IMPLICATIONS

We often speak through implications. If I say “I’m having lunch with my mother-in-law on Sunday”, the word mother-in-law implies that I’m married.

If I say “I have to lose weight”, this implies that I’m out of shape, with some (or lots of) weight to lose.

Saying Marco’s grandfather is called Antonio implies that Antonio had at least one son or daughter.

Saying “Luisa had a nightmare” implies that Luisa was sleeping.

Implications, therefore, are semantic boxes with a hidden meaning, or with one not explicitly expressed but appearing in the statement.

Through implications, we can convey a message to our audience, not necessarily expressing it openly, but slipping it through the boundaries of consciousness and transcending critical analysis.

Implications, if used effectively, can be used in sending messages also in visual texts.

The implication in this historical Benetton campaign (with a synecdoche) is that if three hearts are the same, so are their possessors, despite the different colour of their skin.

The implication of this image is that all the young people of the world are the same if they wear Benetton.

Another implication? Fit as a fiddle: very fit and well.

Of course the 'fiddle' here is the colloquial name for violin. 'Fit' didn't originally mean healthy and energetic, in the sense it is often used nowadays to describe the inhabitants of gyms. When this phrase was coined 'fit' was used to mean 'suitable, seemly', in the way we now might say 'fit for purpose'.

Implication is an extremely effective communication technique to send receivers a sub-message buried inside another message, allowing us, if used properly, to slip through critical analysis and smoothly reach the subconscious.