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The post title feels grammatically off in a way I'm struggling to articulate. I think it's the difference between "declares <object> <adjective>" and "declares that <clause>".

Examples of the former:

  - Researchers declare food unhealthy.

  - Invaders declare territory theirs.
I think my problem is that the former is used in contexts that are either subjective or abstract, whereas the latter is just and indication that somebody has said something.

When you declare <thing> <attribute>, you are making an assertion with some implicit authority. When you declare that <event has happened>, you are simply making an announcement.



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