When did people start....

[AG31]

...to say "standing on line" instead of "standing in line?" Did it start with people who grew up in the age of the internet?

Any other recent language evolutions you can think of? Oh! "take a meeting" instead of "have a meeting."

If there's another thread like this already, I'll re-post and delete this one. Lemme know.

 

[Purechicanery]

It's possible some of these are regional differences, although I've personally never heard 'standing on line' before.

 

[PapaRomantic]

Standing "on" line is something that I've known to be more prevalent on the East Coast of the United States, where I think most of us in other places are standing "in" line.

I have no scientific evidence to confirm this, however.

 

[Five_Inch_Heels]

It's a British thing.


But if you think about it, in some cases you are literally standing ON a line painted on the floor.

 

[crookedletter]

I don't think I've ever heard anyone say "standing on line." And "take a meeting" sounds a little like tech bro speak or the like, but that could be my imagination. Everyone in my world, if they have a meeting, they just say they have a meeting.

Something similar maybe is the growing prevalence of "ask" as a noun -- i.e., "that's a big ask" -- which I think is in part bleed over from corporate jargon.

 

[onehitwanda]

It's a British thing.


But if you think about it, in some cases you are literally standing ON a line painted on the floor.

What? No it fucking isn't. It's "Stand in line", though a Brit would be more likely to go one of three ways:

1. Please form an orderly queue
2. Oi you! Bigjobs! Get in t'ferking queue, will ya?
3. There is a queue here, you know (followed by knowing nods and some tutting from everyone else)

It would be "Stand on the line", not "stand on line". "Stand on line" sounds like a English as Second Language speaker whose native language lacks articles.

 

[MelissaBaby]

...to say "standing on line" instead of "standing in line?" Did it start with people who grew up in the age of the internet?

Any other recent language evolutions you can think of? Oh! "take a meeting" instead of "have a meeting."

If there's another thread like this already, I'll re-post and delete this one. Lemme know.

It's a regional thing in the US. I think it's most common in the New York area. If you told someone in Detroit that you are standing on line, they would look down at your feet, wondering what the hell you were talking about.

 

[StillStunned]

What? No it fucking isn't. It's "Stand in line", though a Brit would be more likely to go one of three ways:

1. Please form an orderly queue
2. Oi you! Bigjobs! Get in t'ferking queue, will ya?
3. There is a queue here, you know (followed by knowing nods and some tutting from everyone else)

4. If you're looking for the start of the queue, it's back there. No need to walk all the way to the front to ask.

 

[MelissaBaby]

What? No it fucking isn't. It's "Stand in line", though a Brit would be more likely to go one of three ways:

1. Please form an orderly queue
2. Oi you! Bigjobs! Get in t'ferking queue, will ya?
3. There is a queue here, you know (followed by knowing nods and some tutting from everyone else)

It would be "Stand on the line", not "stand on line". "Stand on line" sounds like a English as Second Language speaker whose native language lacks articles.

And in Maine:

"You in the line, bub?"

"Ayuh, been standin' heah a wicked long bit. Just tryin' to get my chaw and a couple of nips."

"What's the dolgum hold up?"

"This old dubber turned in his scratch offs for new ones, then scratched them off and now he's turnin' them in."

"Ain't that a pisser."

 

[onehitwanda]

And in Maine:

"You in the line, bub?"

"Ayuh, been standin' heah a wicked long bit. Just tryin' to get my chaw and a couple of nips."

"What's the dolgum hold up?"

"This old dubber turned in his scratch offs for new ones, then scratched them off and now he's turnin' them in."

"Ain't that a pisser."

I feel like I would enjoy Maine.

 

[SimonDoom]

As far as I know, "standing in line" is still the predominant usage in most of the US. I looked it up, and apparently "on line" is common in New York.

 

[MelissaBaby]

I feel like I would enjoy Maine.

I think you might.

Maine:Images of the Pine Tree State

 

[SimonDoom]

"Ain't that a pisser."

"Wicked pissa."

The first time I heard that phrase used, non-ironically and non-comedically by natives of a region of the country to which I was only a recent resident, I wanted to laugh. Out where I live, nobody says that.

 

[MrPixel]

"Standing on line?"

Yeah. If it's a parking lot stripe or something like that where the cop is givin' you a sobriety check.

 

[onehitwanda]

I think you might.

Maine:Images of the Pine Tree State

'fess up, you work for the Maine board of making people fucking jealous of your state, right?

 

[AG31]

As far as I know, "standing in line" is still the predominant usage in most of the US. I looked it up, and apparently "on line" is common in New York.

Nicole Wallace referred to standing on line the other day. But I'm glad to see so many "in line" people standing with me...

 

[StillStunned]

The closest I've ever heard to "waiting on line" is from "Waiting In Vain":

From the very first time I placed my eyes on you, girl
My heart says follow through
But I know, now, that I'm way down on your line
But the waitin' feel is fine

 

[lovecraft68]

Standing "on" line is something that I've known to be more prevalent on the East Coast of the United States, where I think most of us in other places are standing "in" line.

I have no scientific evidence to confirm this, however.

Not sure about that, I'm on the East Coast and it's always been standing in line that I say and hear.

 

[TarnishedPenny]

I feel like I would enjoy Maine.

Bar Harbor is gorgeous! (Well, it was 50 hears ago.) Superb seafood.

 

[Britva415]

...to say "standing on line" instead of "standing in line?" Did it start with people who grew up in the age of the internet?

Any other recent language evolutions you can think of? Oh! "take a meeting" instead of "have a meeting."

If there's another thread like this already, I'll re-post and delete this one. Lemme know.

I think "standing on line" is regional, I've been hearing it off and on for years.

Another thing I have slowly and grudgingly come to accept is regional and not jUsT pLaIn WrOnG is "on accident."

If someone pretends to not even know what I'm contrasting that against, I'll hit you.

 

[Britva415]

Also "tad bit"

There is no such thing as "a tad bit." There is a tad, or there is a bit. Someone started putting them together and it has spread as effectively as that Inglourious Basterds finger-counting thing I hate (when posers do it, anyway. I do get that there are parts of the world where it's endemic.)

 

[TarnishedPenny]

‘Standing on the line’ is a phrase I last heard on a course involving demolitions. To stand on or walk on the electric cable running out to the detonator or device was an offence punishable by immediate shrieking by a scarlet- face member of the directing staff.

Western and central Canada lingo would normally have people stand in line, in my experience.

 

[TheLobster]

Also "tad bit"

There is no such thing as "a tad bit." There is a tad, or there is a bit. Someone started putting them together and it has spread as effectively as that Inglourious Basterds finger-counting thing I hate (when posers do it, anyway. I do get that there are parts of the world where it's endemic.)

Do you have similar disdain for "a little bit", since you could also have both "a little" and "a bit"?

 

[MelissaBaby]

'fess up, you work for the Maine board of making people fucking jealous of your state, right?

He lure them in with the scenic beauty and the winter sports and the delicious seafood, then we unleash the ticks and mosquitoes and black flies.

 

[MelissaBaby]

Not sure about that, I'm on the East Coast and it's always been standing in line that I say and hear.

I don't think it's infiltrated New England much.