Twoply 0 #1 January 13, 2008 When is the proper way of using each? THanks Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
f1freak 0 #2 January 13, 2008 According to the OED, amongst is less usual in the primary local sense than among, and, when so used, generally implying dispersion, intermixture, or shifting position. For American speakers of English, the question is irrelevant. Americans say among. I hope that British speakers will continue to use amongst whenever they feel like it. Oh yeah I had to look it up HAVE FUN... ...JUST DONT DIE Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BIGUN 1,490 #3 January 13, 2008 http://www.tiscali.co.uk/reference/dictionaries/english/data/d0081551.html EDIT: You'll notice the source is a .ukNobody has time to listen; because they're desperately chasing the need of being heard. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
shropshire 0 #4 January 13, 2008 In the same wayest that one would useth ... amidst .vs. amind while .vs. whilst QuoteIn both cases, the form ending in -st actually contains the -s of the genitive ending (which we still have today, though usually written as ’s, of course). In Middle English, this was often added to words used as adverbs (as while became whiles, which often turned up in the compound adverbs somewhiles and otherwhiles). What seems to have happened is that a -t was later added in the south of England through confusion with the superlative ending -st (as in gentlest). Both while and whilst are ancient, though while is older. There’s no difference in meaning between them. For reasons that aren’t clear, whilst has survived in British English but has died out in the US. However, in Britain it is considered to be a more formal and literary word than its counterpart. I have a small weakness for it, for which I’ve been gently teased in the past. (.)Y(.) Chivalry is not dead; it only sleeps for want of work to do. - Jerome K Jerome Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
diablopilot 2 #5 January 13, 2008 QuoteWhen is the proper way of using each? THanks Amongst, should be used preceding the use of "wanker", as in "I am amongst a pack of wankers." Among may be used prior to words like idiot, asshole, or dumb asses.---------------------------------------------- You're not as good as you think you are. Seriously. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
shropshire 0 #6 January 13, 2008 It's pleasing to see that even those from over the pond are starting to try to be grammatically correct when employing the much beloved wanker (.)Y(.) Chivalry is not dead; it only sleeps for want of work to do. - Jerome K Jerome Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
diablopilot 2 #7 January 14, 2008 Quote It's pleasing to see that even those from over the pond are starting to try to be grammatically correct when employing the much beloved wanker Eh, me mum was born in Liverpool, so I had a bit of coaching on proper usage while growing up. ---------------------------------------------- You're not as good as you think you are. Seriously. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites