On And In?

Discussion in 'Evolution of Language' started by Bobby Cole, Sep 21, 2017.

  1. Bobby Cole

    Bobby Cole Supreme Member
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    A strange thing was pointed out by a comedian I listened to last night.

    We get ON a subway or a train and then get OFF it at the destination.
    We get IN the car and then OUT of it.
    We do neither one when we TAKE a cab.
     
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  2. Frank Sanoica

    Frank Sanoica Supreme Member
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    @Bobby Cole

    Fellow I worked with years ago, Canadian-born, (he was said to have swum the Detroit River at 16), suddenly exclaimed as we toiled at some assembly, "I'm going to have a pee", and left. Upon returning, I questioned him: "Have"........as in what, drink it? We down here Take one, not Have it!
    Frank
     
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  3. Jeff Tracy

    Jeff Tracy Veteran Member
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    The reason is probably that the original train carriages were little more than a flat bed truck that passengers got on.
    [​IMG]
    Cars were mostly enclosed.
    [​IMG]
    and Cabs allow us to 'take a ride' that we purchase.
    [​IMG]
    :confused:
    But I am only guessing :eek:
     
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  4. Bobby Cole

    Bobby Cole Supreme Member
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    Great thinking but..........we get ON a plane.:)
     
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  5. Jeff Tracy

    Jeff Tracy Veteran Member
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    You get ON a flight in a plane ... we always shorten things to make them easier to say ... AS IN ... 'butterfly's' were originally 'flutter-by's' ... but people lapsed into the easier pronunciation ... 'Flutter-by's' is so much more descriptive but language always seems to degenerate to the lowest common denominator...
    So little much loved young'uns say things like ... WAZUP ... OMG ... LOL ...
     
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  6. Bobby Cole

    Bobby Cole Supreme Member
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    Seems to me that I TAKE a flight ON a plane as in the past tense "which flight did you take"? Present tense is indeed, which flight or plane are you on"? No matter, as long as we gozup and gets down.;)
     
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  7. Jeff Tracy

    Jeff Tracy Veteran Member
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    and don't come down unexpectedly .
     
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  8. Bobby Cole

    Bobby Cole Supreme Member
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    Which, brings about another small travesty. If the pilot goes to sleep at the stick and the plane goes down killing 300, it's pilot error. If a driver falls asleep at the wheel and kills one person other than himself it's involuntary manslaughter.

    I'm probably going into the direction of political correctness but ya'll get my drift.
     
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  9. Yvonne Smith

    Yvonne Smith Senior Staff
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    That is my Sweetie ! You sure know how to bring a thread crashing down fast. We were all flying high here until that pilot fell asleep at the wheel (helm ? Cockpit? ) and now we are all victims of pilot error.
     
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