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Petusek Posted 10 years ago
Vocabulary
'reveal' in the sense of 'show', 'display', or 'exhibit'
Hello everyone,
In my native language the equivalent of 'reveal' can be used to convey the meaning of 'show', 'display' or 'exhibit'.
I'm not sure, however, whether it can always be used like that in English. Consier, for instance, the following sentence:
The mandibles of those specimens revealed well-developed teeth, while all other specimens displayed deeply abraded teeth.
For some reason, I feel like I should replace the verb with exhibited or showed, or even use displayed only once and elide the verb altogether in the second part of the compound sentence.
If the subject of the sentence, the more agentive argument of the verb reveal, was something more abstract, like 'study' or 'research', rather than 'mandibles', I guess there would be no problem at all, but while I can imagine that 'mandibles' could, perhaps, stand for 'study of mandibles' or 'research into mandibles', I'm not sure if it's really correct and if it sounds natural.
Many thanks for any comments!
P.
In my native language the equivalent of 'reveal' can be used to convey the meaning of 'show', 'display' or 'exhibit'.
I'm not sure, however, whether it can always be used like that in English. Consier, for instance, the following sentence:
The mandibles of those specimens revealed well-developed teeth, while all other specimens displayed deeply abraded teeth.
For some reason, I feel like I should replace the verb with exhibited or showed, or even use displayed only once and elide the verb altogether in the second part of the compound sentence.
If the subject of the sentence, the more agentive argument of the verb reveal, was something more abstract, like 'study' or 'research', rather than 'mandibles', I guess there would be no problem at all, but while I can imagine that 'mandibles' could, perhaps, stand for 'study of mandibles' or 'research into mandibles', I'm not sure if it's really correct and if it sounds natural.
Many thanks for any comments!
P.
Top answer
reveal >>show, often suddenly. eg Einstein revealed the secrets of the universe. eg He opened his mouth and revealed his tongue.
- reveal >>show, often suddenly.
- eg Einstein revealed the secrets of the universe.
- eg He opened his mouth and revealed his tongue.
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4 Answers
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reveal >>show, often suddenly.
eg Einstein revealed the secrets of the universe.
eg He opened his mouth and revealed his tongue.
eg Einstein revealed the secrets of the universe.
eg He opened his mouth and revealed his tongue.
00
Thank you, Clive. I'm afraid, however, your question doesn't really give me the certitude I need. Perhaps, I didn't ask the right way. You see, the subject in your examples is a person, whereas my question concerns mainly inanimate, though not necessarily abstract, subjects. I've used the verb before, but never in the way described in (4)
00
I don't see anything inherently wrong with non-person sentences.
eg The open door revealed a corpse on the floor.
eg The clouds suddenly revealed the sun.
Broadly speaking, I agree with your 1//2/3 examples.
(b) The wings of this species
eg The open door revealed a corpse on the floor.
eg The clouds suddenly revealed the sun.
Broadly speaking, I agree with your 1//2/3 examples.
(b) The wings of this species
00
Perfect! Thank you very much, Clive! :-) Perhaps, I just think too much about everything. The more I know, the more I realize how little, in fact! :-D Anyway, thanks again!
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