"Stirs to life"

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Ville

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"Stirs to life." Can that be said about an inanimate object that starts moving? For example:"The curtain stirs to life in the breeze."
 

bhaisahab

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"Stirs to life." Can that be said about an inanimate object that starts moving? For example:"The curtain stirs to life in the breeze."
Yes, you can say that.
 

emsr2d2

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"Stirs to life." Can that be said about an inanimate object that starts moving? For example:"The curtain stirs to life in the breeze."

As Bhaisahab said, it's fine, though I thought about it and would be more likely to say "The curtain is/was stirred to life by the breeze".
 

Ville

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As Bhaisahab said, it's fine, though I thought about it and would be more likely to say "The curtain is/was stirred to life by the breeze".

I'm writing a screenplay, so it needs to be in present tense;-)

Thanks for the replies!
 

emsr2d2

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I'm writing a screenplay, so it needs to be in present tense;-)

Thanks for the replies!

Well, "...is stirred to life..." is in the present tense!
 

Ville

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Well, "...is stirred to life..." is in the present tense!

Oops! :-D You're right. But isn't my example too? I'm just treating the curtain as if it had a will of its own.
 

emsr2d2

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Oops! :-D You're right. But isn't my example too? I'm just treating the curtain as if it had a will of its own.

Your sentence is in the present tense too, but I think it's clear that it is the breeze that is causing the curtain to come to life, not that the curtain has a will of its own. There's nothing wrong with your sentence, I was merely pointing out that I would have worded it differently! :)
 

bhaisahab

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I'm writing a screenplay, so it needs to be in present tense;-)

Thanks for the replies!
If you are writing a screenplay (I suspected something of the sort) it's perfect.
 
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