1、1（20_届）本科毕业设计英语浅析英语的歧义现象及其产生原因ANANALYSISONAMBIGUITYANDITSCAUSESICONTENTSABSTRACT1INTRODUCTION12RESEARCHBACKGROUND121VARIOUSDEFINITIONSOFAMBIGUITY122PREVIOUSSTUDYOFAMBIGUITY2221THESTUDIESOFAMBIGUITYINCHINA2222THESTUDIESOFAMBIGUITYINWESTERNCOUNTRIES23AMBIGUITIESINENGLISH331PHONOLOGICALAMBIGUITY3311INT
2、ONATION3312HOMOPHONY3313STRESS4314LIAISON432LEXICALAMBIGUITY4321POLYSEMY5322HOMONYMY533GRAMMATICALAMBIGUITY6331COMPARATIVEADVERBIALCLAUSES6332COORDINATESTRUCTURE7333NEGATIVEWORD7334THEUNSURERANGEOFNEGATION7335PRONOUN8336SOMESTRUCTURES834PRAGMATICAMBIGUITY9341DEXIS9342IMPLICATURE94CONCLUSION10BIBLIOG
3、RAPHYACKNOWLEDGEMENTSII摘要任何自然语言中都有歧义现象存在，“歧义现象是任何一种自然语言都无法避免的一种普遍现象”。英语歧义多年来一直是不少学者热衷于探讨的话题，他们有的从结构构成去分析歧义的现象，有的从歧义的积极作用和消极作用着手，本文通过从语音，词汇，语法及语用功能四方面入手着重分析英语歧义的现象和其产生的原因，从而对英语歧义有更好的，更系统的认识，并在以后学习中，工作上，乃至日常生活中能够巧妙的运用英语歧义。从语音方面分析，引起歧义的主要因素是语调、同音、重音和连读；从词汇方面分析，引起歧义的主要因素为一词多义和同音异义词；从语法方面分析，歧义主要存在于比较状语从句
4、，含有否定词或代词的句子等；从语用方面分析,歧义主要表现为在不同场合下同一句子会有不同意思。关键词歧义现象；歧义成因；语音歧义；词汇歧义；语法歧义；语用歧义IIIABSTRACTAMBIGUITYEXISTSINANYNATURALLANGUAGE,WHICHMEANSTHAT“THEAMBIGUITYISAKINDOFPHENOMENONTHATCANTBEAVOIDEDINANYNATURALLANGUAGES”MANYSCHOLARSHAVERESEARCHEDONTHESUBJECTOFAMBIGUITYFORMANYYEARSSOMEOFTHEMANALYZEITSCONSTITUT
5、IONOFSTRUCTURE,ANDOTHERSANALYZEITFROMTHEPOSITIVEANDNEGATIVEEFFECTSOFTHEAMBIGUITYTHISTHESISMAKESARESEARCHONTHEPHENOMENONANDCAUSESOFAMBIGUITYFROMFOURASPECTSPHONOLOGICALAMBIGUITY,LEXICALAMBIGUITY,GRAMMATICALAMBIGUITYANDPRAGMATICAMBIGUITY,WHICHWILLMAKEPEOPLEHAVEABETTERANDMORESYSTEMATICUNDERSTANDING,ANDU
6、SETHEAMBIGUITYINGENIOUSLYINTHESTUDY,WORKANDEVENTHEDAILYLIFEASFARASPHONOLOGICALISCONCERNED,THISPAPERMAINLYDISCUSSEDONTHECAUSESOFINTONATION,HOMOPHONY,STRESSANDLIAISONASFARASLEXICALCONCERNED,THISPAPERMAINDISCUSSEDONTHECAUSESOFPOLYSEMYANDHOMONYMYASFARASGRAMMARCONCERNED,WECANFINDTHATTHEAMBIGUITYUSUALLYEX
7、ISTSINCOMPARATIVEADVERBIALCLAUSESANDTHESENTENCESWHICHHAVETHENEGATIVEWORDSORANDPRONOUNASFARASPRAGMATICSCONCERNED,THEAMBIGUITYALWAYSMEANSTHATASENTENCEWILLHAVETWOORMOREDIFFERENTMEANSINDIFFERENTSITUATIONSKEYWORDSPHENOMENONOFAMBIGUITY；CAUSEOFAMBIGUITY；PHONOLOGICALAMBIGUITY；LEXICALAMBIGUITY；GRAMMATICALAMB
8、IGUITY；PRAGMATICAMBIGUITY11INTRODUCTIONAMBIGUITYISAFEATUREOFALLHUMANLANGUAGES,ANDITISANINNERPHENOMENONBYTHELANGUAGEITSELFTHEEXISTENCEOFAMBIGUITYISRELATEDCLOSELYTOTHESYSTEMOFLANGUAGECHARACTERS,MENTALASSOCIATIONSANDCULTURALCONTEXTONONEHAND,THEAMBIGUITYMAKESPEOPLEMISUNDERSTOODTOSOMEEXTENT,BUTMOSTLINGUI
