What is the correct usage of the word "linkage?" Should "between" be used, or can you use "among" or other words? Context: "the linkage among (then a list of 5 or 6 items)" was in a colleague' s paper and I thought it should be "between."
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Anonymous
ANSWERS: 1
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I think you wanta know the 'correct' usage of 'among' and 'between'. I had a sorta gut feeling that there was a subtle difference between the two words, I looked in a few dictionaries and among them I found enuff to legitimize my original thought. Between seems to mean an actual connection and generally refers to two objects or people. Here's a linkage between here and a definition, from among several http://www.askoxford.com/concise_oed/between?view=uk Among refers to 'several' objects or people and has a kinda looser relationship. Things can be scattered among other things with out really being connected. Here's a connection; http://www.askoxford.com/concise_oed/among?view=uk So between between and among, among the choices, you can use either. In fact among other definitions is " shared by; between." ( see the linkage above) Linkages connect things, between refers to two things, among refers to more than two, but among can mean between, among other things. Betwixt you and me, you can make a choice from amongst several synonymns.
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