies but does not state that the collapse was the worst disaster.

In other words, this suggests to the reader that the collapse was the worst disaster, but it does not very clearly say so,

Consider this simpler example.
Mary wants to spend her life with Tom. This implies but does not state that she loves him.

Hhtt · Answer

CliveWhen saying this implies but not state ... , this implies what? The problem with imply1) A series of financial disasters ended in the collapse of the country's largest bank." This implies but does not state that the collapse was the worst disaster.In other words, this suggests to the reader that the collapse was the worst disaster, but it does not very clearly say so,

Then can we say that in the sentence of "A series of financial disasters endend in the collapse of the country's largest bank" collapse is probably the worst disaster but not surely?

And for this sentence does "end" state that "disasters has finished" ?

Thank you.

Clive · Answer

I cannot determine whether or not disasters just affected the bank/some banks or not?

Your original quote does not give us enough information to determine that.

AlpheccaStars · Answer

hhttFor example, can it affect other firms but damage of that bank could be highest.

We don't know. There is no information in that sentence that you can infer that other banks were affected or not. "Culminate" just means that the highest point (climax) of a situation was reached. It can apply to any situation that builds and builds to a high point. The climax can be followed by a celebration, a disaster, or nothing at all; the situation just ends. at that point.

Next week's protests will culminate in a march on the opening ceremonies Feb. 12. (The protests will get stronger and bigger until the final march on Feb 12.)
The Billy Price Band will perform, and a fireworks show will culminate the weekend. (The high point of the weekend's events will be a fireworks show.)
The projects will culminate in a full-scale test in the water in June 2010.

If you build a house of cards, it usually culminates in a sudden collapse.

culminate v. end v. result

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