Assignment: Rhetorical Device; CRITICAL THINKING EXEMPLIFICATION; Critical Reading; POTENTIAL QUESTIONS TO ASK; Analytical Reading versus Critical Reading; Inferences; Commonly Confused Words: infer / imply and suggest; Connotation vs. Denotation

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 For the department of English and Media studies.
By Prof DR Sohail Ansari
Dead line: 17th April
(The assignments are in compliance to instruction from higher authorities so that learning remains uninterrupted despite the closure of university)
(This assignment is 6th  of the series of assignments calculated to initiate students into the art of reading)

 

Why critical thinking is important according to Quran 
Quran encourages the use of intellect/intelligence that is free from ego and false obsession about one's own thinking ability as surrendering to the Source of all creation is the key step toward gaining real wisdom and faith. Wisdom leads to faith.

Translation: 

Then do they not give thought? There is in their companion (Muhammad) no madness. He is not but a clear warner 

 

 

What Is a Rhetorical Device? Definition, List, Examples

By 
Jeffrey Somers

 

What Is a Rhetorical Device? Definition, List, Examples

By 
Jeffrey Somers
A rhetorical device is a linguistic tool that employs a particular type of sentence structure, sound, or pattern of meaning in order to evoke a particular reaction from an audience. Each rhetorical device is a distinct tool that can be used to construct an argument or make an existing argument more compelling.  
Any time you try to inform, persuade, or argue with someone, you’re engaging in rhetoric. If you’ve ever had an emotional reaction to a speech or changed your mind about an issue after hearing a skilled debater's rebuttal, you've experienced the power of rhetoric. By developing a basic knowledge of rhetorical devices, you can improve your ability to process and convey information while also strengthening your persuasive skills. 

Types of Rhetorical Devices

Rhetorical devices are loosely organized into the following four categories:
1.    Logos. Devices in this category seek to convince and persuade via logic and reason, and will usually make use of statistics, cited facts, and statements by authorities to make their point and persuade the listener.

2.  Pathos. These rhetorical devices base their appeal in emotion. This could mean invoking sympathy or pity in the listener, or making the audience angry in the service of inspiring action or changing their mind about something.
3.  Ethos. Ethical appeals try to convince the audience that the speaker is a credible source, that their words have weight and must be taken seriously because they are serious and have the experience and judgment necessary to decide what’s right.
4.  Kairos. This is one of the most difficult concepts in rhetoric; devices in this category are dependent on the idea that the time has come for a particular idea or action. The very timeliness of the idea is part of the argument.
Exercise:
Task:        One example of Logos below is done for you examples of other rhetorical devices you do yourself.
Example 
 ''America has given the Negro people a bad check, a check which has come back marked 'insufficient funds''(King).
This is logos because again King is telling logos to tell his audience what happens in his society, and other peoples society.

 

