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15 - Ambiguity

Ambiguity refers to the property of a word or phrase being open to multiple interpretations, which is context-dependent. Various types of ambiguity include grammatical, semantic, punctuation, and cross-reference ambiguity, each illustrated with examples that highlight how the same sentence can convey different meanings. Understanding these types of ambiguity is essential for effective communication and interpretation.

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Belen Radic
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16 views2 pages

15 - Ambiguity

Ambiguity refers to the property of a word or phrase being open to multiple interpretations, which is context-dependent. Various types of ambiguity include grammatical, semantic, punctuation, and cross-reference ambiguity, each illustrated with examples that highlight how the same sentence can convey different meanings. Understanding these types of ambiguity is essential for effective communication and interpretation.

Uploaded by

Belen Radic
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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AMBIGUITY

Ambiguity is the property of being “ambiguous‟ where a word, term, notation, sign
symbol, phrase, sentence, or any other form used for communication, is called
ambiguous if it can be interpreted in more than one way. Ambiguity, however, is
context –dependent, i.e .the same linguistic item, be it a word, phrase, or sentence may
be ambiguous in one context and unambiguous in another.
In this regard, several types of ambiguity can be recognized; these include grammatical
(or structural ) ambiguity in a phrase like:

“new houses and shops” which could be analyzed as either “new (houses and shops) i.e
both are new , or “(new houses) and shops” ,i.e.‟ only‟ the houses are new.

The parents of the bride and groom were waiting.

The sentence, as it stands, is ambiguous, and its ambiguity arises from the obscure
sense, which leaves us wondering whether:

a. The parents of the bride were waiting.


b. The parents of the groom were waiting.
c. The parents of the bride were waiting, and so was the groom.
d. The parents of the bride and the parents of the groom were waiting.

The following sentence is also an example of structural ambiguity:

Annie whacked a man with an umbrella.

a. Annie had an umbrella and she whacked a man with it.


b. Annie whacked a man and the man happened to be carrying an umbrella.

Another major type of ambiguity is the semantic (or lexical) ambiguity which might
be viewed in a sentence like:

Visiting speakers can be awful. Which is interpreted in two different ways .The first
interpretation is. It is awful to visit speakers. Whereas the second one is: Speakers
who visit are awful.

Patent medicines are sold by frightening people. The ambiguity arises due to the fact
that we cannot tell whether the sense intended is: Patent medicines are sold by putting
fear into people. Or: Patent medicines are sold by people who are frightening.

Some authors also refer to:


Punctuation Ambiguity: This can be considered as a mix of syntactic and lexical
ambiguity. The ambiguity in this case is also in the surface structure rather than in the
deep structure. For example:

a. A woman without her man, is savage. What is savage is a woman without her man.
b. A woman, without her, man is savage. A man, without a woman, is savage.

Cross-reference Ambiguity: It is a type of 'syntactic ' ambiguity, that of 'referent '


especially when using pronouns. For example:
Bob kicked Tom, and he broke his leg.

In this sentence, it is not clear if either Bob or Tom broke his leg.

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