Re: in or on the lists

Thank you very much.

"Peter Duncanson" <mail@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message news:pc3on299paui8c1hv16jtqfo3a2r9es83c@xxxxxxxxxx
On Sun, 10 Dec 2006 13:11:59 +0000, Blue Sow <blue@xxxxxxx> wrote:

MDM wrote:
'It was number one in the bestseller lists.'
In the UK, would you say in or on with lists?


My preference would be 'in'.

I would agree that "in" is appropriate for that particular example.

Googling gives

"on the list" site:.uk 773,000
"in the list" site:.uk 738,000

I'd say that, very approximately, if the list is one that ranks
items in order, such as a bestseller list, a pop music chart, etc.
then "in the list" would be suitable. An item has a position "in"
the list.

If the list is one does not involve a ranking, such as a menu, a
list of people invited to a party, a list of people who are banned
from entering the country, etc. then "on the list" is suitable.

There is not a clear division; there seems to some be overlap.

Doing Google searches using <"on the list" site:.uk> and <"in the
list" site:.uk> [1] will give some idea of how these phrases are
used.

[1] Only the text between < and > should be used in the Google
search.

--
Peter Duncanson, UK
(in uk.culture.language.english)

.