Affectational

Affectational is an adjective used to describe things relating to affectation, the display of artificial or contrived emotion, manners, or attitudes. The term is formed from affectation plus the suffix -al and is not widely attested in major dictionaries. In scholarly and literary contexts, affectational may be used to discuss how individuals or texts stage emotional expression for social effect, or to mark a stylistic tendency toward performative affect rather than genuine feeling.

In linguistics and rhetoric, affectational speech or writing refers to deliberate, stylized emotional expression designed to persuade, signal allegiance, or mask other motives. In literary analysis, affectational moments can reveal character, class, or power relations through exaggerated sentiment, affective tropes, or scripted dialogue. In everyday language, the word may be used to describe acts that come across as affectation rather than spontaneous emotion.

Because affectational is uncommon, usage varies, and some writers may prefer phrases like affectation-related or affectively staged to express the same idea. Nevertheless, when used clearly, affectational signals help discuss the performative dimension of emotion in communication and art, distinguishing genuine affect from deliberate stylistic display.