Top Rhetorical Devices

Since rhetoric dates back to ancient times, much of the terminology used to discuss it comes from the original Greek. Despite its ancient origins, however, rhetoric is as vital as ever. The following list contains some of the most important rhetorical devices to understand:
1.    Alliteration, a sonic device, is the repetition of the initial sound of each word (e.g. Alan the antelope ate asparagus).
2.  Cacophony, a sonic device, is the combination of consonant sounds to create a displeasing effect. 
3.  Onomatopoeia, a sonic device, refers to a word that emulates the real-life sound it signifies (e.g. using the word "bang" to signify an explosion).
4.  Humor creates connection and identification with audience members, thus increasing the likelihood that they will agree with the speaker. Humor can also be used to deflate counter-arguments and make opposing points of view appear ridiculous.
5.  Anaphora is the repetition of certain words or phrases at the beginning of sentences to increase the power of a sentiment. Perhaps the best-known example of anaphora is Martin Luther King Jr.'s repetition of the phrase "I have a dream."
6.  Meiosis is a type of euphemism that intentionally understates the size or importance of its subject. It can be used to dismiss or diminish a debate opponent's argument. 
7.   Hyperbole is an exaggerated statement that conveys emotion and raises the bar for other speakers. Once you make a hyperbolic statement like “My idea is going to change the world," other speakers will have to respond in kind or their more measured words may seem dull and uninspiring in comparison.
8.  Apophasis is the verbal strategy of bringing up a subject by denying that that very subject should be brought up at all.
9.  Anacoluthon is a sudden swerve into a seemingly unrelated idea in the middle of a sentence. It can seem like a grammatical mistake if handled poorly, but it can also put powerful stress onto the idea being expressed.
10.                    Chiasmus is a technique wherein the speaker inverts the order of a phrase in order to create a pretty and powerful sentence. The best example comes from President John F. Kennedy's inaugural address: "Ask not what your country can do for you— ask what you can do for your country."
11.                       Anadiplosis is the use of the same word at the end of one sentence and at the beginning of the subsequent sentence, forming a chain of thought that carries your audience to the point you’ve chosen.
12.                     Dialogismus refers to moments when the speaker imagines what someone else is thinking, or speaks in the voice of someone else, in order to explain and then subvert or undermine counterpoints to the original argument.
13.                     Eutrepismus, one of the most common rhetorical devices, is simply the act of stating points in the form of a numbered list. Why is it useful? First off, this devices makes information seem official and authoritative. Second, it gives speech a sense of order and clarity. And third, it helps the listener keep track of the speaker's points.
14.                     Hypophora is the trick of posing a question and then immediately supplying the answer. Do you know why hypophora is useful? It's useful because it stimulates listener interest and creates a clear transition point in the speech.
15.                     Expeditio is the trick of listing a series of possibilities and then explaining why all but one of those possibilities are non-starters. This device makes it seem as though all choices have been considered, when in fact you've been steering your audience towards the one choice you desired all along.
16.                     Antiphrasis is another word for irony. Antiphrasis refers to a statement whose actual meaning is the opposite of the literal meaning of the words within it.
17.                      Asterismos. Look, this is the technique of inserting a useless but attention-grabbing word in front of your sentence in order to grab the audience’s attention. It's useful if you think your listeners are getting a bit bored and restless.

Examples of Rhetorical Devices

Rhetoric isn’t just for debates and arguments. These devices are used in everyday speech, fiction and screenwriting, legal arguments, and more. Consider these famous examples and their impact on their audience.
1.    “Fear leads to anger. Anger leads to hate. Hate leads to suffering.” –Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back.
Rhetorical Device: Anadiplosis. The pairs of words at the beginning and ending of each sentence give the impression that the logic invoked is unassailable and perfectly assembled.
2.  “Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country.” —President John F. Kennedy.
Rhetorical Device: Chiasmus. The inversion of the phrase can do and the word country creates a sense of balance in the sentence that reinforces the sense of correctness.
3.  "I will not make age an issue of this campaign. I am not going to exploit, for political purposes, my opponent’s youth and inexperience." –President Ronald Reagan
Rhetorical Device: Apophasis. In this quip from a presidential debate, Reagan expresses mock reluctance to comment on his opponent's age, which ultimately does the job of raising the point of his opponent's age.  
4.  “But in a larger sense, we cannot dedicate, we cannot consecrate, we cannot hallow this ground.” —Abraham Lincoln, Gettysburg Address.
Rhetorical Device: Anaphora. Lincoln’s use of repetition gives his words a sense of rhythm that emphasizes his message. This is also an example of kairos: Lincoln senses that the public has a need to justify the slaughter of the Civil War, and thus decides to make this statement appealing to the higher purpose of abolishing slavery. 
5.  “Ladies and gentlemen, I've been to Vietnam, Iraq, and Afghanistan, and I can say without hyperbole that this is a million times worse than all of them put together.” –The Simpsons.
Rhetorical Device: Hyperbole. Here, hyperbole is used to humorous effect in order to undermine the superficial point of the sentence.

Key Terms

  • Rhetoric. The discipline of discourse and persuasion via verbal argument.
  • Rhetorical Device. A tool used in the course of rhetoric, employing specific sentence structure, sounds, and imagery to attain a desired response.
  • Logos. The category of rhetorical devices that appeal to logic and reason. 
  • Pathos. The category of rhetorical devices that appeal to emotions.
  • Ethos. The category of rhetorical devices that appeals to a sense of credibility. 
  • Kairos. The concept of “right place, right time” in rhetoric, wherein a specific rhetorical device becomes effective because of circumstances surrounding its use.
Exercise:
Jeffrey Somers is Literature Expert.

