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From: dmark@cs.Buffalo.EDU (David Mark)
Newsgroups: sci.lang,comp.cog-eng
Subject: Re: Geographical uses of "in" and "on"
Keywords: spatial language, prepositions, metaphor
Message-ID: <5572@cs.Buffalo.EDU>
Date: 28 Apr 89 21:40:23 GMT
References: <5434@cs.Buffalo.EDU> <17765@cisunx.UUCP> <5913@mergvax>
Reply-To: dmark@sunybcs.UUCP (David Mark)
Organization: SUNY/Buffalo Geography
Lines: 26

In article <5913@mergvax> rkpc@mergvax (Rob Kedoin) writes:
>I was wondering if anyone has had the experience with the phrases "in line"
>vs "on line".
>
>I have found that when someone in New York talks about waiting on line, they
>use the phrase "on line" whereas people from Pennslyvania and Ohio tend to
>find the phrase "on line" ridiculous and will object and tell you that the
>proper phrase is "in line".
>

Last time I posted my in/on question, the discussion rapidly turned to
this "in line" / "on line" point.  "Standing on line" to wait for, say
tickets or service, seems to be almost strictly a New York City
usage.  It does not seem to extend even to Albany (NY).  Postings last
time did not establish:

a) how far out Long Island the usage extends;
b) whether it extends into Connecticut, or beyond northeastward, and how far;
c) whether it extends into New Jersey, or beyond southward, and how far.

I wonder if it a too-litteral translation for some common-in-NYC
non-English language, perhaps Yiddish or Italian (?).  No-one last time
presented an "explanation", even hand-waving, for the usage.

David Mark
dmark@cs.buffalo.edu