To me, hearing "I'm waiting ON someone" sounds as though they are serving them, such as a waitress. And saying "waiting on line" doesn't even make sense. Of course, since I'm over the age of 50, I'm sure I'm just an old fuddy duddy and don't understand the younger generation.

I wait *in* line *for* someone.

However, I could be waiting *on-line* if I was on my computer.

waiting in a line (on line is via computer ... or on wash day) ...
... waiting for a person to arrive; waiting on, is as being served by someone, e.g. a waitress

o j

You are IN a line of other people at the checkout counter.

You are ON hold on the phone when they ask you to wait. You are waiting FOR that person to answer the phone. You are ONline on your computer when posting at a forum, surfing, etc. That's "my" interpretation of "in, for, or on".

mare - I'm 64, grew up in Pittsburgh and moved to the Philly area when I married. I'd never heard anyone say they were waiting on line until I started working at the Free Library of Philadelphia. Two of my fellow librarians were from NYC and one of them said waiting on line and the other said waiting in line.

It became a little joke between the 2 of them. I have heard it on a few occasions and it was always a New Yorker.

These are the usages I am familar with (ended with a preposition, hah).

I live IN a place; I wait IN a line; When I serve someone, I wait ON them; and when I buy a gift, I buy it FOR someone.

I do have trouble with THESE and THOSE, however, there are places nearby where these words are 'dese' and 'dose' (sometimes dhose and dhese) and when in those locations, either one will do.

Waiting 'on line' (not computer related) is also common on Long Island, NY.

Drives me nuts. Waiting on someone? Yes, to me that means you're a waitress or salesperson or something like that. This new trend of saying "waiting on line" or "waiting on someone" is annoying.

I've not heard I'm waiting on line? Yes, for a person sounds best. I think I've always said I am waiting on a person, but it's changed my mind. That's best.

In line
for a person

That's my vote!

I have heard "I'm waiting on Suzie to get here" and it does not sound odd to me...but I would probably say "for" instead of "on." I have also heard "I'm standing on line for the tickets" and again, doesn't sound strange to me, even though I would say "in" instead of "on."

I've used waiting for and waiting on both. I think I most often use waiting on when I'm tapping my foot because the person I'm waiting on is late!

How about bring and take. Do you bring someone to the doctor or take them? I use take when I'm transporting something or someone to another place, and bring when they're coming to the place where I currently am. It may be a regional thing as I've heard the two words used differently from Northeasterners mostly.

How say you?

Maxmom, in the first instance, I use "take". And yes, as you, I would say "bring" when "bringing" someone to the place that I am. Grammatically, those are correct, I believe. And I'm a Northeasterner.

I've heard waiting 'on' (instead of 'for') in the South and in books set in the South. It sounds sort of 'country' to me. (I'm waitin' on Sally to carry me to the store.)

In the last year or two I've seen increasing misuse of 'that' instead of 'who'. ("The man that ran away" instead of "The man who ran away".) People aren't 'animals' or 'things'.

In this season of graduations, I see and hear that someone 'graduated high school'. That's probably acceptable, but more familiar to my ear is that someone is graduating or has graduated *from* a school.

I've always said in line unless it is computer related and then I get on line. I hear "on line" (say for buying tickets) in NYC and those who came from there.

I only waited on a person when I worked as a waitress (now called a server). If I am waiting for someone to arrive, I am waiting for them.

I have given up trying to discourage people from saying "went missing" or "has gone missing". Even the American news commentators say it now, but it sounds British to me. It also sounds as if the missing person decided to get lost, as in "he went to the store" -- "he went missing". I think it should be "A young boy is missing from his home" not "A young boy went missing from his home". I think I have lost that battle.

A former manager for our vacation rental condo was Canadian. When items would disappear from the condo they had 'gone missing'. This may stem from the famous Canadian reserve and desire not to offend. (I still had to pay to replace the whole set of brand new towels, the lanai chaise, the six-foot artificial plant.)

It reminds me of politicians who have robbed us blind, then apologize *in the passive voice* because, "Things happened."

He should have said "were stolen"!

I remember grammar books that explained that the phrase "graduated high school" is incorrect. The word "from" needs to be used.

Thanks for all the great responses. Glad to know that I'm not the only one who thinks that waiting in line, and for someone to arrive are preferable to on line (except when referring to being on the internet) and on someone to arrive.