Effect and Affect
#1
Militant Ginger
Thread Starter
Joined: Feb 2007
Location: Wrong Side of the Hudson River
Posts: 2,311
Effect and Affect
Randomly I managed to create a document for work which contained multiple references to things 'affecting' other things and the 'effect' of that.
Now everybody in the company seems to be chiming in about what the difference is. This one document has gone back and forth a gazillion times.
I am deciding whether to commit ritual suicide on top of the photocopier or go on a homocidal rampage with a staple gun.
Now everybody in the company seems to be chiming in about what the difference is. This one document has gone back and forth a gazillion times.
I am deciding whether to commit ritual suicide on top of the photocopier or go on a homocidal rampage with a staple gun.
#2
Heading for Poppyland
Joined: Jul 2007
Location: North Norfolk and northern New York State
Posts: 14,540
Re: Effect and Affect
http://www.wsu.edu/~brians/errors/affect.html
Does this explain it? I'm not sure... I have a feeling that confusion in recent years is a result of that technical term used by psychiatrists and social scientists that the writer refers to.
Does this explain it? I'm not sure... I have a feeling that confusion in recent years is a result of that technical term used by psychiatrists and social scientists that the writer refers to.
#3
Re: Effect and Affect
Randomly I managed to create a document for work which contained multiple references to things 'affecting' other things and the 'effect' of that.
Now everybody in the company seems to be chiming in about what the difference is. This one document has gone back and forth a gazillion times.
I am deciding whether to commit ritual suicide on top of the photocopier or go on a homocidal rampage with a staple gun.
Now everybody in the company seems to be chiming in about what the difference is. This one document has gone back and forth a gazillion times.
I am deciding whether to commit ritual suicide on top of the photocopier or go on a homocidal rampage with a staple gun.
#4
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Nov 2006
Location: Oregon
Posts: 612
Re: Effect and Affect
Randomly I managed to create a document for work which contained multiple references to things 'affecting' other things and the 'effect' of that.
Now everybody in the company seems to be chiming in about what the difference is. This one document has gone back and forth a gazillion times.
I am deciding whether to commit ritual suicide on top of the photocopier or go on a homocidal rampage with a staple gun.
Now everybody in the company seems to be chiming in about what the difference is. This one document has gone back and forth a gazillion times.
I am deciding whether to commit ritual suicide on top of the photocopier or go on a homocidal rampage with a staple gun.
#5
Re: Effect and Affect
In my opinion affect is how it impacts something, and effect is the thing causing the impact. It's hard to put into words as I am no writer!
So lets say immigration has an effect on the economy, how that affects you is not clear.
So lets say immigration has an effect on the economy, how that affects you is not clear.
#6
Re: Effect and Affect
Just ask them how an apostrophe should be used and deflect the debate from your document to something else. It will also be good for a laugh!
#7
Re: Effect and Affect
That would be interesting in my office because the apostrophe is used differently in the Dutch language (I work for a Dutch bank), so a lot of them do use it 'incorrectly'.
#8
Re: Effect and Affect
That's exactly right. I was wondering how to word it, but you said it beautifully
#11
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 6,848
Re: Effect and Affect
Here's another one for you (if you really want to confuse them next time you write a report...)
Enquire
Inquire
I don't think I've ever seen the words 'enquire' or 'enquiry' in the States....I think they only tend to use 'inquire' or 'inquiry' here.
http://www.askoxford.com/asktheexper.../usage/enquire
Ooooh, here's another one:
Unorganized
Disorganized
http://www.askoxford.com/asktheexper...anized?view=uk
Have fun!
Enquire
Inquire
I don't think I've ever seen the words 'enquire' or 'enquiry' in the States....I think they only tend to use 'inquire' or 'inquiry' here.
http://www.askoxford.com/asktheexper.../usage/enquire
Ooooh, here's another one:
Unorganized
Disorganized
http://www.askoxford.com/asktheexper...anized?view=uk
Have fun!
#12
Re: Effect and Affect
Here's another one for you (if you really want to confuse them next time you write a report...)
Enquire
Inquire
I don't think I've ever seen the words 'enquire' or 'enquiry' in the States....I think they only tend to use 'inquire' or 'inquiry' here.
http://www.askoxford.com/asktheexper.../usage/enquire
Ooooh, here's another one:
Unorganized
Disorganized
http://www.askoxford.com/asktheexper...anized?view=uk
Have fun!
Enquire
Inquire
I don't think I've ever seen the words 'enquire' or 'enquiry' in the States....I think they only tend to use 'inquire' or 'inquiry' here.
http://www.askoxford.com/asktheexper.../usage/enquire
Ooooh, here's another one:
Unorganized
Disorganized
http://www.askoxford.com/asktheexper...anized?view=uk
Have fun!
But disorganised means it was organised but badly. Unorganised means not organised at all.
#13
Re: Effect and Affect
Don't agree. The thing doing something to "something else", is having an affect on it; the resulting change to the "something else", is the effect.