12:04 Nov 8, 2011 

As a Scottish person, I set the table and have definitely never said "lay the table", which I have always thought of as English, particulary Southern English, usage. I like this quote from the Weekly Scotsman newspaper from 1950, although it explains little: "It seems more satisfactory to set the table than to lay the table."
(Quoted under part of the entry for "SET" in the Dictionary of the Scots Language:
To set (2) To lay (a table) for a meal; to lay (a meal) on the table. Gen.Sc. and in Eng. dial. Ppl.adj. set, of a meal: formally laid out, as opposed to being informally handed round. Obs. in Eng.
http://www.dsl.ac.uk/getent4.php?plen=81694&startset=3552048... )

Another quote I like, from Her Majesty's Inspector of Schools minutes from 1855-6: "Many of the girls would be sorely puzzled when asked to lay the table-cloth, and set the dinner or breakfast things on the table in a neat and proper manner;"

Also: "There is no obvious reason for the remarkable division of England between the northern and eastern area where set is preferred and that in the south and west where the preference is for the more standard word lay" (An Atlas of English Dialects)

23:31 Nov 7, 2011 

I think we are all learning a bit here. British Diana says BE is definitely "lay". I was raised in Britain, in Scotland, and worked in England for ten years and was never contradicted for saying "set". I have never said "lay the table" but heard it in England.
I have noticed more Americanisms in Scottish English than in English English (wonder if that comes from so many Scottish people going to "the pictures" so often in the days before TV). Anyway, I think the "set" or "lay" debate it is "too close to call". I just started the ball rolling because no one had at that point and someone had to. I think any customer actually ruling either of these out would have to be a ridiculously picky person.

11:54 Nov 7, 2011 

the hits for "laid the table" at Google Australia(considering that "set" is both past and present), you get another 3140, a total of 23,340. Closing the gap... and when you look at the numbers on google as a whole, "lay/laid" comes out significantly ahead of "set." Should one trust Google hit-wise, and is the set/laid divide a good acid test? Only the shadow knows. Herr Friese, a tough choice...

08:12 Nov 7, 2011 

I migrated here from the UK, at the age of 42, 22 years ago, but! Google Australia has 20,200 hits for "lay the table" and 28,300 hits for "set the table".

07:33 Nov 7, 2011 

I would have said "laid" the table, which is what automatically springs to my (Aussie) mind. Then I would have been roundly shouted down, it seems. Robin, as a fellow downunderer, what do you think? The brits among you?