9、STSCONSIDEREDTHEAMBIGUITYISNEGATIVESOTHATWESHOULDTRYTOAVOIDUSINGITNTHEPASTFEWCENTURIESONTHEOTHERHAND,ITREFLECTSTHEABUNDANCEOFLANGUAGE,ANDITALSOTAKESANIMPORTANTANDPOSITIVEROLEINMANYASPECTSSOINGENERAL,ALTHOUGHTHEAMBIGUITYINLANGUAGEPREVENTSPEOPLEFROMUNDERSTANDINGEACHOTHERACCURATELYANDMAKESTHECOMMUNICAT
10、IONMOREDIFFICULT,THELANGUAGESCANTEXISTWITHOUTAMBIGUITYSOPEOPLEWIDELYAPPLYTHEAMBIGUITYTOSUNDRYOCCASIONSSUCHASTHEDAILYCOMMUNICATION,LITERATURE,COMMERCE,SPEECHESANDDIPLOMACYANDSOON,ANDWHATREALLYALLEVIATESTHESTRAITSINTHECOMMUNICATIONTHEUNIQUENESSOFTHEAMBIGUITYMAKESVARIESOFLITERATUREMOREPROFOUNDANDMOREME
11、ANINGFUL2RESEARCHBACKGROUND21VARIOUSDEFINITIONSOFAMBIGUITYAMBIGUITYISACOMMONPHENOMENONINNATURALLANGUAGES,BUTTHEREAREMANYDIFFERENTDEFINITIONSFROMMANYSCHOLARSINTHEBOOK,STRUCTUREOFENGLISHAMBIGUITY,ZHANGKELI1993SAIDTHATTHEREWEREMANYUNDERSTANDINGSABOUTAMBIGUITY,BUTWHENWECONCLUDEIT,AMBIGUITYJUSTONLYHASTHR
12、EEKINDSANDTHEYARELEXICALAMBIGUITY,STRUCTUREAMBIGUITYANDWORDSAMBIGUITYHEALSOMENTIONEDTHATTHISSTRUCTUREOFAMBIGUITYONLYINCLUDESLEXICALAMBIGUITYANDSTRUCTUREAMBIGUITYLIUNINA2009SAIDTHATANYLANGUAGEHASTHEPHENOMENONOFAMBIGUITYIFTHESTRUCTUREOFTHEWORDORSENTENCEFOLLOWSTHERULESOFGRAMMARANDTHESEMANTICMEANINGOFTH
13、EWORDORSENTENCEFOLLOWSTHERULESOFLOGICTHATHASTWOORMOREMEANINGS,PEOPLECALLITAMBIGUITYNIJINGYASTATEDTHAT“ANAMBIGUOUSSENTENCEISUSUALLYOFDOUBTFULMEANINGBECAUSEITCANBEINTERPRETEDINMORETHANONEWAYORMANYOTHERWAYS”倪景亚20012STRICTLYSPEAKING,AMBIGUITYISNOTRHETORICBUTAPHENOMENONOFSEMANTICUNDERSTANDINGPRODUCEDINTH
14、EUSEOFLANGUAGE22PREVIOUSSTUDYOFAMBIGUITY221THESTUDIESOFAMBIGUITYINCHINATHEREAREMANYSCHOLARSSTUDYINGAMBIGUITYATHOMEANDABROADANDTHEYKNOWMOREAND2MOREABOUTAMBIGUITYGRADUALLYWANGQIONG2001POINTEDTHATSTRUCTUREAMBIGUITYISAMAJORPHENOMENONOFLANGUAGEAMBIGUITY,ANDANYLANGUAGEHASTHEPHENOMENONOFAMBIGUITYZHUXITHOUG
15、HTTHESTRUCTUREAMBIGUITYMEANSASENTENCEHASMANYMEANINGS,ANDMANYSENTENCESALWAYSHAVETWOORMOREMEANINGSQIUSHUDE1998SAIDTHEAMBIGUITYINVOLVESMANYFACTORSSUCHASPHONOLOGY,LEXICOLOGY,GRAMMATICALSTRUCTUREANDIDIOMANDSOONACCORDINGTOTHEDIFFERENTSTANDARDSANDFIELDS,AMBIGUITYCANBEPUTINTODIFFERENTCLASSIFICATIONS,SUCHASS
16、TRUCTUREAMBIGUITY,PHONOLOGICALAMBIGUITY,SEMANTICAMBIGUITY,GRAMMATICALAMBIGUITYANDPRAGMATICAMBIGUITYONTHEPARTOFTRIGGERINGAMBIGUITYOFLANGUAGELEVELANDTHEGRAMMATICALAMBIGUITYISTHEMOSTDIFFICULTYUNHONG2008POINTEDTHATAMBIGUITYISAVERYIMPORTANTRHETORIC,ANDPEOPLEALWAYSUSEAMBIGUITYTOMAKETHESENTENCEHAVINGTWOORM
