Historic vs. historical

[Andreana]

OK, this has always bothered me: the difference between historic and historical. I remember one of them means important while the other simply relates to history. I think historic means great and very important? My dictionary doesn't give a satisfying defintion. Thanks in advance.
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[Alan]

Hi Andreana,

I agree you don't often get clarity on these two adjectives. Let me try and explain. Historic describes some momentous occasion that people will remember for a long time as in a historic event when two leaders of countries or religions agree to differ and are seen to shake hands. You can also use it to describe buildings that have been standing for many centuries. Historical is very much related to the study of history, belonging to the past, even that it actually happened and is not fiction. So we have historical accounts/descriptions and of course historical novels, which may or may not be true but at least are set in the past and in the history of a certain period.

Without confusing the issue but intending to illustrate the two words further when describing an important date and event in English history and that was the battle of Hastings when the Norman French Duke William defeated the English King Harold in 1066. Now this is a historical event because it actually happened and it also is a historic event because it changed the history of England and is one of the many reasons why English has such a variety of words meaning almost the same coming from the Anglo Saxon side and the French side.

Alan
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[Andreana]

Alan, it is absolutely amazing how fast and down to the point you answer our questions here on this forum. You should be nominated as the best online English language consultant.
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A smile will open doors

[Elliementary]

Oops, I think I'm in the wrong place!

I discovered this site when I was looking for a definitive answer to the question: when should one use historic vs historical?

I am an English speaker from birth (I live in the UK), and my question is slightly different from the ESL guys on the site.

I was recently in a situation where I felt that my use of historic was right, and a colleague's use of historical was wrong. Although it made me grind my teeth (!), I was not confident enough to correct said colleague - boy have I forgotten so much of my Secondary School English!

The context was that a given work situation was (in my words) historic; in hers, historical.

I appreciate that I am being cheeky in asking this question on an ESL board, but you do seem to be the people to ask. I would be most grateful if you clear this one up for me.

Regards

Elliementary