ExCh1 Ambiguity 1a-b: Difference between revisions
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Yes, your answer is correct! | Yes, your answer is correct! | ||
This is a | This is a scope ambiguity. | ||
The two readings are: | The two readings are:<br /> | ||
Reading 1: Not > Some | 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.'' | :: 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 | ||
:: | :: ''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]]. | ||
Revision as of 05:53, 28 September 2012
Example sentence: Pat didn't know a guest at the party.
Yes, your answer is correct!
This is a scope ambiguity.
The two readings are:
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 was one guest at the party Pat didn't know.
- 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.
- There was one guest at the party Pat didn't know.
Follow the link to get more explanations.