ExCh1 Ambiguity 1a-b - Revision history

Manfred at 06:02, 28 September 2012

2012-09-28T06:02:40Z

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	~~Example sentence: ''Pat didn't know a guest at the party.''~~

	Example sentence: ''Pat didn't know a guest at the party.''		Example sentence: ''Pat didn't know a guest at the party.''

Manfred at 06:02, 28 September 2012

2012-09-28T06:02:28Z

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	There is, however, another type of ambiguity in the sentence which leads to readings with distinct truth conditions. Try to find this ambiguity.		There is, however, another type of ambiguity in the sentence which leads to readings with distinct truth conditions. Try to find this ambiguity.


	For help, check the [[Types of ambiguity\|explanations]].		For help, check the [[Types of ambiguity\|explanations]].

Manfred at 06:02, 28 September 2012

2012-09-28T06:02:18Z

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	Example sentence: ''Pat didn't know a guest at the party.''		Example sentence: ''Pat didn't know a guest at the party.''

	~~Yes, your answer is correct!~~		Example sentence: ''Pat didn't know a guest at the party.''

	~~This~~ is ~~a scope ambiguity~~.		Sorry, your answer is only partially correct.

	~~The two readings are:<br />~~		You might argue that the preposition phrase ''at the party'' could attach to the noun ''guest'', to the verb phrase ''know a guest'', or to the entire sentence. In each case, the truth conditions of the sentence are the same.
	~~Reading 1: Not > Some~~
	:: ''~~Pat knew no guest~~ at the party.''
	~~:: More formally:~~ ''~~It is not the case that there was a~~ guest ~~at the party that Pat knew.~~''
	~~:: In this reading the negation has scope over~~ the ~~indefinite~~ ''a guest''.

	~~Reading 2: Some > Not~~		There is, however, another type of ambiguity in the sentence which leads to readings with distinct truth conditions. Try to find this ambiguity.
	~~:: ''~~There ~~was one guest at the party Pat didn't know.''<br />~~
	~~:: More formally: ''There was a guest at that party such that it~~ is ~~not~~ the ~~case that Pat knew this guest~~.''
	~~:: In~~ this ~~reading the indefinite ''a guest'' has scope over the negation~~.

	~~Follow~~ the ~~link to get more~~ [[Types of ambiguity\|explanations]].
			For help, check the [[Types of ambiguity\|explanations]].

	==== Navigation ====		==== Navigation ====

Manfred at 05:53, 28 September 2012

2012-09-28T05:53:58Z

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	Yes, your answer is correct!		Yes, your answer is correct!

	This is a ~~structural~~ ambiguity.		This is a scope ambiguity.

	The two readings are:		The two readings are:<br />
	Reading 1: Not > Some		Reading 1: Not > Some
	:: ~~(a)~~ ''Pat knew no guest at the party.''		:: ''Pat knew no guest at the party.''
	::More formally: ''It is not the case that there was a guest at the party that Pat knew.''		:: More formally: ''It is not the case that there was a guest at the party that Pat knew.''
			:: In this reading the negation has scope over the indefinite ''a guest''.

	Reading 2: Some > Not		Reading 2: Some > Not
	:: ~~(b)~~ ''There was one guest at the party Pat didn't know.''<br />		:: ''There was one guest at the party Pat didn't know.''<br />
	:: More formally: ''There was a guest at that party such that it is not the case that Pat knew this guest.''		:: More formally: ''There was a guest at that party such that it is not the case that Pat knew this guest.''
			:: In this reading the indefinite ''a guest'' has scope over the negation.

	Follow the link to get more [[Types of ambiguity\|explanations]].		Follow the link to get more [[Types of ambiguity\|explanations]].

Manfred at 05:51, 28 September 2012

2012-09-28T05:51:28Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 05:51, 28 September 2012
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	The two readings are:		The two readings are:
	:: (a) ''Pat knew no guest at the party.''~~<br />~~		Reading 1: Not > Some
	More formally: ''It is not the case that there was a guest at the party that Pat knew.''		:: (a) ''Pat knew no guest at the party.''
			::More formally: ''It is not the case that there was a guest at the party that Pat knew.''

			Reading 2: Some > Not
	:: (b) ''There was one guest at the party Pat didn't know.''<br />		:: (b) ''There was one guest at the party Pat didn't know.''<br />
	More formally: ''There was a guest at that party such that it is not the case that Pat knew this guest.''		:: More formally: ''There was a guest at that party such that it is not the case that Pat knew this guest.''

Manfred at 05:50, 28 September 2012

2012-09-28T05:50:00Z

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	Example sentence: ''Pat didn't know a guest at the party.''		Example sentence: ''Pat didn't know a guest at the party.''

	~~Sorry~~, your answer is ~~not~~ correct.		Yes, your answer is correct!

	This is ~~not~~ a ~~lexical~~ ambiguity.		This is a structural ambiguity.

	~~Of course, you could argue that~~ the ~~name~~ ''Pat'' ~~could either refer to a female person~~ (~~short for~~ ''~~Patricia~~''~~) or a male person (short for~~ ''~~Patrick~~'~~'). In~~ this ~~sense, it would be a lexical ambiguity~~.		The two readings are:
			:: (a) ''Pat knew no guest at the party.''<br />
			More formally: ''It is not the case that there was a guest at the party that Pat knew.''
			:: (b) ''There was one guest at the party Pat didn't know.''<br />
			More formally: ''There was a guest at that party such that it is not the case that Pat knew this guest.''

	~~However, we are after a different type of ambiguity here. Try again or check~~ the [[Types of ambiguity\|explanations]] ~~again~~.
			Follow the link to get more [[Types of ambiguity\|explanations]].

	==== Navigation ====		==== Navigation ====

Manfred: Created page with "Example sentence: ''Pat didn't know a guest at the party.'' Sorry, your answer is not correct. This is not a lexical ambiguity. Of course, you could argue that the name '..."

2012-09-28T05:43:42Z

Created page with "Example sentence: ''Pat didn't know a guest at the party.'' Sorry, your answer is not correct. This is not a lexical ambiguity. Of course, you could argue that the name '..."

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Example sentence: ''Pat didn't know a guest at the party.''

Sorry, your answer is not correct.

This is not a lexical ambiguity.

Of course, you could argue that the name ''Pat'' could either refer to a female person (short for ''Patricia'') or a male person (short for ''Patrick''). In this sense, it would be a lexical ambiguity.

However, we are after a different type of ambiguity here. Try again or check the [[Types of ambiguity|explanations]] again.

==== Navigation ====

* [[Determine the type of ambiguity|To the current exercise]]
* [[Exercise-ch1|To the exercise page for chapter 1]]
* [[Textbook-chapters|To the material by chapters overview]]
* [[FSEGA|To the main page of the textbook]]