Michael Chugani 褚簡寧 - Lying-in-State|又中又英


By the time you read this, the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II will have ended and her body laid to rest. As I said in my previous column, she received a state funeral which is a ceremonial public funeral usually for a head of state. Before yesterday’s funeral, her coffin was Lying-in-State for four days on a catafalque in Westminster Hall, which was built in 1097. It is the oldest building in the British Parliament complex. Hundreds of thousands of people lined up to say their final goodbye to the Queen while she was Lying-in-State. To be laid to rest means to be buried.
A catafalque is a decorated raised platform where the coffin of a famous person is placed during a funeral or while Lying-in-State. When a deceased person Lies-in-State, it means the coffin, either open or closed, is displayed in a public place for people to pay their respects. Only very famous people Lie-in-State. The Queen’s funeral took place in Westminster Abbey, Britain’s most famous church close to Parliament. The funeral was attended by kings, queens, and heads of state from around the world. Not many people know the Queen’s childhood nickname was Lilibet. As a very young child learning to talk she was unable to pronounce her name. She said Lilibet instead of Elizabeth.

Some people say Britain’s monarchy is an anachronism, which means something or someone that belongs to an earlier time in history and is no longer relevant. I said in my previous column I don’t think Britain’s monarchy will end. British people showed the monarchy is not an anachronism when they lined up for over five miles to say goodbye to the Queen Lying-in-State.
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  當你讀到這篇文章的時候,英女皇的葬禮已經結束,她的遺體已入土為安(laid to rest)。正如我在之前的文章中所言,她的葬禮是國葬(state funeral)安排,是一個公開的禮葬,通常為一國之首而設。在昨天的葬禮前,她的靈柩有四天置放於西敏廳的靈柩台(catafalque)上,供公眾瞻仰(Lying-in-State)。西敏廳建於一○九七年,是英國國會大廈建築群中最古老的建築。數十萬計的人排隊瞻仰(Lying-in-State)英女皇,向她作最後道別。To be laid to rest意即被安葬。

A catafalque是在名人的喪禮或公眾瞻仰(Lying-in-State)期間,用以置放靈柩、配有裝飾及升高了的平台。當一位亡者 Lies-in-State,意即其靈柩,或打開或蓋上,置於公眾地方展示,讓人表達敬意。只有非常知名的人士才會有公眾瞻仰(Lie-in-State)。英女皇的葬禮假西敏寺舉行,它靠近國會,是英國最出名的教堂。這次國葬將會有來自世界各地的國王、王后以至國家元首出席。不是許多人知道,英女皇的乳名為 Lilibet。她非常年幼牙牙學語之時,並不能正確讀出自己的名字 Elizabeth,而是讀成了 Lilibet。
  一些人說,英國的君主制是個anachronism,意即落伍的人或過時的風俗,是時代的錯置。我在之前的文章中也說過,我不認為英國的君主制會結束。英國人排了超過五英里(相當於八公里)的隊去瞻仰靈柩(Lying-in-State),向英女皇作最後的道別,正正表明君主制並非一個過時的產物(anachronism)。
中譯:七刻
Michael Chugani 褚簡寧
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