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Anonymous Posted 15 years ago
Vocabulary
Among or amongst?
Hello!
In Oxford English Dictionary it is written that there is a semantic difference between among and amongst and that amongst is “[l]ess usual in the primary local sense than among, and, when so used, generally implying dispersion, intermixture, or shifting position”. My question is to english-native speakers: (relying on your intuition) Is there any semantic difference, in other words, difference in meaning between these words and if yes, does it correspond to the meaning above taken from OED?
Thank you!
Maria
In Oxford English Dictionary it is written that there is a semantic difference between among and amongst and that amongst is “[l]ess usual in the primary local sense than among, and, when so used, generally implying dispersion, intermixture, or shifting position”. My question is to english-native speakers: (relying on your intuition) Is there any semantic difference, in other words, difference in meaning between these words and if yes, does it correspond to the meaning above taken from OED?
Thank you!
Maria
Top answer
Hi, I mainly say 'among'. Yet there are times when I say 'amongst'. I find it hard to explain why.
- Hi, I mainly say 'among'.
- Yet there are times when I say 'amongst'.
- I find it hard to explain why.
- Possibly it's just a matter of style.
- Possibly the OED definition is correct, but I find it rather abstract.
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3 Answers
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Hi,
I mainly say 'among'. Yet there are times when I say 'amongst'.
I find it hard to explain why. Possibly it's just a matter of style. Possibly the OED definition is correct, but I find it rather abstract.
On the other hand, my Canad
I mainly say 'among'. Yet there are times when I say 'amongst'.
I find it hard to explain why. Possibly it's just a matter of style. Possibly the OED definition is correct, but I find it rather abstract.
On the other hand, my Canad
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perhaps amongst seperates one
They divided it among themselves.<all of one accord>
There is one amongst you.... <seperates one person among many, that thinks differently from the rest>
It's just a thought.
They divided it among themselves.<all of one accord>
There is one amongst you.... <seperates one person among many, that thinks differently from the rest>
It's just a thought.
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Hi Maria
My intuition is that the distinction nowadays is subtle and has almost fallen into disuse. I think few English speakers or writers would notice whether you used one or the other
To take an example, if your friends are all in one room, then you would probably say "I am among my friends"
However, if you were considering your friends on a working day, when you are
My intuition is that the distinction nowadays is subtle and has almost fallen into disuse. I think few English speakers or writers would notice whether you used one or the other
To take an example, if your friends are all in one room, then you would probably say "I am among my friends"
However, if you were considering your friends on a working day, when you are
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