Ambiguity Flashcards
Ambiguity (Syntactic) Negative Example:
(Where the function of a word can’t be quickly known from the immediate context.)
“The Smiths are visiting relatives.”
Ambiguity (Syntactic) Positive Insight:
! Are the Smiths relatives that are visiting or are the Smiths taking a trip and visiting extended family members?
Ambiguity (Syntactic) Negative Example:
(Where the function of a word can’t be quickly known from the immediate context.)
“Frank is a training consultant.”
Ambiguity (Syntactic) Positive Insight:
! Is Frank training to be a consultant or is Frank consulting on training?
Ambiguity (Syntactic) Negative Example:
(Where the function of a word can’t be quickly known from the immediate context.)
“The peasants are revolting.”
Ambiguity (Syntactic) Positive Insight:
! Are the peasants engaging in violence or are the peasants dirty and smelly?
Ambiguity (Scope) Negative Example:
(Where the scope of the linguistic context can’t be determined. Using a modifier in a linguistic context where it is unclear which other part(s) of the sentence the modifier refers to.)
“I noticed your messy habits and towels on the hanger.”
Ambiguity (Scope) Positive Insight:
! Are the towels messy? Are the habits on the hanger?
Ambiguity (Scope) Negative Example:
(Where the scope of the linguistic context can’t be determined. Using a modifier in a linguistic context where it is unclear which other part(s) of the sentence the modifier refers to.)
“Speaking to you as a person of intelligence, language isn’t always clear.”
Ambiguity (Scope) Positive Insight:
! Is the speaker a person of intelligence, or is the listener a person of intelligence?
Ambiguity (Scope) Negative Example:
(Where the scope of the linguistic context can’t be determined. Using a modifier in a linguistic context where it is unclear which other part(s) of the sentence the modifier refers to.)
“There is a time and a place for everything and this is one of them.”
Ambiguity (Scope) Positive Insight:
Is “this” a time or a place?
