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[7969]

i was giving a writing lesson on setting up a meeting.

in an example, i wrote:

"i'd like you to set up a meeting between all the english teachers."

several students questioned the use of the word "between" and asked me why we cant use "among" as in:

"i'd like you to set up a meeting among all the english teachers."

I didnt have an answer to this question. anyone know if there is a difference the two and what it might be?

7969

[georginachina]

Should have written..
"I'd like you to set up a meeting with all the English teachers".
In general, you divide things between people, and "among" becomes part of another thing. "There were several stars among the usual mass of dense students".

[eslstudies]

Depends who's meeting. If the Principal wants to meet with the English teachers, that's different to a meeting of the English teachers.
However, as American English is working to rid the language of prepositions [witness "The defendant appealed the decision"], it probably won't matter soon.
The meanings of among and between are different, and so is the meaning of the sentences containing them. So which did you mean?

[7969]

in the example sentence i provided, i've never heard anyone use "among." however, the replies you posted seem to be what i'm looking for. i'll revise my lesson to reflect that.

"i'd like you to set up a meeting of all the english teachers."
"i'd like you to set up a meeting with all the english teachers."

7969

[jammish]

Questions like this are why I like teaching primary!

Just kidding.

You don't set up a meeting among the teachers though do you? Surely you set up a meeting [b]with[/b the other teachers?

[HunanForeignGuy]

The Oxford does not concur with the answers provided by some of the previous posters :

It is true that between is the only choice when exactly two entities are specified: the choice between (not among) good and evil, the rivalry between (not among) Great Britain and France. When more than two entities are involved, however, or when the number of entities is unspecified, the choice of one or the other word depends on the intended sense. Between is used when the entities are considered as distinct individuals; among, when they are considered as a mass or collectivity. Thus in the sentence The bomb landed between the houses, the houses are seen as points that define the boundaries of the area of impact (so that we presume that none of the individual houses was hit). In The bomb landed among the houses, the area of impact is considered to be the general location of the houses, taken together (in which case it is left open whether any houses were hit). By the same token, we may speak of a series of wars between the Greek cities, which suggests that each city was an independent participant in the hostilities, or of a series of wars among the Greek cities, which allows for the possibility that the participants were shifting alliances of cities. For this reason, among is used to indicate inclusion in a group: She is among the best of our young sculptors. There is a spy among you. Use between when the entities are seen as determining the limits or endpoints of a range: They searched the area between the river, the farmhouse, and the woods. The truck driver had obviously been drinking between stops.



Thus, while I agree with 7969 as a rule about nothing, in this case, either his erudition or his instincts were correct. Given the fact that the "teachers" were readily identifiable as distinct entities, of more or less a proportionate standing, in this case, between is the correct choice. Each teacher is readily identifiable as a finite object and thus between is proper. If one considers the etymology of the word in Old English as relating to two distinct objects, then one can further understand why between is the correct choice here.

If one considers the etymology of "among" as having derived from the Old English word meaning a "throng", thus an indiscriminate and not-easily-identifiable group of people, then in that case one can understand why in this case among is not the preposition of choice.

There are very subtle but perceptible nuances between "a meeting with x and y" and a "meeting between the x's and the y's". SuperESL, in introducing the preposition "with" has modified the original structure of the phrase.

And yes, SuperESL, contrary to what you write, North Americans do still use prepositions.

[georginachina]

Argue here. The original sentence reads " I'd like you to set up a meeting....Here "you" are to meet "with" the English teachers.

[Itsme]

among is within and also being a part of and between is in the middle of two things without actually being a part of those two things.

[eslstudies]

[HunanForeignGuy]

[HunanForeignGuy]

[georginachina]

[latefordinner]

This morning I wrote on the blackboard, "There are greater differences among the sexes than between them" Aside from the fact that I can't remember where I read this or who wrote it, I have to wonder if I got it right.

[georginachina]

Depends on how many sexes there are!!!

[eslstudies]