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Subject:Re: Ensuring the effect is not affected From:Lou Quillio <public -at- quillio -dot- com> To:"TECHWR-L" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com> Date:Fri, 18 Mar 2005 14:06:18 -0500
dmbrown -at- brown-inc -dot- com wrote:
>> There's no need for the expression "effect change". It works okay
>> verbally but, on the page, nobody (but nobody) doesn't have to stop and
>> chew on it for a second.
>
> With all due respect, that's horsefeathers.
Not as a practical matter.
> I doubt that people who *don't* know the difference between "effect" and
> "affect" give it a moment's thought; they just derive the intention from
> the context.
I'll bet that's right. But some of the folks who parse language
casually must be jarred when there's what *seems* like a noun where a
verb should be. Can they explain the feeling? No. Will they get over
it? Yes. It's a hiccup. And for what? Erm, affectation.
> People who *do* know the difference only have to "stop and chew" when we
> trip over the misuses of those who don't.
That it's prevalent amplifies my point, and of course I know what you
mean. When I see "effect" and "affect" mis-substituted, it jumps off
the page. David, you claim that's a problem for only us (and our ilk).
But I'm not comfortable classifying unknown readers. Maybe others
*aren't* distracted. Maybe they are. It's not for us to say.
To my way of thinking, we can cut distraction *and* scrub a flowery turd
from the landscape by not writing "effected a change." Swish. Two
birds. Gone.
Some folks enjoy questions like, "Do you prefer toilet paper to roll
over the top or under the back?" Years ago I decided it wasn't an
opinion worth having. "Effect" as a verb is like that for me. Don't
use it. Write a better sentence. Swish. Flush. :)
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