• MycelialMass@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    7
    ·
    2 months ago

    A thing causes effects. Something (or someone) is affected.

    Easyish way to remember the first is just think of “cause and effect”.

    To remember the second, picture someone screaming “AAAAAAAAAAAA!!!” which is like the ‘a’ in affect.

    • Aceticon@lemmy.dbzer0.com
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      2
      ·
      2 months ago

      Not quite.

      Things too can be affected, for example “OpenAI’s stock price was affected by news of yet another data breach”.

      I think its easier to distinguish “effect” from “affect” by remember that “effect” is a noun - so a something - whilst “affect” is a verb - so an action on something.

      • Don Piano@feddit.org
        link
        fedilink
        arrow-up
        2
        ·
        2 months ago

        Both are both.

        They kinda differ in whether something is going out and does something there (affect) or going in (effect).

        If A affects B, then A has an effect on B. They are somewhat complementary that way. Their etymologies are slightly different though, affect comes from ad facere, “act upon”, while effect comes from ex facio, “out of doing” (as in the result of an action).

        So: A acting upon B means A affects B. A’s action on B has an effect.