"Apology" is one of those words that doesn't mean what most people think it means:

1. a written or spoken expression of one's regret, remorse, or sorrow for having insulted, failed, injured, or wronged another: He demanded an apology from me for calling him a crook.
2. a defense, excuse, or justification in speech or writing, as for a cause or doctrine.

It is the second meaning, a justification, that is the true root of the word. It comes from the Greek word apologia which means to speak in defense of something.

In popular speech, however, most people use it in the first sense.

Consider the word "contrition":

1. sincere penitence or remorse.
2. Theology. sorrow for and detestation of sin with a true purpose of amendment, arising from a love of God for His own perfections (perfect contrition), or from some inferior motive, as fear of divine punishment (imperfect contrition).

No ambiguity here.

Now think about how people use the words.

1. He apologized.
2. He was contrite.

In the first case, apology is always used as a verb. People rarely says "He was apologetic". This is interesting because anyone can make an apology, even if it is insincere.

On the other hand, "contrition" is used to describe someone's state of mind. When you say "He was contrite", you infer that the person in sincere. Otherwise you have to be explicit and say "He seemed contrite", and so expose your suspicions for all to see.

When you say "He apologized" you are able to hide your opinion about the person's sincerity behind a bland statement of the person's actions.

I haven't heard anyone say "Michael Richards is contrite". They simply observed that he apologized.

One more thing. Though most people think of the word "apology" in the modern sense, they actually use it in the classic sense.

How so?

Consider how often you hear someone say "I apologize but...", as in "I apologize for being late but the traffic was awful."

You can re-write that sentence as this: "The traffic was awful so I was late."

But wait a moment, Steve, you forgot to work in "I apologize", you say.

Not at all. Remember Conjunction Junction? If you are over 35 and watched Saturday morning cartoons on American television, you remember Schoolhouse Rock:

Conjunction Junction, what's your function?
Hooking up words and phrases and clauses.
Conjunction Junction, how's that function?
I got three favorite cars
That get most of my job done.
Conjunction Junction, what's their function?
I got "and", "but", and "or",
They'll get you pretty far.
<snip>
"But":
That's sort of the opposite,
"Not this but that".

"But"...That's sort of the opposite.

So when someone says "I apologize but..." or "I'm sorry but..." they are not apologizing nor are they sorry. And why aren't they sorry? For whatever reason they provide after the word "but".

In other words, they are justifying their actions, which is an apology in the classic sense of the word.

Weird. People think they are using the word "apology" correctly, and they are, but not in the way they think.

Is Michael Richards truly contrite? Probably in the imperfect sense theologically speaking (contrition motivated by fear of the consequences). I suspect, though, that we'll be hearing more apologies and less contrition if this story continues to go forward.