That’s it, I give up….

One commentator said that the Queen’s coffin was being “laid on the altar”. “The Queen is now lying on the altar”. Grr Catafalque is an unusual word but it has been well explained this week.

Not convinced! It’s meant to be present conditional I think. In the same way one would say to
One’s OH ‘ If I lie here long enough, will you bring me a cup of tea?’

I have lain down to ease my referendums BP.

An alternative would be "if I were to lie here ...", but that wouldn't scan very well.

The complete sentence (question) is "If I just lay here,
would you lie with me and just forget the world?"

The "if" and "would" form a classic conditional construction, in which a simple past is used.

Kate54

Past simple construction, yes, but no mention in your link if this being used as conditional.
Surely, it should be ‘If I lie here….’

But it is being used as a conditional. The "if" is the clue.

Sorry, meant to copy Growstuff’s comment there but it didn’t work!

Past simple construction, yes, but no mention in your link if this being used as conditional.
Surely, it should be ‘If I lie here….’

Today’s blood pressure moment for me was both a presenter and a reporter talking about ‘referendums’.

Kalu

Now I lay me down to sleep? Just got me wondering.

That is the whole point, actually, Kalu: in British English, as opposed to American, you can only use "lay" if it takes an object.

Now I lay me down to sleep - does precisely that and the sentence can be parsed as Subject I, verb lay, direct object me, Adverbial clause of reason or purpose to sleep.

In the Passive voice it is perfectly correct to say, "Queen Elizabeth was laid to rest in the royal vault beside her husband, Prince Phillip.

But incorrect to use lay in the present tense, or will lay in the future tense in an Active sentence.

Kate54

Snow Patrol’s Chasing Cars (‘if I just lay here ‘ etc) may also have something to do with it. Great song otherwise.

dictionary.cambridge.org/grammar/british-grammar/lay-or-lie

"Lay" in the Snow Patrol lyrics is a past simple construction used as a conditional.

Snap, Witzend.

rockgran

Kalu - I think "Lay me down" is correct because you are placing your body on the bed.
I blame Bob Dylan for "Lay lady Lay". I always pictured a huge hen.

I agree. "Lay" is a transitive verb and has an object (in this case "me"). "Lie" can't have an object.

I’m an editor/proofreader by profession and I find myself shouting at the TV when reporters make a grammatical error. The other day, one said that someone was ‘currently in a meeting at the moment’. It seems that the current trend is to use as many words as possible in a sentence, regardless of whether they have the same meaning: ‘also … as well’ is another example.

Kalu

Now I lay me down to sleep? Just got me wondering.

That’s all right, isn’t it? ‘Lay’ should be followed by an object (the table, an egg) which here is ‘me’. Archaic usage, but IMO nowt wrong with it.

Snow Patrol’s Chasing Cars (‘if I just lay here ‘ etc) may also have something to do with it. Great song otherwise.

Kalu - I think "Lay me down" is correct because you are placing your body on the bed.
I blame Bob Dylan for "Lay lady Lay". I always pictured a huge hen.

oh GSM ! i've given up with the BBC.
that is beyond the pale.
or as they'd probably say, the bucket.

heard this am on the commentary, re her late majesty,
her and her sister margaret used to go...;
instead of, she and her sister...
that one sounds obvious and simple to me.
similarly one hears so much of,
me and my brother went to...;
and contrary-wise one often hears,
thank you for the gifts you gave to my wife and i. !
i guess if they don't care, it doesn't matter. does it?

Yesterday a BBC reporter referred to the people having to finishing filing past the Queen’s coffin as needing to finish ‘in time for the Queen to be cleared away’. As though she were the remnants of a meal.

Oh, no one says ‘me’ any more! Forget the rules of English grammar, ‘myself’ apparently sounds ‘better’….

Now I lay me down to sleep? Just got me wondering.

It has become so common that I think it will soon be the accepted form. I blame pop song lyrics.
The other mistake that bothers me is ".....for you and I " instead of ".....for you and me" - again in so many pop songs!

i don't think it is a matter of proofreading.
it is lack of knowledge and a gathering shift in the importance attached to such things.
basically, they don't care. they being anybody under about 50 years of age. including officials.
look at the use of floor for outdoor ground.
it's everywhere. education makes no difference.

One that irritates me is "10 items or less" in supermarkets.