To start at the very beginning, the Merriam-Webster dictionary states that both words come from Old English. Among is commonly followed by a plural noun phrase. The more accurate difference is this: Between is used when naming distinct, individual items (can be 2, 3, or more) Among is used when the items are part of a group, or are not specifically named (MUST be 3 or more) This example will help illustrate the difference: The negotiations between Brazil, Argentina, and Chile are going well. We use among to talk about things which are not clearly separated because they are part of a group … Amongst is used more in the Uk and Australia. It’s commonly held that whereas one speaks of a contract between two parties, the correct preposition to use in the case of a contract involving more than two parties is among. Among vs Between Quiz ; Am Used To vs Used To . Among vs. (MSCD 2.46–.48 explains why distinguishing between between and among in that context is one of the great red herrings. Do you ever wonder....between? The Oxford English Corpus counts about 10,000 mentions of amongst in American writing. Compare walk between two trees with walk among the trees. Among vs. Among is usually used with plural, countable nouns whereas amid is used with uncountable, mass nouns. Just between you and me, I’m surprised that a graduate of Yale wouldn’t speak better English. As an adverb across is from one side to the other. Between ‘Among’ and ‘between’ are two frequently confused prepositions in the English language. Already vs Finished Quiz. Example: There was an alley between the buildings. Between, Between vs. 4. The monastery is hidden among the trees. But according to The Oxford English Dictionary, it’s not only permissible but actually preferable to use between rather than among with more than two parties. Which Between “Among” and “Amongst” is the More Commonly Used Word As far as which preposition of the two are more common is concerned, “among” is a lot more widely used. On both sides of the Atlantic, the truncated versions are more common, but you are much more likely to hear amongst, amidst, and whilst in the United Kingdom than in the States. Speaking of amongst, which is a variant of among chiefly found in British English, what is the difference between amid and among?. There is something between the wheels of the car. The word “ between ” is usually used to describe something being in the middle of two other things. The definition of among and amongst is to be surrounded by something, in the company of others, or part of a number or group of people. into the space separating two or more points, objects, places, people, etc. Verb . among. To be made or become a collateral damage. To implicate; to connect or involve in an unfavorable or criminal way with something. To drag in. Stylistically, people use amongst when they want to sound more formal or more poetic. B etween is suitable when you differentiate something in pair, like Amid vs. Among. Ad vs Add Quiz. 1. b) between. I will be at the office between eight and six. There is a widespread belief that the preposition between should be used in sentences with a choice involving two items while among is applicable to choices involving more than two items. "Lactose intolerance is common among people of Asian heritage." Among vs Amongst The difference between among and amongst has nothing to do with their meanings and connotations, rather this difference lies in their usage. Between, among: meaning and use. "Lactose intolerance is common among people of Asian heritage." Nevertheless, whether you use between or amongst does not influence the legal effect of the contract. Use between in the sense of a wedge dividing two or more parties. ; When used in this way, between is used with two separate, distinct things (e.g., lava and the sea, a rock and another rock, … ; The cameraman was between the zebras and the pride. Or we should just replace between with among. Advice & Advise Quiz. Is between correct word in the preceding sentence? Summary: 'Among' and 'between' are prepositions in the English language used to compare or relate two or more things. Generally, 'between' applies to two choices , while 'among' is the appropriate term to connect three or more choices. 'Between' can also be used to compare or relate more than two things, provided that they are individually distinct. Ad vs Add - With Audio/Voice. We use between to refer to two things which are clearly separated. It denotes a position between two things: The guard stood between the door and the street. Among (preposition) Denotes a sharing of a common feature in a group. "He is among the few who completely understand the subject." They seem to be quite similar – they are both used to compare or relate two or more things. History and Meaning. Among. Amongst vs. among are both prepositions, meaning in the company of or surrounded by. Amongst … Many people believe between should be used for choices involving two items and among for choices that involve more than two items. Between vs. In terms of dictionary definition, there is no difference between among and amongst, amid and amidst, or while and whilst. Sometimes people use "between" when they want to show a connection with more than two things, but this is not correct. Among is much more popular than amongst. Between usually means (being) in or (getting, etc.) Amongst is mostly used in a dramatic, poetic context. It is because a language develops and changes with time. Between can be confused with among, but when it comes to between, you are typically talking about two or more distinct elements. Continue. Sometimes ' between us' is correct and sometimes ' among us' is correct, depending on the sense of 'us' in the sentence. "Between" shows connection with two persons or things and may refer to space or time. The only difference is that amongst is less common. The difference is less extreme in British English and other international English dialects, but among … The difference between among and amid lies in their usage. Key Difference – Among vs Amid. Among and amongst actually have the same meaning. Amongst? Between. Among vs. Amongst You know that among and amongst are the same. To divide things up “among” and “between” both can be used in a sentence. People sometimes ask about the difference between among and amongst.Both