Jeff Somers is an award-winning writer who has authored nine novels, over 40 short stories, and "Writing Without Rules," a non-fiction book about the business and craft of writing.

 Question: Jeff Somers on the one hand loosely organize rhetorical devices into four catergoreis and then in ‘Top Rhetorical Devices’ he talks of other devices. Can you explain? Is it a mistake or lack of clarification it is our lack of understanding

Breaking down some basic rhetorical strategies
Breaking down some basic rhetorical strategies, what they mean, and how to analyze them critically. The purpose is to provide a breakdown of rhetorical strategies and how one can identify them in a message.
 STRATEGY DEFINITION QUESTIONS FOR CRITICAL THINKING EXEMPLIFICATION
Provide examples or cases in point.  Are there examples -- facts, statistics, cases in point, personal experiences, interview quotations -- added to the essay?
DESCRIPTION
 Detail sensory perceptions of a person, place, or thing Does a person, place, or object play a prominent role in the essay?
 NARRATION
Recount an event. Are there any anecdotes, experiences, or stories in the essay?
Process analysis:
Explain how to do something or how something happens. Does any portion of the essay include concrete directions about a certain process?
COMPARISON AND CONTRAST
Discuss similarities and differences.
 Does the essay contain two or more related subjects? Does it evaluate or analyze two or more people, places, processes, events, or things? Are there any similarities and/or differences between two or more elements?
DIVISION AND CLASSIFICATION
Divide a whole into parts or sort related items into categories Does the essay reduce the subject to more manageable parts or group parts?
 DEFINITION
Provide the meaning of terms you use Is there any important word in the essay with many meanings and is defined or clarified?
CAUSE AND EFFECT ANALYSIS
Analyze why something happens and describe the consequences of a string of events Does the essay examine past events or their outcome? Does it explain why something happened?
REPETITION
 The constant use of certain words Why, with all words at her disposal, does the writer choose to repeat particular words?
COUNTERPOINTS
 Contrasting ideas such as black/white, darkness/light, good/bad Does the writer acknowledge and respond to counterpoints to her position?
IMAGERY
Language that evokes one or all of the five senses: sight, sound, touch, taste, smell.
Does the essay use any provocative language that calls upon readers’ senses?

METAPHOR AND SIMILE
A figure of speech in which two essentially unlike things are compared, often in a phrase introduced by “like” or “as” Does the essay make connections between things to make a point or elicit an idea?
STYLE, TONE, AND VOICE
The attitude a writer takes towards a subject or character: serious, humorous, sarcastic, ironic, satirical, tongue-in-cheek, solemn, objective What tone does the essay have? How does the writer portray herself? What choices does she make that influence her position?
ANALOGY
 The comparison of two pairs that have the same relationship Are there any comparisons made by the writer to strengthen her message? FLASHBACK A memory of an event in the past HYPERBOLE Exaggeration or overstatement Does the writer make any claims that seem extreme?
PERSONIFICATION
Giving human qualities to animals or objects Is something without conscience thinking or talking?
 IRONY
 An expression or utterance marked by deliberate contrast between apparent and intended meaning, often humorous Does the writer really support her own assertions? Does she seem to be claiming the opposite you expect her to claim?
OXYMORON
A contradiction in terms such as “faithless devotion,” “searing cold,” “deafening silence,” “virtual reality,” “act naturally,” “peacekeeper missile,” or “larger half” Do any of the writer’s terms seem to obviously clash?
PARADOX
 Reveals a kind of truth which at first seems contradictory; Red wine is both good and bad for us Do any contradictions used in the essay contain some grain of truth?
SYMBOLISM
Using an object or action that means something more than its literal meaning; A skull and crossbones symbolize death. Does the writer seem to assert that a thing has meaning outside of the obvious?
PARODY
 An exaggerated imitation of a style, person, or genre for humorous effect. Do any contradictions used in the essay contain some grain of truth?
SARCASM
 Using an object or action that means something more than its literal meaning; A skull and crossbones symbolize death Does the writer seem to assert that a thing has meaning outside of the obvious?

