# EN: allongé dans Nancy



## DiamondTino

Hi.
In my text, someone is 'allongé dans Nancy (the town)', but he is actually dead - he is lying/lain in his coffin (mm I know, cheerful). Which one would you use: *lying *in Nancy or *lain *in Nancy?
All this is still very confusing for many people I reckon.
Thanks for any help.


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## livvie

_Lain - past participle of_ lie.

_Lying -  present participle of lie.

Is he still in his coffin?  Between the two I'd use 'lying in Nancy'.  He could also be 'laid out' 'stretched out' in his coffin.

_


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## DiamondTino

you bet he is!
thanks!


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## b1947420

DiamondTino said:


> Hi.
> In my text, someone is 'allongé dans Nancy (the town)', but he is actually dead - he is lying/lain in his coffin (mm I know, cheerful). Which one would you use: *lying *in Nancy or *lain *in Nancy?
> All this is still very confusing for many people I reckon.
> Thanks for any help.


 

As I understand it "lying" is an adjective describing some noun.

"Lain" however is the past particple of the verb "to lie"

So if we have a body put to rest somewhere then the body has been lain to rest.

Does this help?


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## butch from waco

I would say he's laying down somewhere in Nancy...


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## L'enquiquineur

We say that someone has been 'laid out', usually in a coffin, after death.  So, 'laid out in Nancy' makes it clear that he is, indeed, dead.  'Laying down' suggests that he has got into this position himself - not at all the same thing!


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## livvie

L'enquiquineur said:


> We say that someone has been 'laid out', usually in a coffin, after death.  So, 'laid out in Nancy' makes it clear that he is, indeed, dead.  'Laying down' suggests that he has got into this position himself - not at all the same thing!



The source says '*allongé *dans Nancy', which doesn't imply he is dead I agree. The fact that he is dead is added afterwhich is why, as I don't know the whole sentence, I said 'laid out *in a coffin*' so DiamondTino could choose to express the idea with a less literal translation.


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## xtrasystole

To my French ears, _'allongé dans Nancy'_ (yes, the city) sounds a bit weird. In fact, to me it's hard to imagine an instance in which I'd use those 3 words, in that order. There may be something slangy about it... 

Could you give us the _whole_ sentence please?


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## butch from waco

L'enquiquineur said:


> 'Laying down' suggests that he has got into this position himself - not at all the same thing!


You're right, I'm wrong! But at least I've made the discussion moving on!


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## Maître Capello

xtrasystole said:


> To my French ears, _'allongé dans Nancy'_ (yes, the city) sounds a bit weird. In fact, to me it's hard to imagine an instance in which I'd use those 3 words, in that order. There may be something slangy about it...


To me, the preposition _dans_ (instead of the expected _à_) hints the guy is *buried*… Therefore, I'd choose L'enquiquineur's suggestion, namely _laid out in Nancy_.


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## xtrasystole

Well, instead of racking our brains trying to figure out the meaning of those 3 words in the original, wouldn't it be simpler if DiamondTino just gave us the _*whole*_ sentence?


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## DiamondTino

Oui! C'est un texte de Pierre Michon:
'Le gros menton au garde-à-vous avait dû être un peu burlesque et méchant de se savoir tel, pétainiste, prêt à mal tourner : il valait peut-être mieux que le pantalon rouge fût affalé là, sur le gros couvre-pieds paysan, et que la tunique de suie ardente, cette ténèbre un peu luisante dans la flamme des chandelles, n'existât plus que pour me rappeler l'armure noire du Téméraire enfin inoffensif, *allongé dans Nancy*.'
Le gars est mort, allongé dans son cercueil, un observateur extérieur rapporte la scène.


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## xtrasystole

I agree with L'enquiquineur, livvie and Maître Capello. _'Laid out in nancy'_ he is.


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## DiamondTino

Thank you all for your precious pieces of advice.


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## Montaigne

Le 5 janvier 1477, Charles le Téméraire meurt et sa dépouille, retrouvée nue, a demi dévorée par les loups est exposée sur un lit de parade dans la maison d'un certain Marqueix.
So he is dead and not buried and obviously lain on a bed, not laid out in Nancy.


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