[Rhodes22-list] Grammar

[Philip]

Herb,

That is also a term used in the military, probably for the same reason.

"Stand over there on that line."
"Where were you?"
"We stood on line at the issue facility all day."

Philip

 -----Original Message-----
From: 	rhodes22-list-bounces at rhodes22.org
[mailto:rhodes22-list-bounces at rhodes22.org]  On Behalf Of Herb Parsons
Sent:	Saturday, October 28, 2006 10:23 AM
To:	rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org
Subject:	Re: [Rhodes22-list]  Grammar

The "in" and "on" reminded me of one of a story I heard (even though I don't
know if it's really true).

I was working on the email system for the NYPD about a year after 9/11. I
kept hearing people say "standing ON line", instead of "standing IN line".
It puzzled me, so I asked one of the IT guys about it. He said it originated
with the folks that came through Ellis Island. There were broad lines
painted on the floor, and the immigrants were told to "stand on line" so and
so.

Don't know if it's true, but I HAVE seen since, that if I hear someone in
other areas say "stand on line", when I ask them, they're invariably from
NYC.


Herb Parsons

S/V O'Jure
1976 O'Day 25
Lake Grapevine, N TX

S/V Reve de Papa
1971 Coronado 35
Lake Pontchartrain, Louisiana Coast

>>> watermusic38 at yahoo.com 10/28/2006 9:06:23 am >>>
Joe,

  I think it is the "Pygmalion" syndrome...an affectation by someone who
aspires to be 'highbrow' but doesn't know what he needs to know to carry it
off...case in point:
  How many times have you heard "Between you & I"....it should be "Between
you & ME"...but we were told not to use 'ME' because most kids grow up
saying "Me & my friend" or some other such construction....And most folks
wouldn't know the diff between the two...so I guess it's a case of "It ain't
right, but you know what I mean.."

  >People ride IN an aplane, but we say "I took a ride ON a plane"

  That's an interesting example.....we do ride IN a car.....but ON a bus, ON
a train." Perhaps the "IN" connotes an ownership condition, while the "ON"
connotes an impersonal relationship.....

  Also, we 'drive' on a parkway, and 'park' in a driveway, 'ship' 'cargo' by
boat....

  (aargh)

  (slow day at the marina..)

  elle




Joseph Hadzima <josef508 at yahoo.com> wrote:
  Hi elle

I'll add my frustrations to your last post ... the phrase
that gets me now is "bla bla in length", or "the thingy is
blue in color". Many many moons ago I attended a technical
writing course, and was taught you don't insert the "in"
word. I was taught something was 8 inches long, 12 feet
wide, and 22 stories high (tall), and the building was
blue. Why do we need to add the word "in"?

People ride IN an aplane, but we say "I took a ride ON a
plane" (in this example at least the French say it
correctly). Are we as a nation attemting to compensate for
our past discrination of the word "in" in favor of "on"?
Did the rules change, and I not get the memo?




HADZ (a.k.a. joe)

If I'm so "crazy," then why did they choose me to be their
spokesperson to the people of Earth?

(this email sent using 100% recycled electrons)
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