# on the same boat



## Antonio

Hi Group,

Here's de sentence *"Of Course, I'm not gonna say anything, because we're on the same boat"* What does it mean or trying to say here at this point?


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## DesertCat

I've not heard this before.  I believe it's like saying "we're on the same page" the point being they are in agreement.  

~Alice


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## Dale Dolores

It means "we are in the same situation".  

For instance, I am not going to say anything about your affair because I'm having an affair, too.  We are in the same boat.


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## Antonio

But it's totally different in meaning that *"on the same page"* or both phrases are related?


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## Focalist

Never heard of the expression "on the same boat".

Are you sure it's not "*in* the same boat"?

We're all in the same boat.
Todos estamos embarcados en la misma nave.

Es decir, estamos en la misma situación (aun: en el mismo lío).

F


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## the tree

"*in* the same boat" and "*on* the same boat" mean the same thing, both literaly and metaphoricaly.


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## Artrella

Hi! I think it is IN the same boat, at least that's the way Teacher taught us!

To be *in * the same boat is to be in the same usually unpleasant situation.
_I've got no money, my friends have got no money - we're all in the same boat._


Bye, Art


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## the tree

With metaphors, such specifics do not matter.


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## Focalist

the tree said:
			
		

> With metaphors, such specifics do not matter.


Really? What specifics do matter, then?

http://www.antimoon.com/forum/posts/5066.htm

F


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## Artrella

Focalist said:
			
		

> Really? What specifics do matter, then?
> 
> http://www.antimoon.com/forum/posts/5066.htm
> 
> F





So, F could you tell me (you as a native know more than anyone) is it IN or ON?  I think it's in, but I read your link and there there is a discussion and I don't know who wins!
Art


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## Focalist

Artrella said:
			
		

> (you as a native know more than anyone) is it IN or ON?  I think it's in, but I read your link and there there is a discussion and I don't know who wins!
> Art


You exaggerate, A. "As a native", I only know more than the natives who know less. 

You will notice that in the discussion I quoted no-one gainsaid the view that it's IN. I say it's IN -- on the basis that never in my poof have I heard anyone say "on the same boat" to mean "in the same situation".

On the other hand, you *can* find a few instances of "on the boat" on the net (but then, you can usually find a few instances of almost anything there!). And perhaps the phrase "we're on the same boat" has some currency west of the North Atlantic. A Leftpondian will have to comment on that...

F


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## Artrella

Focalist said:
			
		

> You exaggerate, A. "As a native", I only know more than the natives who know less.
> 
> You will notice that in the discussion I quoted no-one gainsaid the view that it's IN. I say it's IN -- on the basis that never in my poof have I heard anyone say "on the same boat" to mean "in the same situation".
> 
> On the other hand, you *can* find a few instances of "on the boat" on the net (but then, you can usually find a few instances of almost anything there!). And perhaps the phrase "we're on the same boat" has some currency west of the North Atlantic. A Leftpondian will have to comment on that...
> 
> F




If you say so....    Thanks F!!


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## garryknight

Artrella said:
			
		

> If you say so....    Thanks F!!


 Focalist and Art don't seem to be in the same wavelength.

 Oh, by the way...


			
				Focalist said:
			
		

> never in my poof have I heard anyone say


 Nowhere on WordReference could I find an explanation of this particular usage of the above term...


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## jacinta

It is "in the same boat".

We're all in the same boat.
We're all on the same page.


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## Focalist

Never in my poof...

Earlier on I was replying to a post about northern dialect  and "Nowt so queer as folk". The twin theme must have stuck in my mind... 

Shall we say, "never in my Yorkshire puff"? *

F


* You were *lucky*. We never had puffs in my day. It were all wutherin' gales all day long, *and* we got charged one-and-tuppence-ha'penny a day wind tax.


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## badger

jacinta is correct.

it's "in the same boat"

And it means that whatever you do effects me equally and whatever i do effects you equally. 

It should be a clearly understood expression if you visualise the situation.

if we're both in the same boat then whatever you do effects me and whatever i do effects you.

for example if you stand up and the boat turns over then we both end up in the water.

if the boat doesn't survive then neither of us survive.B


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## Artrella

badger said:
			
		

> jacinta is correct.
> 
> it's "in the same boat"
> 
> And it means that whatever you do effects me equally and whatever i do effects you equally.
> 
> It should be a clearly understood expression if you visualise the situation.
> 
> if we're both in the same boat then whatever you do effects me and whatever i do effects you.
> 
> for example if you stand up and the boat turns over then we both end up in the water.
> 
> if the boat doesn't survive then neither of us survive.B





So if the boat capsizes we would be* ON * the same boat trying not to 
drown !!!

