We Want SAM... <make it happen>

[Marcellus_Cassius]

Right, because an icon that says "Fire magics flow through your sword, increasing damage" when you hover over the buff icon is so much better than "Attack power increased by poisons" or whatever. Because that's all it's going to end up being. Elemental affinities mean approximately jack in FFXIV, besides whatever additional effects are tied to using the skills with the affinity (ex. Astral Fire, Umbral Ice, Thunder/Aero's DoTs). It would just end up a layer of flavor.

Ok I'm gonna try to sort through this confusion, you assumed the difference would be lorewise thereby limited to a description on an icon? Whereas I'm less concerned with lore and more supportive of as you mentioned "visual indicators" such as spell animations and the like on the weapon as in the case of the spell fencer. You said it best, it would end up as a layer of flavor, but thats what its all about, any dual wielding class is likely to a) wield two weapons and b) swing swing swing, the rest is up to layers of flavor. Then they call it the closest thing you can identify with from looking at it for 5 seconds, a ninja, a white mage, ect. this are just subtle alterations to a) wielding a weapon and b) swing swing swing that with enough "layers of flavors" can create a new class identity.