5-15-04 Principal/Principle

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0><tr> <td valign="top" colspan=2 height=90 BGCOLOR="#006699" TEXT="#080000" background="042d05a3.jpg"> <div> <FONT SIZE="5" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" ><B>Big Ring Media Team, Inc.</B></FONT><B>    </B><B> |     </B><A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Big Ring Media Team, Inc."><B>home</B></A></div> <bR> <div> </div> </td> </tr><tr> <td valign="top" width=210 BGCOLOR="#FFCC66" TEXT="#080000" background="043d2123.jpg"> <div> Click on this link to return to <A HREF="id39.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Word Watch by Date">Word Watch by Date</A>.</div> <div> Click on this link to go to <A HREF="id40.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Word Watch by Subject">Word Watch by Subject</A>.</div> </td> <td valign="top" height=390 width="100%" BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <I>5-15-04 Principal/Principle</I></div> <div> As confusing words go, “principal” and “principle” hold second place on our list of observed errors. (Top honors go “affect” and “effect,” which will be covered in an upcoming Word Watch. Third place goes to “capitol” and “capital,” also to be written up in a future Word Watch.)</div> <div> Only “principal” can serve as an adjective. It's used to describe something as being highest in rank or importance. If you're describing a noun, “principal” is your only choice: principal reason, principal residence, principal driver.</div> <div> Both “principle” and “principal” are nouns. As a noun, “principal” still conveys the meaning of having the highest order. The principal is the top administrator at a school. The principal on a loan is the greater amount, unless you're paying interest to some unscrupulous lender. “Principle,” on the other hand, relates to law or doctrine: principle of capillary action, principle of free markets, principle of eminent domain. (Note: the grammar check feature of Microsoft Word wanted to replace each of the last three “principles” with “principal,” further reinforcing our view that writers should not rely too heavily on built-in features such as grammar and spell check.) “Principle” also refers to rules of conduct or ethics: Joe is a person of principle.</div> </td> </tr></table></body>