I’m interrupting my mental health day (see below) for this grammar rant. (Nothing focuses the mind like a good rant.)
I am starting a new campaign against the use of the word “impact” as a verb substitute for the word “affect” as in “That movie really impacted me” which brings to mind really nasty gastrointestinal imagery. The misuse of the word is everywhere and I’m not sure why. Is it because it’s supposed to convey more power, more energy, more ... something?
“Affect” is really a very good word. Use it. Love it. Stop abusing “impact.” Please.
Rant over. Back to my stupor.
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“My bicuspid is impacted.”
Dom, your post really impacted me!
You dno’t hvae to rmebemer how 2 slpel effect or affect if you use IMPACT!
I have so many of these . . .
Different goes with from, not than!
“He is different from her” or “She is more different than he is,” but never, “He is different than her.”
I’ll stop there.
Let’s try adjectives.
The word GAY means HAPPY. And it’s an adjective, not a noun.
Kelly:
Could someone be adjectively gay?
Since this has become a pet peeve airing session…
The ones I hate most are “could of”, “should of”, “would of”.
It’s “could’ve”, people! A contraction of “could have”
And then there’s the apsotrophe used for plurals.
I’m so glad I don’t have to grade freshman comp papers anymore.
Oh boy. I work in a techie environment where ‘insure’ and ‘ensure’, ‘affect’ and ‘effect’ are still being mixed up by degreed people who should know better. The other day I read ‘irregardless’ – written by another well educated person.
I haven’t heard ‘impact = affect’ yet, guess it hasn’t made the rounds in my area at this time. Reminds me of the use of ‘proactive’ and ‘reactive’ which were the new let’s use them over and over again buzzwords in business back a few years ago.