17、OREMEANINGS222THESTUDIESOFAMBIGUITYINWESTERNCOUNTRIESCECILIAQUIROGACLARE（2003）SAID,WECANUNDERSTANDTHEAMBIGUITYINTWOORMOREWAYSWECALLITLEXICALAMBIGUITYIFITISJUSTAWORDFROMANOTHERPOINTOFVIEW,IFITEXISTSINASENTENCE,WECALLITSTRUCTUREAMBIGUITYSOMETIMES,WEARENOTABLETOKNOWANDUNDERSTANDAMBIGUITYVERYWELLBECAUSE
18、ITALWAYSBECOMESALITTLEBLURRYINTHELANGUAGESYSTEMANDAMBIGUITYHASANINSEPARABLERELATIONWITHLITERATURE,PSYCHOANALYSISANDCOMPUTATIONALLINGUISTICSANDSOONKOOIJ，JG1974AMBIGUITYINNATURALLANGUAGEPOINTEDTHATAMBIGUITYWASALWAYSELIMINATEDAUTOMATICALLYINTHECONTEXTORINTHEGENERALSOCIALOCCASIONSACCORDINGTOTHETHEORYOFC
19、HOMSKY2008AGENERATIVEAPPROACHTOREFERENCEAMBIGUITY,THEAMBIGUITYOCCURREDWHENTHEDEEPSTRUCTURETRANSFORMSINTOTHESURFACESTRUCTURETHROUGHTHERELEVANTRULES,ORMANYDEEPSTRUCTURESTRANSFORMINTOONESAMESURFACESTRUCTURE3AMBIGUITIESINENGLISH31PHONOLOGICALAMBIGUITYPHONOLOGICALAMBIGUITYMEANSTHELISTENERSWILLGETTWOORMOR
20、EMEANINGSBECAUSEOFTHEPRONUNCIATIONINTHECONVERSATIONINTHEDAILYENGLISHSPOKENCONVERSATION,SOMESENTENCESSHOULDNOTGIVEBIRTHTOAMBIGUITY,BUTCAUSEIT,BECAUSEOFTHELACKOFTHEHELPOFIMAGINATION,THELIMITEDCONTEXT,LIMITEDSOUNDSANDTHEEXISTENCEOFHOMOPHONYANDPHRASES3311INTONATIONINTONATIONINTHECONTEXTWILLGIVERISETOAMB
21、IGUITYFOREXAMPLE1IBEGYOURPARDONTHESPEAKERASKSTHEHEARERTOREPEATITAGAIN2IBEGYOURPARDONTHESPEAKERASKSTHEHEARERTOGIVEAFORGIVENESS312HOMOPHONYHOMOPHONYMEANSWORDSINIDENTICALSOUNDBUTDIFFERENTINSPELLINGANDMEANINGANDINTHECONTEXT,ITWILLCAUSEAMBIGUITYFREQUENTLY,SUCHAS“BLUE”ANDBLEW”,“ADD”AND“AD”,“OURS”AND“HOURS
22、”,“WAY”AND“WEIGHT”ANDSOON1“NO”AND“KNOW”FOREXAMPLEIHAVENOIDEAABOUTTHISTHING,ANDIWISHIHAVENEVERKNOWNABOUTTHISTHINGINTHISSENTENCE,THESETWOWORDS“NO”AND“KNOW”HAVETHESAMESOUND,BUTTHEYHAVEDIFFERENTMEANINGSANDUSAGE2KNEADSANDNEEDSFOREXAMPLE1EVERYBODYKNEADSIT2EVERYBODYNEEDSITTHEABOVESENTENCESHAVETWODIFFERENTM
23、EANINGSSENTENCEAMEANSEVERYBODYRUBSIT,WHILESENTENCEBMEANSEVERYBODYWANTSIT313STRESSDIFFERENTSTRESSESONTHESAMEWORDWILLALSOCAUSEAMBIGUITYFOREXAMPLE1AMADDOCTOR2AMADDOCTORTHEFIRSTPHRASEREFERSTO“ADOCTORWHOISINASICKNESSWITHPSYCHOTICPROBLEM”BUTTHE4SECONDSENTENCEMEANS“ADOCTORWHOCURESTHEPATIENTSPSYCHOTICPROBLE
