Glossary:Scope Ambiguity: Difference between revisions
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{{CreatedByStudents1213}}<br />Involved participants: [[User:Nicki| Nicki]], [[User:Marc_M| Marc M]], [[User:Leo| Leo]], [[User:Anna_Böcher| Anna Böcher]], [[User:Lorena| Lorena]] | |||
/ | =Scope Ambiguity= | ||
/skəʊp æmbigjʊɘti/ | |||
==Definition== | ==Definition== | ||
Scope ambiguities arise when the scope (scope: an area over which activity, capacity, or influence extends) of a part - or parts - of a sentence is unclear. Quantifiers (words like ''every''), negations and adverbial or adjectival modifiers often give rise to scope ambiguites. | |||
A sentence with a scope ambiguity need not be structurally ambiguous. | |||
==Examples== | ==Examples== | ||
1. ''Every man loves a woman.'' | |||
Reading 1: For every man there is some woman that he loves <br/> | |||
Reading 2: Every man loves the same woman <br/> | |||
Reading 1: | -> The different meanings are determined by which quantifier is given the widest scope. By giving 'every' the widest scope, reading 1 arises; by giving 'a' the widest scope, reading 2 arises. | ||
Reading 2: | |||
2. ''All that glitters is not gold.'' | |||
Reading 1: | Reading 1: Everything that glitters is not made of gold; Conclusion: This rock glitters so it cannot be gold <br/> | ||
Reading 2: | Reading 2: Not everything that glitters is gold; Conclusion: This rock glitters so it might be gold but it does not have to be. <br/> | ||
-> The different meanings are determined by the scope of the word not. By giving it a narrow scope ('not' only applies to ' gold'), reading 1 arises; by giving it a broad scope ('not' applies to 'All that glitters is gold'), reading 2 arises. | |||
==Related terms== | ==Related terms== | ||
*'''[[Glossary:Lexical Ambiguity|Lexical Ambiguity]]''' | *'''[[Glossary:Lexical Ambiguity|Lexical Ambiguity]]''' | ||
*'''[[Glossary:Ambiguity|Ambiguity]]''' | *'''[[Glossary:Ambiguity|Ambiguity]]''' | ||
*'''[[Glossary:Structural Ambiguity|Structural Ambiguity]]''' | |||
==References== | ==References== | ||
*Bieswanger, Markus/Becker, Annette (2008): Introduction to English Linguistics. 2te aktual. Aufl. A Francke Verlag, Tübingen und Basel., p. 155/156. | *Bieswanger, Markus/Becker, Annette (2008): Introduction to English Linguistics. 2te aktual. Aufl. A Francke Verlag, Tübingen und Basel., p. 155/156. | ||
*[http://www2.let.uu.nl/Uil-OTS/Lexicon/|Structural Ambiguity in Utrecht University, Lexicon of Linguistics] | *[http://www2.let.uu.nl/Uil-OTS/Lexicon/|Structural Ambiguity in Utrecht University, Lexicon of Linguistics] | ||
*[http://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/scope| Thesaurus entry on 'scope'] | |||
*[http://www.coli.uni-saarland.de/projects/milca/courses/comsem/html/node92.html| http://www.coli.uni-saarland.de/projects/milca/courses/comsem/html/node92.html] | |||
*[http://www.fallacyfiles.org/scopefal.html| http://www.fallacyfiles.org/scopefal.html] | |||
Latest revision as of 16:30, 11 April 2013
Warning:
The material on this page has been created as part of a seminar. It is still heavily under construction and we do not guarantee its correctness. If you have comments on this page or suggestions for improvement, please contact Manfred Sailer.
This note will be removed once the page has been carefully checked and integrated into the main part of this wiki.
The following material is an adapted form of material created by student participants of the project e-Learning Resources for Semantics (e-LRS).
Involved participants: Nicki, Marc M, Leo, Anna Böcher, Lorena
Scope Ambiguity
/skəʊp æmbigjʊɘti/
Definition
Scope ambiguities arise when the scope (scope: an area over which activity, capacity, or influence extends) of a part - or parts - of a sentence is unclear. Quantifiers (words like every), negations and adverbial or adjectival modifiers often give rise to scope ambiguites.
A sentence with a scope ambiguity need not be structurally ambiguous.
Examples
1. Every man loves a woman.
Reading 1: For every man there is some woman that he loves
Reading 2: Every man loves the same woman
-> The different meanings are determined by which quantifier is given the widest scope. By giving 'every' the widest scope, reading 1 arises; by giving 'a' the widest scope, reading 2 arises.
2. All that glitters is not gold.
Reading 1: Everything that glitters is not made of gold; Conclusion: This rock glitters so it cannot be gold
Reading 2: Not everything that glitters is gold; Conclusion: This rock glitters so it might be gold but it does not have to be.
-> The different meanings are determined by the scope of the word not. By giving it a narrow scope ('not' only applies to ' gold'), reading 1 arises; by giving it a broad scope ('not' applies to 'All that glitters is gold'), reading 2 arises.
Related terms
References
- Bieswanger, Markus/Becker, Annette (2008): Introduction to English Linguistics. 2te aktual. Aufl. A Francke Verlag, Tübingen und Basel., p. 155/156.
- Ambiguity in Utrecht University, Lexicon of Linguistics
- Thesaurus entry on 'scope'
- http://www.coli.uni-saarland.de/projects/milca/courses/comsem/html/node92.html
- http://www.fallacyfiles.org/scopefal.html