RetroFed Forum
Your home away from modern life.
TIL Metro New Yorkers tend to say they stand on line, whereas most other New York State and American English speakers tend to stand in line.
Post Reply
AuthorMessage
zshivan lemmy.world zshivan@lemmy.world
Joined: 2026-09-01
(edited) Quote

Edit: according to comments, it may not be true or maybe partially true.

81   Original
Eldritch piefed.world Eldritch@piefed.world
Joined: 2025-07-08
#2 · Quote Reply

Brits out there quietly queuing like MFers.

21
ArbitraryValue sh.itjust.works ArbitraryValue@sh.itjust.works
Joined: 2023-07-06
#3 · (edited) Quote Reply

I lived in NYC for over a decade and I never heard anyone say "stand on line".

25
Zachariah lemmy.world Zachariah@lemmy.world
Joined: 2023-06-13
#4 · Quote Reply

I lived in NYC for over a decade and I never heard anyone say "stand on line".

when I’m browsing the web but don’t have a chair

11
Proprietary_Blend lemmy.world Proprietary_Blend@lemmy.world
Joined: 2024-12-25
#5 · Quote Reply

Nah

4
Catoblepas lemmy.blahaj.zone Catoblepas@lemmy.blahaj.zone
Joined: 2023-06-13
#6 · (edited) Quote Reply

I lived in NYC for years and I don’t think I ever heard this. I’ll have to ask a family member that grew up in the Bronx which they say

13
londos lemmy.world londos@lemmy.world
Joined: 2023-06-21
#7 · Quote Reply

From New York and definitely say "on line." Not going to gatekeep, I know people say it different ways, but also shocked others here saying they've never heard it. Its very common.

12
Catoblepas lemmy.blahaj.zone Catoblepas@lemmy.blahaj.zone
Joined: 2023-06-13
#8 · Quote Reply

From New York and definitely say "on line." Not going to gatekeep, I know people say it different ways, but also shocked others here saying they've never heard it. Its very common.

It’s been almost 15 years so it’s possible I just forgot 🤷‍♂️

1
XelaReko lemmy.world xelareko@lemmy.world
Joined: 2023-06-29
#9 · Quote Reply

I lived in NYC for years and I don’t think I ever heard this. I’ll have to ask a family member that grew up in the Bronx which they say

Can confirm that this is extremely common in Brooklyn & Queens, and very confusing when I first encountered it. I am now married to a NYC native whose whole family says this.

9
deHaga feddit.uk deHaga@feddit.uk
Joined: 2025-11-30
#10 · Quote Reply

Brits out there quietly queuing like MFers.

And enjoying it.

3
TheOrcWhoWrites lemmy.world HoneyMustardGas@lemmy.world
Joined: 2024-11-27
#11 · Quote Reply

But are they on the bus or in it?

3
Z72.53 lemmy.blahaj.zone FRYD@lemmy.blahaj.zone
Joined: 2026-09-11
#12 · (edited) Quote Reply

I live kind of in the metro NY area and I go to the city a lot. I’ve only ever heard “I got on the line” or “Are you on the line?” otherwise it would be “get in line” or “I’m in line for …”

Overall though, that article feels really dated. The famous NYC accent has been fading in recent years. I haven’t heard many of the features listed in that article and more still I’ve only heard from old people.

11
HubertManne piefed.social HubertManne@piefed.social
Joined: 2025-03-13
#13 · Quote Reply

yeah its like most people say they jack into the matrix but I say I jack on to the matrix.

7
ApollosArrow lemmy.world ApollosArrow@lemmy.world
Joined: 2023-07-19
#14 · Quote Reply

I lived in NYC for over a decade and I never heard anyone say "stand on line".

Grew up here and it’s for sure a thing. It may vary by borough, but we use both. We also have to account that sayings do change over time, and the more people move to NYC, the less you may hear of older phrases.

2
paranoid lemmy.world paranoid@lemmy.world
Joined: 2024-03-05
#15 · Quote Reply

It’s been almost 15 years so it’s possible I just forgot 🤷‍♂️

I use both without realizing. I never noticed until a friend from out of town pointed it out

2
PattyMcB lemmy.world PattyMcB@lemmy.world
Joined: 2025-02-12
#16 · Quote Reply

I grew up in upstate NY (not terribly far upstate - less than an hour drive from the city), and I say "in line" just like everyone else in that town.

1
PattyMcB lemmy.world PattyMcB@lemmy.world
Joined: 2025-02-12
#17 · Quote Reply

But are they on the bus or in it?

On the bus! (Although autocorrect would have you believe "In")

1
PattyMcB lemmy.world PattyMcB@lemmy.world
Joined: 2025-02-12
#18 · Quote Reply

yeah its like most people say they jack into the matrix but I say I jack on to the matrix.

Oh yeah? Well I jack OFFto the matrix.

4
PattyMcB lemmy.world PattyMcB@lemmy.world
Joined: 2025-02-12
#19 · Quote Reply

One that DOES grind my gears as a former NY resident is "based off [something]"

I base things ON something, not off.

0
LifeInMultipleChoice lemmy.world LifeInMultipleChoice@lemmy.world
Joined: 2023-06-17
#20 · Quote Reply

One that DOES grind my gears as a former NY resident is "based off [something]" I base things ON something, not off.

Hmm I don't believe I have ever put together that they were both used, but I have heard both now that you mention it.

3
LifeInMultipleChoice lemmy.world LifeInMultipleChoice@lemmy.world
Joined: 2023-06-17
#21 · Quote Reply

But are they on the bus or in it?

That makes me wonder if it is tied to the fact that you walk onto it like a train. The train or bus being a moving platform while the roof being irrelevant, as the second floor of the bus may not even have a roof. It would make sense to say you got in the bus though....

3
LifeInMultipleChoice lemmy.world LifeInMultipleChoice@lemmy.world
Joined: 2023-06-17
#22 · Quote Reply

Oh yeah? Well I jack OFFto the matrix.

Is it the pleather?

2
StopForgettingIt lemmy.dbzer0.com stopforgettingit@lemmy.dbzer0.com
Joined: 2025-02-14
#23 · Quote Reply

I lived in NYC for over a decade and I never heard anyone say "stand on line".

My bff is from NY, born in the 70s left in the 2000s. She and her parents say on line, but its only something I've heard people our age and older say.

1
Post Reply
Back to top