# A very quick and boring rant - Imply vs. infer. **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [October 26, 2004, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-very-quick-and-boring-rant-imply-vs-infer/271229 "2004-10-26T14:17:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![TellMeI\_mNotCrazy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tellmei_mnotcrazy/32/3419_2.png) [@TellMeI\_mNotCrazy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TellMeI_mNotCrazy)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2004, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-very-quick-and-boring-rant-imply-vs-infer/271229/1 "2004-10-26T14:17:49Z")
I keep seeing it lately, and I don’t know why. (I do know that one time was purportedly a mistake, so I’ll just assume that’s the case 😉 ) but seriously. When did “imply” and “infer” get so difficult to keep straight? If I suggest something indirectly, I imply it. If you pick up on that suggestion, you infer it. Me: “It would do wonders for some people’s wardrobes if they learned to leave the ponchos at home.” Poncho Wearing Person: “Are you implying that this doesn’t look good on me?” Me: “No, you’re just inferring that.” That’s all. ---
**Author:** ![Metacom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ecae2f/32.png) [@Metacom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Metacom)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2004, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-very-quick-and-boring-rant-imply-vs-infer/271229/2 "2004-10-26T14:26:45Z")
> [@TellMeI'mNotCrazy](#): > > Me: “It would do wonders for some people’s wardrobes if they learned to leave the ponchos at home.” > > Poncho Wearing Person: “Are you implying that this doesn’t look good on me?” > > Me: “No, you’re just inferring that.” You may be confused, yourself. 🙂 Poncho Wearing Person’s response is correct: if your initial comment was directed towards them, then you were, in fact, implying that the poncho doesn’t look good on them. Your response is only partly correct: PWP is indeed making that inference, but that doesn’t exclude you having made the implication. In other words, you implied that it looked bad, and PWP inferred your meaning. A correct final response would have been: Me: “Yes, you’ve correctly inferred my implication.” ---
**Author:** ![TellMeI\_mNotCrazy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tellmei_mnotcrazy/32/3419_2.png) [@TellMeI\_mNotCrazy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TellMeI_mNotCrazy)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2004, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-very-quick-and-boring-rant-imply-vs-infer/271229/3 "2004-10-26T14:30:11Z")
Whoops, sorry, that was supposed to be a demonstration of the correct usage. ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2004, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-very-quick-and-boring-rant-imply-vs-infer/271229/4 "2004-10-26T14:32:56Z")
I was suspended in high school for a virtually identical conversation. I had been counting the number of times our teacher (ironically the English Master) said “umm” or “errr” and updating the class with the score. He caught me and asked what I was doing. Me: “Counting how often you say ‘ummm’ or ‘errrr’, sir.” Teacher: “Are you inferring that I am an idiot?” Me: “No sir, I am implying that. Only you can infer it.” Teacher: “Get out of my classroom and go to the office.” ---
**Author:** ![Rube\_E.Tewesday](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f0a364/32.png) [@Rube\_E.Tewesday](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rube_E.Tewesday)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2004, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-very-quick-and-boring-rant-imply-vs-infer/271229/5 "2004-10-26T14:59:39Z")
Have you finished burning your copy of Webster’s Third, Mr Wolfe? ---
**Author:** ![Kythereia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e8c25b/32.png) [@Kythereia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kythereia)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2004, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-very-quick-and-boring-rant-imply-vs-infer/271229/6 "2004-10-26T15:47:31Z")
Oh, this is so pedantic and boring. I mean, really, come on. 😉 (It’s always really bugged me, too…) ---
**Author:** ![Lathe\_of\_Heaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Lathe\_of\_Heaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lathe_of_Heaven)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2004, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-very-quick-and-boring-rant-imply-vs-infer/271229/7 "2004-10-26T15:50:51Z")
**don’t ask** , that’s beautiful. A handy mnemonic I once learned goes, “Let her infer what I imply.” ---
**Author:** ![praxim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/53a042/32.png) [@praxim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/praxim)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2004, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-very-quick-and-boring-rant-imply-vs-infer/271229/8 "2004-10-26T17:03:16Z")
That’s nothing. A friend of mine once insinuated something from someone’s comment. ---
**Author:** ![Contrapuntal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e274bd/32.png) [@Contrapuntal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Contrapuntal)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2004, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-very-quick-and-boring-rant-imply-vs-infer/271229/9 "2004-10-26T17:20:12Z")
[FONT=Arial]You folks are treading on dangerous ground here claiming that words have specific meanings and to use them otherwise would be wrong. Just sayin’. ---
**Author:** ![Gangster\_Octopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a8b319/32.png) [@Gangster\_Octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gangster_Octopus)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2004, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-very-quick-and-boring-rant-imply-vs-infer/271229/10 "2004-10-26T18:01:26Z")
My jaw _literally_ hit the floor when I read the OP. ---
**Author:** ![TellMeI\_mNotCrazy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tellmei_mnotcrazy/32/3419_2.png) [@TellMeI\_mNotCrazy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TellMeI_mNotCrazy)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2004, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-very-quick-and-boring-rant-imply-vs-infer/271229/11 "2004-10-26T18:06:20Z")
> [@Gangster Octopus](#): > > My jaw _literally_ hit the floor when I read the OP. If you think I’m gonna fall for that, you’ve got another thing coming. ---
**Author:** ![blowero](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/41988e/32.png) [@blowero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blowero)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2004, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-very-quick-and-boring-rant-imply-vs-infer/271229/12 "2004-10-26T21:05:00Z")
I could care less. ---
