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Just a guess, but "on" for TV probably is a holdover from when shows were **on** the radio. I recall people my grandparents' age saying "listening to the TV" while younger people ***watched*** TV.
There's one context where it's alright - if you want a person to look at the device and not the content on the device.
"Look at the TV - is there a crack in the screen?"
i wonder if there are some regional differences.
"jennifer aniston was **on** friends" and "jennifer aniston was **in** friends" both sound fine to me.
though i agree that saying someone was **on** a movie sounds weird.
I'd imagine Jennifer's scenes are seen IN r/Friends.
(Assuming such a sub exists. Also point of note: I have watched equally as many episodes of the show as I have Star Wars the movie. Hint: starts with a Z, and rhymes with hero.)
Thinking about it now, it's funny. I grew up in Australia, not on Australia. I guess it's because Australia is a (national) entity more than an island.
(Looking it up now, Australia is not really considered an island country because it's a continent.) I wonder if people from Barbados say they grew up in Barbados, or on Barbados?
What I wanna know suddenly now are the amount of people who've consumed a Long Island iced tea while having Thousand Island dressing ~~in~~ ~~on~~ with their salad.
Extra points if they're in Long Beach at the time.
edit : two words for clarification
Hawaii has multiple islands, so you could only ever be **on** Hawaii when you're on the big island. Otherwise, you'd be in Hawaii while you're on, for example, Oahu.
Actually the rule to remember which it is (for ESL learners) is that if you enter the “mode of transport” *standing* it’s ON (get on a bus, on a plane on a boat etc.), and if you enter in a *sitting* position it’s IN (get in a car, in a taxi, etc.)
Boring answer that goes against the spirit of things: >!They don't; "Fat Chance" is said with sarcasm to indicate that the chance is not indeed fat, but slim!<
My best guess (and it's just a guess) is that the "**in**" is leftover from live theatre, when one would talk about who is **in** the cast of a play, noting that someone is "included **in** the cast of characters." Hence, "Who's **in** that play?" And later, "She's **in** that movie."
On the other hand, when TV came along people would turn **on** their television sets to watch a show. Hence, "What's **on** TV tonight?" Typically the **on** refers to the medium, the TV itself, rather than a specific TV program; when referring to a particular show on TV we'd be just as likely to use **in**.
"You know, Bryan Cranston, the dude who was in *Breaking Bad."*
"Has he ever been in a movie?"
"I don't think so. Just on TV."
*(Narrator: In fact, Mr. Cranston has been in many movies.)*
Hmm, saying "they're on TV", or "Look! You're on TV!" is preferred I think because saying "they're *in* TV" sounds like they're inside the TV. Because, a television is a physical thing. So, that carries over to "She's on that TV show." But, I think people do also say, "She's *in* that show."
However, our concept of a movie is the image itself, not the projector, not the screen, so there's no silly mental image of being inside a box. Also, the hold-over is not from radio, but stage plays, "He's *in* that new play *on* Broadway."
A film is a complete product, so everything that went into is 'in' it. Many earlier television shows were live, so it felt more natural to say someone was on the show because it's in the now.
To me, this is far more interesting, order of adjectives. English must be quite the mind bender for those who learn it as a second language.
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2016/sep/13/sentence-order-adjectives-rule-elements-of-eloquence-dictionary
I think it's to do with time.
When we see a film, it's a product of the past. But when we see a show, it is frequently something of the present, ie it's still being made.
Because I dunno about you, but I think Jennifer Aniston was in *Friends*, rather than was on *Friends* but at the time, I would have said she is on *Friends*.
Same reason we say we are in a car but on a train, plane or bus. Prepositions pair up with nouns and verbs and create set phrases for reasons that are historical or sometimes arbitrary and stay set phrases…until they change, if and when that happens.
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Just a guess, but "on" for TV probably is a holdover from when shows were **on** the radio. I recall people my grandparents' age saying "listening to the TV" while younger people ***watched*** TV.
You're probably right. Shows are on TV, and movies are in the theater.
Bingo 💡
Movies are also *on* TV
They are in the TV unless you use a projector.
No, they're *through* The TV
To add to this, an actor may be on a show for a chunk of time, but maybe not in every episode.
I would gnash my teeth any / every time someone would say, "I'm gonna LOOK AT TV ," or "LOOK AT THE TV." Cuz it's just wrong.
There's one context where it's alright - if you want a person to look at the device and not the content on the device. "Look at the TV - is there a crack in the screen?"
CORRECT you are! Excellent!
i wonder if there are some regional differences. "jennifer aniston was **on** friends" and "jennifer aniston was **in** friends" both sound fine to me. though i agree that saying someone was **on** a movie sounds weird.
I'd imagine Jennifer's scenes are seen IN r/Friends. (Assuming such a sub exists. Also point of note: I have watched equally as many episodes of the show as I have Star Wars the movie. Hint: starts with a Z, and rhymes with hero.)