And Jacinta is -as usual- right we are ON the same page, IN chapter 3, IN line 5...etc  Any other thing as regards books Jacinta???


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## garryknight

Focalist said:
			
		

> * You were *lucky*. We never had puffs in my day. It were all wutherin' gales all day long, *and* we got charged one-and-tuppence-ha'penny a day wind tax.


 One-and-tuppence-ha'penny? Luxury!! All we ever 'ad for breakfast were freezing cold poison!


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## jacinta

Hmmm...books...Well, in chapter 13 we see in line 3 of the third paragraph the word contraption...What page is it on? It's on page 154, right in the middle of the page. Yes.  Now, are we all on the same page?  Good.  

Art, I don't know if this is what you mean but...are we on the same wavelength?


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## fetchezlavache

garryknight said:
			
		

> One-and-tuppence-ha'penny? Luxury!! All we ever 'ad for breakfast were freezing cold poison!



hahahaha, isn't there a monty python sketch that starts a bit  like that ? four yorkshire men ?


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## Focalist

fetchezlavache said:
			
		

> hahahaha, isn't there a monty python sketch that starts a bit  like that ? four yorkshire men ?


Four Yorkshiremen? *Four?* From *York*shire? 
You were lucky, young feller-me-vache!! When I were a lad we 'ad to mek do wi' a bloke from Worksop and 'is whippet. 
You try telling *that* to the young people of today... 

http://www.phespirit.info/montypython/four_yorkshiremen.htm

F


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## rogelio

Artrella said:
			
		

> So, F could you tell me (you as a native know more than anyone) is it IN or ON?  I think it's in, but I read your link and there there is a discussion and I don't know who wins!
> Art


Artrella,
although I have not heard that expression much, when I have heard it it's "in" not "on".  maybe that helps

Rogelio


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## Antonio

Now that we're all a little bit confused so far. What is the difference between *"in the same boat"* and *"on the same page"?*


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## Tomas Robinson

Antonio said:
			
		

> Now that we're all a little bit confused so far. What is the difference between *"in the same boat"* and *"on the same page"?*



Hi all,

"In the same boat"....Two or more people are experiencing the same situation. EXAMPLE: One neighbor complains to another, "I can't do ANYTHING during this power failure!", so the first neighbor says "There is no need complaining because we are all *in the same boat*."

"On the same page"...Two or more people are in agreement. EXAMPLE: BusinessPerson 1 asks BusinessPErson2: "I don't understand this contract". So, BP2 explains the contract to BP1, and BP1 says, "yes, now I understand". To which BP2 replies: "Good. As long as we are *on the same page * about it".

Tengen buen dia,
Tom


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## Artrella

jacinta said:
			
		

> Hmmm...books...Well, in chapter 13 we see in line 3 of the third paragraph the word contraption...What page is it on? It's on page 154, right in the middle of the page. Yes.  Now, are we all on the same page?  Good.
> 
> Art, I don't know if this is what you mean but...are we on the same wavelength?





Yes, J!!! We are ON the same wavelength and ON the same page.  But are we IN the same boat??????
Thanks a lot, Art


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## Tomas Robinson

Artrella said:
			
		

> Yes, J!!! We are ON the same wavelength and ON the same page.  But are we ON the same boat??????
> Thanks a lot, Art



Hola Artrella, 

And we are "seeing eye to eye". I think "in the same boat" sounds better, because the preposition "in" fits with "boat". People ride *in a boat*. You can be *on the deck of the boat * but usually you're in the boat. Why? Maybe because a boat is three-dimensional, whereas a page (or a wavelength..?) is two-dimensional. 

It would be like saying "He was sitting *on* the desk (a two-dimensional surface) *in* the classroom." (the room being a 3D space).

A Spanish teacher once told me the "in" and "on" confusion is somewhat common with native Spanish speakers because the Spanish preposition "en" works for both. Do you think this is it?   I see the confusion in my ESL/EFL classes here, too.

My two cents worth...  

Saludos,
T.


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## Artrella

Tomas Robinson said:
			
		

> Hola Artrella,
> 
> And we are "seeing eye to eye". I think "in the same boat" sounds better, because the preposition "in" fits with "boat". People ride *in a boat*. You can be *on the deck of the boat * but usually you're in the boat. Why? Maybe because a boat is three-dimensional, whereas a page (or a wavelength..?) is two-dimensional.
> 
> It would be like saying "He was sitting *on* the desk (a two-dimensional surface) *in* the classroom." (the room being a 3D space).
> 
> A Spanish teacher once told me the "in" and "on" confusion is somewhat common with native Spanish speakers because the Spanish preposition "en" works for both. Do you think this is it?   I see the confusion in my ESL/EFL classes here, too.
> 
> My two cents worth...
> 
> Saludos,
> T.





