When I read this in the newspaper, the second use of the word asylum struck me as wrong. I thought it should be sanctuary, and I still feel that way, but I'm not sure why. What's the difference between the two words?

Mr. Obama could ask Beijing to release five North Korean refugees who were caught recently trying to sneak across China's border to Vietnam. That's a popular escape route for refugees, whose constitution requires that it accept all North Koreans who request asylum. The five arrested refugees were trying to reach the South. Nine other refugees recently received asylum at the Danish embassy in Hanoi.

Although each word has several meanings, in this usage I would suggest they are synonyms.

The words themselves (and their etymologies) are interesting. The adjective ασυλος 'safe from violence, from reprisals' < verb συλαω (sulaō) 'to strip off the armor of a slain enemy; take spoils'; the neuter noun το ασυλον 'right to sanctuary'. Latin sanctuarium 'a place for keeping sacred things, a shrine, a sanctuary' < sanctus 'sacred, inviolable' < sancio 'to render sacred or inviolable'.

I would think of someone seeking asylum in a country not their own. Sanctuary, although originally limited to churches, has nowadays become more relaxed, and now refers to any safe haven. The situation is slightly complicated by the fact that, technically, an embassy counts as part of the home country. I'd therefore suggest that the two words are more or less synonyms in this case, although I'd probably use "asylum" myself.

I'd use "asylum" for a foreign (the PC in me hates to use that word now!) country, but sanctuary more limited to a place (not necessarily a church) within the country. So, I think I'd agree with Shu.

The use of the second "asylum" did not strike me as being off. If it had said "sanctuary" instead, the "received" would have felt awkward to me, so I would have said "were given (or granted) sanctuary" instead of "received sanctuary."

Wordmatic

I have no problem with asylum in this case. I do have a problem with the second sentence, though.

quote:

That's a popular escape route for refugees, whose constitution requires that it accept all North Koreans who request asylum.