affectations

Affectations are deliberate displays of manner, speech, or dress that are not genuine but are intended to create a particular impression. They involve linguistic choices, postures, gestures, or stylistic preferences that appear affected rather than spontaneous.

The term derives from French affectation, from Latin affectatio, from affectare meaning to strive after, with affectus denoting an impression or feeling. In everyday language and critical writing, affectations are used to describe ways people present themselves that signal social aspiration, education, or class.

Examples include an overly precise pronunciation, exaggerated politeness, theatrical diction, or fashion that mimics a bygone era. They may be conscious performances or unconscious habits, and their salience often depends on context and audience.

In sociolinguistics and anthropology, affectations are examined as performances of identity. They can indicate allegiance to a subculture, profession, or historical period, and may function as signals in social interactions or as markers of conformity or distinction.

Reception of affectations varies: they are sometimes dismissed as insincere or pretentious, but they can also be appreciated as stylized expression, wit, or cultural homage. The line between affectation and genuine taste or linguistic variation is often nuanced and context-dependent.

See also: authenticity, mannerism, stylistics, performance, social signaling.