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MUSCOVITE Posted 14 years ago
Vocabulary

When 'standing/lying' are applicable to...?

Hi,Imagine there is a table .... and there are various objects ( papers, glasses, forks, knives, whatever! ) on it.Can I use the verbs 'to stand' and 'to lie' (in the present continuous) for the verb 'to be' when describing the location of these objects?(1.1) The glass is on the table. (it must be just fine?)(1.2) The glass is standing on the table. (sounds natural?)(2.1) The vase is on the table.(2.2) The vase is standing on the table. (sounds natural?)(3.1) The pen is on the table(3.2) The pen is lying on the table (is it OK?)(4.1) The book is on the table(4.2) The book is lying on the table (is it OK?)In general, how can I tell which of the two verbs ('to stand' or 'to lie') belongs in each specific case (for the given specific object)?On a slightly different note, if I said, "The pencil is situated/located/placed on the table", it would probably be too 'lofty language' for an ordinary pencil lying on an ordinary table? :-) mus-te
  

Top answer

2) The glass is standing on the table. 1) The vase is on the table. 2) The vase is standing on the table.

— Mister Micawber

  • 2) The glass is standing on the table.
  • 1) The vase is on the table.
  • 2) The vase is standing on the table.
  • -- It is a matter of verticality vs horizontality.
  • - - Not just that.
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5 Answers
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1.1) The glass is on the table-- OK
(1.2) The glass is standing on the table.-- OK
(2.1) The vase is on the table.-- OK
(2.2) The vase is standing on the table.-- OK
(3.1) The pen is on the table-- OK
(3.2) The pen is lying on the table -- OK
(4.1) The book is on the table-- OK
(4.2) The book is lying on the table -- O
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Mister MicawberIt is a matter of verticality vs horizontality.
Well, there's the rub...
It is not always easy to figure out wheter a specific object is "vertical" or "horisontal"?
For example, it is perfectly OK to say either "the dinner plate is standing on the table" or "the dinner plate is lying on the table" in my native language.
Q: What do
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MUSCOVITEWell, there's the rub...It is not always easy to figure out wheter a specific object is "vertical" or "horisontal"?For example, it is perfectly OK to say either "the dinner plate is standing on the table" or "the dinner plate is lying on the table" in my native language. Q: What do you think is the best way to solve such a dilemma ("plate's standing" vs "plate's
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But to go back to axes: if the greater axis (dimension) is horizontal, it is generally lying, and if the greater axis (dimension) is vertical, it is generally standing, and the greater the difference the likelier it is.
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It is THE criteria!
No more silly questions on 'standing vs lying'! :-)
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