on time / in time (which is correct ?)
Ken Swan
At first I thought I know the correct way to say this. But then, after
thinking about it over and over, I ended up confused.
(When John arrives just before the meeting starts)
Can I say:
You arrived just in time.
He never arrived in time for the meetings(refering to the past meetings)
You must arrive in time.
If those sentenses are correct, may I know in what situation I can use 'on
time'?
Thanks alot in advance.
Ken
Richard Fontana
>Dear readers,
>
>At first I thought I know the correct way to say this. But then, after
>thinking about it over and over, I ended up confused.
>
>(When John arrives just before the meeting starts)
>Can I say:
>You arrived just in time.
Yes. This specifically means "You have arrived precisely at a very critical
moment"; it is not used as a general way of saying that you have arrived in
a timely manner. For that, you'd say: "You arrived on time", or something of
that sort.
>He never arrived in time for the meetings(refering to the past meetings)
There, use "on time", not "in time", if you mean he was always late for past
meetings.
>You must arrive in time.
If you mean "You must not arrive late", you would use "on time".
Best regards --
Richard Fontana
Ken Swan
Thanks for your helps.
Benjamin Krefetz
> On Fri, 30 Jul 1999 17:10:31 +0700, Ken Swan <kens...@hotmail.com> wrote:
>>He never arrived in time for the meetings(refering to the past meetings)
> There, use "on time", not "in time", if you mean he was always late for past
> meetings.
Actually, it depends on the exact meaning desired. As Richard says, if
you just mean that he always showed up at the meetings late, use "on
time". However, if you mean he always arrived so late that he missed the
entire meeting, use "in time".
Ben
Ccc31807
>
>At first I thought I know the correct way to say this. But then, after
>thinking about it over and over, I ended up confused.
>
>
"On time" means timely. "John arrived on time," means that John arrived in a
timely fashion.
"In time" means not too late. "John arrived in time," means that John was not
too late to participate in an activity or to do tomething else.
If John arrived at 11:30 for an event scheduled for 11:00 which in fact did not
start until 12:00, he would not have arrived "on time" but he would have
arrived "in time."
Geoff Butler
>>
>>At first I thought I know the correct way to say this. But then, after
>>thinking about it over and over, I ended up confused.
>>
>>Can I say:
>>You arrived just in time.
>
>Yes. This specifically means "You have arrived precisely at a very critical
>moment"; it is not used as a general way of saying that you have arrived in
>a timely manner.
Agreed...
>For that, you'd say: "You arrived on time", or something of
>that sort.
>
>>He never arrived in time for the meetings(refering to the past meetings)
>
>There, use "on time", not "in time", if you mean he was always late for past
>meetings.
>
>>You must arrive in time.
>
>If you mean "You must not arrive late", you would use "on time".
... but not with this. This may be pondian, though. To me, "on time"
means "at, or very close to, a specified time", whereas "in time" means
"not late", possibly with a limit on how early is acceptable. "The train
arrived on time so I was in time for the meeting". The train arrived at
its scheduled time. If the train had arrived "in time" instead, it might
have been late (or, Branson notwithstanding, early), but by doing so it
enabled me to be there before the meeting started.
-ler
Richard Fontana
This could be pondian, or regional within LPia[1]; the difference (if
there is one) is a subtle one. I can say: "I arrived at the meeting in
time to hear the opening remarks", which emphasizes that my arrival was
sufficiently early as to make a certain thing possible. I can't just say
"I arrived at the meeting in time", without it being in time to do or
accomplish something; it would have to be "on time". To me,
a train can arrive on time, or it can be late or delayed, or it can be "on
or close to schedule", as the radio traffic reporters say.
Best regards --
Richard Fontana
[1] I wait "on line", but most Americans wait "in line".
Mark Barratt
Richard Fontana <re...@columbia.edu> wrote in message
news:Pine.GSO.4.10.990801...@sawasdee.cc.columbia.edu
...
I'm not convinced that the difference is pondian. The shades of
meaning you are describing are very subtle. COED9 gives "in time" 1.
Not late, punctual... but declines to offer a definition of "on time."
It does claim to spot a pondian difference between "in ones own time"
and "on ones own time," but that's another kettle of fish.
