affectation

English

WOTD – 9 February 2008

Etymology

First attested in 1548. From Latin affectātiōnem (possibly via French affectation), from affectō (“I feign”).

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation, US) IPA^(key): /ˌæf.ɛkˈteɪ.ʃən/

• Audio (US):

  (file)

• Audio (General Australian):

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• Rhymes: -eɪʃən

Noun

affectation (countable and uncountable, plural affectations)

1. An attempt to assume or exhibit what is not natural or real; false display; artificial show.
   • 1810, Dr. Samuel Johnson, “Life of Gower”, in The Works of the English Poets‎^[1], Digitized edition, published 2009:

     This poem is strongly tinctured with those pedantic affectations concerning the passion of love ...

   • 1820, William Hazlitt, “Lecture I. Introductory.”, in Lectures Chiefly on the Dramatic Literature of the Age of Elizabeth. […], London: Stodart and Steuart, […]; Edinburgh: Bell and Bradfute, →OCLC, page 2:

     [T]hey were not the spoiled children of affectation and refinement, but a bold, vigorous, independent race of thinkers, with prodigious strength and energy, with none but natural grace, and heartfelt unobtrusive delicacy.

2. An unusual mannerism.

Synonyms

• (unusual mannerism): eccentricity, mannerism, airs

Derived terms

• affectational
• affectationist
• inaffectation

 

Related terms

• affect
• affectatious
• affecter
• affective
• affection
• affectionate

Translations

an attempt to assume or exhibit what is not natural or real

• Bulgarian: преструване (bg) n (prestruvane)
• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 假裝／假装 (zh) (jiǎzhuāng)

• Danish: krukkeri n, affektation (da) c
• Esperanto: afektaĵo
• Finnish: teeskentely (fi)
• French: affectation (fr) f
• German: Geschraubtheit (de) f
• Icelandic: tildur n, tilgerð f
• Japanese: 気取り (ja) (きどり, kidori), 虚飾 (ja) (kyoshoku)
• Korean: 허식 (ko) (heosik), 가장(假裝) (ko) (gajang), 꾸밈 (kkumim)
• Polish: afektacja (pl) f
• Portuguese: afetação (pt) f
• Russian: неесте́ственность (ru) f (nejestéstvennostʹ), притво́рство (ru) n (pritvórstvo)
• Spanish: afectación (es) f
• Swedish: tillgjordhet (sv) c, choser (sv) pl, sjåser pl

an unusual mannerism

• Bulgarian: превземане (bg) n (prevzemane)
• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 做作 (zh) (zuòzuò)

• Finnish: maneeri (fi)
• French: affectation (fr) f
• Greek: νάζι (el) n (názi)
• Portuguese: afetação (pt) f
• Russian: мане́рность (ru) f (manérnostʹ), неесте́ственность (ru) f (nejestéstvennostʹ)

French

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /a.fɛk.ta.sjɔ̃/

• Audio:

  (file)

Noun

affectation f (plural affectations)

1. allocation, allotment
2. assignment
3. posting
4. affectation

Further reading

• “affectation”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012.