Popular language myth...
Dec. 12th, 2004 02:44 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
conuly
A lot of people confuse the noun "effect" with the related verb "affect". To counteract this, quite a few other people remind them that "the noun is effect and the verb is affect". Well, that's true... but only for that one case. Affect and effect also have different meanings as a noun and verb, respectively!
Affect, the verb: to create an effect (among other things, but this is the only meaning you're likely to use)
Affect, the noun: "the conscious subjective aspect of an emotion considered apart from bodily changes". Um, yeah. Gotta love Merriam Webster. That's what people mean when they talk about a "flat affect".
Effect, the noun: something that follows an antecedent (and a host of other meanings)
Effect, the verb: to cause to come into being.
Yes, I know you knew that. It's just been bugging me.
Affect, the verb: to create an effect (among other things, but this is the only meaning you're likely to use)
Affect, the noun: "the conscious subjective aspect of an emotion considered apart from bodily changes". Um, yeah. Gotta love Merriam Webster. That's what people mean when they talk about a "flat affect".
Effect, the noun: something that follows an antecedent (and a host of other meanings)
Effect, the verb: to cause to come into being.
Yes, I know you knew that. It's just been bugging me.
