Tuesday, October 22, 2019
Word Choice Rational vs. Rationale - Writing Tips from Proofed
Word Choice Rational vs. Rationale - Writing Tips from Proofed Word Choice: Rational vs. Rationale The words ââ¬Å"rationalâ⬠and ââ¬Å"rationaleâ⬠are very easy to mix up. After all, they sound similar and look similar written down. In addition, these words are not hugely common, so you may not be familiar with how they are used. But there is a difference! Let us explain. Rational (Logical or Reasonable) The adjective ââ¬Å"rationalâ⬠typically means ââ¬Å"logicalâ⬠or ââ¬Å"reasonable.â⬠We would use it like this: I did research so I could make a rational choice about where to study. It can also mean ââ¬Å"capable of exercising reason,â⬠such as in the following: A rational thinker will always seek other opinions before making a decision. In both of these cases, ââ¬Å"rationalâ⬠is related to the idea of acting based on reason rather than emotion. The adverbial form of this word is ââ¬Å"rationally,â⬠and the opposite of ââ¬Å"rationalâ⬠is ââ¬Å"irrational.â⬠ââ¬Å"Rationalâ⬠also has a very specific meaning in mathematics, where it refers to a number that can be written as a fraction. However, you will only need to know this if youââ¬â¢re studying math! Some rational numbers between 0 and 1. Rationale (A Reason for Doing Something) A ââ¬Å"rationaleâ⬠is a reason for doing something. It would be used in a sentence like this: The policy was based on an economic rationale. Here, for instance, the term ââ¬Å"economic rationaleâ⬠refers to using economic factors to explain an action. You might also be asked to write a research rationale for an academic paper. Importantly, this term is a noun (i.e., a naming word). This makes it very distinct from ââ¬Å"rational.â⬠Rational or Rationale? To avoid errors in your writing, remember that ââ¬Å"rationalâ⬠is an adjective and ââ¬Å"rationaleâ⬠is a noun. Thus, if you need a descriptive term, it will be ââ¬Å"rational.â⬠If you need a noun, on the other hand, it will be ââ¬Å"rationale.â⬠Rational (adjective) = Reasonable or based on clear thinking Rationale (noun) = A reason for doing something
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