HISTORIC OR HISTORICAL?

The current situation with COVID-19 is unprecedented, meaning that it’s never been known before. While people have experienced far tougher times than this, never before have we had to isolate ourselves from everyone except close family to prevent transmission of a potentially life-threatening virus.

 This situation has been described as both historical and historic, and it will eventually be both these things, but what’s the difference?

 Something that is historical belongs to the past but is not necessarily significant, although it may be. While most of us are looking forward to COVID-19 being a thing of the past, it’s currently very much in the present and thus not yet historical.

 Examples

 “Scientists usually use historical data to predict how many extreme weather events are going to strike in the future.”

 “Again, given the circumstances and lack of historical parallels, investors apparently decided to sell everything until more information was available.”

 Something that is historic is important, or potentially important, in history. I believe that this current crisis can be described as historic.

 Examples

 “But we’re not meant to be bringing people together during a potentially historic pandemic.”

 “Between them, the six extraordinary historic buildings in our care have witnessed 1,000 years of history, from the Black Death to the Great Fire of London.”

Daniel Foster (Creative Commons)