SATIRE
 Literary tone used to ridicule or make fun of human vice or weakness, often with the intent of correcting, or changing, the subject of the satiric attack
Does the writer’s humor aim to fix its target?
DICTION
An author's choice of words Why, with all words at her disposal, does the writer choose to use those particular words?
PARALLELISM
The use of identical or equivalent constructions in corresponding clauses Are there any syntactic similarities between two parts of a sentence?
Exercise:
You just read ‘STRATEGY DEFINITION QUESTIONS FOR CRITICAL THINKING EXEMPLIFICATION’ by one author now read below critical reading skills by another author. Pick the difference if any. Which one you find better and why? Do you one should read both or one suffices? Give reasons for your answer.

Critical Reading
Critical reading is the first step in a rhetorical analysis. In order to make a reasonable and logical analysis, you need to apply critical reading skills to a text, given source, or artifact that you intend on analyzing.
For example,
 When reading, you can break the whole text down into several parts. Then, try to determine what the writer is attempting to achieve with the message they are conveying to a predetermined audience; then work to identify the writing strategies /he is using.
Once the text, artifact or given source has been thoroughly analyzed you can determine whether the intended message was effectively communicated.
Reading critically does not simply mean being moved, affected, informed, influenced, and persuaded by a piece of writing; it is much more than that. It refers to analyzing and understanding of how the writing has achieved its effect on the audience. The following is a list of suggested questions that you may find useful for when you engage in critical reading. However, you do not need to apply all of these questions to every text. Rather, use them selectively according to the specific reading at hand.
POTENTIAL QUESTIONS TO ASK WHEN ENGAGING IN CRITICAL READING:
• What is the subject?
 Does the subject bring up any personal associations?
Is it a controversial one?
• What is the thesis (the overall main point)?
 How does the thesis interpret the subject?
If asked, could you summarize the main idea?
• Who is the intended audience?

 What values and/or beliefs do they hold that the writer could appeal to?

 What is the tone of the text?

 What is your reaction to the text, emotional or rational (think of pathos)?

 Does this reaction change at all throughout the text?

 • What is the writer's purpose?

 To explain? Inform? Anger? Persuade? Amuse? Motivate? Sadden? Ridicule? Attack? Defend?

• Is there more than one purpose? Does the purpose shift at all throughout the text?

 What methods does the writer use to develop his/her ideas? • Narration? Description? Definition? Comparison? Analogy? Cause and Effect? Example?

 Why does the writer use these methods?

Do these methods help in his/her development of ideas?

• What pattern does the author use for the arrangement of ideas?

 Particular to general, broad to specific, spatial, chronological, alternating, or block?

 

 Does the format enhance or detract from the content? Does it help the piece along or distract from it?

 • Does the writer use adequate transitions to make the text unified and coherent?

 Do you think the transitions work well? In what ways do they work well?

• Are there any patterns in the sentence structure that make the writer's purpose clear to you?

 What are these patterns like if there are some?

 Does the writer use any fragments or run-on sentences?

 Is there any dialogue and/or quotations used in the text?

 To what effect? For what purpose is this dialog or quotations used?

• In what way does the writer use diction?

 Is the language emotionally evocative?

Does the language change throughout the piece?

How does the language contribute to the writer's aim?

• Is there anything unusual in the writer's use of punctuation?

 What punctuation or other techniques of emphasis (italics, capitals, underlining, ellipses, and parentheses) does the writer use?

 Is punctuation over- or under-used?

 Which marks does the writer use where, and to what effect?

 • Are there any repetitions of important terms throughout the text?

 Are these repetitions effective, or do they detract from the text?

• Does the writer present any particularly vivid images that stand out?

 What is the effect of these images on the writer's purpose?

 • Are there any tropes--similes, metaphors, personification, hyperbole, comparisons, contrasts, etc. that are employed by the writer?

 When does he/she use them? For what reason(s)?

 Are those devices used to convey or enhance meaning?

 • Are there any other devices such as humor, wordplay, irony, sarcasm, understatement, or parody that are used in the text?

 Is the effect comic relief? Pleasure? Hysteria? Ridicule?

 • Is there any information about the background of the writer?

 Is the writer an acceptable authority on the subject? How do you know?

Analytical Reading versus Critical Reading

Analytical (or critical, or close) reading differs from casual reading. The goal of analytical reasoning is to understand and then to evaluate an author's argument. This page gives some guidelines for analytical reading. After reading this, check out the reading sample.

