"On the ground" redux

[Peter A. McGraw]

Awhile ago there was a discussion of the figurative use of "on the ground."
For any of you who missed it, there was a great example this morning on
NPR.  In a report on a new agreement over the Darfur region of Sudan, the
news reader (female, I forget who), said, "The no-fly zone will be a
significant element on the ground."  This ALMOST works literally, but with
the word "element," it seems to me, not quite.

Peter Mc.

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Peter A. McGraw       Linfield College        McMinnville, Oregon
******************* pmcgraw at linfield.edu ************************