# does it make sense to say "effect an accent" **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [April 23, 2010, 1:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-it-make-sense-to-say-effect-an-accent/537062 "2010-04-23T01:44:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![PSXer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/48db29/32.png) [@PSXer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PSXer)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2010, 1:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-it-make-sense-to-say-effect-an-accent/537062/1 "2010-04-23T01:44:12Z")
like something an actor might do? cause I say it does make sense and is a perfectly fine phrase. That accent isn’t real; he is effecting it. and my friend says it is wrong who is right? ---
**Author:** ![Taomist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/53a042/32.png) [@Taomist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Taomist)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2010, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-it-make-sense-to-say-effect-an-accent/537062/2 "2010-04-23T01:55:00Z")
Either you are, which I agree with, or everything I grew up reading that used that very phrase was wrong. I see nothing at all wrong, or even odd, about the phrase. ---
**Author:** ![Askance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/askance/32/8281_2.png) [@Askance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Askance)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2010, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-it-make-sense-to-say-effect-an-accent/537062/3 "2010-04-23T01:59:44Z")
It should be “ **a** ffect an accent”, that is to put it on. ---
**Author:** ![cherchezlafemme](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f19dbf/32.png) [@cherchezlafemme](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cherchezlafemme)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2010, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-it-make-sense-to-say-effect-an-accent/537062/4 "2010-04-23T02:22:40Z")
Affect is something you put on or have effect is a result ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2010, 2:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-it-make-sense-to-say-effect-an-accent/537062/5 "2010-04-23T02:30:41Z")
> [@Askance](#): > > It should be “ **a** ffect an accent”, that is to put it on. Right, and doing it regularly is an affectation 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Strinka](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/strinka/32/512_2.png) [@Strinka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Strinka)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2010, 3:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-it-make-sense-to-say-effect-an-accent/537062/6 "2010-04-23T03:34:47Z")
I’m pretty sure this is an occasion where **e** ffect is appropriate as a verb. ---
**Author:** ![Flymaster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c4cdca/32.png) [@Flymaster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flymaster)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2010, 3:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-it-make-sense-to-say-effect-an-accent/537062/7 "2010-04-23T03:53:10Z")
> [@Strinka](#): > > I’m pretty sure this is an occasion where **e** ffect is appropriate as a verb. You’re wrong. [dictionary.com](http://dictionary.com) defines affect as: 2. to assume artificially, pretentiously, or for effect: to affect a Southern accent. ---
**Author:** ![Strinka](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/strinka/32/512_2.png) [@Strinka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Strinka)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2010, 4:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-it-make-sense-to-say-effect-an-accent/537062/8 "2010-04-23T04:09:43Z")
Hm. That seems kinda weird. ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2010, 4:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-it-make-sense-to-say-effect-an-accent/537062/9 "2010-04-23T04:32:08Z")
I thought this was going to be all about spelling and now I find it’s all about vocabulary. Your spelling sucks and I feel cheated. ---
**Author:** ![Askance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/askance/32/8281_2.png) [@Askance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Askance)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2010, 4:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-it-make-sense-to-say-effect-an-accent/537062/10 "2010-04-23T04:36:30Z")
> [@Strinka](#): > > I’m pretty sure this is an occasion where **e** ffect is appropriate as a verb. You are wrong. To effect is to put into action (she effected fundamental reforms when she took over the company) , to affect is to put on temporarily _for effect_ (she affected an accent to please her in-laws). ---
**Author:** ![HISSNLISSN](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ed8c4c/32.png) [@HISSNLISSN](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HISSNLISSN)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2010, 4:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-it-make-sense-to-say-effect-an-accent/537062/11 "2010-04-23T04:42:59Z")
I would imagine the reason for “affect” (which I’ve always understood to be the correct usage in this context) is that you’re changing the timbre/pitch/cadence of your voice, which in most cases does already exist, i.e. it’s not so much that the accent itself is new, it’s that your voice is a constant and you’re modifying your voice. ---
**Author:** ![HISSNLISSN](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ed8c4c/32.png) [@HISSNLISSN](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HISSNLISSN)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2010, 4:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-it-make-sense-to-say-effect-an-accent/537062/12 "2010-04-23T04:44:00Z")
> [@Askance](#): > > You are wrong. To effect is to put into action (she effected fundamental reforms when she took over the company) , to affect is to put on temporarily _for effect_ (she affected an accent to please her in-laws). That, too. ---
**Author:** ![OpalCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8edcca/32.png) [@OpalCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OpalCat)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2010, 5:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-it-make-sense-to-say-effect-an-accent/537062/13 "2010-04-23T05:06:03Z")
You affect the accent to get the effect of an accent. ---
**Author:** ![Rigamarole](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/77aa72/32.png) [@Rigamarole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rigamarole)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2010, 6:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-it-make-sense-to-say-effect-an-accent/537062/14 "2010-04-23T06:34:07Z")
> [@OpalCat](#): > > You affect the accent to get the effect of an accent. Unless you want to effect a flat affect in which case you’d have to effectively affect the tone of your voice for the effect. ---
**Author:** ![Malacandra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Malacandra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malacandra)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2010, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-it-make-sense-to-say-effect-an-accent/537062/15 "2010-04-23T15:32:16Z")
Yup, you “affect” an accent when you put it on as an affectation. To “effect” an accent you would have to bring the accent about all by yourself, which is going some; most of us have all we can do to effect a change in the pronunciation of a single word in the language. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2010, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-it-make-sense-to-say-effect-an-accent/537062/16 "2010-04-23T15:39:51Z")
To affect an effect, effect an affect. That’s what I always say. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2010, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-it-make-sense-to-say-effect-an-accent/537062/17 "2010-04-23T15:49:56Z")
In this case, _affect_ would be correct. ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_Tildrum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e95f7d/32.png) [@Tom\_Tildrum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Tildrum)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2010, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-it-make-sense-to-say-effect-an-accent/537062/18 "2010-04-23T19:06:11Z")
> [@Askance](#): > > You are wrong. To effect is to put into action (she effected fundamental reforms when she took over the company) , to affect is to put on temporarily _for effect_ (she affected an accent to please her in-laws). > [@Malacandra](#): > > Yup, you “affect” an accent when you put it on as an affectation. To “effect” an accent you would have to bring the accent about all by yourself, which is going some; most of us have all we can do to effect a change in the pronunciation of a single word in the language. Certainly, “affect an accent” is more familiar, but if one is putting a particular accent into action, then arguably one is effecting it as well as affecting it, at least if one is successful. I don’t think it has to be a new accent; to successfully carry off an existing accent would be to effect it. Effectively. ---
**Author:** ![Paintcharge](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/paintcharge/32/7946_2.png) [@Paintcharge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paintcharge)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2010, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-it-make-sense-to-say-effect-an-accent/537062/19 "2010-04-23T19:49:23Z")
Effecting an accent is what happens to, say, Brits who live in the U.S. for a while. Constantly being surrounded by people who speak differently causes an effect on their accent. And after seeing “accent”, “effect”, and “affect” so many times all three words are losing meaning. ---
**Author:** ![Ximenean](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/aca169/32.png) [@Ximenean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ximenean)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2010, 10:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-it-make-sense-to-say-effect-an-accent/537062/20 "2010-04-24T10:11:17Z")
Now that the OP has been addressed, I would quibble with the suggestion that you might in fact say “effect an accent”. _Effect_, to my mind, means to bring about some circumstance or make some event or series of events happen. An accent is not a circumstance or an event, it is just a thing. So it sounds wrong to say that you could “effect” one. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-it-make-sense-to-say-effect-an-accent/537062.md?page=2)