BP22110102 AMBIGUITY E - B O O K INDIVIDUAL ASSIGNMENT 2 PT00703 KOMPUTER DAN MULTIMEDIA DALAM PENDIDIKAN DR. MAD NOOR MADJAPUNI IN ENGLISH SENTENCE ELVYANNYE ALBERT
TABLE OF CONTENT Definition of ambiguity Types of ambiguity Lexical Ambiguity Semantic Ambiguity Syntactic Ambiguity Pragmatic Ambiguity Syntax Tree Exercise 1 Exercise 2 Exercise 3 Lesson Objectives 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Exercise 4 References 12 13
LESSON OBJECTIVES Students will be able to create at least 3 correct ambiguous sentences. Students will be able to give correct interpretations for at least 4 sentences. Students will be able to produce 3 correct syntax tree diagram to differentiate the different interpretations of ambiguous sentences. 1
AMBIGUITY? Ambiguity refers to a situation, statement, or expression that can be understood in more than one way, often leading to confusion or multiple interpretations. It can occur in language, communication, literature, law, and various other fields. Ambiguity arises when information is unclear, vague, or open-ended, leaving room for different interpretations. Ambiguity in an English sentence occurs when a sentence can be interpreted in more than one way due to its structure, wording, or punctuation. Ambiguity can arise from various sources, such as homonyms (words with multiple meanings), unclear pronoun references, or syntactic structure. Understanding ambiguity is crucial because it highlights the importance of context in communication and how language can be both rich and complex. Types of ambiguity: Syntactic Ambiguity Semantic Ambiguity Pragmatic Ambiguity 2
TYPES OF AMBIGUITY AMBIGUITY Lexical Ambiguity Syntactic Ambiguity Semantic Ambiguity Pragmatic Ambiguity Lexical Ambiguity Lexical ambiguity occurs when a word has multiple meanings, leading to different interpretations depending on the context in which the word is used. Semantic Ambiguity Semantic ambiguity occurs when a sentence or phrase contains a word or phrase that has an unclear meaning within the specific context. Syntactic Ambiguity Syntactic ambiguity arises from the structure of a sentence, where the arrangement of words can lead to multiple possible interpretations. Pragmatic Ambiguity Pragmatic ambiguity arises when the meaning of a statement depends on the context of the situation and the speaker's intentions, which might not be explicitly stated. 3
LEXICAL AMBIGUITY Lexical ambiguity is the potential for multiple interpretations of spoken or written language that renders it difficult or impossible to understand without some additional information. The ambiguity typically results from the fact that words can mean different things; the additional information typically supplies context that clarifies which meaning is intended in this instance. Lexical ambiguity is what makes puns and other types of wordplay funny, and unintentional humor can occur when words aren’t considered carefully enough. EXAMPLE: 1.The fisherman caught a bass Bass (Noun) - A type of fish Bass (Noun) - A low-frequency sound in music 2. He went to the bank. Bank (Noun) - A financial institution Bank (Noun) - The side of a river 3. Ali drew a bat. Bat (Noun) - A flying mammal Bat (Noun) - A piece of equipment used in baseball 4
SEMANTIC AMBIGUITY Phrases and sentences can also be semantically ambiguous, particularly when there are multiple ways of semantically combining its subparts. Semantic ambiguity refers to situations where a word, phrase, sentence, or other form of communication has more than one interpretation or meaning. This can lead to confusion or misunderstanding between people. This type of ambiguity arises from the meanings of words and their combinations within a particular context, and it is not necessarily resolved by syntax alone. EXAMPLE: 1.He gave her cat food. This could mean he gave food to her cat. It could also mean he gave her food meant for cats. 2. She saw the man with the binoculars. This could mean she used binoculars to see the man. It could also mean the man she saw was carrying binoculars 3. The chicken is ready to eat. This could mean the chicken is prepared and ready for consumption. It could also mean the chicken (the animal is ready to eat something. 5
SYNTACTIC AMBIGUITY Syntactic ambiguity, also known as structural ambiguity, arises when a sentence can be parsed or interpreted in multiple ways due to its structure. This type of ambiguity occurs when the arrangement of words in a sentence allows for more than one grammatical interpretation, leading to different possible meanings. The intended meaning of a syntactically ambiguous phrase can generally—although not always—be determined by the context of its use. EXAMPLE: The professor said on Monday he would give an exam. 1. Interpretation 1 - It was on Monday that the professor told the class about the exam Interpretation 2 - The exam would be given on Monday 2. He saw her duck. Interpretation 1 - He saw her duck (the bird). Interpretation 2 - He saw her lower her head. 6
PRAGMATIC AMBIGUITY Pragmatic ambiguity arises when the meaning of a statement is unclear due to context-dependent factors and the speaker's intentions. This type of ambiguity relies heavily on the situation, background knowledge, and shared understandings between the speaker and the listener. It occurs when the same phrase or sentence can be interpreted in different ways depending on the conversational context or the specific circumstances under which it is said. EXAMPLE: 1.Can you pass the salt? Literal Interpretation - The speaker is asking if the listener has the physical ability to pass the salt. Pragmatic Interpretation - The speaker is making a polite request for the listener to pass the salt. 2. We need to talk? Literal Interpretation - The speaker is stating that a conversation needs to happen. Pragmatic Interpretation - The speaker often implies that there is an important or serious issue that needs to be discussed. 7
SYNTAX TREE He look at the dog with one eye. Interpretation 1 - He look at the one-eye dog Interpretation 2 - He used one eye to look at the dog. 8
EXERCISE 1 Instruction: In pair, create a short skit, each demonstrating different interpretations of these sentence. 1. He gave her cat food. 2. We saw her duck. 3. John shot the man with a gun. 4. The flight attendant greet the girl with a smile. 5. We should be discussing violence on TV. Ambiguity Roleplay Students must emphasize the differences between each interpretation. 9
EXERCISE 2 Instruction: Read the ambiguous sentences carefully. Write down the interpretations of each of the ambiguous sentence. 1. Claire love dancing more than John. ____________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________ 2. Officials help dog bite victims. ____________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________ 3. Rossa looks at that dog with one eye. ____________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________ 4. The tourist saw a monkey with a telescope. ____________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________ 10
EXERCISE 3 Instruction: Using your previous knowledge about ambiguity or ambiguous sentence, create 5 sentence that have ambiguous meaning. Read your sentence in front of the class and let your friend figure out its meanings. ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ 1. 2. _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ 3. ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ 4. _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ 5. _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ 11
EXERCISE 4 Instruction: Analyze these sentences using syntax tree diagram. Produce 2 different syntax tree diagram for each sentence to highlight its different meaning. 1. Sarah caught the butterfly by the tree. 2. She took the baby out of the water and throw it away. 3. The murderer killed the student with a knife. 4. Flying planes can be dangerous. 5. He stood watching the fireworks in the backyard. 12
REFERENCES Eysenck, M.; M. Keane, M. "Cognitive Psychology." Taylor & Francis, 2005 https://www.facebook.com/thoughtcodotcom. (2018). What Is Lexical Ambiguity? ThoughtCo. https://www.thoughtco.com/what-is-lexical-ambiguity1691226 ThoughtCo. (2017). Facebook.com. https://www.facebook.com/thoughtcodotcom. 13