Michigan vs UVA

[Johnny Stuffs His Mouth]

Dude's smart.

Yeah, I started to skim, read the last example, took it a much different way, began to chuckle, and realized I'm seriously f*cked up in the head.  Oh well.

Hahaha.  Another problem with phrasal verbs.  One could conceivably also come into a lot of money the standard way.

Or they could come onto it.

[Johnny Stuffs His Mouth]

And this probably hurts more than helps, and likely doesn't answer your criticism in any way:

I think it's entirely possible to be "in line" without physically forming a line. For example, at a restaurant, they will give you a pager: you can be by yourself in your car and still be in line, because it has nothing to do with any sort of physical arrangement. Idon't know if the same holds true for "on line." No, literally, I don't know; does it?

Perhaps the pager example doesn't speak perfectly to the situation; but it's not hard to imagine a cluster of people in the lobby of the restaurant, each of whom could certainly claim to be standing in line.

When I say "on line" doesn't make sense, I'm not really saying "It shouldn't be that way; it's supposed to be this way!", but more "What? Where the hell did that come from?"

[Johnny Stuffs His Mouth]

Dude's smart.

Yeah, I started to skim, read the last example, took it a much different way, began to chuckle, and realized I'm seriously f*cked up in the head.  Oh well.

Hahaha.  Another problem with phrasal verbs.  One could conceivably also come into a lot of money the standard way.

Or they could come onto it.

I prefer the image of 'into' in this instance. It's quirky.  I'd have to have a lot of money to so dismissively come 'onto' it.  I can now imagine Johnny in Indecent Proposal now. 

*draws a line in the sand and returns thread to lawgirl200007*

Can't they mean the same thing?

[AlphaBusey]

Dude's smart.

Yeah, I started to skim, read the last example, took it a much different way, began to chuckle, and realized I'm seriously f*cked up in the head.  Oh well.

Hahaha.  Another problem with phrasal verbs.  One could conceivably also come into a lot of money the standard way.

Or they could come onto it.

I prefer the image of 'into' in this instance. It's quirky.  I'd have to have a lot of money to so dismissively come 'onto' it.  I can now imagine Johnny in Indecent Proposal now. 

*draws a line in the sand and returns thread to lawgirl200007*

Can't they mean the same thing?

I don't think so, as replace with money with the usual second participant in this kind of scenario, and yeah, I don't think we'd disagree that it has two entirely different meanings.  One of them perhaps only arriving nine months later.

[Johnny Stuffs His Mouth]

Perhaps a good example in hollowman's defense: on a waitlist vs. in a waitlist. Why would I think it perfectly logical to say things are on a list, then turn around and say they must be in line? Hmm... good point.

[Johnny Stuffs His Mouth]

Revelation! Perhaps "on line" should be taken in the same vein as "on the chain gang"; sure, you're part of it, but you're on it as much as you're in it.

I would like this much better if it was "on the line" or "on a line" though. It's really the absence of the article "a" that bothers me.

[flyaway]

If you're still reading this thread, you'll probably like this website:
http://www.pbs.org/speak/

And this one:
http://cfprod01.imt.uwm.edu/Dept/FLL/linguistics/dialect/maps.html

[flyaway]

Hollow, are you showing off your IVYNESS?

[Aaron42]

You can not go to a place and get in a queue and legitimately claim to be online.  You are on line.  You are also in line.  Period.  You are only online if, while in line or on line, you break out your computer.

You're not on line, you're in line.

bull, I can be on line.  I'm just not online.

How can you be on line? You're in the freaking line! You're a part of it!!! You're contributing to it!!!!!! You're not on it!!!!!!!!!

Am I on a roller coaster, or in one?

On, but are you on roller coaster? No, you're on a roller coaster. The roller coaster example refers to location. In (or on) line would refer to a state of being.

OK, can you be on a line, in your rules, sir?

It depends. If you draw a line, sure, you can be on it, as that's your location. If you're physically contributing to the line, then you're in it, as a matter of a state of being.

So why would it be inappropriate, if I was waiting outside the movie theater in a queue of people to say that I'm on line to buy my tickets?  If I said I'm on the line to buy my tickets, would that make you feel better?

No, my point is that when you're referring to states of being, you should use in. In bed, for example. You can distinguish between "in bed" and "in a bed" to see what I mean as far as the difference in usage. You can be "in bed" in a sleeping bag, for example (at least I contend). I argue the same usage applies to "in line".

Right, but if the movie theater has a set of ropes, so a line already exists, and will continue to exist whether or not you are there, is it impossible to claim that you are on line?  "I'm on line for movie tickets, there are 4 people in front of me and 5 people behind me."

Bull. Just because a movie theatre has a set of ropes out, a line does not necessarily exist. If you were waiting for a friend out front of the theatre and they called to ask if there was a line, if the ropes were empty would you say "Yes, there is a line, but no one is in it"? No, you would tell your friend there is no line. Ropes don't make a line...they just contain one sometimes.

And to think! I actually came here hoping to be swayed one way or another on Michigan v. Virginia.... you thread thieves, you. 

[Pirate Pete]

Bull. Just because a movie theatre has a set of ropes out, a line does not necessarily exist. If you were waiting for a friend out front of the theatre and they called to ask if there was a line, if the ropes were empty would you say "Yes, there is a line, but no one is in it"? No, you would tell your friend there is no line. Ropes don't make a line...they just contain one sometimes.

And to think! I actually came here hoping to be swayed one way or another on Michigan v. Virginia.... you thread thieves, you. 

You seem cool (from LSN).  You should come to UVA.    (Assuming that you don't hear from Stanford, as I assume that is your first choice