Among / among the ......

Question

Hello, everybody! I have some doubts about when I should and when I shouldn't use the article "the" after "among".

For example is this right?

"Among the things......

"Among the beats (poetic)....

"Among the evil......

Is there any case when "the" isn't needed?

For example, I met such sentences.

He was glad to find a friend among enemies.

She felt like a stranger among friends.

Thank you very much in advance!

Answer 1

Very good question Princess. Like Mary, I'm not sure I know an actual grammar rule as to when you would use 'the'. Perhaps if I take 2 of your sentences above I might be able to add a little sense to it lol.

He was glad to find a friend among enemies.

This mean enemies in general. You could say:

"He was glad to find a friend among the enemies of our country" Here you are specifying particular enemies.

She felt like a stranger among friends.

Again, this is friends in general. You could say:

"She felt like a stranger among the friends of her fiance" Here you are specifying a particular group of friends.

Another example:

"I like to walk among flowers" = I just like walking among flowers in general

"I like to walk among the flowers in the park" = you are specifying which flowers

I have exactly the same problem when I use the Spanish definite article.

Hope this helps!

Oh thanks a lot, amigo!!! :) Now I got it. So, the same rule about "countable and uncountable nouns" is used here! Muchas gracias! :) - PrincessMariam, Dec 26, 2011

One question :) Is "Among the evil, love helps me to survive". correct? Or here is "evil" also in general? - PrincessMariam, Dec 26, 2011

again, I don't know the grammar, I just know it as my native tongue lol. I think!!!! if you say 'among the evil...' then I would ask "the evil what?" If you just said "among evil...." this implies just evil in general. - billygoat, Dec 26, 2011

I think you are more likely to see/ hear amidst evil, or amidst all the evil - teasip, Dec 26, 2011

thanks a loooooooooooooooooooooort, amigo! ;) - PrincessMariam, Dec 26, 2011

de nada guapa - billygoat, Dec 26, 2011

Answer 2

I got an answer which is pretty much what billygoat said

You can tell her that there is no "rule" per se, as the word itself is in a state of transition.

You can say that as "the" is the definitive pronoun, singular and plural, it often gets dropped in English when there is no need to use such a pronoun. It's not "specific enemies, friends, etc.", so no "the".

You could also say that many English speakers use Amongst in these cases.

Other English speakers use Among in subject position, Amongst in Object position.

I hope that is some help, it made sense to me.

Oh, that's great! :) Thank you very much, Mary! :D - PrincessMariam, Dec 26, 2011

Answer 3

Is there any case when "the" isn't needed?

The simple answer is yes, you give two very good examples yourself. Sadly like a lot of English speakers I have no idea if there is an actual rule which governs whether a the is needed or not. I shall ask some of my friends who have studied English grammar and see if any know the answer.

Thank you, Mary! :) - PrincessMariam, Dec 26, 2011

Answer 4

Among the people in the room....

Among all of the people in the room....

Among these people....

Among my favorite people....

Among my friends....

Among the things I like the most....

Your examples are all correct... do you have one that you are questioning?

So, "the" is always needed? I mean is there any case when I shouldn;t use "the" after "among" ? - PrincessMariam, Dec 26, 2011

There are a couple listed there without the "the"... - Tosh, Dec 26, 2011

where? on SD? Or should I search for them in internet? - PrincessMariam, Dec 26, 2011

No... in my list I gave you. :) Among my friends.... - Tosh, Dec 26, 2011

ohhh :) Thanks a lot, amigo! I shall remember "among friends" for sure! - PrincessMariam, Dec 26, 2011