Tell me more ×
English Language & Usage Stack Exchange is a question and answer site for linguists, etymologists, and serious English language enthusiasts. It's 100% free, no registration required.
up vote -1 down vote favorite

Possible Duplicate:
Origin/reason for the expression “on the bus” instead of “in the bus”

Can we really "get in a bus" or "get on a bus" in Standard English usage?

share|improve this question
I recommend looking up "on" and "in" a dictionary. In Collins, for example, each word has more than 30 meanings listed. That gives these words a lot of flexibility in usage. If you hear a preposition being used a certain way on a regular basis, chances are, that's an acceptable use in that context. Or maybe you only asked to post an answer? In that case, I'll just leave this comment for anyone else who lands on this page. – J.R. Sep 26 '12 at 18:08
This is a duplicate only becase it was never answered in the original question, having repeadedly been cited as a duplicate therein as well. It is impossible to comment, ask, answer there as it is CLOSED. – user26555 Sep 27 '12 at 22:48

marked as duplicate by jwpat7, FumbleFingers, Mahnax, coleopterist, Lynn Sep 26 '12 at 17:56

This question has been asked before and already has an answer. If those answers do not fully address your question, please ask a new question.

1 Answer

up vote -1 down vote

The many postulations and subtexts were surprising within a previous such question, as was the fact that no one addressed the flaw within the question.

Instead, would we not "get INTO a bus" or "get ONTO a bus," given that we are referring not to the act of BEING on the bus ALREADY but to the act of actively boarding the bus, hence, the simple difference between the use of the prepositions IN and INTO (on/onto) within Standard English.

share|improve this answer
Instead of duplicating the essence of question #251 so that you can add your comment as an answer, please answer or comment at the original question, and just delete this new answer and question. – jwpat7 Sep 26 '12 at 17:32
It's not obvious to me why a bus should be any different to a cab, and here are plenty of written instances of "hop into a cab" – FumbleFingers Sep 26 '12 at 17:33
@jwpat7 I tried, the original question is CLOSED and will not allow a response. (I even wrote to moderators, attempting to reply there. This is what we came up with.) – user26555 Sep 27 '12 at 22:44
@jwpat7 There is NOTHING duplicative about this, as INTO and ONTO are never mentioned within the original... originals, which were repeatedly CLOSED as being duplicates. But, of course, you must know that, no? – user26555 Sep 27 '12 at 23:01
@user26555, the original, question #251, has never been closed. Both your question #83905 and related question #83383 were closed as duplicates of #251, the question I suggested you reply to. Feel free to say whatever you like about in, on, onto, into there. – jwpat7 Sep 28 '12 at 5:29

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged or ask your own question.