"affect" = result in; lead to.

[Mark Mandel]

ISTM that there are two reasonable possibilities in standard usage:
 1. ... and even affect fertility.
 2. ... and even effect [i.e., bring about] infertility.
Given the preceding clause, she probably meant #2.

If this is exactly what you meant to say, apologies.

m a m

On Tue, Jul 29, 2008 at 10:04 AM, Jonathan Lighter
<wuxxmupp2000 at yahoo.com> wrote:
> _America's News Room_ on Fox News Channel right now: "A study suggests that=
>  eating soy can result in a lower sperm count and even affect infertility."
> =A0
> I've heard this usage before. I suppose users can also spell it "effect."
> =A0
> For those already infected, a standard definition of "affect" is "to have a=
> n effect upon (_something that already exists_)."=A0 "...[A]ffect _fertilit=
> y_" is what=A0the lady=A0meant if she wished to avoid sounding goofy (excep=
> t that words "mean" whatever we want them to, so screw it, sorry I said any=
> thing).
> =A0
> JL=0A=0A=0A

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