1. Place the text in its context

Every piece of writing is embedded within a larger framework that contributes to its meaning. On a very simple level, the sentence, "Give me a hand," might mean very different things depending on its context: moving a sofa, petitioning for a prosthetic limb, assembling a clock, etc. In the same way, whole works are embedded in their contexts. Before analyzing a particular passage, it is useful to explore its setting.

  • literary - how does a particular passage fit within
  •  the larger context of a work; how does a work fit
  • within a larger, multi-work project?
  •  
  • historical - what was going on at the time of writing, and in what way did that prompt or influence the writing?

  • ideological - from what philosophical or religious viewpoint did the author write? What sources influenced him or her? (Augustine writes from a Catholic Christian perspective, as one who was trained in rhetoric and exposed to Ciceronian and Neoplatonic thought.)

You probably will not put all this information in your paper, but answering these questions will help you understand the text. A good encyclopedia article, such as one in Augustine Through the Ages, should provide you with the necessary context.

2. Read once quickly, locating key terms, technical terms, and unfamiliar terms

Key terms are any words or phrases that are significant in the passage. There are several ways to identify the key terms. Any term that is repeated regularly is probably key. Also, any term that the author takes great pains to define exactly is likely key. If a term occurs in the conclusion of an argument, or as one of the crucial supports of an argument, it is key.

Technical terms are of two types. First, some technical terms are uncommon, appearing only in specific contexts.  An example is "homoousios," a word you are unlikely to find outside of trinitarian theology. A contemporary example is "laparoscopy," a distinctly medical term. The second type can be more difficult. Some technical terms are common words or phrases that take on a very particular sense in a given discussion. For example, the word "love" is common. Yet, when Augustine speaks about love, he means something very specific that a 21st-century reader would probably not realize right away. If you suspect a common word is being used in a technical sense, look for a definition somewhere in the context. If you can't find one, check an encyclopedia. For Augustine, check Augustine Through the Ages first.

An unfamiliar term is any term unfamiliar to you. A responsible reader will always make sure she understands every term in a passage before moving on.


3. Read again, analyzing the structure

The method of analysis appropriate to a given passage depends on its genre. This guide will focus on an explanatory or persuasive text, one in which the author is trying to convince readers of a position through logic and rhetoric. These texts consist largely of series of arguments. Each argument consists of several parts, which you must identify:

Conclusion - the main point the author is trying to make. To identify the conclusion, ask what one idea the author wants his or her readers to understand or believe. Also, you could ask to which idea all the other pieces of the argument point. 
Evidence - the basis upon which the author asserts his or her claim. A single conclusion may rest upon multiple strands of evidence. Evidence can take many forms: an allegedly self-evident idea, a historical example, common experience, a quote from an authoritative source (often the Bible or a church father), a statistic, and others. What makes something evidence is not the form, but the use. Anything that supports or defends a conclusion is evidence.
1. assumption - unstated, presupposed ideas necessary to the argument. 
2. clarification - further explanation or definition of a concept. Clarification is not strictly necessary to the existence of an argument, but is usually there. 

Elements in an argument are connected by structural terms. They determine how the elements in a text are related. Consider these two sentences:

1. Since Roger was offered a scholarship, he enrolled at Villanova University. In this sentence, the scholarship is the cause or motivating factor of the effect, enrolling.

2. Although Roger was offered a scholarship, he enrolled at Villanova University. How different is this sentence, although only one word changed! Now the scholarship, apparently from somewhere else, is a factor motivating against Roger's decision to enroll. 

Exercise:

As you know now that Analytical Reading is different from critical reading. How both help in different directions?

Heading is analytical reading versus critical reading? Do not you think better heading would be: analytical reading complements with critical reading. Give reasons for your opinion.

