Once you start to uncover our language, it can get pretty hypnotic.
Metaphors are embedded into our language. In fact, it's pretty much impossible to speak a few sentences without using some kind of metaphor.
See, long, long ago, when language was formed, most "things" were real "things." Rocks, trees, ponds, tigers, food, monsters, etc.
As we evolved and grew more complex, we developed more complicated things, nouns that are intangible nouns. Whenever we use an intangible noun in a sentence, we must use it metaphorically, since it's not real.
The fun part comes when we examine the prepositions that go with these intangible nouns. That tells us how our primitive mind thinks of these nouns, what category we think of them.
For example, why do we say "in" a club, but "on" a team?
Both club and team are intangible nouns. Sure, there are club members, team uniforms, etc. but the group itself is just an imagination.
So why "in" vs "on"?
On explanation may be that a club is thought of as some kind of physical container. In the box. In the room. In building. In the team. When we're "in the club" with our club members, we are focused inwardly, and not outwardly. So the best "fit" for a "club" meaning the best type of object is a container.
How about a team? A team exists to play against other teams. To do so it must travel. What else travels? Vehicles. On the horse, on the bicycle, on the train, on the ship, on the team.
Again, maybe not a perfect fit, but traveling on a team seems kind of similar, in our minds, to traveling on a ship.
But what about "in" our car? A car is more personal. Like a home away from home. Even though we are traveling, it's usually us and or close friends or family, so it feels more like "in our house" or "in the family" so we say "in the car."
How about love? What kind of metaphor is that? Well we say "in love" so it must be a container. How we get into love? We say we're "going in the room" because it's our conscious choice. But we don't say "go in love" we say "fall in love."
Meaning it's something we "go" into without much choice. Kind of like walking down the street and falling in an open manhole or something.
Why are you late? I fell in a manhole on the way here.
Why are you late? I fell in love on the way here.
There are many more where these came from.
Ron