研究习作：imply和infer的异同

[动态语法]

Bolinger 曾经有篇文章叫做"Distinguish Between Infer and Imply,"
Words, 4 (1938), 118. 几十年前写的。

现在有人这样解释它们的区别：

These two words, which originally had quite distinct meanings,
have become so blended together that most people no longer
distinguish between them. If you want to avoid irritating the rest
of us, use “imply” when something is being suggested without
being explicitly stated and “infer” when someone is trying to
arrive at a conclusion based on evidence. “Imply” is more
assertive, active: I imply that you need to revise your paper;
and, based on my hints, you infer that I didn’t think highly
of your first draft.

http://www.wsu.edu/~brians/errors/imply.html

查了一下语料（Brown, LOB, and BNC）,下面是部分结果。
似乎已经可以看出更多区别来。

 

[xujiajin]

What key word did you use as the query word, infer or infer*?

"infer" is more often used in passive voice as opposed to "imply" based on my intuition.

 

[动态语法]

回复：研究习作：imply和infer的异同

以下是引用 xujiajin 在 2005-8-24 22:58:48 的发言：
What key word did you use as the query word, infer or infer*?

"infer" is more often used in passive voice as opposed to "imply" based on my intuition.

Good point. A lemma based search could be used for both words.

 

[xujiajin]

BNC search via http://view.byu.edu/
key word: infer*

BNC search via http://view.byu.edu/
key word: impl*

Of course we have to further distinguish past tense, perpective and passive -ed.

 

[xiaoz]

I think the example "I imply that you need to revise your paper" in No. 1 is problamtic, a more acceptable version would be "I suggest...", because "imply" means something left unsaid; if between "I" and "you" "I" have made it clear, it is not implied. We can say "He implies that you need to revise your paper", however because "he" does not necessarily tell "you" this. "Infer" on the other hand, means coming to a conclusion by REASONING. What is inferred may not be left unsaid.