It is easy to understand though why we should be inclined to use the
transitive form of expression.
For let us see what use we make of such an expression as,
“This face says something”, that is, what the
situations are in which we use this expression, what sentence would
precede or follow it, (what kind of conversation it is a part
of).
We should perhaps follow up such
158.
a remark by saying,
“Look at the line of these eyebrows” or
“The
dark eyes and the
pale
face!”; these expressions would draw attention to certain
features.
We should in the same connection use comparisons, as for instance,
“The nose is like a beak”, – – but also such
expressions as “The whole face expresses
bewilderment”, and here we have used
“expressing” transitively.