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Anonymous Posted 12 years ago
Grammar

Adjective -ic and -ical

What is the difference between the adjectives ending with -ic and -ical like historic and historical, politic and political, etc.
  

Top answer

Hello, hokey pokey—and welcome to English Forums. The two suffixes, if both are used on the same root, often mean the same and are simply alternatiives. Other roots will accept either one or the other, but not both—mostly by tradition.

— Mister Micawber

  • Hello, hokey pokey—and welcome to English Forums.
  • The two suffixes, if both are used on the same root, often mean the same and are simply alternatiives.
  • Other roots will accept either one or the other, but not both—mostly by tradition.
  • A few, as with 'historic/historical', have developed different meanings.
  • 'Historical' means real in the past, not fictional.
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7 Answers
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Hello, hokey pokey—and welcome to English Forums.

The two suffixes, if both are used on the same root, often mean the same and are simply alternatiives. Other roots will accept either one or the other, but not both—mostly by tradition. A few, as with 'historic/historical', have developed different meanings.

'Historical' means real in the past, not fictional.
'Historic' mean
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Hello Mister, thank you for replying. A person said that the adjectives ending with -ical are followed by a noun.

This car is very economic.
This is a very economical car.

Is that true? How do I know the right word on an examination?

Thanks in advance.
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hokey pokeyA person said that the adjectives ending with -ical are followed by a noun.
No. That doesn't make sense. This car is very economical.
hokey pokeyHow do I know the right word on an examination?
You don't unless you learn the words correctly.

CJ
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Hello CalifJim, thanks for replying. It is very difficult to understand the difference because there is only one end in my native language. How do I have to study this, please? thank you in advance.
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hokey pokeyHow do I have to study this, please?
What I meant is that most of the time you just have to know the words as they are listed in the dictionary. Whenever you learn a new word with one of these endings, find out from a dictionary if it occurs only with -ic or only with -ical or both. If it occurs in both forms, find out from the dictionary if the t
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That is a great idea! Thanks a lot CJ!
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anonymous What is the difference between the adjectives ending with -ic and -ical like historic and historical, politic and political, etc.
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