Oh! Sorry I have to edit my post because I meant to write IN and I wrote ON!
aarrgghhhh!!!


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## ACQM

Antonio said:
			
		

> Now that we're all a little bit confused so far. What is the difference between *"in the same boat"* and *"on the same page"?*


 Antonio, isn't Spanish your lenguage? 
"Estar en el mismo barco"  ¿no lo usais en Méjico?
 I don't think it mean to be in the same situation but something like "if you fall so do I".  "Corporativismo" that would be the key word.


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## garryknight

It's beginning to look like everybody's singing from the same hymnsheet.


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## Antonio

Yeah ACQM, you're right in Mexico we say *"Estar en el mismo barco"* , but remember instead or saying ship (barco) these fellas say boat (bote), is the same meaning, but using different words. But Yeah, it means basically the same thing, referring to situation. I understand that if you have a big car like a Grand Marquis, you can say instead of *"nice car" "nice boat"*, right? In what other situations can I use the word *"boat"*.


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## badger

nice photo art.B


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## badger

can we all get *in the same photo*?


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## Artrella

badger said:
			
		

> can we all get into the same photo?




By all means!!! Art


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## Silvia

Antonio, where does the sentence come from? Because it really looks like some Italian said it 
In fact "siamo *sulla* stessa barca" means we're ON the same boat.

It's like a déjà vu though, I remember a thread discussing "on the plane" or "in the plane". Tomas' theory is amusing. A plane is obviously three-dimensional, but would you say "I'm in the plane"? You might, but 'on the plane' is far more used.



			
				BADGER said:
			
		

> And it means that whatever you do effects me equally and whatever i do effects you equally.


That's wrong for me. You're not supposed to have any interaction with someone who's in the same boat as you:
A = I guess I failed the test yesterday, I only answered half of it
B = I just answered two questions... we're in the same boat


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## badger

To over the moon, from  under a rock.

You’d better get with it, so pull up your socks.



In the boat, on the boat, who knows?

Piggy in the middle, the emperor’s new clothes.



A kick in the arse, a hole in the head.

A pain in the neck, lets put this to bed.



Tall, high, its anyone’s guess

I’m completely flustered, I must confess



I’m on top of the world, I’m on me last legs

Three square meals, yor granny sucks eggs.



A murder of crows, as I once heard said.

What you have here, is a stable of threads. 


B  dedicated to Artrella


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## Antonio

I understand that if you have a big car like a Grand Marquis, you can say instead of *"nice car" "nice boat"*, right? In what other situations can I use the word *"boat"*.


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## DesertCat

I've heard of big feet being referred to as big boats but I consider it impolite.


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## jacinta

Antonio said:
			
		

> I understand that if you have a big car like a Grand Marquis, you can say instead of *"nice car" "nice boat"*, right? In what other situations can I use the word *"boat"*.





Antonio;  if you have a Grand Marquis and you LOVE your Grand Marquis, then you don't call it a "boat".  You call it a great car.  What I mean is that calling a car a boat is demeaning, not nice, not flattering, it's a little insulting.

"Get that boat out of here!  It's blocking my driveway."  
"I'll bet that boat of yours eats a lot of gas, huh?"
"Why don't you have that boat towed to the junk yard?"

This is how I've heard "boat" used for a big American car and it is how I understand the word.  Maybe someone else has a different interpretation.


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## Tomas Robinson

jacinta said:
			
		

> Antonio;  if you have a Grand Marquis and you LOVE your Grand Marquis, then you don't call it a "boat".  You call it a great car.  What I mean is that calling a car a boat is demeaning, not nice, not flattering, it's a little insulting.
> 
> "Get that boat out of here!  It's blocking my driveway."
> "I'll bet that boat of yours eats a lot of gas, huh?"
> "Why don't you have that boat towed to the junk yard?"
> 
> This is how I've heard "boat" used for a big American car and it is how I understand the word.  Maybe someone else has a different interpretation.




Jacina, yes, "boat" _can _ be a big, gas-guzzling car. I once owned a 1973 Plymouth Fury 3. It was huge, with four doors and enough space to live inside. I bought it in 1978 for cheap because that was when the price of American gasoline skyrocketed and many Americans wanted small cars (hard to imagine _that _ now...)    Anyway I had special licence plates made for the car -- 73 BOAT.    The word can be insulting, but it's also like an inside joke.


