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Catttt Posted 11 years ago
Vocabulary
...often relishing in ambiguity
What does "often relishing in ambiguity" mean and what is it referring to?
Does it mean "Good art, although full of ambiguity, startles us into looking everything from a new point of view"?
"Take the study of consciousness, for example. There can be no exclusive or privileged explanation for what goes on in our brains. We interpret the world with acquired top-down preconceptions and good art startles us into looking again afresh, often relishing in ambiguity. So, too, does good science."
Does it mean "Good art, although full of ambiguity, startles us into looking everything from a new point of view"?
"Take the study of consciousness, for example. There can be no exclusive or privileged explanation for what goes on in our brains. We interpret the world with acquired top-down preconceptions and good art startles us into looking again afresh, often relishing in ambiguity. So, too, does good science."
Top answer
red apple What does "often relishing in ambiguity" mean and what is it referring to? It is an error; there should be no 'in'. 'Relish ambiguity' means to enjoy creating or experiencing it
- red apple What does "often relishing in ambiguity" mean and what is it referring to?
- It is an error; there should be no 'in'.
- 'Relish ambiguity' means to enjoy creating or experiencing it
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18 Answers
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red appleWhat does "often relishing in ambiguity" mean and what is it referring to?It is an error; there should be no 'in'. 'Relish ambiguity' means to enjoy creating or experiencing it
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Hi
The writer may have had in mind that artists sometimes rejoice in ambiguity. 'Rejoice + in' is allowable and would mean, here, that sometimes artists feel very happy when they have created ambiguity
But 'relish + in' does not work - it is definitely an error
Dave
The writer may have had in mind that artists sometimes rejoice in ambiguity. 'Rejoice + in' is allowable and would mean, here, that sometimes artists feel very happy when they have created ambiguity
But 'relish + in' does not work - it is definitely an error
Dave
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We interpret the world with acquired top-down preconceptions and good art startles us into looking again afresh, often relishing its ambiguity. So, too, does good science."
I think it was a misprint. The word that fits is "its."
I think it was a misprint. The word that fits is "its."
00
i think you are right. And what does it mean and who or what is the subject of the sentence? We relish in art's ambiguity? Or Art relishes in its ambiguity?
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We interpret the world with acquired top-down preconceptions and good art startles us into looking again afresh, often relishing its ambiguity. So, too, does good science."
Main clause 1:
We interpret the world with acquired top-down preconceptions (subject = we, verb = interpret)
Main clause 2: (subject = art, verb = startle)
good art startles us into looking agai
Main clause 1:
We interpret the world with acquired top-down preconceptions (subject = we, verb = interpret)
Main clause 2: (subject = art, verb = startle)
good art startles us into looking agai
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HI
I think you may be right Alphecca, but then perhaps the error is that the participle is way too far from the noun it refers back to, disagreeing with you only slightly
Dave
I think you may be right Alphecca, but then perhaps the error is that the participle is way too far from the noun it refers back to, disagreeing with you only slightly
Dave
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dave_anonthe participle is way too farIf you're referring to "its", I think you mean the pronoun, don't you?
CJ
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red apple What does "oftenIt means "frequently delighting in multiple meanings".relishingreveling in ambiguity" mean ...?
red applewhat is it referring to?On the surface, the reference is to "good art" (in the quotation below your question), but that's an indirect way
00
Hi
I was thinking more along the lines of:
- Art has the power to startle and we, relishing its ambiguity, look at the world afresh
That's not intended as a perfect rephrase, but it brings 'relishing' closer to 'we' - which is the point I was making. But, now you mention it, the mental stretch in the original, from 'relishing' back to 'we', might also be responsible for
I was thinking more along the lines of:
- Art has the power to startle and we, relishing its ambiguity, look at the world afresh
That's not intended as a perfect rephrase, but it brings 'relishing' closer to 'we' - which is the point I was making. But, now you mention it, the mental stretch in the original, from 'relishing' back to 'we', might also be responsible for
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dave_anonArt has the power to startle and we, relishing its ambiguity, look at the world afreshSpeaking of ambiguity:
good art startles us into looking again afresh, often relishing in ambiguity.
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