Learn English – Correctness of “alongside” vs “along with”

usageword-choice

When is there reason to prefer "along with" over "alongside", or vice versa?

Received feedback, re a wedding invite:

Jane and Simon,
alongside Sam and Diane [i.e. Jane's parents],
cordially invite you …

that it should be "along with". I thought these two phrases were interchangeable, and under the intentions of our copy (whimsical but adhering to standards) "alongside" seemed preferable.

I'd like to understand under what circumstances either choice is a better fit, and if my correspondent's advice is correct, how strictly it ought to be followed.

If it helps, my fiancée and I are American and everything is taking place in the US. Also the question is not about conventional wedding practices (that probably doesn't belong here at all), only the word usage.

Best Answer

Alongside implies a physical location. For instance, "right next to."

1 : along the side : in parallel position
2 : at the side : close by · a guard with a prisoner alongside

Along with means in conjunction with, or part of a group.

1 : in addition to (something or someone) · a plane carrying heavy radar equipment along with full fuel tanks

2 : together with (something or someone) · A bill came along with the merchandise. · He worked along with several colleagues to finish on time.

In the example of the wedding invitation, in order for four people to have been alongside each other, they would have to have been physically huddled in a group, almost touching each other, when writing the invitation . . .

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