**Author:** ![ouryL](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ouryl/32/6067_2.png) [@ouryL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ouryL)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2004, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-very-quick-and-boring-rant-imply-vs-infer/271229/13 "2004-10-26T21:14:59Z")
> [@TellMeI'mNotCrazy](#): > > I keep seeing it lately, and I don’t know why. (I do know that one time was purportedly a mistake, so I’ll just assume that’s the case 😉 ) but seriously. When did “imply” and “infer” get so difficult to keep straight? > > If I suggest something indirectly, I imply it. > > If you pick up on that suggestion, you infer it. > > Me: “It would do wonders for some people’s wardrobes if they learned to leave the ponchos at home.” > > Poncho Wearing Person: “Are you implying that this doesn’t look good on me?” > > Me: “No, you’re just inferring that.” > > That’s all. I can infer from what you imply. ---
**Author:** ![shamrock227](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@shamrock227](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shamrock227)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2004, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-very-quick-and-boring-rant-imply-vs-infer/271229/14 "2004-10-26T21:36:55Z")
Imply/infer I can usually let slide depending on my mood. However, _ **Irregardless** _ is like nails on the chalkboard to me. And then there’s to/too/two and there/their/they’re - they have different meanings, ya know! ---
**Author:** ![TellMeI\_mNotCrazy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tellmei_mnotcrazy/32/3419_2.png) [@TellMeI\_mNotCrazy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TellMeI_mNotCrazy)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2004, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-very-quick-and-boring-rant-imply-vs-infer/271229/15 "2004-10-26T21:39:13Z")
> [@ouryL](#): > > I can infer from what you imply. Like I said, the poncho thing was meant to be a demonstration of correct usage; I simply forgot to indicate that. ---
**Author:** ![glee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b5a626/32.png) [@glee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/glee)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2004, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-very-quick-and-boring-rant-imply-vs-infer/271229/16 "2004-10-26T21:46:53Z")
> [@don't ask](#): > > I was suspended in high school for a virtually identical conversation. I had been counting the number of times our teacher (ironically the English Master) said “umm” or “errr” and updating the class with the score. He caught me and asked what I was doing. > > Me: “Counting how often you say ‘ummm’ or ‘errrr’, sir.” > > Teacher: “Are you inferring that I am an idiot?” > > Me: “No sir, I am implying that. Only you can infer it.” > > Teacher: “Get out of my classroom and go to the office.” Lesson 2: ‘Pedantry’ Actually you **could** have been inferring that he was an idiot from the number of times he said “umm” or “errr”. He could infer from your answer that you weren’t paying attention, and the inevitable implication is that you did indeed deserve to be sent out. Lesson 3: ‘Hijack’ An apparently contradictory oxymoron is a tautology. However a repetitive tautology is not an oxymoron. ---
**Author:** ![Ignatz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/3be4f8/32.png) [@Ignatz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ignatz)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2004, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-very-quick-and-boring-rant-imply-vs-infer/271229/17 "2004-10-26T21:55:45Z")
> [@blowero](#): > > I could care less. **HI, jACK!!!** Don’t you mean that you **couldn’t** care less? Think about that one. And I’m not implying. I’m imploring. ---
**Author:** ![Zoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/a4c791/32.png) [@Zoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zoe)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2004, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-very-quick-and-boring-rant-imply-vs-infer/271229/18 "2004-10-26T22:08:13Z")
Keep in mind that someone can mistakenly infer what you did not intend to imply with what you said or did: John: I will be so glad when this night is over. Mary: I’m afraid that I must infer from that that you are not enjoying our date. John: Oh, sorry. I didn’t mean to imply that at all. It’s just that I will turn twenty-five tomorrow and I will inherit $250,000 from a trust fund. Mary: Wanna get lucky? ---
**Author:** ![blowero](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/41988e/32.png) [@blowero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blowero)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2004, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-very-quick-and-boring-rant-imply-vs-infer/271229/19 "2004-10-26T22:40:37Z")
> [@Ignatz](#): > > Don’t you mean that you **couldn’t** care less? Did I whoosh you? ---
**Author:** ![Misnomer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/misnomer/32/14897_2.png) [@Misnomer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Misnomer)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2004, 4:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-very-quick-and-boring-rant-imply-vs-infer/271229/20 "2004-10-27T04:00:53Z")
> [@shamrock227](#): > > **Irregardless** is like nails on the chalkboard to me. Sort of a long story but I swear I have a relevant point: I founded a Toastmasters club at my company, and among the roles at every meeting are a grammarian and a Toastmaster-of-the-Day (TOTD). The grammarian comments on the various speakers’ and other participants’ grammar, and is also tasked with providing a word-of-the-day for the meeting, which the TOTD puts on the meeting agenda and the meeting’s impromptu speakers are encouraged to use. Whenever someone is scheduled to be TOTD for the first time, I ask them to send me the agenda two hours before the meeting so that I can look it over and make sure all of the meeting elements are on it. (Here comes my point–finally!) Before last Thursday’s meeting I received the agenda from the TOTD, and the word-of-the-day was “irregardless.” When my eye stopped twitching I composed a two-paragraph e-mail expounding on the evils of “irregardless,” and explained that the grammarian would have to provide a new word of the day. The TOTD replied, “well, he picked that word on purpose as a sort of _anti_-word-of-the-day, and he plans to explain why it shouldn’t be used.” :smack: I felt a little silly about my rant, but my faith in that meeting’s grammarian was restored. 😃 [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-very-quick-and-boring-rant-imply-vs-infer/271229.md?page=2)