People have faults and they do not have blames.  On the other hand, we can find someone at fault for doing something wrong or we can blame them when they do not admit they are wrong or we can blame them if we do not like the person (this happens all the time).  It was her fault for the error in the report.   I wouldn �t blame her for the error in the report as it was only a booboo and she didn �t know she was was in error.  In other words, I would not blame someone for something they did not know that was wrong.  I would probably say that she / he was at fault.  But then again, I would blame her / him for the error if I were pointing fingers and knew that he / she told a lie.  We Americans try to not blame anyone for their faults but we will blame them if needed.  So, if somone blamed me for something I did wrong I would get upset, but if I were at fault I would admit it.  Does this make since or am I just confusing you? She was at fault and she admitted it.  Would I say, "she is the blame of the problem," No, I wouldn �t.  I would be considerate and not blame her for her faults.  Especially if the fault was due to a mental or physical condition. 

Please look at both definitions (blame and fault) very carefully.  If you don �t, you may be misslead into believing something that you want to believe in. If you want to be careless and misslead customers take it for what it is worth, and lose your next contract! If you want to speak English like native English people speak, read very carefully as English dictionaries change all the time to match what is being used at the time.  Am I pointing blame or am I at fault for being an American?

Lelioara,

Oxford Dictionary of English (2006)

BLAME: verb: (with object) feel or declare that someone or something is responsible for a fault or wrong. The inquiry blamed the train driver for the accident.

n (blame something on) assign the responsibility for a bad or unfortunate situation or phenomenon to someone or something.  They blame youth crime on unemployment.

noun:  [mass noun] responsibility for a fault or wrong.  His players had to take the blame for the defeat.  They are trying to put the blame on us.

FAULT: verb: (with object) [usually with negative] criticise for inadequacy or mistakes: her superiors could not fault her dedication to the job. | You cannot fault him for the professionalism of his approach.

noun 1. An unattractive or unsatisfactory feature, especially in a piece of work or in a person�s character.  My worst fault is impatience.

.... .... ....

.... .... ....

2. [mass noun] responsibility for an accident or misfortune.  If books were not selling, it wasn�t the fault of the publishers. | It was his fault she had died.

In my opinion, although these two words are very similar, I would not describe them as synonyms, because one cannot automatically replace the other, (as Foose1 and Apodo make clear).  Moreover, they are used in slightly different ways.

The word, �blame�, is frequently used as a verb: �I blame you for this error� is Standard English.

However, �fault� is virtually never used, in a positive sense, as a verb.  �I fault you for this error� is NOT Standard English.

(�I find fault with you for this error� is Standard English, but here �find� is the verb and �fault� is used as a noun.)

The word, �blame�, is frequently used as a noun, in the sense of �responsibility�; �culpability�; �fault�; �guilt�; �accountability�, etc.  �I am sorry!  You must accept the blame for this error�.

The word, �fault�, is also frequently used as a noun, in the sense of �responsibility�; �culpability�; �blame�; �guilt�; �accountability�, etc.  �I am sorry!  The fault for this error is yours�.

There are several other dictionary references to these two words, but I think that they confuse the discussion.  I have dealt only with the references that I think that you want high-lighted.

I hope that I have been able to help you.

Les