How the dead lie
A reader who has seen news articles about the late William Donald Schaefer “lying in repose” and “lying in state” wonders what the distinction is, and which is the more proper.
An article by Daniel Engber a few years back in Slate.com explained that you lie in state if your coffin is displayed in the rotunda of U.S. Capitol and you are given a state funeral. A deceased president honored in the East Room of the White House or a senator in the Senate chamber would be said to lie in repose. That is a strict view—although Mr. Engber points out that outside Washington, the terms are often used interchangeably.
A somewhat more nuanced distinction was provided by David Gura at NPR.com. Mr. Gura consulted Donald A. Ritchie of the Senate Historical Office: “According to him, when a member of government dies, if his casket is on display in a government building — including the Capitol — he lies in state. If his casket is in any other building, he lies in repose. If the person is not a member of government, he lies in honor.”
Regrettably, our website had Mr. Schaefer “laying in repose,” prompting an email from a former editor that fairly shrieked. (We fixed it.) We might just be able to sort out state and repose, but I am very much afraid that we are destined never to have much luck with lie and lay.
Comments
John, I would point out that you know (or would have, if you were alive) that you've finally made it when you've been assassinated instead of murdered.
Posted by: Kevin | April 26, 2011 7:40 PM
Yeah, but if it's covered by the NY Post, you'll have been "slain," no matter how you slice it.
Posted by: mary | April 26, 2011 8:30 PM
I had an 8th grade English teacher who made sure that everyone who went through her class knew the difference betwenn lie and lay. Too bad that it is apparently too much to expect from the professionals at the Sun.
Posted by: John20723 | April 26, 2011 10:20 PM
Further, in a quibble that transcends grammar or linguistics, I would maintain that it is the BODY of Governor Schaefer that lay in repose, not the Governor himself. The Governor "left the buliding" some time last week. His body -- and his memory -- are being honored now.
Posted by: BankStreet | April 27, 2011 12:20 PM
I liked the second, more nuanced distinction and thanks for finding it.
Posted by: PCB Rob | April 27, 2011 1:18 PM
But question is: did they really know it - that is, do they never err now - or did they just memorize your example sentences and pass your test?
Anyway, the distinction is not half as useful as that between "rise" and "raise", and that one's never mentioned though it's going, too.
And anyway: I believe a number of those sentences - like "his body lays in state" - are really English middle constructions, which makes them perfectly fine.
Consider "she doesn't frighten easily". In it, "she" is not the semantic subject of "frighten", but its object. The sentence doesn't mean "she finds it difficult to frighten others" but rather "it is difficult to frighten her". Theme (object) becomes subject, verb remains 'active', no agent (subject) is (often can be) specified, and an adverbial adjunct is used.
"His body lays in state" = "his body was lain in state". Possible? Why not?
Posted by: The Ridger | April 28, 2011 6:34 PM