'I was outside all night standing on line'

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#30550 - 05/30/01 05:46 AM 'I was outside all night standing on line'
belligerentyouth old hand Registered: 12/20/00 Posts: 1055 Loc: Berlin	Recently, an American I spoke to said this. Is the use of the prep. 'on' instead of 'in' common in informal speech in this case? Perhaps it's use is related to the ubiquitous on-line?
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#30551 - 05/30/01 06:41 AM Re: 'I was outside all night standing on line'
Bean old hand Registered: 01/18/01 Posts: 1156	We say "in line" here. I read about this somewhere, but I no longer remember where. I think it's a regional thing. That requires everyone to put their two cents in, so we can figure it out!
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#30552 - 05/30/01 07:16 AM Re: 'I was outside all night standing on line'
Sparteye Pooh-Bah Registered: 01/05/01 Posts: 1773	In Michigan, one stands in line, and always in line. If you want to be on line, log onto the net.
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#30553 - 05/30/01 07:37 AM Re: 'I was outside all night standing on line'
maverick Carpal Tunnel Registered: 09/15/00 Posts: 4757	Wales, ditto. In reserve, in reply, in these circumstances... An exception: on station.
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#30554 - 05/30/01 08:41 AM Re: 'I was outside all night standing on line'
of troy Carpal Tunnel Registered: 10/17/00 Posts: 5400 Loc: rego park	On line-- is on the net and it is also how one queues up. - In NYC (and it is a regionalism) we wait on line-- (and orders other--"Wait your turn-- get on (the) line!" we might be in line for a promotion or pay raise., or get about on in line skates. I think it is found in other areas of North east-- but it is very strong in NYC. (and NYer's like the english, are pretty good about forming a line-- we don't bunch around-- but organize ourselves into lines-- and as for "cutting the line"-- sometimes we are okay with it-- other times you take your life in your hand! -- street smarts includes knowing when you can cut the line.) and we set our tables-- _________________________ my other obsession
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#30555 - 05/30/01 08:51 AM Re: 'I was outside all night standing on line'
RhubarbCommando Pooh-Bah Registered: 08/23/00 Posts: 2204	In England we still "queue up", "join the queue" or tell others to "go to the end of the queue." The phrase, "in line," is used increasingly and is understood by most people.
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#30556 - 05/30/01 10:39 AM Re: 'I was outside all night standing on line'
slovovoi newbie Registered: 05/01/01 Posts: 28 Loc: Saint Louis, MO, US	Agreed - NYC is a relatively isolated pocket of standing 'on' line. The Midwest and West, and the Atlantic coast are all right 'in' line. I have, however, heard in the Gateway City, 'jumping queue' (as opposed to 'cutting the/in line') once or twice, though I imagine it's more about the people with whom I associate than anything like genuine regional variation.
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#30557 - 05/30/01 10:49 PM Re: 'I was outside all night standing on line'
Bingley Carpal Tunnel Registered: 04/09/00 Posts: 3065 Loc: Jakarta	As Rhuby said it's queues in England. And some people unfortunately do jump them. You might say someone cut in on you, but I think that's more for traffic. Bingley _________________________ Bingley
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#30558 - 05/31/01 03:59 AM Re: 'I was outside all night standing on line'
belligerentyouth old hand Registered: 12/20/00 Posts: 1055 Loc: Berlin	> get about on in line skates. Is that the 'let's see how many prepositions I can get in a row' method.[grin] While we're on these prep./noun to adjective conglomerates, what about 'on-street' and 'off-street'. BTW, do any of you use online (or on-line) in the sense of 'in progess' or 'ongoing', e.g. an online project, debate etc. or is everyone pretty much sick of it by now?
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#30559 - 05/31/01 06:45 AM Re: 'I was outside all night standing on line'
Gatsby newbie Registered: 10/16/00 Posts: 25 Loc: USA	what about 'on-street' and 'off-street'. This made me muse on so much of what we say that makes no sense whatsoever. "My next door neighbor" - (but then this may just be regional) acutally it is "My next house neighbor" Anyway, I can cut & paste on this board!!!
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