Anonymous  +  625373 Mon, 29 Dec 08 04:51 AM You guys probably get asked this a lot, but there is someone I know that refuses to accept the difference, no matter how much I explain it. All I want to know is: which of the following two sentences is correct? "I wonder what affect the BBC has had on making English the lingua franca." "I wonder what effect the BBC has had on making English the lingua franca." If possible, could you also explain why. I would also be very grateful if several people could give their analyses just so this guy doesn't just snob it off as one person's opinion. Thanks in advance. Anonymous Sentences, Countries, United Kingdom, Great Britain, Languages

	Mister Micawber  +  625378 Mon, 29 Dec 08 04:55 AM . Yes, we do.  Affect as a noun has only psychological uses.  The verbs have nothing in common. I wonder what effect the BBC has had on making English the lingua franca. . Mister Micawber Joined on Wed, Aug 4 2004 Yokohama Veteran Member 30,788 'The question is,' said Humpty Dumpty, 'which is to be master-- that's all.' Nouns, Countries, United Kingdom, Great Britain, Languages

	Grammar Geek  +  625392 Mon, 29 Dec 08 05:02 AM The dictionary can't serve as your authority? With the exception of specific use in psychology, "affect" is a verb. From www.m-w.com: : to produce an effect upon: as a: to produce a material influence upon or alteration in <paralysis affected his limbs> b: to act upon (as a person or a person's mind or feelings) so as to effect a response : influence Unless you mean "to bring about," effect is a noun.  "something that inevitably follows."  Synonyms aftereffect, aftermath, conclusion, consequence, corollary, development, fate, fruit, issue, outcome, outgrowth, product, result, resultant, sequel, sequence, upshot If the person refuses to accept that there is a difference, you probably won't have any luck changing his mind because of a forum, but a dictionary might help!   Grammar Geek Joined on Tue, Jan 10 2006 Veteran Member 19,655 Barbara, who answers in American English. My housekeeping skills attest to the truth of the second law of thermodynamics: Left to themselves, things get more and more random! Nouns, Synonyms

	CalifJim  +  625396 Mon, 29 Dec 08 05:03 AM Anonymous “which of the following two sentences is correct?” The second. 99% of the time, affect is a verb, and effect is a noun.  You have a noun here, so the chances are very slim that affect could be correct. But even supposing that we're dealing with that rare 1%, the noun affect is pronounced with stress on the first syllable:  AFFect.   People who are depressed are said to have "flat affect"; they don't respond normally.  They can't express their emotions in a normal way.  There's nothing in your sentence that could possibly mean affect. CJ CalifJim Joined on Mon, Aug 2 2004 California Veteran Member 22,393 "There are no facts, only interpretations" - Nietzsche Nouns, Sentences

	Grammar Geek  +  625800 Mon, 29 Dec 08 01:21 PM The original statement ponders "What effect." Only a noun can be used in that structure.   Compare these two pairings: The BBC has had an effect on how language is used. What effect has it had? -- Can you see how this is clearly a noun? The BBC effected sweeping changes in its management hierarchy. How did it effect them? -- Can you see how this is a verb? Further, the verb "effect" requries an object. It is a transitive verb. If you wanted to use "effect" as a verb, you'd have to have something like "I wonder what has been effected by BBC?" not "I wonder what effect it has had." or "I wonder how the BBC has effected making English the lingu franca" if you really believe that the BBC has caused this to happen.   Grammar Geek Nouns, Countries, United Kingdom, Great Britain, Languages

	Grammar Geek  +  626043 Mon, 29 Dec 08 07:06 PM No, I'm saying "effect" is correct, and giving evidence to support that it's a noun. Your question was "how do you know it's a noun" and I'm showing how it cannot be the use of effect as a verb.     Grammar Geek Nouns