using balance between three things, does it sound idiomatic?

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A.E lover - 20 Jan 2009 02:21 GMT

Hi all,

I often hear that between something and something. Can I use "between
three things"?

For example, can I say "we need to adjust the balance between theee
channels". Does it sound idiomatic to you?

Thanks

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Marius Hancu - 20 Jan 2009 03:54 GMT

I'd have said use "among" for such cases, but this dictionary
contradicts me:

---------
be·tween

Function: preposition

1 b : shared by <there are many interrelationships, and many mutual
interests, between linguistics, philosophy, and psychology --
J.B.Carroll> c : by giving a portion of the total to each of <the
fortune was divided between the four grandchildren> <the food was
shared between three families>

M-W Unabridged
-------

As you can see, all examples are using at least 3 parties.

Marius Hancu

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Derek Turner - 20 Jan 2009 10:34 GMT

> I'd have said use "among" for such cases, but this dictionary
> contradicts me:

it's not the between that worries me half as much as the balance. A
balance compares the weight of two things. Can we use balance for three
or more? Perhaps, but I wouldn't!

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R H Draney - 20 Jan 2009 18:13 GMT

Derek Turner filted:

>> I'd have said use "among" for such cases, but this dictionary
>> contradicts me:
>>
>it's not the between that worries me half as much as the balance. A
>balance compares the weight of two things. Can we use balance for three
>or more? Perhaps, but I wouldn't!

It's certainly a multi-way concept in this film:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Yj3x4AELDw

....r

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"You got Schadenfreude on my Weltanschauung!"
"You got Weltanschauung in my Schadenfreude!"

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James Hogg - 20 Jan 2009 10:48 GMT

>Hi all,
>
[quoted text clipped - 3 lines]
>For example, can I say "we need to adjust the balance between theee
>channels". Does it sound idiomatic to you?

The OED has definitions of balance which certainly admit of three
or more things:

"balance of power (in Europe): such an adjustment of power among
sovereign states that no single state is in a position to
interfere with the independence of the rest"

"General harmony between the parts of anything"

"Stability or steadiness due to the equilibrium prevailing
between all the forces of any system"

and if you're especially interested in sound:

"spec. of the arrangement and adjustment of sources of sound; the
sound thus produced"

As for the choice of preposition, the phrase "balance between the
three" gets 138,000 hits on Google, while "balance among the
three" yields only 15,100.

James

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Peter Duncanson (BrE) - 20 Jan 2009 15:59 GMT

>>Hi all,
>>
[quoted text clipped - 20 lines]
>"spec. of the arrangement and adjustment of sources of sound; the
>sound thus produced"

An example from nutrition is "a balanced diet". This concerns having suitable
proportions of more than two types of nutrient.

>As for the choice of preposition, the phrase "balance between the
>three" gets 138,000 hits on Google, while "balance among the
>three" yields only 15,100.
>
>James

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Peter Duncanson, UK
(in alt.usage.english)

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Chuck Riggs - 20 Jan 2009 16:49 GMT

>Hi all,
>
[quoted text clipped - 3 lines]
>For example, can I say "we need to adjust the balance between theee
>channels". Does it sound idiomatic to you?

Yes. An alternative is "among" but since the levels are being compared
a pair at a time, "between" is the better choice.

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Regards,

Chuck Riggs
Near Dublin, Ireland

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Discussion Groups / English Usage / January 2009

using balance between three things, does it sound idiomatic?