start a debate

[alpacinou]

Hello,

I want to suggest the recent pandemic should start a debate about protecting the environment. Can I use "kindle" or "spark" instead of start?

Does this work?

I think this recent pandemic should be a wake-up call and spark/kindle a debate about how we protect the environment. We don't respect nature and that needs to change.

 

[tedmc]

"Spark" is more common with "debates. Or generate/trigger/set off.

 

[Raymott]

The pandemic is current, not recent.

 

[alpacinou]

Is this okay?

I think this pandemic should be a wake-up call and spark a debate about how we protect the environment. We don't respect nature and that needs to change.

 

[Charlie Bernstein]

"Spark" is more common with "debates. Or generate/trigger/set off.

Or launch, inspire, lead to, result in, turn into, instigate . . . .

 

[GoesStation]

Should the debate be about how we protect the environment or how we fail to? Or do you mean to better protect the environment?

 

[alpacinou]

Should the debate be about how we protect the environment or how we fail to? Or do you mean to better protect the environment?

A general debate about better protecting the environment.

 

[alpacinou]

Is this also correct?

I think this pandemic should be a wake-up call and instigate a serious debate about how better we can protect the environment. We don't respect nature and that needs to change.

 

[tedmc]

No, "instigate" is used in the negative sense, as in "instigate trouble/fight".

 

[jutfrank]

Right—don't use instigate. What happened to spark?

 

[alpacinou]

Or launch, inspire, lead to, result in, turn into, instigate . . . .

I saw instigate here and I wanted to see if it works.

 

[Tarheel]

I saw "instigate" here and I wanted to see if it works.

It's not terrible, but there are other possibilities that are just as good or better. (My opinion.)

 

[Charlie Bernstein]

Is this also correct?

I think this pandemic should be a wake-up call and instigate a serious debate about how better we can protect the environment. We don't respect nature and that needs to change.

Here's a small note about style:

It helps to use qualifiers sparingly. Either use I think/will (I think this pandemic will be) or should (This pandemic should be) — not both.

I prefer "should be" because it's obviously what you think: If you didn't think it, you wouldn't say it. But both are natural and mean more or less the same thing.

I used to work for a guy who used way too many qualifiers. I wrote one down once at a meeting so I wouldn't forget it: "I guess I think I sort of feel that maybe . . . ."