It's just one of those small things that some people find annoying; if we're trying to express our thoughts precisely, we ought to spell the words right.
PRINCIPLE is a noun, meaning a basic truth, law, or assumption: the principles of democracy.
PRINCIPAL is an adjective, meaning most important, consequential, or influential: the principal ingredient in the recipe.
PRINCIPAL is only used as a noun when you're talking about the original amount of a debt or your teacher's boss. I find it grating when I see intelligent people who should know better talking about the "principals of Christianity." "Seize" for "cease" and "convenant" for "covenant" are grating too, but if the writing is otherwise semiliterate, one expects that sort of thing. I've seen this error repeated over and over again by some of our most astute members, and it's beneath them.
Further bulletins as my obsessions warrant.
A small tip from the Spelling Nazi
Moderator: Moderators
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cnorman18
Post #11
I realize that that was intended as a joke, but in my humble opinion, it was in poor taste.Enculasse Deskeubs wrote:I wonder if the rest of us should be known as "spelling Jews".
The Soup Nazi was a funny character on Seinfeld, but you didn't see even indirect allusions to the Holocaust there. That's not a subject for humor, even black humor, to my people. The wound is still too fresh.
No offense taken, but please, as a matter of courtesy, don't do it again.
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Enculasse Deskeubs
- Student
- Posts: 21
- Joined: Thu Oct 07, 2010 8:00 am
- Location: Nomad
Post #12
OK, now I have to ask...what, if not the Holocaust, is the word "Nazi" supposed to imply? My comment is in poor taste, but joking about Nazis is not? I'm not trying to offend anyone, I just don't get it.I realize that that was intended as a joke, but in my humble opinion, it was in poor taste.
The Soup Nazi was a funny character on Seinfeld, but you didn't see even indirect allusions to the Holocaust there. That's not a subject for humor, even black humor, to my people. The wound is still too fresh.
No offense taken, but please, as a matter of courtesy, don't do it again.
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cnorman18
Post #13
Bringing up Nazis in a joking manner isn't necessarily offensive because the Holocaust isn't all they were noted for; besides being murderous and evil, they were also full of themselves, pompous, arrogant and more than a little ridiculous. Thus, the Soup Nazi, Spelling Nazi, etc. as comic characters.Enculasse Deskeubs wrote:OK, now I have to ask...what, if not the Holocaust, is the word "Nazi" supposed to imply? My comment is in poor taste, but joking about Nazis is not? I'm not trying to offend anyone, I just don't get it.I realize that that was intended as a joke, but in my humble opinion, it was in poor taste.
The Soup Nazi was a funny character on Seinfeld, but you didn't see even indirect allusions to the Holocaust there. That's not a subject for humor, even black humor, to my people. The wound is still too fresh.
No offense taken, but please, as a matter of courtesy, don't do it again.
The Nazis didn't have only victims, they had enemies. Comparing "the rest of us" to "the spelling Allies" might have been funny. Bringing up Jews in a joking manner in that context isn't. "Hogan's Heroes" was a comedy, but it didn't take place in a concentration camp. See, you didn't just join in the allusion to Nazis, as Miles did; you mentioned Jews. That's what made it in poor taste. People can laugh at the foaming-at-the-mouth speeches at orchestrated rallies and strutting dandies in comic-opera uniforms; but no one laughs at Auschwitz.
Does that help?
