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Pedants' corner

Affect/Effect

(43 Posts)
ExDancer Sat 04-Jan-25 11:57:18

I used to know a little rhyme that explained the difference between affect and effect - but I've forgotten it.
Can anyone help?

sodapop Mon 20-Jan-25 13:30:51

Another writer's cliche which annoys me - a crisp white shirt. Apparently no one ever wears just a white shirt it has to be crisp into the bargain.

Cabbie21 Mon 20-Jan-25 11:37:00

So are journalists’ clichés eg a leafy suburb, a sleepy village.
I digress.

MaizieD Mon 20-Jan-25 11:10:15

welbeck

But if the meaning is clear
as it usually is
why bother coming back to post eg their's not there's?
And I won't rise to being goaded to correct or take offence at my username being deliberately misspelt.

Sorry, but I think we have raised too many sloppy writers who confuse with ambiguity and misspellings because of that absurd doctrine of 'never mind the spelling and grammar, it's meaning that's most important' which influenced teachers from at least the 1980s onward.

It's interesting how poor grammar seems to become fashionable very fast, though. It's very noticeable in journalists.

MaizieD Mon 20-Jan-25 11:02:46

JamesandJon33

I write a lot and often start a sentence with and. No objections from publishers yet .

I think that using 'And' at the beginning of a sentence is a device to get people to take notice of what the sentence is saying because it is so contrary to the rule that most people have had dinned into them.

But, if it's used too much it loses its effect.

JamesandJon33 Mon 20-Jan-25 09:38:28

I write a lot and often start a sentence with and. No objections from publishers yet .

JackyB Mon 20-Jan-25 09:18:20

I thought we sorted this out last month.

www.gransnet.com/forums/pedants_corner/1343028-Effect-Affect

welbeck Mon 20-Jan-25 03:32:04

Haitch is how many people say H.
Many people in London say it and elsewhere and almost everyone in Ireland except northern Protestants where it acts as a shibboleth.
And any dissing of Haitch is seen as a sectarian comment.

And I dare to begin a sentence with
And
as I am old enough to do what I like

emmagee Mon 20-Jan-25 00:54:01

Saying ‘different to’ instead of ‘different from’. I was taught different from and similar to.
Also pronouncing aitch as haitch.

Llamas99 Mon 06-Jan-25 04:31:54

I really dislike seeing the misuse of 'Lie' and 'Lay'. I see these errors constantly.

Trisha99 Mon 06-Jan-25 03:40:39

Witzend

On MN you can ‘react’ to posts, with ‘thanks’, ‘agree’, etc.

On my more thoroughly 😈 days I’d really like a ‘slap’ one, for anyone writing loose for lose, your for you’re, confusing it’s/its,
who’s/whose, etc.
Not to mention the mis-plurals - baby’s, party’s, Christmas’s, box’s, etc.

Only I’d be e-slapping people all day!

Could I add brought for bought to your list please?
Drives me crazeeeee!

There is a hand painted notice near us which reads No Dog’s.
🙄

welbeck Mon 06-Jan-25 02:44:23

OK

Allira Sun 05-Jan-25 21:21:30

welbeck

But if the meaning is clear
as it usually is
why bother coming back to post eg their's not there's?
And I won't rise to being goaded to correct or take offence at my username being deliberately misspelt.

Oh good!

It was meant to be funny, sorry.

welbeck Sun 05-Jan-25 20:51:23

There is a preview button next to the post button
to check before posting.

welbeck Sun 05-Jan-25 20:50:06

But if the meaning is clear
as it usually is
why bother coming back to post eg their's not there's?
And I won't rise to being goaded to correct or take offence at my username being deliberately misspelt.

Allira Sat 04-Jan-25 21:21:30

GrannyGravy13

Depending on what device you are using predictive text has a lot to answer for with regards to ‘s s’ s ies etc.

Yes.

But apparently we are vain or conceited as we have self-regard.
Who knew?!

I'm sure you didn't really mean that, wellbuck

Allira Sat 04-Jan-25 21:18:51

welbeck

know the difference.
Heaven forfend that anyone should think they don't fully understand all finer points of SPAG.
I find that self regard funny.

self-regard

Oh 🤔
Well I never.

Allira Sat 04-Jan-25 21:17:38

welbeck

I shouldn't really be nosing around in this corner as most of this doesn't bother me.
But I do find it amusing that only on GN do people create an extra post to correct their own SPAG.
Or rather I think to assure others that they do

I just find it annoying if autocorrect changes something and I don't notice or doesn't correct something it should, or I hit the wrong key with the stylus.
The reason I write a correction is because it annoys me!

This must be the only site where you can't edit your own posts.

welbeck Sat 04-Jan-25 20:55:54

know the difference.
Heaven forfend that anyone should think they don't fully understand all finer points of SPAG.
I find that self regard funny.

welbeck Sat 04-Jan-25 20:54:07

I shouldn't really be nosing around in this corner as most of this doesn't bother me.
But I do find it amusing that only on GN do people create an extra post to correct their own SPAG.
Or rather I think to assure others that they do

GrannyGravy13 Sat 04-Jan-25 18:24:09

Depending on what device you are using predictive text has a lot to answer for with regards to ‘s s’ s ies etc.

Calendargirl Sat 04-Jan-25 18:16:05

Re baby’s and party’s-

‘Change the y to i, and add ‘es’.

Primary school, late 50’s/early 60’s.

Witzend Sat 04-Jan-25 15:18:14

On MN you can ‘react’ to posts, with ‘thanks’, ‘agree’, etc.

On my more thoroughly 😈 days I’d really like a ‘slap’ one, for anyone writing loose for lose, your for you’re, confusing it’s/its,
who’s/whose, etc.
Not to mention the mis-plurals - baby’s, party’s, Christmas’s, box’s, etc.

Only I’d be e-slapping people all day!

NanKate Sat 04-Jan-25 15:17:42

My English Teacher was lovely she would have explained clearly and kindly the correct spelling or grammar.

Allira Sat 04-Jan-25 14:50:36

welbeck

With a long gnarled cane ?
Thwack.

No, the sharp edge of a ruler 😯

welbeck Sat 04-Jan-25 14:47:07

With a long gnarled cane ?
Thwack.