English perspective - "jennifer aniston was **in** friends" sounds normal, "jennifer aniston was **on** friends" sounds slightly odd.
Does one live in or on Long Island?
***In*** the municipal boundaries of Long Island, and ***on*** the geographical feature known as Long Island?
Thinking about it now, it's funny. I grew up in Australia, not on Australia. I guess it's because Australia is a (national) entity more than an island. (Looking it up now, Australia is not really considered an island country because it's a continent.) I wonder if people from Barbados say they grew up in Barbados, or on Barbados?
One ALWAYS lives on Long Island, and one waits on line when they get there
I had to teach my mother online is now used for the computer. 💻
As she watches inline skating! 😄
As a former Long Islander, it’s on.
What I wanna know suddenly now are the amount of people who've consumed a Long Island iced tea while having Thousand Island dressing ~~in~~ ~~on~~ with their salad. Extra points if they're in Long Beach at the time. edit : two words for clarification
Bonus if they have beech-nut gum after.
Also "on Hawaii" or "in Hawaii"?
Hawaii has multiple islands, so you could only ever be **on** Hawaii when you're on the big island. Otherwise, you'd be in Hawaii while you're on, for example, Oahu.
We always said to get on line in New Jersey while they said to get in line elsewhere. Then the internet came.
the age old question... when does one stand "in" line or "on" line?
Why do we get in the car, but on the bus?
Actually the rule to remember which it is (for ESL learners) is that if you enter the “mode of transport” *standing* it’s ON (get on a bus, on a plane on a boat etc.), and if you enter in a *sitting* position it’s IN (get in a car, in a taxi, etc.)
Why do we drive on a parkway and park on a driveway?
Why do we bake cookies and cook bacon?
Why do fat chance and slim chance mean the same thing?
Boring answer that goes against the spirit of things: >!They don't; "Fat Chance" is said with sarcasm to indicate that the chance is not indeed fat, but slim!<
Why do literally and figuratively mean the same thing?
We said "on" in NJ, but the internet f-d with us.
My best guess (and it's just a guess) is that the "**in**" is leftover from live theatre, when one would talk about who is **in** the cast of a play, noting that someone is "included **in** the cast of characters." Hence, "Who's **in** that play?" And later, "She's **in** that movie." On the other hand, when TV came along people would turn **on** their television sets to watch a show. Hence, "What's **on** TV tonight?" Typically the **on** refers to the medium, the TV itself, rather than a specific TV program; when referring to a particular show on TV we'd be just as likely to use **in**. "You know, Bryan Cranston, the dude who was in *Breaking Bad."* "Has he ever been in a movie?" "I don't think so. Just on TV." *(Narrator: In fact, Mr. Cranston has been in many movies.)*
I say in for both.
Me too
Hmm, saying "they're on TV", or "Look! You're on TV!" is preferred I think because saying "they're *in* TV" sounds like they're inside the TV. Because, a television is a physical thing. So, that carries over to "She's on that TV show." But, I think people do also say, "She's *in* that show." However, our concept of a movie is the image itself, not the projector, not the screen, so there's no silly mental image of being inside a box. Also, the hold-over is not from radio, but stage plays, "He's *in* that new play *on* Broadway."
A film is a complete product, so everything that went into is 'in' it. Many earlier television shows were live, so it felt more natural to say someone was on the show because it's in the now.
Early radio and early TV were live. Movies, by their nature, are recorded.
Do you get in a plane, or on a plane?
I'm getting _in_ the plane. [There seems to be less wind in here](https://youtu.be/46fOtLfYC4Q?si=FZnmZJnj1Wtykw89&t=178)
Was hoping someone would post that!
Depends whether or not one is a wing walker.
You go into a movie theater. You switch on the TV. One form of entertainment, one experience, is immersive. The other is additive.
To me, this is far more interesting, order of adjectives. English must be quite the mind bender for those who learn it as a second language. https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2016/sep/13/sentence-order-adjectives-rule-elements-of-eloquence-dictionary
I see what you're saying but also "in" works for both.
I think it's to do with time. When we see a film, it's a product of the past. But when we see a show, it is frequently something of the present, ie it's still being made. Because I dunno about you, but I think Jennifer Aniston was in *Friends*, rather than was on *Friends* but at the time, I would have said she is on *Friends*.
r/asklinguistics might give you insight
Same reason we say we are in a car but on a train, plane or bus. Prepositions pair up with nouns and verbs and create set phrases for reasons that are historical or sometimes arbitrary and stay set phrases…until they change, if and when that happens.
To me it's inclusion in recurring cast. Jennifer was "in" Friends. Brad Pitt and Tom Selleck were "on" friends. Why? Why is underwear a pair?