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Jane Nam Posted 14 years ago
Grammar
Is this sentence ambiguous?
Hello. My book says the sentence below is ambiguous, but it doesn't say whether it is structurally or lexically ambiguous.
"Do you know how to get to the freeway from here?"
But for me, it doesn't look like ambiguous at all.
Could you help me, please?
Thank you so much!
"Do you know how to get to the freeway from here?"
But for me, it doesn't look like ambiguous at all.
Could you help me, please?
Thank you so much!
Top answer
Hi, Perhaps the writer is thinking that this question can be interpreted in these two ways. Tom wants to ensure Mary won't get lost. " Tom himself wants to go to the freeway.
- Hi, Perhaps the writer is thinking that this question can be interpreted in these two ways.
- Tom wants to ensure Mary won't get lost.
- " Tom himself wants to go to the freeway.
- " The context will normally make the intended meaning clear.
- Clive
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6 Answers
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Hi,
Perhaps the writer is thinking that this question can be interpreted in these two ways.
Tom wants to ensure Mary won't get lost.
Tom: "Do you know how to get to the freeway from here?"
Mary:
Perhaps the writer is thinking that this question can be interpreted in these two ways.
Tom wants to ensure Mary won't get lost.
Tom: "Do you know how to get to the freeway from here?"
Mary:
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Hi,
Basically, a sentence is ambiguous if it can have two different meanings.
Clive
Basically, a sentence is ambiguous if it can have two different meanings.
Clive
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I'll give you examples.
Structurally ambiguous :
John hid a letter from Mary
1. John hid a letter which Mary wrote to John
2. John hid a letter so that Mary couldn't find it.
Lexically ambiguous :
I met him at the bank.
1. I met him at the bank which is finantial company/ institution.
2. I met him at the river bank.
Structurally ambiguous :
John hid a letter from Mary
1. John hid a letter which Mary wrote to John
2. John hid a letter so that Mary couldn't find it.
Lexically ambiguous :
I met him at the bank.
1. I met him at the bank which is finantial company/ institution.
2. I met him at the river bank.
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Jane NamI'll give you examples.Given those examples and the choice between 'structural' and 'lexical', I think we'd have to say that the ambiguity in your original sentence is lexical.
On the other hand, I don't think that any of the individual words of your sentence are subject to different interpretations, so the ambiguity is not lexical in that wa
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