Accompanied with or by?

[Mehrgan]

Hi,

What's the difference between the meanings when "by" or "with" is used with accompanied? Thanks...

[ratóncolorao]

Neither a teacher nor a native speaker -
I would rather say accompanied by - always, I'm afraid.

[Linguist__]

(Not a teacher)

I think 'accompanied with' sounds like a mutual relationship between the two (or more) people involved. 'Accompanied by' sounds more like someone is 'higher up' than the other person(s) involved. For example:

"I was accompanied with my fiancée to the dinner party."
vs.
"The children were accompanied by their teachers on the school trip."

This certainly isn't a definate rule. As a rule of thumb, just use 'by', it sounds more used than 'with'. I would say in my example of the fiancée, 'accompanied by' could be used just as effectively, without a sense of a heirarchy.

[mmasny]

To my ear, accompanied with my fiancee sounds as if she was a tool used to accompany me. Shouldn't it be so?

[Mehrgan]

(Not a teacher)

I think 'accompanied with' sounds like a mutual relationship between the two (or more) people involved. 'Accompanied by' sounds more like someone is 'higher up' than the other person(s) involved. For example:

"I was accompanied with my fiancée to the dinner party."
vs.
"The children were accompanied by their teachers on the school trip."

This certainly isn't a definate rule. As a rule of thumb, just use 'by', it sounds more used than 'with'. I would say in my example of the fiancée, 'accompanied by' could be used just as effectively, without a sense of a heirarchy.

Hi,

Many thanks to you. I've been interested in English for a couple of years. The only thing I always follow is, "language is what its speaker say!", though it might not be what I've studied in my grammar books! So, I'll take your nice explanation for granted. Cheers!

[Raymott]

(Not a teacher)

I think 'accompanied with' sounds like a mutual relationship between the two (or more) people involved. 'Accompanied by' sounds more like someone is 'higher up' than the other person(s) involved.

Interesting. "Accompanied with" doesn't work in AusE.

[Jaskin]

hi
Note not a teacher nor a native speaker.

"I was accompanied with my fiancée to the dinner party."

When I read that sentence I ask myself : who accompanied you and your fiancée to the diner, a bit ambiguous I think.

It seems that BNC favours "by" 2318 results vs "with" 21 results

CORPORA: 45-400 million words each: free online access

Cheers

[bhaisahab]

Interesting. "Accompanied with" doesn't work in AusE.

I've never come across it in BrE either, perhaps it's Scottish.

[Linguist__]

I should rethink my initial differentiation between 'with' and 'by'.

'Accompanied by' is used when one thing is in the company of another thing. Perhaps my fiancée example should be 'accompanied by' only, rather than what I said earlier - that it could be both. In general, use 'accompanied by' with people.

'Accompanied with' is used when one thing is in some way linked to another. Perhaps the others are correct that this is a local thing, but I've certainly seen it used. Menus in restaurants often describe the food as 'sirloin steak accompanied with tartar sauce' or whatever. Also, when reading medical notes I often come across symptoms using 'accompanied with' - 'a sore head accompanied with back pain'. So, I think use 'accompanied with' with things such as these.

Or just play it safe and use 'accompanied by' for all things.

[mmasny]

'Accompanied with' is used when one thing is in some way linked to another. Perhaps the others are correct that this is a local thing, but I've certainly seen it used. Menus in restaurants often describe the food as 'sirloin steak accompanied with tartar sauce' or whatever. Also, when reading medical notes I often come across symptoms using 'accompanied with' - 'a sore head accompanied with back pain'. So, I think use 'accompanied with' with things such as these.

Or just play it safe and use 'accompanied by' for all things.

Isn't it what I was talking about? My rule-of-thumb is to use by when I want to introduce an agent and with when I want to intoduce a tool (sensu lato). Someone can accompany me with something and I can be accompanied by someone. Isn't it right?