Fun with Grammar (split from Jerry Blevins Acquired for Billy Burns)

[mitlen]

I would call what Welch made an implication, from which you drew an inference.

[tomterp]

And in a 3-2-1....

WPA:   Uh oh, grammar nazi is not pleased.....     

[Ray D]

Infer - To hint or suggest.

I called Ms. Goldfine to make sure. 

Sorry, Ms. Goldfine is incorrect.   Infer - to draw a conclusion.

[WhiteWhale]

Sorry, Ms. Goldfine is incorrect.   Infer - to draw a conclusion.

BURN!!!

[monkeyhit]

Sorry, Ms. Goldfine is incorrect.   Infer - to draw a conclusion.

Correct, Ray. Easiest way to remember the difference:   The speaker implies; the hearer infers.   

[mitlen]

Correct, Ray. Easiest way to remember the difference:   The speaker implies; the hearer infers.   

I'm havin' flashbacks to "effect" and "affect".

[wpa2629]

And in a 3-2-1....

WPA:   Uh oh, grammar nazi is not pleased.....     

[Rasta]

Sorry, Ms. Goldfine is incorrect.   Infer - to draw a conclusion.

infer  
 Use Infer in a sentence
in·fer  [in-fur]  Show IPA verb, in·ferred, in·fer·ring.
verb (used with object)
1.
to derive by reasoning; conclude or judge from premises or evidence: They inferred his displeasure from his cool tone of voice.
2.
(of facts, circumstances, statements, etc.) to indicate or involve as a conclusion; lead to.
3.
to guess; speculate; surmise.
4.
to hint; imply; suggest.
5.
to draw a conclusion, as by reasoning.

[Rasta]

Either way I agree that his was more an implication and that I inferred what he was saying but this is getting silly.  We all know what he was IMPLYING. 

[GburgNatsFan]

Yeah, well, #4 is in there because so many people mis-use it.

infer  
 Use Infer in a sentence
in·fer  [in-fur]  Show IPA verb, in·ferred, in·fer·ring.
verb (used with object)
1.
to derive by reasoning; conclude or judge from premises or evidence: They inferred his displeasure from his cool tone of voice.
2.
(of facts, circumstances, statements, etc.) to indicate or involve as a conclusion; lead to.
3.
to guess; speculate; surmise.
4.
to hint; imply; suggest.
5.
to draw a conclusion, as by reasoning.

[JCA-CrystalCity]

how much are you infer the megamillions tonight?  I figure I'll go infer a buck, but not much more.

[monkeyhit]

I'm havin' flashbacks to "effect" and "affect".

Affect is always a verb, meaning to influence.  Effect is a noun, meaning result  But effect is also a verb meaning  to bring about

The misuses that bother me are further and farther (so simple to distinguish) and fewer and less - fewer referring to number and less referring to amount.  No-one in the media seems to know or care about the differences.

Guess I'm a grammar Nazi too, but at least you can discuss such matters on baseball chat sites...football, hockey...not likely. 

[PC]

I close my eyes and guess for affect and effect and just hope I pick the right one.  I have absolutely no sense for the correct use of those words.

[HalfSmokes]

and fewer and less - fewer referring to number and less referring to amount. 

dictionary.com is not the grammer nazi's friend today

Usage note
Even though less  has been used before plural nouns ( less words; less men ) since the time of King Alfred, many modern usage guides say that only fewer  can be used in such contexts. Less,  they say, should modify singular mass nouns ( less sugar; less money ) and singular abstract nouns ( less honesty; less love ). It should modify plural nouns only when they suggest combination into a unit, group, or aggregation: less than $50  (a sum of money); less than three miles  (a unit of distance).

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/less

apparently, even the old lady messes that one up http://afterdeadline.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/03/01/fewer-vs-less/

[monkeyhit]

Confirmation is my friend.   

[HalfSmokes]

according to dictionary.com fewer words and fewer men (neither of which is a number) is now acceptable and less than three miles or less than $50 (numbers) is ok too. NY times' grammer nazi agrees with you, but their writers and editors seem not to care

[Ray D]

according to dictionary.com fewer words and fewer men (neither of which is a number) is now acceptable and less than three miles or less than $50 (numbers) is ok too. NY times' grammer nazi agrees with you, but their writers and editors seem not to care

The distinction isn't just number vs. mass, it's whether a whole number (integer) is required.  "Fewer words" and "fewer men" are correct; "less words" and "less men" are incorrect because you can't have half a man or half a word.   "Less than three miles" is correct because you can have two and a half miles. "Less than $50" is correct if  $49.50 is allowed, if you're framework is integral dollars than it would be "fewer".

[HalfSmokes]

The distinction isn't just number vs. mass, it's whether a whole number (integer) is required.  "Fewer words" and "fewer men" are correct; "less words" and "less men" are incorrect because you can't have half a man or half a word.   "Less than three miles" is correct because you can have two and a half miles. "Less than $50" is correct if  $49.50 is allowed, if you're framework is integral dollars than it would be "fewer".

but less men is correct- no integers there

[Ray D]

but less men is correct- no integers there

I'm not following on that one.  You can have one man, two men, three men .... you don't have two and a half men.

[comish4lif]

how much are you infer the megamillions tonight?  I figure I'll go infer a buck, but not much more.

I'm infer a ten spot.

[welch]

Sorry, Ms. Goldfine is incorrect.   Infer - to draw a conclusion.

Mrs Goldfine was an algebra and geometry teacher, but she would have agreed with Ray.

[ajcartwright]

Dorothy Goldfine was a saint!

[WhiteWhale]

who versus whom always gives me fit.
Let's discuss that in a thread about a blocked outfield prospect who's cieling didn't include power being traded for a controllable lefty reliever that we really needed.

[monkeyhit]

who versus whom always gives me fit.
Let's discuss that in a thread about a blocked outfield prospect who's cieling didn't include power being traded for a controllable lefty reliever that we really needed.

You deliberately did "whose ceiling" incorrectly, right? 

[Ray D]

who versus whom always gives me fit.

But that one has gone the way of the rule against ending a sentence with a preposition.  Few people pay any attention to either rule, because there never was a need for them to begin with.   

You don't hear someone saying "whom" much, unless it is the object of a preposition, as in "to whom it may concern".