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## alice

I agree with "in the same situation". we have exactly the same expression in French "dans le meme bateau".
tchao'


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## jacinta

Tomas Robinson said:
			
		

> Jacina, yes, "boat" _can _ be a big, gas-guzzling car. I once owned a 1973 Plymouth Fury 3. It was huge, with four doors and enough space to live inside. I bought it in 1978 for cheap because that was when the price of American gasoline skyrocketed and many Americans wanted small cars (hard to imagine _that _ now...)    Anyway I had special licence plates made for the car -- 73 BOAT.    The word can be insulting, but it's also like an inside joke.




Ha, ha!!  I love big cars.  They are so roomy.  Your plate shows you have a sense of humor about owning one!!  I have another name for the current *big* cars (SUVs)   that I won't use right now.


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## Tomas Robinson

jacinta said:
			
		

> Ha, ha!!  I love big cars.  They are so roomy.  Your plate shows you have a sense of humor about owning one!!  I have another name for the current *big* cars (SUVs)   that I won't use right now.



Oh, yes, I have LOTS of bad words for SUVs, too!   I do not own a car now. I donated it (a small 13 year old Dodge) to a charity three months ago. Chicago has fairly good mass transportation, and I have two bikes! Better for the environment AND my health!  

Take care!
Tom


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## Rob625

Giving it away, now there's an idea. I have a 13-year-old Nissan Primera to get rid of. A lovely reliable car, but no one seems to want it. Full MoT (how many non-anglophones understand that, I wonder?), new CD, ... message me if you're interested. All right, it's not that lovely, but there's nothing wrong with it and it has served me so well. I think I'm going to start crying ...


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## fetchezlavache

badger said:
			
		

> To over the moon, from  under a rock.
> 
> You’d better get with it, so pull up your socks.
> 
> 
> 
> In the boat, on the boat, who knows?
> 
> Piggy in the middle, the emperor’s new clothes.
> 
> 
> 
> A kick in the arse, a hole in the head.
> 
> A pain in the neck, lets put this to bed.
> 
> 
> 
> Tall, high, its anyone’s guess
> 
> I’m completely flustered, I must confess
> 
> 
> 
> I’m on top of the world, I’m on me last legs
> 
> Three square meals, yor granny sucks eggs.
> 
> 
> 
> A murder of crows, as I once heard said.
> 
> What you have here, is a stable of threads.
> 
> 
> B  dedicated to Artrella


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## jacinta

Tomas Robinson said:
			
		

> Oh, yes, I have LOTS of bad words for SUVs, too!   I do not own a car now. I donated it (a small 13 year old Dodge) to a charity three months ago. Chicago has fairly good mass transportation, and I have two bikes! Better for the environment AND my health!
> 
> Take care!
> Tom




So nice to hear...some days I feel like I am swimming against the tide and am being boxed in on all sides by big monsters!!  I'm happy to hear there's someone else who feels the same way.  I don't want to start anything here, though.  I'll just say good night.


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## Artrella

badger said:
			
		

> To over the moon, from  under a rock.
> 
> You’d better get with it, so pull up your socks.
> 
> 
> 
> In the boat, on the boat, who knows?
> 
> Piggy in the middle, the emperor’s new clothes.
> 
> 
> 
> A kick in the arse, a hole in the head.
> 
> A pain in the neck, lets put this to bed.
> 
> 
> 
> Tall, high, its anyone’s guess
> 
> I’m completely flustered, I must confess
> 
> 
> 
> I’m on top of the world, I’m on me last legs
> 
> Three square meals, yor granny sucks eggs.
> 
> 
> 
> A murder of crows, as I once heard said.
> 
> What you have here, is a stable of threads.
> 
> 
> B  dedicated to Artrella






Delightful B:!!!    So funny!!! Thank you !  Art


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## shoal22

Artrella said:
			
		

> So, F could you tell me (you as a native know more than anyone) is it IN or ON?  I think it's in, but I read your link and there there is a discussion and I don't know who wins!
> Art


you are right it is 'in'.
The phrase is idiomatic and as such the specifics are inflexible.


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## dec-sev

Hello.
Can "we are in the same boat" mean "we have common goals and depend on each other"? I've come across this interpretation on the Russian forum. Unfortunately I don't have any context, just this interpretation, but for me there is a difference between being in the same situation and having common goals and depend on each other.


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## Cagey

I agree with you that those are two different ideas.  I would use "in the same boat" only to mean that we are in the same situation.  Sometimes being "in the same boat" gives us motivation to work together to solve a problem, but that isn't what "being in the same boat" means.  Some people who are "in the same boat" never meet each other: they simply are facing the same difficulties.


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## dec-sev

Thank you, Cagey.


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