words mean the same thing, but among is the older form and is now more commonly used in the United States, whereas amongst is more commonly used in Britain.. For example, Google's Ngram viewer suggests the word "amongst" appeared far more frequently in literature in the early 1600s. Avoid using by for the same reason as applies to amongst; it turns an agreement into something outside the parties (i.e. When considering among vs between, here are a couple of simple rules to remember: Between is usually used in situations where one thing is stuck in the middle of two other things. Among (preposition) Denotes a belonging of a person or a thing to a group. When to Use Amongst or Among? "He is among the few who completely understand the subject." Between. Among is also used to describe an occurrence or experience shared by the same group or community, or a differentiation between three or more people. There are Among vs. amid. Among or Amongst? Our house is between the woods, the river and the village. They can be used interchangeably, so choosing one over the other depends on writing style. Between vs Among at a Glance. The preposition between is from an Old English word related to the word two. Among (preposition) Denotes a sharing of a common feature in a group. Among and amid are two prepositions that share a similar meaning. Well, here's a quick explanation! Remembering Among vs. Amongst 5. So here goes: Ground zero for fights over between versus among is wills. One cannot go about interchanging between and among as part of a sentence. The race is now between Among and amongst can mean surrounded by, in company with, or in the midst of. Among vs. Amongst A few theories claim that "among" is more commonly used in American English, while British English tends to prefer "amongst" as a tradition from a past period of the English vocabulary evolution, when the suffixes "-s" and "-st" were added to several words, mostly to obtain new adverbs such as "whilst" from "while". The only difference is the formality either word adds to your writing, but what about between. a) among. Advice vs Advise - With Audio/Voice. 2. As an adverb with is (midwestern us) along, together with others/group etc. As prepositions the difference between with and among is that with is against while among is denotes a mingling or intermixing with distinct or separable objects (see usage note at amidst). ; Amongst is sometimes used as an alternative to among. Amongst may feel more archaic to speakers of American English, but among is actually the older word, dating back to Old English (circa 1000 CE). 1. Among is more common in American English, while amongst used almost exclusively in British English. Between … Among (preposition) Denotes a belonging of a person or a thing to a group. As a noun with is . Between is typically used when referring to two things, like "between a rock and a hard place," while among is used for a greater number. However, these rules should be reconsidered if the sentence sounds awkward or overly pretentious. Among and amongst are the most common prepositions used in the English language. As far as the meaning is concerned, there is no difference between the two words, and very often the two are used interchangeably. "Amongst" is used more in the UK and Australia in American English, while "Among" is used more in the U.S in British English. A mong is suitable when you differentiate something as a whole, like Amid vs. Amongst, in comparison, showed up in the language in Middle English (circa 1200 CE). Ago vs Before . 3. Already vs Finished . Instead, use just between, but if someone insists on among, don’t waste time debating the issue.) Among vs. Among is the more common variant in American and British English. That could be because “amongst” gives a sense of tradition or is a tad archaic in its sound and feel than “among”. Among, Amid vs. She was standing between Mary and Peter. However, the rules of grammar make it less simple than it sounds. - gramática inglés y uso de palabras en "English Grammar Today" - Cambridge University Press Amongst occurs in the same idioms and expressions as among. Anymore vs Any More. Among is generally used when something is a member of a group or a part of something bigger. Among is also a preposition. AMONG vs AMONGST. The traditional rule regarding these two words states that between introduces two items while amongintroduces more than two items. Then, you might wonder why there are two words for the same meaning. Among came first from “gemonge” meaning “in a crowd” or “to A Lot Of vs Many . It has more senses than amid.However, one of the main meanings of among, “in, into, or through the midst of; in association or connection with; surrounded by,” overlaps with amid. I haven’t considered instances of between or among. For example: She was trapped between molten lava and the sea. Between. Among and amongst are prepositions, meaning they express a relationship between the elements of a clause. That can get you to the right answer some of the time, but it's not that simple (1, 2, 3, 4, 5). Between or among ? They are interchangeable. As prepositions the difference between among and across is that among is denotes a mingling or intermixing with distinct or separable objects (see usage note at amidst) while across is to, toward or from the far side of (something that lies between two points of interest). Among? Among is more common in American English, while amongst appears more often in British English. "Among" and "amongst" show connection with more than two persons or things. A Lot Of & Many Quiz. BETWEEN, as a preposition of place, is used to say something (or someone) is in the middle of a space separating two things. August 11, 2016 -. 1. ; I hid the note between two rocks. Am Used To & Used To Quiz . 6. Actually vs Currently . Us' … the parties are the makers of a contract, being a work). Among and amongst are both prepositions.They mean in the midst of, surrounded by, in the company of, or in association with.But among is most common, particularly in American English. Let's not let this petty argument come between us. ' While this may be true for some cases, this rule is not absolute and can cause errors in the usage of these terms. Answers. However, among appears over 300,000 times. Among. This is the key difference between among and amid. Between.