expressions - Why are you "On a train" yet "In a car" when you are inside both vehicles?



Why are you "On a train" yet "In a car" when you are inside both vehicles?


"On a bike" makes sense but "On a plane" seems wrong as you are actually inside the plane rather than on it.



Answer



Generally speaking, the metaphoric senses of get on and get in follow dimensionality:



  • the object of on is a Surface, i.e, an object with 2 dimensions, or the surface of a 3-D object

  • the object of in is a Container, i.e, a bounded 2-D or 3-D object


In terms of conveyances,



  • humans get on a raft, a horse, a bicycle, a sled, a wagon, a skateboard, a surfboard

  • humans get in a car, a boat, a ship, a railroad car, a trolley, a bus, an airplane


This much is predictable.


The problem arises with scheduled public conveyances; in that case only,
a human who gets in the conveyance physically
also is on the roster of passengers metaphorically
(on the roster is a 2-D "page/paper" metaphor).


So one can be said to get on the bus, the plane, the train, the trolley; but not the taxi.


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