Which is correct - principle or principal?

[lynbrown]

Edinburgh Commonwealth swimming pool is undergoing renovation. There is a notice outside saying Edinburgh Council is a 'Principle funder' of the work. Surely that should be 'Principal funder' ?

[redman41]

Principal for me

[factor-fiction]

It should be principal.

[AB Editor]

Definitely principal. Principle works in a round-about way though, you know, if you turn your brain on it's side.

[follyfancier]

Principal ,that means most important or first
Principle means a rule

[Lie-in King]

Its, Ed, it's its...

Now my head hurts even more

[factor-fiction]

It's quite common for post offices to have signs about "licenses" and for stationery shop signs to advertise their "stationary". Even at school the PE department notices always refer to after-school sessions as Football/Rounders/Rugby "Practise".

[factor-fiction]

It reminds me of when word processors were introduced in the typing pools at work in the early 1980s and signs were put up in all the typing pools saying "Use you're spell checker."

[puternut]

A sign up near a piece of grass - the local council asked dog users not to let their dogs 'fowl' in the area !!!!

It was shanged a few weeks later with a different spelling

[factor-fiction]

In Edinburgh a few days ago I saw a car with a "For Seal" sign in the window.

[sophie_1003]

Factor; wouldn't practise in that case be correct as the children will practise football skills or does it still count as a noun?

[JonnyBoy12]

Yes, lynbrown. You are right and they are wrong. I am glad to see that you are on the ball. Do you want to tell them, or shall I?

[DaisyNonna]

You are right Lyn

[factor-fiction]

Hi sophie- yes, a Football Practice is a noun and, as you say, the verb form is practise.
The participants will practise their football skills at the football practice.
This is just one example of where the English language is unecessarily complex. Maybe the Americans have the right idea as I think they have just the S form for license,etc

[pips1]

I was always taught to remember 'Princi-pal' ie 'pal' is a person so the head of a college for example is a Principal, so the head one of something is 'pal' and all other versions are 'principle'.

[factor-fiction]

^ unnecessarily!

[DTCwordfan]

Scottish education for you......

[sophie_1003]

Ah OK; I still struggle with the practice/practise rule unless it's really obvious!

[JonnyBoy12]

That is not silly at all, factor30. The car was only for purchase by seals for use in the sea, obviously.