On Thu, Jul 28, 2005 at 09:53:18AM -0400, Ronald J Kimball ([EMAIL PROTECTED])
wrote:
> An aside on the whole "affect" vs. "effect" thing...
>
> In fact, both words have both a verb and a noun sense.
Quoting from _The Elements Of Style_, by Strunk & White, in the chapter
"Misused Words and Expressions":
Effect: As a noun, means "results"; as a verb, means "to bring about,"
"to accomplish," (not to be confused with I<affect>, which means
"to influence").
As a noun, often loosely used in perfunctory writing about fashions,
music, painting, and other arts: "a Southwestern effect"; "effects in
pale green"; "very delicate effects"; "subtle effects"; "a charming
effect was produced." The writer who has a definite meaning to
express will not take refuge in such vagueness.
See also pages such as
http://owl.english.purdue.edu/handouts/grammar/g_spelprob.html
http://www.wsu.edu/~brians/errors/affect.html
It is perfectly fine, although less common, to say "to effect a sleep of
250 milliseconds."
I also agree that it would be preferable to s/effect/cause/ in the
example above.
xoxo,
Andy
--
Andy Lester => [EMAIL PROTECTED] => www.petdance.com => AIM:petdance
