"It's a damn poor mind that can think
of only one way to spell a word!"
-- Andrew Jackson
council
noun
an advisory, deliberative, or legislative body of people
formally constituted and meeting regularly:
an official human rights council.
• a body of people elected to manage the affairs of
a city, county, or other municipal district.
• an ecclesiastical assembly.
• an assembly or meeting for consultation or advice:
that evening, she held a family council.
counsel
noun
1 - advice, esp. that given formally.
• consultation, esp. to seek or give advice.
2 - ( pl. same) the lawyer or lawyers conducting a case:
the counsel for the defense.
verb (chiefly Brit. -selled, -selling)
1 - give advice to (someone):
he was counseled by his supporters to return to Germany.
• give professional psychological help and advice to (someone):
he was being counseled for depression.
• recommend (a course of action):
the athlete's coach counseled caution.
 |
| Picture found here. |
A council is meeting for discussion or advice, but to counsel is a verb meaning to give advice. They sound exactly the same, but the language council met and decided to counsel you on how to keep them straight.
Council is a group of people who get together to figure something out, or or a group chosen to give advice, like a student council. Used as an adjective, council describes things related to a council, such as a council candidate or a council room, or a council member:
On the other hand, counsel is more slippery; it can act as a noun or a verb. As a noun, counsel is a synonym for advice, but it can also mean the act of giving that advice or refer to a person who gives legal advice. Counsel means a legal advisor. In the U.K., the term is used for barristers appearing in court; in the U.S., it is used for office practioners such as general counsel, as well as litigators. Note that the plural of general counsel is general counsel, not general counsels. In fact, a lawyer who goes to trial for you is your counsel. That lawyer would counsel you. Here are some counsels in the wild:
Council is a group of people who get together to figure something out, or or a group chosen to give advice, like a student council. Used as an adjective, council describes things related to a council, such as a council candidate or a council room, or a council member:
But the information was often incomplete or conflicting —
and council members are now asking the agencies to respond
to their queries in writing. (New York Times)
The council is trying to "contain" acts of
armed resistance by military defectors and
described them as "isolated incidents." (Business Week)
On the other hand, counsel is more slippery; it can act as a noun or a verb. As a noun, counsel is a synonym for advice, but it can also mean the act of giving that advice or refer to a person who gives legal advice. Counsel means a legal advisor. In the U.K., the term is used for barristers appearing in court; in the U.S., it is used for office practioners such as general counsel, as well as litigators. Note that the plural of general counsel is general counsel, not general counsels. In fact, a lawyer who goes to trial for you is your counsel. That lawyer would counsel you. Here are some counsels in the wild:
He had argued that he received ineffective
assistance of counsel at trial. (Reuters)
"Don't go out in the storm tonight,"
counseled his wife. (Rossiter Johnson)
A counsellor is one who gives advice – often, but not always, legal, but a councillor is a member of a council.
Before the 16th century, council and counsel were interchangeable, but by the 1500s, council's meaning became restricted to "a meeting" and counsel's "to give advice." The two should not be confused. Never! If you need a verb or a lawyer, use counsel because she'll say something helpful. If you are referring to a meeting or group, choose c for crowd and council.
 |
| Picture found here. |
Examples:
"Peace is not made at the council table or by treaties, but in the hearts of men." (Herbert Hoover)
"Go not to the elves for counsel, for they will say both yes and no." (J. R. R. Tolkien)
Practice:
(a) "Evil _____ travels fast." (Sophocles)
(b) All wars are planned by old men in _____ rooms.
Sources:
No comments:
Post a Comment