A few years ago someone gave me the book 100 Words Almost Everyone Misuses and Confuses. The other day, I ran across this book again (just sitting on our shelf), and figured it would make a good blog post.
Here are a couple words that are commonly confused:
Council: noun 1. A. An assembly of persons called together for consultation, deliberation, of discussion. B. A body of people elected or appointed to serve as administrators, legislators, or advisors. C. An assembly of church officials and theologians convened for regulating matters of doctrine and discipline (ie the High Council). 2. The discussion or deliberation that takes place in such an assembly or body.
Counsel: noun 1. The act of exchanging opinions and ideas. 2. Advice or guidance, especially unsolicited from a knowledgeable person. 3. Private, guarded thoughts or opinions. 4. A lawyer or group of lawyers giving legal advice and especially conducting a case in court.
Council, counsel, and consul have similar pronunciations but are never interchangeable, although their meanings are related. Council refers specifically to a deliberative assembly (such as a city council or student council), its work, and its membership. Counsel pertains chiefly to advice and guidance in general and to a person (such as a lawyer or camp counselor) who provides it. Consul denotes an officer in the foreign service of a country.
1 comment:
So I can use console to mean any of the above, right?
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