Forgetting about Capri for the moment, I spent some time in bed last
night musing about "in" vs. "on. I reminded myself of "Why Do We Park
in the Driveway and Drive on the Parkway?' That's about "parkway" vs.
"driveway," but I just noticed that it's "in" for one and "on" for the
other.

Some of the "in" vs. "on" is obvious. For example, we say "on the
stove" and "in the oven" and that makes sense. But it's odd that we
say "on the train," but "in the car." And we say "the train was on
time," but we also say "I was in time for the start of..." We also say
"in the ocean," but "on the river."

Yes, it's all a matter of different idioms, but some of them are very
odd. The oddest one I could think of was "I was lying in bed" and "I
was lying on the bed."

All my examples above are AmE. If they're different in BrE, I don't
know.

* Ken Blake:

> Forgetting about Capri for the moment, I spent some time in bed last
> night musing about "in" vs. "on. I reminded myself of "Why Do We Park
> in the Driveway and Drive on the Parkway?' That's about "parkway" vs.
> "driveway," but I just noticed that it's "in" for one and "on" for the
> other.
>
> Some of the "in" vs. "on" is obvious. For example, we say "on the
> stove" and "in the oven" and that makes sense. But it's odd that we
> say "on the train," but "in the car." And we say "the train was on
> time," but we also say "I was in time for the start of..." We also say
> "in the ocean," but "on the river."

I never noticed that these were treated differently - you swim in a
river and in the ocean, you sail on a river and on the ocean. Are there
exceptions?

> Yes, it's all a matter of different idioms, but some of them are very
> odd. The oddest one I could think of was "I was lying in bed" and "I
> was lying on the bed."

I would expect this to indicate, at least as an expectation, under the
covers vs. not.
> All my examples above are AmE. If they're different in BrE, I don't
> know.

--
Who would know aught of art must learn and then take his ease.

On 25-Jul-22 18:21, Quinn C wrote:
> * Ken Blake:
>
>> Forgetting about Capri for the moment, I spent some time in bed last
>> night musing about "in" vs. "on. I reminded myself of "Why Do We Park
>> in the Driveway and Drive on the Parkway?' That's about "parkway" vs.
>> "driveway," but I just noticed that it's "in" for one and "on" for the
>> other.
>>
>> Some of the "in" vs. "on" is obvious. For example, we say "on the
>> stove" and "in the oven" and that makes sense. But it's odd that we
>> say "on the train," but "in the car." And we say "the train was on
>> time," but we also say "I was in time for the start of..." We also say
>> "in the ocean," but "on the river."
>
> I never noticed that these were treated differently - you swim in a
> river and in the ocean, you sail on a river and on the ocean. Are there
> exceptions?
>
>> Yes, it's all a matter of different idioms, but some of them are very
>> odd. The oddest one I could think of was "I was lying in bed" and "I
>> was lying on the bed."
>
> I would expect this to indicate, at least as an expectation, under the
> covers vs. not.
>
>> All my examples above are AmE. If they're different in BrE, I don't
>> know.

But people say "on a plane", despite always travelling inside the thing.
(Unless it's a remake of "Flying Down to Rio".)

--
Sam Plusnet

On Monday, July 25, 2022 at 10:37:50 AM UTC-4, Ken Blake wrote:
> Forgetting about Capri for the moment, I spent some time in bed last
> night musing about "in" vs. "on. I reminded myself of "Why Do We Park
> in the Driveway and Drive on the Parkway?' That's about "parkway" vs.
> "driveway," but I just noticed that it's "in" for one and "on" for the
> other.
>
> Some of the "in" vs. "on" is obvious. For example, we say "on the
> stove" and "in the oven" and that makes sense. But it's odd that we
> say "on the train," but "in the car." And we say "the train was on
> time," but we also say "I was in time for the start of..." We also say
> "in the ocean," but "on the river."

Right. In time for the boat, train, bus, plane, ride, etc...
- or -
On time for the boat, train, bus, plane, ride, etc...

> Yes, it's all a matter of different idioms, but some of them are very
> odd. The oddest one I could think of was "I was lying in bed" and "I
> was lying on the bed."
>
> All my examples above are AmE. If they're different in BrE, I don't
> know.

Canadian, South America English, Australian and South African English can differ, too.

On Monday, July 25, 2022 at 3:37:50 PM UTC+1, Ken Blake wrote:
> Forgetting about Capri for the moment, I spent some time in bed last
> night musing about "in" vs. "on. I reminded myself of "Why Do We Park
> in the Driveway and Drive on the Parkway?' That's about "parkway" vs.
> "driveway," but I just noticed that it's "in" for one and "on" for the
> other.
>
> Some of the "in" vs. "on" is obvious. For example, we say "on the
> stove" and "in the oven" and that makes sense. But it's odd that we
> say "on the train," but "in the car." And we say "the train was on
> time," but we also say "I was in time for the start of..." We also say
> "in the ocean," but "on the river."
>
> Yes, it's all a matter of different idioms, but some of them are very
> odd. The oddest one I could think of was "I was lying in bed" and "I
> was lying on the bed."

Either way you were telling a lie? Bob Dylan would have had you
laying on that bed.

On 26/07/22 07:19, Lionel Edwards wrote:
> On Monday, July 25, 2022 at 3:37:50 PM UTC+1, Ken Blake wrote:

>> Yes, it's all a matter of different idioms, but some of them are
>> very odd. The oddest one I could think of was "I was lying in bed"
>> and "I was lying on the bed."
>
> Either way you were telling a lie? Bob Dylan would have had you
> laying on that bed.

Oh, was that egg-white I found on the sheets?

--
Peter Moylan Newcastle, NSW http://www.pmoylan.org

Le 25/07/2022 à 15:37, Ken Blake a écrit :
>
> Forgetting about Capri for the moment, I spent some time in bed last
> night musing about "in" vs. "on. I reminded myself of "Why Do We Park
> in the Driveway and Drive on the Parkway?' That's about "parkway" vs.
> "driveway," but I just noticed that it's "in" for one and "on" for the
> other.
>
> Some of the "in" vs. "on" is obvious. For example, we say "on the
> stove" and "in the oven" and that makes sense. But it's odd that we
> say "on the train," but "in the car." And we say "the train was on
> time," but we also say "I was in time for the start of..." We also say
> "in the ocean," but "on the river."
>
> Yes, it's all a matter of different idioms, but some of them are very
> odd. The oddest one I could think of was "I was lying in bed" and "I
> was lying on the bed."
>
> All my examples above are AmE. If they're different in BrE, I don't
> know.

In BrE, I've noticed an increase in 'on' when talking about streets (the
shop is in/on George Street, which I think of as creeping American
usage. GNV confirms both the trend and the transpondian difference
(search terms "in George Street", "on George Street"). I've even gone so
far as to accuse 'on' of being an aggressive preposition that is pushing
others on to the dole!