Is the use of “affect” to mean take on or assume archaic?
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Recently came across the usage of "affect" in the context of assuming an appearance. Here is an example Google gives:
an American who had affected a British accent
How would this usage come across in modern prose, i.e., might it come across as affectatious?
archaic
asked Nov 25 at 2:02
Vithtuz
61
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Recently came across the usage of "affect" in the context of assuming an appearance. Here is an example Google gives:
an American who had affected a British accent
How would this usage come across in modern prose, i.e., might it come across as affectatious?
archaic
asked Nov 25 at 2:02
Vithtuz
61
2
It looks perfectly idiomatic to me. Depending on the context it could be seen as a hair stuffy, but not really magniloquent.
– Hot Licks
Nov 25 at 2:10
Lots of people suffer flattened affects when they are depressed. -Perfectly modern usage.
– Wayfaring Stranger
Nov 25 at 2:21
add a comment |
up vote
0
down vote
favorite
up vote
0
down vote
favorite
Recently came across the usage of "affect" in the context of assuming an appearance. Here is an example Google gives:
an American who had affected a British accent
How would this usage come across in modern prose, i.e., might it come across as affectatious?
archaic
asked Nov 25 at 2:02
Vithtuz
61
Recently came across the usage of "affect" in the context of assuming an appearance. Here is an example Google gives:
an American who had affected a British accent
How would this usage come across in modern prose, i.e., might it come across as affectatious?
archaic
archaic
asked Nov 25 at 2:02
Vithtuz
61
asked Nov 25 at 2:02
Vithtuz
61
asked Nov 25 at 2:02
Vithtuz
61
asked Nov 25 at 2:02
Vithtuz
61
asked Nov 25 at 2:02
Vithtuz
61
61
2
It looks perfectly idiomatic to me. Depending on the context it could be seen as a hair stuffy, but not really magniloquent.
– Hot Licks
Nov 25 at 2:10
Lots of people suffer flattened affects when they are depressed. -Perfectly modern usage.
– Wayfaring Stranger
Nov 25 at 2:21
add a comment |
2
It looks perfectly idiomatic to me. Depending on the context it could be seen as a hair stuffy, but not really magniloquent.
– Hot Licks
Nov 25 at 2:10
Lots of people suffer flattened affects when they are depressed. -Perfectly modern usage.
– Wayfaring Stranger
Nov 25 at 2:21
2
2
It looks perfectly idiomatic to me. Depending on the context it could be seen as a hair stuffy, but not really magniloquent.
– Hot Licks
Nov 25 at 2:10
It looks perfectly idiomatic to me. Depending on the context it could be seen as a hair stuffy, but not really magniloquent.
– Hot Licks
Nov 25 at 2:10
Lots of people suffer flattened affects when they are depressed. -Perfectly modern usage.
– Wayfaring Stranger
Nov 25 at 2:21
Lots of people suffer flattened affects when they are depressed. -Perfectly modern usage.
– Wayfaring Stranger
Nov 25 at 2:21
add a comment |
1 Answer
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Affected is perfectly modern, and not archaic. It can be a participle and an adjective. One can affect something, a limp, a stutter, an accent for a variety of purposes, not all worthy of blame or derision. To say e.g. that an Englishman affected a Texan accent could mean no more than that he imitated it in some speech, perhaps humorously, whereas to call someone's speech affected generally means that the speaker is trying to sound superior or more educated than they truly are.
Affect
Affected
answered Nov 25 at 9:29
Michael Harvey
5,10411019
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1 Answer
1
active
oldest
votes
1 Answer
1
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
up vote
0
down vote
Affected is perfectly modern, and not archaic. It can be a participle and an adjective. One can affect something, a limp, a stutter, an accent for a variety of purposes, not all worthy of blame or derision. To say e.g. that an Englishman affected a Texan accent could mean no more than that he imitated it in some speech, perhaps humorously, whereas to call someone's speech affected generally means that the speaker is trying to sound superior or more educated than they truly are.
Affect
Affected
answered Nov 25 at 9:29
Michael Harvey
5,10411019
add a comment |
up vote
0
down vote
Affected is perfectly modern, and not archaic. It can be a participle and an adjective. One can affect something, a limp, a stutter, an accent for a variety of purposes, not all worthy of blame or derision. To say e.g. that an Englishman affected a Texan accent could mean no more than that he imitated it in some speech, perhaps humorously, whereas to call someone's speech affected generally means that the speaker is trying to sound superior or more educated than they truly are.
Affect
Affected
answered Nov 25 at 9:29
Michael Harvey
5,10411019
add a comment |
up vote
0
down vote
up vote
0
down vote
Affected is perfectly modern, and not archaic. It can be a participle and an adjective. One can affect something, a limp, a stutter, an accent for a variety of purposes, not all worthy of blame or derision. To say e.g. that an Englishman affected a Texan accent could mean no more than that he imitated it in some speech, perhaps humorously, whereas to call someone's speech affected generally means that the speaker is trying to sound superior or more educated than they truly are.
Affect
Affected
answered Nov 25 at 9:29
Michael Harvey
5,10411019
Affected is perfectly modern, and not archaic. It can be a participle and an adjective. One can affect something, a limp, a stutter, an accent for a variety of purposes, not all worthy of blame or derision. To say e.g. that an Englishman affected a Texan accent could mean no more than that he imitated it in some speech, perhaps humorously, whereas to call someone's speech affected generally means that the speaker is trying to sound superior or more educated than they truly are.
Affect
Affected
answered Nov 25 at 9:29
Michael Harvey
5,10411019
answered Nov 25 at 9:29
Michael Harvey
5,10411019
answered Nov 25 at 9:29
Michael Harvey
5,10411019
answered Nov 25 at 9:29
Michael Harvey
5,10411019
5,10411019
add a comment |
add a comment |
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It looks perfectly idiomatic to me. Depending on the context it could be seen as a hair stuffy, but not really magniloquent.
– Hot Licks
Nov 25 at 2:10
Lots of people suffer flattened affects when they are depressed. -Perfectly modern usage.
– Wayfaring Stranger
Nov 25 at 2:21