Definition
Ambiguous words or statements
lead to vagueness and confusion, and shape the basis for instances of
unintentional humor. 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. The sentence becomes
clear when it is restructured “Wearing red pajamas, I rode a black horse.”
Common
Ambiguity Examples
Below are some common examples of
ambiguity:
A
good life depends on a liver –
Liver may be an organ or simply a living person.
Foreigners
are hunting dogs – It is unclear
whether dogs were being hunted or foreigners are being spoken of as dogs.
Each
of us saw her duck – It is not
clear whether the word “duck” refers to an action of ducking or a duck that is
a bird.
The
passerby helps dog bite victim – Is
the passerby helping a dog bite someone? Or is he helping a person bitten by a
dog? It’s not clear.
Sentence Examples
- Their actions showed moral ambiguity.
- The ambiguity cannot be cured.
- The term "wilderness" shows geographical ambiguity because the boundries are not defined.
- On the other hand, the ambiguity may be quite unintentional.
- He is in charge of ambiguity resolution.
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