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Joined: Mar 2000
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stranger
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OP
stranger
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Hello!
Is there any difference between inflict and afflict?
Please help me!
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Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 13,858
Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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A bad man can inflict injuries on other men. The men so afflicted can seek legal redress. I don't remember the grammatical terms for the difference.
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Joined: Nov 2000
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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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I don't remember the grammatical terms for the difference.
Ah... lemme guess. Different?
The idiot also known as Capfka ...
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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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OK, CK, smartypants. At half my age, you ought to remember. I cannot ordinarily afflict anything, though I can hear you saying that I afflict the board with a lot of nonsense.
I omitted greeting soojin to permit you the pleasure of first welcoming him to the board.
Dear Soojin, we welcome you, the more so that you have asked a good question.
There are other verbs with similar subtle differences. Take the pair "imply" and "infer". I have implied that Capital Kiwi should remember grammar better than I do. You may infer from this that I am admitting I am mildly senile. I am unable to deny it.
Dear CK: may I playfully challenge you to supply another such pair of verbs?
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Joined: Aug 2001
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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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dr. bill, may I affectionately ask whether that challenge is open to others?
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Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 137
member
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member
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When entering the 5th grade science fair I called an English teacher to ask which was right...
How does moisture affect clay ceramics? Or How does moisture effect clay ceramics?
She must have gotten it right because I remember I got third place.
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Joined: Jan 2001
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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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It seems likely that soojin would be interested in such pairs of words, all welcome to participate.
Affect implies that a change is made. Effect means to take required action to produce a desired change.
Rarely affect is a technical term in psychiatry referring to the emotions displayed by a patient.
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Joined: Aug 2001
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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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And of course effect can be (and often is) used as a noun.
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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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addict
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addict
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difference between inflict and afflict?
WELCOME  to you soojin! Um, well... the simple answer based on the dictionary definitions is: no, there is little or no difference:
in·flict Pronunciation Key (n-flkt)
tr.v. in·flict·ed, in·flict·ing, in·flicts
1. To deal or mete out (something punishing or burdensome); impose: inflicted heavy losses on the enemy; a storm that inflicted widespread damage.
2. To afflict.
af·flict Pronunciation Key (-flkt)
tr.v. af·flict·ed, af·flict·ing, af·flicts
To inflict grievous physical or mental suffering on
Both definitions from http://www.dictionary.com.
Am guessing this is just a personal preference thing? I'd probably tend towards using inflict for something someone does to someone else eg. "Is wwh trying to inflict his sense of humour on us?" and afflicted as something which has happened eg. "I am afflicted with an addiction to AWAD" .. not sure if that makes sense  but it does to me!
Hev
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