Date:  Fri, 11 Aug 1995 17:20:06 -0400

From:  "Bethany Dumas, UTK" <DUMASB[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]UTKVX.UTK.EDU>

Subject: Re: imply/infer



I have no experience of "inference" for "implication." But I have a great

story about imply/infer. One of the most amusing experiences I have

had on the witness stand as an expert witness occurred in Anderson Co. in

Judge "Buddy" Scott's courtroom. I was being qualified by the plaintiff;

after four or five questions, Judge Scott said to the attorney, "Don't ask her

any more questions; if she teaches English at the University of

Tennessee, she can testify in my courtroom."



Shortly, the attorney asked me a question in which he misused either

"imply" or "infer" as of course many people do. The judge stopped him,

corrected him, then gave a mini-lecture on the distinction between

"imply" and "infer." After he finished, he looked at me and said, "That's

right, isn't it?" I flashed an "OK" and knew that I would enjoy the rest of

my time on the witness stand (and I did).



Bethany Dumas