Hatrack River Writers Workshop: effective affectations

This is topic effective affectations in forum Writing Class at Hatrack River Writers Workshop.

To visit this topic, use this URL:
http://www.hatrack.com/ubb/writers/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=5;t=000036

Posted by kkmmaacc (Member # 2643) on :

Affect vs. Effect

Both of these words can be used as nouns, and both as verbs. Aaack! Writers are running as fast as their feet will carry them, forswearing all future use of grammar!

But no, it is not so bad. I stick by my billboard example. If you remember "sound FX" means "sound effects" you'll be right 95% of the time. And the 5% of the time when you'll be wrong -- the meaning of the sentence will probably be weird enough to send you looking in the dictionary anyway, so you'll actually be right 100% of the time!

So, just remember that effect is usually a noun, and affect is usually a verb.

The exceptions are:

Affect can be used as a noun (with stress on the first syllable) to refer to the physical ways humans have to express emotion: "After the stroke, her voice was devoid of all affect." A good way to remember this might be that adopting a given physical appearance to falsely convey an emotion could be called an affectation.

Effect can be used as a verb when it means "to bring about a certain effect." You can think of this as a case of verbing a noun. The most common usage, I think, is the phrase "effect change", meaning to bring about change.

So, if you're clear on the three examples "sound FX", "affect~affectation" and "effect change", you're good to go.

-K>

Posted by Spaceman (Member # 9240) on :

Solution. Write with a dictionary within reach.

Posted by dpatridge (Member # 2208) on :

ACTUALLY.

Effect as a noun is a result.

Affect as a noun is something sensory. a feeling, an emotion, or a tendency.

Effect as a verb is "to cause."

Affect as a verb is ALSO "to cause."

Typically, as verbs, effect and affect are interchangeable. As nouns, on the other hand, they hold completely different meanings.

In practice, affect as a verb usually refers to living objects being affected, and effect is usually related to non-living objects.

Did all that make sense to anyone other than myself?

Posted by Kathleen Dalton Woodbury (Member # 59) on :

"Affect" as a verb means to influence, which is not exactly the same as to cause.

Posted by dpatridge (Member # 2208) on :

Well then, I stand corrected.

Affect and Effect is usually difficult for anyone to wrap their heads around, and I'm no different. I usually do a search through my manuscripts for every time I use either word and double check that I used it correctly.

Posted by Lanius (Member # 2482) on :

Well, I consulted the book "100 Words Almost Everyone Confuses & Misuses." Among the three of you, you came to the correct (according to the book) conclusions. To provide a simple summary:

Affect (noun): emotion
Affect (verb): 1) put on a false show, like affecting an accent, 2) to influence.
Effect (noun): a result
Effect (verb): to bring about or execute.

Still a bugger, I guess.

Posted by Mechwarrior (Member # 2796) on :

I use the same method as the original post - a "special effect" versus someone being "affected" by something.

Ensure and Insure are a couple buggers for people as well.

Posted by Elan (Member # 2442) on :

I like the definitions. My dictionary never really cleared up my questions about the nuance of meaning between affect and effect. Fortunately I seem to have settled into correct usage, perhaps through accident.

The words I wish more people would use properly are: there and their; and two, to, and too. And don't get me started on apostrophes...

Posted by kgator (Member # 2787) on :

A friend of mine once wrote a poem with the lines:
affecting all,
effecting none.

...rather depressing if I translated it correctly...