imply/infer

Is it possible for you to imply something from what I say? Can you imply anything from all my marvelous posts? Unfortunately, the answer is a resounding "no."

If you're going to "imply" something, you're making a suggestion. You're implying a girl is fat if you says she is "generous of proportions." You're implying a man is stupid if he is "intellectually challenged."

To "infer," on the other hand, is to make an educated guess based on information that is available to you. To use one of the above examples, if I say, "Oh, do you mean that because she has generous proportions she's fat?" That's an inference. You didn't come right out and say it. I guessed at what you meant.

To put it more simply, you imply when you speak or write, and you infer from what you hear or read.

I think I'll now go and celebrate another amazing post. I'll let you infer what that means.