affective effects
February 28th, 2007 by 
bkmarcus
Grammar Girl of the Grammar Girl Podcast ("Quick & Dirty Tips for Better Writing") sells this clever and helpful mouse pad:
The problem with this quick and dirty tip, however, is that it implies that "to affect" is the verb and "effect" the noun.
Unfortunately, the distinction is trickier, e.g.,
- Monetary inflation affects prices.
- Monetary inflation effects price inflation.
So now to make things really confusing: To affect X is to have an effect on X. But to effect Y is to cause Y to take place.
The rain dance is supposed to affect the weather; specifically it is supposed to effect rain.
(And I'm not even bothering with the noun and adjective forms of "affect" (except in the title of this post.))
Posted in language | 
February 28th, 2007 at 3:23 pm
I affect this effect that affected me, it was so effectual in its affecting effect — as it, effectively, effected an affect in me. I affect not.