Ambiguity Definition
Ambiguity, or fallacy of ambiguity, is a word, phrase, or statement which contains more than one meaning . ... For instance, it is ambiguous to say “I rode a black horse in red pajamas,” because it may lead us to think the horse was wearing red pajamas.
What is meant by ambiguity of meaning?
1a : the quality or state of being ambiguous especially in meaning The ambiguity of the poem allows several interpretations. b : a word or expression that can be understood in two or more possible ways : an ambiguous word or expression. 2 : uncertainty.
What is ambiguity and example?
Ambiguity Definition
Ambiguity, or fallacy of ambiguity, is a word, phrase, or statement which contains more than one meaning . ... For instance, it is ambiguous to say “I rode a black horse in red pajamas,” because it may lead us to think the horse was wearing red pajamas.
What is ambiguity in sentence?
An ambiguous sentence has two or more possible meanings within a single sentence or sequence of words . This can confuse the reader and make the meaning of the sentence unclear.
What is meaning of ambiguity in law?
Ambiguity means vagueness or uncertainty of meaning , the possibility of interpreting an expression in two or more distinct ways. In the context of statutory interpretation, ambiguity is used to indicate the doubt a judge must entertain before s/he can search for or apply a secondary meaning.
What is the importance of ambiguity?
One possible reason that ambiguity is so important to art and literature is that it offers us the chance to be innovative in our interpretations . Faced with a work that has multiple meanings or seems vague, we have to actively use our own ideas and judgments to find meaning.
Is ambiguity good or bad?
It means you’re being unclear or inexact. Ambiguity is a funny thing . ... In speech and writing, however, ambiguity can be a useful tool. In your speech, you might want to use ambiguity to make your audience consider things for themselves.
How do you handle ambiguity?
- Understand your Own Tolerance and Reactions. ...
- Be Crystal Clear on What is Clear. ...
- Know What You Collectively Know and What You Don’t. ...
- Don’t Waffle (Or if you do need to change direction, do it boldly) ...
- Encourage Risk-Taking. ...
- Envision Alternative Scenarios.
What are sources of ambiguity?
Semantic and syntactic ambiguity
Syntactic ambiguity arises when a sentence can have two (or more) different meanings because of the structure of the sentence —its syntax. This is often due to a modifying expression, such as a prepositional phrase, the application of which is unclear.
What are the three types of ambiguity?
Three types of ambiguity are categorised as potential ambiguity: lexical, syntactical, and inflective .
How do you remove ambiguity in a sentence?
Expansion: Adding a word or two to the sentence can remove ambiguity. He finished the race last Thursday. —> He finished the race on last Thursday.
Can a person be ambiguous?
If you are referring to something that is unclear, then it is ambiguous , but when you are referring to a person’s mixed feelings or attitude, then it is ambivalent. Now that we learned about the differences between the two words, we won’t be ambivalent about how ambiguous their meanings are.
What are the different types of ambiguity?
These four types, namely, lexical ambiguity, structural ambiguity and scope ambiguity and a controversial type – the combination of lexical and structural ambiguity all have their own properties although it is not easy to distinguish them very clearly sometimes.
How is ambiguity used in law?
In the law of contracts, ambiguity means more than that the language has more than one meaning upon which reasonable persons could differ . ... When this occurs, the court will admit as evidence extraneous proof of prior or contemporaneous agreements to determine the meaning of the ambiguous language.
What is federal ambiguity?
Ambiguity. (See Metric Constructors, Inc. v. NASA (United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, decided March 3, 1999)) When a contract is susceptible to more than one reasonable interpretation , it contains an ambiguity.
Why do people use ambiguous words?
Ambiguous words are helpful, because they do not require us to come out and criticize other people forcefully when we want to give them bad news. Instead, we can soften the blow and make the conversation go more smoothly by giving the hearer some wiggle room in how they interpret what is said.
