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I've been writing some flavor text for my next board game release, which is about settling a colony in/on different planets, and I am not sure if I'm using those two prepositions correctly, if I have to use always the same or if it depends on the context.

Some of the examples are:

  1. This is a tough planet to settle a colony in/on.
  2. It has the conditions we need to settle in/on it.
  3. We will settle our colony in/on the icy, rocky surface.
  4. We were forced to land and settle in/on the dark side of the planet.
  5. We will settle in/on the sunny hemisphere.
  6. There are some regions with mountains and plateaus, and the colony has settled in/on one of them.

Is there any formal rule about this?

Also, do you think I should use another synonym, like "establish" or similar?

NofP
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Juan Pablo Vargas Seguel
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    Hi, I think you are mixing 2 uses of the same word… 'settle in' is an idiom meaning *to become comfortable/familiar* (as you would in a new home or job). the usual sci-fi trope is *colonize*…. 'Settlers' may imply a specific generation (of colonists) from a specific 'settler' time period – In US history, the govt gave incentives to certain ethnic groups willing to 'settle a territory' to claim it from native people who were being displaced (it's become a loaded term that has historic baggage). 'Settle ON a planet' is not wrong but gives a literal image, like 'settle on the couch'. – wetcircuit Dec 27 '21 at 19:17
  • You may get better responses over on English Language & Usage: https://english.stackexchange.com – wetcircuit Dec 27 '21 at 19:19
  • There are also questions on English Language Learners, which is good for more basic questions that non-native English speakers have. https://ell.stackexchange.com/questions/113326/difference-between-in-and-on https://ell.stackexchange.com/questions/214191/what-is-the-difference-between-in-and-on – Stuart F Feb 01 '22 at 15:45

2 Answers2

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In these examples "in" and "on" just describe the location. Just replace "settle" with another verb to see what fits best.

  • This is a tough planet to live on.
  • It has the conditions we need to live on it.
  • We will put our colony on the icy, rocky surface.
  • We were forced to land and sleep on the dark side of the planet.
  • We will live in/on the sunny hemisphere.
  • There are some regions with mountains and plateaus, and the colony has flourished on one of them.

I think with "hemisphere" both options are viable. And in fact "in" could work for some of the others, but it would mean something different. e.g. With a subterranean colony, you would be settling in (=inside) the planet.

To add to the confusion, you can also "settle in on the planet", because "settling in" is an idiom for getting comfortable/familiar, as mentioned in the comments by @wetcircuit.
And "settling on" can also mean to "decide on". So you can "settle on settling in on a planet."

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What sounds right:

I can tell you what sounds and feels right, but I'm not an English major. This may need to migrate to English SE. If you aren't there yet and are coming down, you are going ON to it, but if you're already ON the planet, you are going IN to a new place. So a ship can land ON Plymouth rock (come down from above), but the Pilgrims settle IN the New World.

This is a tough planet to settle a colony on. -because the colony is being placed on the planet.

It has the conditions we need to settle on it. -because the colony is being placed on the planet.

We will settle our colony on the icy, rocky surface.-because the colony is being placed on the planet.

We were forced to land and settle on the dark side of the planet. -because you are landing on the planet.

We will settle in the sunny hemisphere. -because you previously landed, and now are settling into a new place.

There are some regions with mountains and plateaus, and the colony has settled in one of them. -because the colony is being placed in a new place.

DWKraus
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