author, principal
Hello, I am reading a journal. I still don't understand how to distinguish 'author' and principal.

Goffman introduced the footing concept in order to explore the nature of involvement and participation in social interaction. There are varying forms and degrees participation, and the roles of speaking and hearing can be broken down analytically into more specific interactional "footings." Speakers, for example, may take up various footings in relation to their own remarks. By employing specific "production formats" (1981:145) they may convey distinctions between the (a) animator, (b) author, (c) principal of what is said. The animator is the person who presently utters sequence of words. The one who originated the beliefs and sentiments, and perhaps also composed the words through which they are expressed, is the "author". Finally the "principal" is the person whose viewpoint or position is currently being expressed in and through utterance.

Question

author, principal
Hello, I am reading a journal. I still don't understand how to distinguish 'author' and principal.

Goffman introduced the footing concept in order to explore the nature of involvement and participation in social interaction. There are varying forms and degrees participation, and the roles of speaking and hearing can be broken down analytically into more specific interactional "footings." Speakers, for example, may take up various footings in relation to their own remarks. By employing specific "production formats" (1981:145) they may convey distinctions between the (a) animator, (b) author, (c) principal of what is said. The animator is the person who presently utters sequence of words. The one who originated the beliefs and sentiments, and perhaps also composed the words through which they are expressed, is the "author". Finally the "principal" is the person whose viewpoint or position is currently being expressed in and through utterance.

Answer

I've read this a few times and I don't think that the writer's distinction between his/her definition of "author" and "principal" is very well explained. Overall, the quality of the writing is not high, by academic standards, in my opinion.  This may be what the writer means:

For example, I invent a new scientific theory (principal).
You then write about my theory in an academic journal (author)
John then reads your article and presents it (animator)

Answer

It is possible and likely that author and principal are the same person in many cases.  However if an idea is proposed by an 'author' and then subsequently taken up and expounded and supported by another that 'other' could be said to be the principal.  So Karl Marx would be the author, but Lenin or Mao Zedong the principals...