This blog is a hodge podge of anything I happen to feel like writing or sharing. Enzo is short for Vincenzo, my birth name. Feel free to comment if you're so inclined. Or even if you're not leaning.
Tuesday 13 March 2012
The assault on English
The note on the link below reads...
Dated, but sometimes still used for humorous affect.
"affect"? Really? Such a basic error in a dictionary? The war against English has been won.
Well, "affect" is actually correct in this context, as in "he took on a villainous affect." So, even though I agree that English is going all to hell, you backed the wrong horse on this one.
I don't think that's right, Nat. Rather than trying to explain why, if you google "humorous effect" (including quotes), you should get about 350,000 hits. If you google "humorous affect", you should get about 2,700 hits and the query: "Did you mean: "humorous effect" with "effect" in italics, suggesting the term is in error.
Well, "affect" is actually correct in this context, as in "he took on a villainous affect." So, even though I agree that English is going all to hell, you backed the wrong horse on this one.
ReplyDeleteI don't think that's right, Nat. Rather than trying to explain why, if you google "humorous effect" (including quotes), you should get about 350,000 hits. If you google "humorous affect", you should get about 2,700 hits and the query: "Did you mean: "humorous effect" with "effect" in italics, suggesting the term is in error.
ReplyDeleteAffect means “to do something to, act on,” like:
ReplyDelete"I'll try to affect an air of peace, although I am angry."
Effect means "to bring about, to cause," like:
"Beautiful music creates a soothing effect."
Now all one needs to do is figure out what they meant in that sentence...