Grammar’s Superhero Animals

Imply or Infer?

To imply is to hint at something without directly saying it. To infer is to figure out something that has not been directly said.

If you wrinkle your nose and ask Liz “How can you eat those chips?,” you are IMPLYING that the chips are gross. Liz will INFER that you don’t like the chips.

As its name implies/infers, the frilled lizard is famous for the frills, or skin flaps, around its head. To scare off predators, the lizard will rise up on its hind legs, open its mouth, and extend its frills in a terrifying display. Combine that with the hissing sound the lizard  makes and you’ve got one frightening little beast.

Of course, that’s not all this lizard can do. Frilled lizards, or frillnecks, are masterful hunters, lying in wait in trees to ambush their prey. Insects like ants and termites are their favorite meals, and they can gorge on thousands at a time. They also eat spiders, other lizards, and small mammals. As you have surely implied/inferred, Dr. Frillneck would make an unforgettable supervillain.

The sea cucumber is easily underestimated. It moves slowly, isn’t very strong, and kind of looks like a science experiment gone wrong. But implying/inferring that the sea cucumber is helpless would be a mistake. Sea cucumbers can change their bodies from mushy to hard. And they can squeeze through tiny spaces by turning into goo.

Some types of sea cucumbers can— wait for it—eject their lungs out of their behinds. Why would they do that? Their lungs are covered in a sticky substance that  is toxic to predators. Are you listening, Marvel? Captain Sea Cucumber could be the next big thing.

Just because the tardigrade is about the size of a grain of salt, don’t imply/infer that this critter is easily defeated. Tardigrades (also known as water bears or moss piglets) are basically the toughest creatures on the planet. They can go decades without food. They can survive in subzero temperatures and in boiling hot water. They can even survive in space.

Does all this imply/infer that they came from another planet? Alas, scientists don’t think so. Still, we’re thinking Tardigrade-Woman would be an awesome superhero.