Reference

Question 1

define ‘lexical ambiguity’ and give an example.

Answer 1

ambiguity from words - eg ‘lets spend a say at the bank’ bank= money bank OR bank= river bank.

Question 2

define ‘structural ambiguity’ and give an example.

Answer 2

how the words combine, and the ambiguity that can comes with that - eg ‘i shot an elephant in my PJs’ who is wearing the pjs?

Question 3

Which ambiguity (structural or lexical) is this: ‘an enraged cow injured a farmer with an axe’?

Answer 3

structural: who is holding the axe?

Question 4

Which ambiguity (structural or lexical) is this: ‘stolen painting found by tree’

Answer 4

both - lexical: by - is it the tree found the painting or was the painting found next to the tree, Structural: the placing of the words produces the same confusion.

Question 5

Break down the possible meanings of: ‘Everyone went to the pub’.

Answer 5

1. There is a unique pub y, such that for every person x, x went to y.
2. For every person y, there is a pub x, such that y went to x.

Question 6

Break down the possible meanings of: ‘Everyone loves someone’.

Answer 6

1. there is a unique person x, such that for every person y, y loves x.
2. for every person y, there exists a person x, such that y loves x.