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October 8, 2005
Flirting with Grammar
From Lani, kicking herself in New Jersey...
Hey, all! I'm sitting in my hotel room here at the New Jersey Romance Writers Put Your Heart In A Book conference (a room which I'm sharing with our own lovely Michelle; we miss you, Alesia!) working on my revision of THE COMEBACK KISS. I don't have a real blog for today, but I did want to share a revelation that I just had.
I have to say, grammar and spelling have always come pretty easily to me. I don't know why, as the English language is as confusing and inconsistent as a spoiled debutante, but I have some kind of affinity for it, and I ain't looking the gift horse in the mouth.
Despite this affinity, however, I've always had one problem...
... well, actually, two. Affect and effect. I've never really understood how to use them, what makes them not interchangeable. I've asked the question quite a few times of different people, and I always got these long-winded explanations about what affect means (to bring about) and what effect means (to have brought something about... or something) and it never made any sense.
Then, this morning, I looked it up again on the internet and according to Dictionary.com, the difference is pretty freaking simple.
Affect is a verb.
Effect is a noun.***
Now it makes total sense. Now I get it. Why the hell didn't anyone just say that before? Strunk and White, writing teachers, everyone I've asked or referenced has given this huge explanation of the difference without bothering to get to the heart of the fact that affect is a verb, and effect is a noun, which would have solved my problems ages ago.
***Note to grammar mavens: If this information from Dictionary.com is wrong and the difference between affect and effect is infinitely more complex and subtle, do me a favor? Say nothing. Let me live with my delusion. Pretty please? Thanks.
This very loosely-themed blog was brought to you by Flirting month here on Literary Chicks! Lani contributed the essay "My Firth Love" for Flirting With Pride and Prejudice, available in stores now from BenBella Books, to which Alesia and Michelle also contributed. For more information on how you can win a copy, click here!
Posted by Lani at 10:01 AM | Comments (5)
Comments
Except (and don't hit me!) affect can be a noun, but only in a psychological state way. If someone, for example, has "flat affect" that means . . . well, I will just shut up now, because you won't use it that way anyhow!! (AND you see why I dropped out of the PhD program in Psych at UW, Madison . . .)
I miss you guys DESPERATELY.
Hugs,
alesia
Posted by: Alesia Holliday at October 8, 2005 11:08 AM
I just read something about the use of affect/effect in the latest Writer's Digest; it agrees with the dictionary: affect is a verb, effect is a noun. I didn't fully comprehend till I read this YESTERDAY and now I feel smart.
Posted by: Brianna at October 8, 2005 2:29 PM
Well, THAT'S the difference then! All these people have issues with then and than, where to put a comma, yada yada, but for me it was always affect and effect. NOW I get it. Oh thank you Great Grammar Godess Lani. LOL
And no, we won't discuss my spelling impairement.
Posted by: Cate at October 8, 2005 6:46 PM
I actually wrote that down. You're not the only one who didn't get it. :)
Posted by: Courtney at October 11, 2005 4:50 AM
Lani, thanks for the affect/effect info. I confess to being comma challenged ... any chance you could give a lesson? ;-)
Posted by: Wendy at October 13, 2005 10:14 PM
