If you’re of a certain age, you probably learned the school principal is your pal, or the principles of the school are the rules, not the ruler. (I either made the second one up or it was buried so deep in my synapses that I don’t remember ever hearing it‚ nonetheless, I like it!)
Once you get beyond third or fourth grade, the difference between principal and principle is quite clear and easy to remember. It’s almost always principal as a noun and always as an adjective. You can watch the interest grow on the principal in your investment account or name the principal actors in a film.
You might pause or think twice when writing to get it right. A principle is always a noun and indicates a truth or the fundamental basis of something; anything else is a principal. In speaking, however, it doesn’t matter because both words have the same pronunciation. Even if you visualize the wrong word as you say it, no one listening is the wiser.
You don’t get off so easy with tenet and tenant. These two words differ in both spelling and pronunciation, yet all too often (even from people who I believe should know better) I see and hear tenant used or said in place of tenet. Sigh. Here are a few simple synonyms for each to set the record straight:
tenant – an occupant, inhabitant, renter, leaseholder
tenet – a principle, a belief, a doctrine, an axiom
To recap:
The school principal can be your tenant but not a tenet. Likewise, a principle can be a tenet but not a tenant. (You’re welcome 😉 )
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Originally published April 12, 2023.