Should I use "between" or "among" in the following sentence?

Question

I understand that "between" is for exactly two parties and "among" is for more than two parties. Which word is used if the number of parties in uncertain, as in the following example?

"Can this be split (between/among) more than one person?"

Please include the reasoning in your answer. Thank you.

Answer 1

I'll go with Soccer's answer--among.

If the intention was to split something "between" two people, why would you use the phrase "more than one person"? That suggests you are thinking of more than two people.

Answer 2

I think you should use among. This is because between is almost always for only two people, but among can be used for any amount of people above 1.

I hope this helps!!! =)

Answer 3

'among' - in the midst of; by all or with the whole of; by most or with many of - "popular among the people."

'between' - in portions for each of (two people) - "splitting the profits between them."

'Among' expresses a relationship when more than two persons or things are involved: Distrust spread among even his strongest supporters. 'Between' is used when only two persons or things are involved: "between you and me"; "to decide between tea and coffee". 'Between' also continues to be used, as it has been throughout its entire history, to express a relationship of persons or things considered individually, no matter how many: "Tossing up coins between three people always takes a little working out". "Between holding public office, teaching, and writing, she has little free time."
Although not generally accepted as good usage, 'between' you and I is heard occasionally in the speech of educated persons. By the traditional rules of grammar, when a pronoun is the object of a preposition, that pronoun should be in the objective case: 'between' you and me; 'between' her and them. The use of the nominative form (I, he, she, they, etc.) arises partly as overcorrection, the reasoning being that if it is correct at the end of a sentence like "It is I", it must also be correct at the end of the phrase between you and …. The choice of pronoun also owes something to the tendency for the final pronoun in a compound object to be in the nominative case after a verb: "It was kind of you to invite my wife and I". This too is not generally regarded as good usage.
The construction 'between' each (or every) is sometimes objected to on the grounds that 'between' calls for a plural or compound object. However, the construction is old and fully standard when the sense indicates that more than one thing is meant: "Spread softened butter between each layer of pastry". "There were marigolds peeking between every row of vegetables". The construction between … to is a blend of between … and (between 15 and 25 miles) and from … to (from 15 to 25 miles). It occurs occasionally in informal speech but not in formal speech or writing.

Answer 4

between

Answer 5

Instead, use the word "amongst." It should satisfy the sentence.

Answer 6

It would grammatically be either though it is most often between.

Answer 7

"Between" just sounds better to me.