Syntax: Ambiguity 1.1

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Ambiguity is a term used to describe an utterance whose meaning is not clear due to the possibility of two readings. Ambiguity can be due to syntactic structure (structural) or the meanings of words (lexical). This exercise will help you the decide whether ambiguity is caused by the structure of the phrase or by the lexical content of specific words. For each sentence, indicate whether ambiguity is structural or lexical.

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Question 1

Gladys put away the dresses in the closet.

A	lexical Hint: The PP 'in the closet' can describe where the clothes were put, thus modifying the VP, or the dresses, i.e., the ones that are in the closet, thus modifying the object NP.
B	structural

Question 2

I saw her horse around.

A	lexical Hint: The sentence could mean that a 'horse is in the area' or 'fooling around.' This depends on whether 'her horse' is an NP and an argument of the verb 'saw' or whether 'horse around' is the action (VP) that 'she' carried out.
B	structural

Question 3

The scientist recognized the professor with his looking glass.

A	structural
B	lexical Hint: The prepositional phrase 'with his looking glass' could either modify the verb 'recognized' describing how the action was done, or the noun 'professor' describing which professor, i.e., the one with the looking glass.

Question 4

Mark ate his lunch on a bench near the bank.

A	lexical
B	structural Hint: The ambiguity is lexical since it is based on the meaning of the word 'bank' which could mean the side of a river or a financial institution.

Question 5

I can't get over that fence.

A	structural Hint: The phrase 'get over' could mean 'physically lift oneself over' or 'believe.' This is lexical ambiguity.
B	lexical

Question 6

The doctor announced he would perform the surgery on Thursday.

A	structural
B	lexical Hint: The ambiguity is structural since it is based on the prepositional phrase ‘on Thursday.’ If this PP is embedded in the VP ‘announced’, then the PP states when the doctor made the announcement. If the PP is embedded in the VP ‘perform’, then it states when the surgery will be performed.

Question 7

The beautiful blond convict appealed to the judge.

A	lexical
B	structural Hint: The meaning of the sentence depends on the meaning of the word 'appealed.' Either the beautiful blond convict was attractive to the judge or she tried to overturn her conviction.

Question 8

The Justice of the Peace decided he could marry my sister.

A	lexical
B	structural Hint: The ambiguity is lexical since it is based on the meaning of the word 'married', which could mean the Justice of the Peace performed the marriage ceremony or he became her husband.

Question 9

The merchant tried on the light leather jacket.

A	structural Hint: The meaning of the sentence depends on whether the word 'light' means lightweight, or light in color.
B	lexical

Question 10

The dog in the pet shop looked stuffed.

A	lexical
B	structural Hint: The meaning of the sentence depends on whether the word 'stuffed' means overfed or filled with man-made material. This is lexical ambiguity.

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Syntax: Ambiguity 1.1

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