Inferences
Making inferences is a comprehension strategy used by proficient readers to “read between the lines,” make connections, and draw conclusions about the text’s meaning and purpose. You already make inferences all of the time.
For example,
Imagine you go over to a friend’s house and they point at the sofa and say, “Don’t sit there, Cindy came over with her baby again.”
What could you logically conclude? First, you know there must be a reason not to sit where your friend is pointing. Next, the reason not to sit there is related to the fact that Cindy just visited with her baby.
You don’t know what exactly happened, but you can make an inference and don’t need to ask any more questions to know that you do not want to sit there.
Practice making inferences:
 Imagine you witness the following unrelated situations—what can you infer about each one?
1. You see a woman pushing a baby stroller down the street.
2. You are at a corner and see two parked cars at an intersection, and the driver in back starts honking his horn.
3. You are walking down the street, and suddenly a dog comes running out of an opened door with its tail between its legs. For the first, you probably came up with something simple, such as there was a baby in the stroller. For the second, you might have inferred that the first car should have started moving, or was waiting too long at the corner and holding up the second car. For the third, you could reasonably guess that the dog had done something wrong and was afraid to get punished.
You do not know for 100% certainty that these inferences are true. If you checked 100 strollers, 99 times you would find a baby, but maybe one time you would find something else, like groceries.
Making inferences as you read:
To make inferences from reading, take two or more details from the reading and see if you can draw a conclusion. Remember, making an inference is not just making a wild guess. You need to make a judgment that can be supported, just as you could reasonably infer there is a baby in a stroller, but not reasonably infer that there are groceries, even though both would technically be a “guess.” When you are asked an inference question, go back over the reading and look for hints within the text, such as words that are directly related to the question you may be asked (such as for a multiple choice test) or words that indicate opinion.
Here is an example:
 Hybrid cars are good for the environment, but they may not perform as well as cars that run only on gasoline. The Toyota Prius gets great gas mileage and has low emissions making it a good “green” option. However, many people think that it is unattractive. The Prius also cannot accelerate as quickly as other models, and cannot hold as many passengers as larger gas-fueled SUVs and vans. Compared to similar gas-fueled options, hybrid cars also cost more money up front. A new hybrid car costs almost $3,500 more than the same car configured to run just on gasoline.
 Which of the following can you infer from the passage?
1. Hybrid cars are more dangerous than other options
 2. Toyota is making a lot of money from the Prius
3. Cars that use gasoline are going to destroy the environment
4. Hybrid cars may not be the best choice for everyone
All four answers are about hybrid cars in some way, but none of the answers can be found directly from the text.
Read through and see what hints you can find from the text. You will notice right away that there is nothing about car safety in the passage at all, so you can eliminate choice 1. Choice 2 is implied: if the car cost $3,500 more than other cars, then Toyota would be making a lot of money by selling the car. But is it the most reasonable conclusion? To be sure, you need to go through all of the answers—don’t just stop when you find one that looks okay.
You may think that choice 3 is true. After all, people want to make hybrid cars because they believe that emissions are contributing to environmental damage, but this is not mentioned in the paragraph. Even if you think it is true, the answer has to be supported by the text to be the correct answer to the problem.
Choice 4 could be inferred from the text. If a person had a large family, was short on money, or needed a car that could accelerate quickly, then a hybrid might not be the best choice for them.
Now compare choice d with the other possible answer, choice 2. Now you are thinking choice 2 might not be as good an answer because you don’t know how much it costs Toyota to make the cars, and you don’t know how many they sell, so you can’t reasonably infer that they are making a lot of money! Choice 4 has to be the correct answer.
Exercise:
Search excercises on your own for doing inferences

 

