The English language is a wonderful language to learn. It is a language that is widely spoken all over the world and is used in almost every walk of life. The English language has a wide variety of vocabulary and the rules for the use of grammar are quite complicated. To complicate matters, some words have two meanings and so on. It is not always easy to understand the rules of grammar.
Summary Table
| Amid | Amidst |
| Refers to a general location | Refers to a specific location |
| More common | Less common |
| Pronounced [ə-ˈmid] | Pronounced [ə-ˈmidst] |
English is full of confusion and sometimes there are words that we use incorrectly or we do not know what they mean. This can be especially confusing when we want to describe the same thing in two different ways. When describing the same thing in two different ways, we can sometimes choose to use a different word for each way. For example, if we are talking about the country of England, we might use the word “England” to describe the entire country or we might choose to use the word “Britain” to describe only part of it. The words “England” and “Britain” are two different words that describe the same thing, but we use them in two different ways.
The word “amid” and the word “amidst” are both words that describe a place where things are placed or a person who is in a place. They are both the same word but are used in two different ways. But why is this the case? What is the difference between “amid” and “amidst”? How do we know which one to use?
This article will explain the difference between “amid” and “amidst” and how to use them correctly. We will also look at the rules for using these words.
What is Amid?
“Amid” is a word that is used to describe a person or object that is standing in the middle of something. It is a “preposition” that describes a location or position. “Amid” is also used to describe the person or object that is at the center of attention. The word “amid” is used to describe the same thing as “amidst.”
In terms of grammar, “amid” is a preposition and “amidst” is a “prepositional phrase.” Let’s take a look at an example of how “amid” is used in a sentence.
Example 1: I am sitting amid a group of people at the local bar.
In the sentence above, “Amid” is a preposition that describes where I am in the sentence. I am sitting in the middle of a group of people at the local bar. In this sentence, the position of the noun “I” is described as in the middle of a group of people.
Example 2: It was an amazing picnic amid the mountains.
In the sentence above, “Amid” is a preposition that describes where the picnic was. It was an amazing picnic in the mountains. In this sentence, the noun had a picnic near the mountains. The noun was having a picnic surrounded by mountains, and it was amazing.
What is Amidst?
Amidst is a preposition which means “to be in the middle of” or “to be located in the middle of.” For example, if you’re at a conference and the speaker is on stage, you are amidst the crowd. You are not in the middle of the crowd, but you are in the middle of the conference.
It is an English word that is derived from “amid.” The spelling of the word changes to “amidst” depending on the context, the word being modified, who is speaking, who is being spoken to, where the word is being used, and other similar factors. However, the meaning of the word does not change.
Now, let’s take a look at some examples:
Example 1: Amidst the crowd, I saw one person standing alone
In this sentence, the word “amidst” is modifying the word “crowd.” It means that the person is located in the middle of the crowd, or is in the middle of a group of people. Therefore, it is not the crowd itself, but the one person located in the middle of the crowd.
Example 2: It was cold outside, so I wore a sweater amidst the snow
In this sentence, the word “amidst” is modifying the word “snow.” It means that the snow was located in the middle of the cold weather, and the person is wearing a sweater in the middle of the snow. The word “amidst” does not change the meaning of the sentence.
How are They Related?
Before we get into the details of the differences between “amid” and “amidst”, let’s first talk about how they are related.
Here are some similarities between “amid” and “amidst”:
- The Meaning
Both of these words mean “in the middle of” or “among”. They both also refer to a specific location which is in the middle of something else.
- The Rules
The rules for using “amid” and “amidst” are the same. Both of these words are usually used to talk about things or someone that are being done or being present in the middle of something else.
- British and American English
While both of these words are used in British and American English, the way they are used is different. In British English, “amid” is mainly used to talk about something being present in the middle of a location. In American English, “amidst” is mainly used to talk about something that is being done in the middle of a location.
What are the Differences?
Now, let’s look at the difference between “amid” and “amidst”.
- The Usage
The “amid” word refers to a situation in which things are in a general location. The “amidst” word refers to a situation in which things are in a specific location.
- British and American English
Both British and American English use the “amid” and “amidst” words. However, “amid” is more common than “amidst” in British English and American English.
- Pronunciation
In British English, the “amid” word is pronounced as ‘a-mid’, while the “amidst” word is pronounced as ‘a-mid-st’. The phonetic pronunciation of the “amid” word is [ə-ˈmid] and the phonetic pronunciation of the “amidst” word is [ə-ˈmidst].
