Quote:
Originally Posted by AnotherCat
I'm not fussed as to which one uses:
See OED - infer, v ...;to imply. (Said of a fact or statement;
and is very common in modern usage.
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by HarryT
The words aren't interchangeable.
Inferring is a conclusion you reach based on other peoples' views.
Implying is a suggestion you're making to other people.
I can infer something from what you imply. Not vice versa.
|
Out of curiosity, I looked up "infer" in the Oxford Dictionary of English on my Sony reader. Under the definition there is a discussion of usage which is basically a longer version of what Harry said. It also says "the error is common enough for some dictionaries to record it as a more or less standard use", so I guess it must be one of those words that has been misused so many times that the incorrect use is becoming accepted.