In according to?

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Ruslana

#417049 Tue, 11 Sep 07 09:10 AM

Hi, guys,

I was helping a colleague to check an official letter in English, and came across an interesting phrase - "in according to". I wanted to change it into either "in accordance with" or "according to", but the colleague told me that the phrase had been suggested to him by another colleague of ours. I'd think that this second colleague was mistaken, but the problem is that she's a proficient English speaker (has a linguistics education).

So, the question is whether "in according to" is a super-official usage I'm not aware of, or the one who suggested this phrase was mistaken.

Since I've touched this question, could you please also tell me which one sounds more official: "in accordance with" or "according to" (or "in according to", if it's correct)?

Ruslana

Joined on Sat, Dec 17 2005

Russia

Senior Member (3,197)

"When the power of love overcomes the love of power, the world will know peace", - Jimi Hendrix

Official Letter

CalifJim

#417055 Tue, 11 Sep 07 09:20 AM

Can you give the whole sentence?
in according to sounds like nonsense to me.
(The linguistics credentials don't impress me.)
I'd have used in accordance with. Smile [:)]

CalifJim

Joined on Mon, Aug 2 2004

California

Veteran Member (17,762)

"There are no facts, only interpretations" - Nietzsche

Ruslana

#417063 Tue, 11 Sep 07 09:31 AM

Thanks for a quick reply, CJ! Smile [:)]

That sounded like nonsense to me too. But nevertheless, I hear it rather often used by my Russian and Italian colleagues (though I myself never use it anyway).

The whole sentence was:

In according to the agreement achieved during the video conference on Sept. 07, 2007, we send to you the corrected AMM and FIM Book Plans.

Ruslana

nona the brit

#417069 Tue, 11 Sep 07 09:43 AM

It's incorrect. Is there possible some native language interference going on here?

In accordance with.. would be appropriate.

(In accordance with and according to don't have the same meaning).

nona the brit

Joined on Wed, Sep 22 2004

England

Veteran Member (11,450)

The name says it all.

CalifJim

#417077 Tue, 11 Sep 07 09:51 AM

Here's my rewrite:

In accordance with the agreement reached during the video conference of September 7, 2007, we are sending you the corrected AMM and FIM Book Plans.

Or if the Plans are being enclosed with the letter, instead of we are sending you the corrected ..., please find enclosed the corrected ... or we have enclosed the corrected ...

CJ

CalifJim

Ruslana

#417111 Tue, 11 Sep 07 11:39 AM

Nona The Brit wrote:
It's incorrect. Is there possible some native language interference going on here?

No, unfortunately. Only Russians, Italians, and Frenchmen. (I know we are hopeless. Big Smile [:D] ) I know that 'in accordance with' and 'according to' have different meanings, but I thought they could be interchangeable in some cases. For example, in the given sentence, if there was no need to keep official intonation. Isn't it so?

Thanks, CJ! Rose [F] My correction skills seem poor indeed. But at least I figured our the first nonsense. Smile [:)]

Ruslana

Intonations

Grammar Geek

#417165 Tue, 11 Sep 07 03:33 PM

Grammar Geek

Joined on Tue, Jan 10 2006

Pennsylvania, USA

Veteran Member (16,089)

Barbara, who answers in American English.

Ruslana

#417201 Tue, 11 Sep 07 05:40 PM

Hmm, I'll try to look for more information about the usages of them both. Apparently, I've missed something. Or they don't make a big difference to me because of Russian, for in the latter we can use the same phrase to translate both "in accordance with" and "according to".

Ruslana

Ant_222

#417215 Tue, 11 Sep 07 06:23 PM

Hello.

«According to» won't work because it is just a way of referring to an info source:

«According to Alexa, we’re now the world’s busiest EFL forum»

Ant_222

Joined on Sun, May 21 2006

Podolsk, Russia

Contributing Member (1,584)

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