Guest  +  48750 Sun, 03 Oct 04 11:09 AM Hi, what is difference in using these adjectives e.g. tropic\tropical or magic\magical and many others? Guest

	Mister Micawber  +  48775 Sun, 03 Oct 04 02:36 PM There are, as you say, many pairs of '-ic' and '-ical' adjectives, but no rule as far as I know for a consistent relationship in meanings; some have simply developed in slightly different directions; others are interchangeable. As for your examples: 'tropic' usually has to do with the actual 'tropics', specific geographical regions of the world, where 'tropical' can be used of things that are similar to the conditions there but not necessarily directly related to the tropics per sé (still, in many uses they are synonyms); 'magic' is generally used to refer to the 'real' thing, where 'magical' is used for phenomena that merely resemble it (a magical day, date), though the dictionary lists them a synonymous. Mister Micawber Joined on Wed, Aug 4 2004 Yokohama Veteran Member 30,802 'The question is,' said Humpty Dumpty, 'which is to be master-- that's all.' Dates, Synonyms

	CalifJim  +  48833 Sun, 03 Oct 04 10:10 PM I didn't even know "tragical" was a word! I don't think I've ever heard it used. Sure enough, it's listed in M-Webster's as a variant of "tragic". I would never use the variant "tragical". CalifJim Joined on Mon, Aug 2 2004 California Veteran Member 22,399 "There are no facts, only interpretations" - Nietzsche

	Mister Micawber  +  48849 Sun, 03 Oct 04 11:39 PM The dictionary tends to let words hang around until they need the space for new words like 'prebuttal' or 'soccer mom' and then they boot it out at last. You can find 'tragical' in such as The Tragical History of Doctor Faustus by Chris Marlowe (17th C). Mister Micawber

	Mephorium  +  48880 Mon, 04 Oct 04 04:57 AM Jim, I as well of the adjective ironical which is a variant of ironic. Is there a right or wrong way of using these adjectives or is it merely a manner of style or preference? Mephorium Joined on Sun, Sep 26 2004 New Member 33