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Sunny Yen Posted 10 years ago
Grammar
What does it mean by “lies to something”?
Please take a look at this sentence:
It lies to the northwest of Continental Europe.
(source: http://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Great_Britain
I used to think that we would only put prepositions like "in" or "on" with the verb "lie" (For example: "India lies on the Indian Plate.", "The antipodes of the Chatham Islands lie in France."), so when I came across this sentence I checked my dictionaries at hand, but I couldn't find any information about this particular usage.
Is it really correct to write or say that something "lies to something"? (I do not have in mind the kind of sentence constructions like "you lie to me".)and, if it is correct, what exactly is the difference between "lie to", "lie in" and "lie on"?
It lies to the northwest of Continental Europe.
(source: http://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Great_Britain
I used to think that we would only put prepositions like "in" or "on" with the verb "lie" (For example: "India lies on the Indian Plate.", "The antipodes of the Chatham Islands lie in France."), so when I came across this sentence I checked my dictionaries at hand, but I couldn't find any information about this particular usage.
Is it really correct to write or say that something "lies to something"? (I do not have in mind the kind of sentence constructions like "you lie to me".)and, if it is correct, what exactly is the difference between "lie to", "lie in" and "lie on"?
Top answer
Is it really correct to write or say that something "lies to something"? Don't think of "lie" and "to" as connected words. "to the {direction} of {place}" is the pattern.
- Is it really correct to write or say that something "lies to something"?
- Don't think of "lie" and "to" as connected words.
- "to the {direction} of {place}" is the pattern.
- ].
- CJ
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5 Answers
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???Is it really correct to write or say that something "lies to something"?Don't think of "lie" and "to" as connected words. "to the {direction} of {place}" is the pattern.
It [lies / is / is located / can be found] somewhere to the [northwest / northeast / southwest / southeast] of [Egypt / China / Canada / ..
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???It lies to the northwest of Continental Europe.You approach the problem from the wrong angle. The preposition to has nothing to do with lies. It is part of the phrase to the northwest of Europe, which is an idiomatic way to indicate the location of 'it'. In fact, there are two correct ways to indicate location. You can omit to the.
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That's my fault. I do understand you can't treat them as connected words. May I say that based on what CJ and other members said, it is actually quite normal to use "to the {direction} of {place}" pattern with the verb "lie"?
(which means that the preposition is the right one to use?)
(which means that the preposition is the right one to use?)
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Sunny Yenit is actually quite normal to use "to the {direction} of {place}" pattern with the verb "lie"?(which means that the preposition is the right one to use?)Yes, and yes.
CJ
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