Elizabeth remains a largely revered figure and can lay
claim to be the most recognised woman on the planet.
-------------------------------------------------------------------
I find the usage of "lay claim to" in the sentence very
unconventional, because it's more often to find a noun
following the phrase. Do you think it's acceptable to use
it this way?
In article <d28f5063-afd5-40af-a7b5-f2907dcb0...@b10g2000pbd.googlegroups.com>,
Yilaner <yila...@gmail.com> wrote:
> Elizabeth remains a largely revered figure and can lay
> claim to be the most recognised woman on the planet.
> -------------------------------------------------------------------
> I find the usage of "lay claim to" in the sentence very
> unconventional, because it's more often to find a noun
> following the phrase. Do you think it's acceptable to use
> it this way?
I suppose that one would more commonly see "lay claim to the title of Most Recognized Woman," but the phrase "lay claim to be(ing) the most, etc" is not unusual.
On Thu, 9 Feb 2012 05:40:18 -0800 (PST), Yilaner <yila...@gmail.com> wrote:
>Elizabeth remains a largely revered figure and can lay
>claim to be the most recognised woman on the planet.
>-------------------------------------------------------------------
>I find the usage of "lay claim to" in the sentence very
>unconventional, because it's more often to find a noun
>following the phrase. Do you think it's acceptable to use
>it this way?
I don't see a problem with it.
I do, however, see a problem with "to be", which sticks out like an amputated
leg.
It should be "to being".
-- Steve Hayes from Tshwane, South Africa
Blog: http://khanya.wordpress.com E-mail - see web page, or parse: shayes at dunelm full stop org full stop uk
On Feb 9, 6:40 am, Yilaner <yila...@gmail.com> wrote:
> Elizabeth remains a largely revered figure and can lay
> claim to be the most recognised woman on the planet.
> -------------------------------------------------------------------
> I find the usage of "lay claim to" in the sentence very
> unconventional, because it's more often to find a noun
> following the phrase. Do you think it's acceptable to use
> it this way?
Not really. "Lay claim to being" is the usual way. Google Ngrams
surprised me, though, by laying a claim that "lay claim to be" was
more common until about 100 years ago and still exists.
> Elizabeth remains a largely revered figure and can lay
> claim to be the most recognised woman on the planet.
> -------------------------------------------------------------------
> I find the usage of "lay claim to" in the sentence very
> unconventional, because it's more often to find a noun
> following the phrase. Do you think it's acceptable to use
> it this way?
> > Elizabeth remains a largely revered figure and can lay
> > claim to be the most recognised woman on the planet.
> > -------------------------------------------------------------------
> > I find the usage of "lay claim to" in the sentence very
> > unconventional, because it's more often to find a noun
> > following the phrase. Do you think it's acceptable to use
> > it this way?
> I HEREBY LAY CLAIM TO FIRST POST OF THE DAY!
You have already successfully "laid claim" to be the tosspot of the
year.
>> Elizabeth remains a largely revered figure and can lay
>> claim to be the most recognised woman on the planet.
>> -------------------------------------------------------------------
>> I find the usage of "lay claim to" in the sentence very
>> unconventional, because it's more often to find a noun
>> following the phrase.
Steve Hayes:
> I don't see a problem with it.
> I do, however, see a problem with "to be"...
> It should be "to being".
Agreed. But I think this was exactly Yilaner's point. "Lay claim to"
doesn't work *with "be" following it*, as in the original.
-- Mark Brader | "In the USA politicians run for office. In Britain they
Toronto | stand for office. Of course... once elected... [they]
m...@vex.net | neither run nor stand, they lie." --John Cletheroe
> Elizabeth remains a largely revered figure and can lay
> claim to be the most recognised woman on the planet.
> -------------------------------------------------------------------
> I find the usage of "lay claim to" in the sentence very
> unconventional, because it's more often to find a noun
> following the phrase. Do you think it's acceptable to use
> it this way?