I would say "The bus leaves at 3, you must arrive in time", if I meant
that you must arrive *by* 3 o'clock." I would only say "on time" here,
if I meant that you must arrive *at* 3 o'clock, which would be an
unusual imperative, but not an improbable one. But would a LPian not
ask the question "Did you get there in time?," with the implied
"for... ?"
> [1] I wait "on line", but most Americans wait "in line".
Now this is definitely pondian, because RightPondians "queue."
Regards
Mark Barratt
Lars Eighner
the lovely and talented "Mark Barratt" <ma...@farcanal.freeserve.co.uk>
broadcast on alt.usage.english:
|I'm not convinced that the difference is pondian. The shades of
|meaning you are describing are very subtle. COED9 gives "in time" 1.
|Not late, punctual... but declines to offer a definition of "on time."
|It does claim to spot a pondian difference between "in ones own time"
|and "on ones own time," but that's another kettle of fish.
I beg to differ. I believe "on time" means according to a
schedule, appointment, or timetable. "In time" means in a
timely manner.
The train arrived on time at nine o'clock. (Not "in time.")
I know it is "on time" because I consulted a timetable.
Fortunately, I acquired the antidote in time. (Not "on time.")
I don't care at what hour so long as it was before
the poison had its ultimate effect.
I grant there will be some cases in which it is not clear
which is meant.
1. She arrived on time to accompany us to the movie.
(There was an appointed hour and she arrived then.)
2. She arrived in time to accompany us to the movie.
(We happened to be going to the movie when she arrived,
and she joined us.)
The third party in this event may not know which is the case:
she came by appointment or she just happened to
arrive at such a time.
The third party then says 2. This is true if she
did go to the movie with us (she couldn't have done
so if she had not arrived in time). But the third
party does not say 1, because the third party does not
know whether she was expected at that time.
If there was an appointment she could have been both "not on time" (late)
and "in time." (She could have arrived later than expected
but before we had left for the theater.)
MWCD10 glosses "in time" 1) sufficiently early, 2) eventually,
3) in correct tempo; and "on time" 1a) at the appointed
time, 1b) on schedule, 2) on the installment plan.
(This makes "in time" a candidate for the perennial
list of expressions that are their own opposites.
Consider asking the oracle: "Will the relief column arrive in time?"
The oracle responds: "In time the relief column will arrive."
Much more inscrutable than nonsense about wooden walls, what?)
Whether this is a pondian difference or a deficiency in
COED9 (which declines to define "on time") I leave as an
open question.
|> [1] I wait "on line", but most Americans wait "in line".
|
|Now this is definitely pondian, because RightPondians "queue."
More than that, it is a regional LeftPondian difference. I cannot
provide an isogloss, but "on line" is typically BigApplean
and "in line," BigEasian.
--
Lars Eighner 700 Hearn #101 Austin TX 78703 eig...@io.com
(512) 474-1920 (FAX answers 6th ring) http://www.io.com/%7Eeighner/
Please visit my web bookstore: http://www.io.com/%7Eeighner/bookstore/
* A bartender is just a pharmacist with a limited inventory.
Geoff Butler
>
>Richard Fontana <re...@columbia.edu> wrote
>[snip]
> I can say: "I arrived at the meeting
>in
>> time to hear the opening remarks", which emphasizes that my arrival
>was
>> sufficiently early as to make a certain thing possible.
>[snip]
>I'm not convinced that the difference is pondian. The shades of
>meaning you are describing are very subtle. COED9 gives "in time" 1.
>Not late, punctual... but declines to offer a definition of "on time."
Richard's "sufficiently early" is, as far as I'm concerned, an exact
synonym of "in time", even down to the convenient vagueness.
-ler
RDC
Richard Fontana wrote:
...
> [1] I wait "on line", but most Americans wait "in line".
Hi, I'm an American and while using the internet I frequently wait 'on line' but
when buying something in person, I many times wait 'in line'.
As to the subject, AHD3 has this:
in time. 1. Before a time limit expires. 2. Within an indefinite time; eventually:
In time they came to accept the harsh facts. 3. Music. In the proper tempo.
on time. 1. According to schedule; punctual or punctually. 2. By paying in
installments.
Regards,
Ron