Is this attachment ambiguity?

Question

In these sentences, is there attachment ambiguity?

For example, in the sentence "the dogs and the cats that are injured", does it mean both the cats and dogs are injured or does it mean that only the cats are injured? Or does it depend on what the writer wants to say?

I think it's an attachment ambiguity because it's unclear to me whether the clause "that are injured" is attached to "the dogs and cats" or "the cats". What do you think?

If I'm not crazy and it is attachment ambiguity, does that mean both of these phrases below are correct (and with different meanings"?

--> The boy and the girl who are here.

--> The boy and the girl who is here.

And these?

--> The man and woman whom I just saw.

-> The woman that I just saw and the man?

-> Both the people that I just saw?

--> He was mixing the water and soil extracted from the his garden.

-> The soil is extracted from the garden and the water isn't?

-> Both the soild and water are extracted from the garden?

Is there attachment ambiguity for both clauses with "who" and clauses with "that"?

AlpheccaStars · Accepted Answer

overthinkerFor example, in the sentence "the dogs and the cats that are injured",

It is not a sentence.

You have to consider the entire context.

The dogs and the cats that are injured in the street from being struck by vehicles should be approached with caution.

It's pretty obvious, no?

overthinker-> The boy and the girl who are here.
--> The boy and the girl who is here.

Those are not sentences either.

The noun phrases do not seem to be idiomatic English.

overthinkerHe was mixing the water and soil extracted from the his garden.

That is not very natural English.

These are:
He took water and soil out of his garden and mixed them together.

He took soil out of his garden and mixed it with water.

He took water out of the pond in his garden and mixed it with dirt.

CalifJim · Answer

overthinkerIn these ~~sentences~~ noun phrases, is there attachment ambiguity?

Yes.

The point of recognizing this kind of ambiguity is not just trying to puzzle out the alternate meanings that are possible but to revise the sentence to remove the ambiguity.

CJ

Is this attachment ambiguity?

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