Dave's ESL Cafe's Student Discussion Forums

[hiromichi]

Is "among" below used　as an adverb?

�U.S. military intervention in Southeast Asia helped to create millions of refugees. This chaotic legacy continues in the lives of Cambodians, Hmong, Laotians and Vietnamese now in California. The groups have among the highest rates of welfare dependence in the state, the report says.�
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Hiromichi

[Mary W. Ng]

[hiromichi]

Mary W. Ng, Thank you. My example was taken from below.

http://www.amren.com/mtnews/archives/2005/03/big_income_divi.php
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Hiromichi

[redset]

Isn't it a preposition? The original sentence reads fine to me - the groups don't necessarily have the highest rates of welfare dependence, but the rates they have are among the highest.

[hiromichi]

redset, Do you mean I should read like this:

The groups have among-the-highest rates of welfare dependence in the
state, the report says.

Namely "among-the-highest" is an adjective phrase.

Am I right?
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Hiromichi

[redset]

Yeah, that's it - it's like reading it as 'the groups have the highest rates of welfare dependence' except they're not the highest, they're among the highest.

[hiromichi]

edset, Thank you.
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Hiromichi

[lotus]

Hi,

The intended meaning may be:

The groups have (among them) the highest rates of welfare dependence in the state.


--lotus

[hiromichi]

lotus, Thank you.
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Hiromichi