Commonly Confused Words: infer / imply
Both verbs have to do with the communication of information. The difference between the two is that imply refers to giving information, while infer refers to receiving information. 
Imply means to strongly suggest the truth or existence of something that is not expressly stated.
Infer and imply both are related to indirect information. However, they approach this meaning from two different angles, just like the word pairs give/take and borrow/lend.
Infer is a verb that means to find an answer based on reasoning rather than being told directly.
  • Her son wouldn’t tell her where he had been. However, he reeked of booze and cigarettes so she inferred that he had been at a party.
Imply is also a verb. It means to suggest or hint without stating information directly.
  • No, he didn’t call me stupid directly, but he implied it when he said he didn’t think I would understand!
Let’s look at a few ways to use these words in your sentences.
Using Infer in a Sentence
When to use infer: Infer means to conclude something based on evidence. It is similar to the verb deduce.
For example:
  • I see the cookies are missing from the cookie jar. Your father didn’t eat them. I didn’t eat them. You are the only other person who was in the house. Can we infer that you ate these cookies?
  • I never told you that I didn’t speak English. It’s not my fault that you chose to infer that I could only speak Chinese.
The most common error with these words is to use infer when you really mean imply. To maintain clarity, use imply for giving indirect information and use infer for figuring out indirect information.
Using Imply in a Sentence
When to use imply: Imply acts as a verb that means to suggest or hint something without stating it directly.
For example:
  • He implied that he thought I was conceited when he said, “I see you’re taking selfies again.”
  • She implied that she thought Americans were stupid when she said, “I’m surprised to see an American speaking Japanese so fluently!”
People imply information for several reasons. They might be trying to be polite by delicately avoiding saying something rude. Conversely, they might be trying to be rude in a discreet way. Finally, they might be trying to build suspense.
Remembering Infer vs. Imply
One way to remember the meanings for each of these words is to look at their spellings.
Infer is spelled with the letter f in the middle and r at the end. This is similar to the spelling of the word figure. This can help you remember that to infer something is to figure out what someone has hinted at but didn’t state directly.
Outside Examples
  • It is easy to slip into a mode in which you infer your conversation partner’s motives and then start to argue. –Houston Chronicle
  • It’s similarly hard to know the exact number of snakes at the park, but DuBois said it’s possible to infer from visitor spotting that the population is healthy. –Denver Post
  • “Woods also implied that we force our son to be gender creative. Anybody who has followed our journey knows that is not true. I’ve written about how much easier our lives would be if both of our boys were straight and cisgender.” –OC Register
  • About 6:40 a.m., the man entered a store in the 900 block of Northwest Highway, implied he had a gun, and demanded the employee give him money from the register, according to a statement from Park Ridge police. –Chicago Sun Times
Quiz: Imply vs. Infe
Instructions: Fill in the blank with the correct word, either imply or infer.
  • I don’t like that professor. He _______________ that women should always be nurses and never doctors.
  • What are you ______________? Just tell me what you mean plain and simple. Don’t just hint at it!

Suggest:
When you suggest something to someone, you are putting forward an idea for consideration. It is normally upto the other person to accept it or not.
Example:
I suggest you see a competent psychiatrist.
Suggest:
When you suggest something to someone, you are putting forward an idea for consideration. It is normally upto the other person to accept it or not.
Example:
I suggest you see a competent psychiatrist.
You can use 'suggest' in most places that 'imply' is used, with some loss of meaning.
You cannot always replace suggest with imply, because 'imply' always refers to some previous statement or action.
Also, a suggestion is explicit, whereas an implication has to be inferred.

Connotation vs. Denotation

(Although both words broadly mean 'to signify' they are technically quite different. Denote refers to the literal primary meaning of something, whereas connote signifies the attributes of a word aside from its primary meaning. For example, winter denotes a season of the year, but connotes cold weather)
Here's another way to look at it. Denotation is the standard definition of a word, whereas connotation is the feeling evoked by a word. Let's consider another word: gritty.
The definition of gritty is "having a rough texture." So, in a literal sense (denotation), we might say:
This sandpaper is gritty. It'll make that countertop nice and smooth.
But, consider this sentence:
That side of town is pretty gritty.
In that sense, we're not saying that section of the city has a "rough texture" in a literal sense. Instead, we're saying it's a tough neighborhood, perhaps with issues related to crime and poverty. As such, you'll want to have your wits about you when walking through its streets. That's connotation.

Connotation and Denotation Examples

Now that you know the difference between connotation vs. denotation, check out these examples.

Cheap

The meaning of cheap is to cost very little.
·         Denotation: This shirt is cheap enough for me to buy.
·         Connotation: That t-shirt was so cheap, it pilled in a matter of weeks.
The second sentence suggests that the t-shirt wasn't just a bargain buy. Rather, it was of poor quality. The implication is that a higher-quality garment wouldn't have pilled.

Dabble

To dabble means to show a superficial interest.
·         Denotation: I dabble in painting.
·         Connotation: You should never dabble in drugs.
When someone says you should never dabble in drugs (or anything harmful), they mean you shouldn't touch them, never mind a superficial interest or momentary experimentation. The connotation of "dabbling in drugs" is to "stay back." Don't even go there.

Innocent

Innocent means that you are free from guilt or wrongdoing.
·         Denotation: The court said she was innocent.
·         Connotation: What does she know. She's so innocent.
In this context, the implication is that she's not just free from guilt; she's lacking in worldly knowledge or experience. She's naive. It carries a derogatory connotation, implying that the speaker has more "smarts" than the woman she's talking about.

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