Difference between 'infer' and 'imply'

[NoVittyAte]

I'm currently enduring a dreadful Jason Statham action-flick. He has just been interrogating a suspect, who said she "...didn't do nothing".

Statham sneerily replies "You didn't do anything- 'didn't do nothing' is a double negative: it infers a positive."

It doesn't 'infer' anything, it implies that, you arsehat.

Tough talking yet grammatically challenged Portage Home Visitor doesnt have the same ring to it...

As long as I get the words to 'wind the bobbin up' in the right order my 'clients' are happy

"pull, pull, clap, clap, clap". I'm probably a bit of a sicko but I LOVE Wind the Bobbin Up.

The other goat-getter is someone criticizing another persons pronunciation but getting it wrong themselves - most memorably "She's got terrible pronounciation" instead of 'pronunciation'.

I used to sing sotto voce 'Wind the mummy up, wind the mummy up...'

I sing it in my sleep.

I think Lisa Simpson explains it best:

"I imply; you infer."

Fuckcakes.

As for Tethers, who can no longer do italics, words fail me

Did I get it right then? I wrote 'did someone just infer I am a dogger' or similar.

So is that right or wot?

Gimme 5, Sister.

[joyous]

Depends if you'd already implied it MrsDeVere.

I dont know if I did. I dont think I fit in here

Sometimes an easy way to remember it is that 'imply' comes first.

You need to imply something or a text or film needs to imply something (for imply see also suggest or intimate) in order for you to infer (deduce or interpret) that same thing.

Imply first, infer second. Alphabetically and in meaning.

That's rather reductive but can help you to remember the difference.

As to why anyone would either imply or infer you are a dogger eludes me, as this term surely means either 'a nice soft toy' or 'the imaginary friends my DD used to have'

(wanders innocently off)

How did dogging get into this discussion. I'm worried about you. Is there anything you'd like to share?

Ha ha. No, although I do live near to Epping Forest I a NOT a dogger. I have now learnt about imply and infer. I am going to check the draft of my essay and make sure I got it right. Thanks for that SOH.

It's because my name is above the door. I seem to attract filth.

It's your moniker

Change it to Bitofgrumpiness. That'll see an end to the dogging posts

But I started with a Nun name. That didn't help at all.

Arrggh we have a woman at the surestart M&T who insists on singing "wind the bobble up". she is one of the surestart people!!!

Oi! I am not filth. The conversation was about pants, I admitted to once owning several pairs of sloggies, someone said they were the dogger's pants of choice therefore it was [insert correct word] that I had some sort of dogging habit.

I havent! I bought some sloggies when they were on special from the catalogue!

I always imagine they're love egg addicts.

Ooh, I wonder why sloggies are the doggers' choice?

Ah Mrs de vere have only just got back to thread.

If you are a portage person you are my hero/ine

they are cutting portage sevices in my area.

For 2 years it was my lifeline.

Bastarding LA.

I Am The Threadkiller.Sorry.

Just a big issue atm that no other parents that were in the similar situation to myself will have this valuable support in my area:(I would ask you all to sign petition but you need a local postcode).It is crap.