24、M”314LIAISONANOTHERFACTORWHICHCAUSESAMBIGUITYISLIAISONFOREXAMPLEMYYOUNGERBROTHERHADA/GREIDEI/1MYYOUNGERBROTHERHADAGRADEA2MYYOUNGERBROTHERHADAGREYDAYTHESETWOSENTENCESAREDIFFERENTINMEANINGABSOLUTELYTHESENTENCEAMEANS“MYBROTHERWASGOODINSTUDY”BUTTHESENTENCEBMEANS“MYBROTHERHADANUNHAPPYDAY”32LEXICALAMBIGUI
25、TYLEXICALAMBIGUITYSTEMSFROMTHEEXISTENCEOFHOMONYMYANDPOLYSEMYHOMOPHONYOCCURSWHENASINGLEWORDHASMORETHANONEMEANINGFOREXAMPLE,THEWORD“BANK”CANBEUSEDTODENOTEEITHERAPLACEWHEREMONETARYEXCHANGEANDHANDLINGTAKEPLACEORTHELANDCLOSERIVER,THEBANKOFTHERIVERPOLYSEMYOCCURSWHENAWORD,ORSMALLGROUPOFWORDS,HASTWOORMORERE
26、LATEDMEANINGSTHISMAYSOUNDALOTLIKEHOMOPHONY,ANDITISTRUETHATTHEYARERELATEDHOWEVER,POLYSEMYINVOLVESCLOSERELATIONSBETWEENMEANINGSOFASINGLEWORD,WHILEHOMOPHONYMAYINVOLVECOMPLETELYDIFFERENTMEANINGS321POLYSEMYPOLYSEMYINDICATESANOUNHASMANYMEANINGSWHENAWORDFIRSTAPPEARS,ITONLYINDICATESTHEAPPELLATIONOFOBJECTS,P
27、HENOMENONANDCHARACTERS,SOITALWAYSJUSTHASONEMEANINGBUTINTHEDEVELOPMENTOFTHELANGUAGE,ITWILLHAVEANEWMEANINGASARESULT,THEPOLYSEMYAPPEARSWECALLTHEWORDWITHTWOORMOREMEANINGSPOLYSEMICPOLYSEMYISRESULTEDBYTHECHANGEOFTHEMEANINGOFTHEWORD,FOREXAMPLE,“MANUSCRIPT”ITSORIGINALMEANINGISTHEWORKWRITTENBYHAND,NAMELY,ORI
28、GINALMANUSCRIPTBUTNOWWECALLALLTHEWORKSNOMATTERWRITTENBYHANDSORBYTYPEWRITERSMANUSCRIPTFOREXAMPLE1MRCOLLINS,THEPRIEST,ISGOINGTOMARRYJANEATTHECHURCH5THISSENTENCEHASTWOMEANINGSFIRST,ITMEANS“THEPRIEST,MRCOLLINSWILLMARRYTOJANE”SECOND,ITALSOMEANS“THEPRIEST,MRCOLLINSWILLWITNESSJANESWEDDING”2HEISANOLDFRIENDO
29、FMINESOMETIMES,ITMEANSIHAVEAFRIENDATANOLDAGE,ANDITALSOCANMEANHEISONEOFMYFRIENDSFORALONGTIME322HOMONYMYHOMONYMSMEANDIFFERENTWORDSIDENTICALBOTHINSOUNDANDSPELLINGBUTDIFFERENTINMEANINGANDTHEYALSOWILLCAUSEAMBIGUITY,SUCHAS“BEAR”,“CAN”,“FOUND”ANDSOONFOREXAMPLE1CANAICANPUTTHEWATERTOTHEBOTTLEBICANTHEWATERTOT
30、HEBOTTLETHEWORD“CAN”INTHESETWOSENTENCESHAVETWODIFFERENTMEANINGSTHEWORD“CAN”INTHEFIRSTSENTENCEMEANS“TOBEABLETODOSOMETHING”ANDTHEWORD“CAN”INTHESECONDSENTENCEMEANS“TOPUTSOMETHINGINACONTAINER”2CLOSEPLEASECLOSETHEDOORATONCE,THEEVILDOERISVERYCLOSETOTHEHOUSETHEREHAVEAMBIGUITIESINTHESESENTENCES,ANDTHEWORD“C
31、LOSE”HASTWOMEANINGSONTHEONEHAND,ITMEANS“TOGETINTOTHISPOSITION”ONTHEOTHERHAND,ITALSOCANMEAN“NEARINSPACEORTIME”33GRAMMATICALAMBIGUITYWHENPEOPLEHAVEDIFFERENTIDEASFORTHESTRUCTUREOFTHESAMESENTENCE,GRAMMATICALAMBIGUITYARISESMANYLINGUISTS,AMONGWHOMCHOMSKYISTHEREPRESENTATIVE,THINKTHEMEANINGOFTHESENTENCEISDE
32、TERMINEDBYTHEINNERSTRUCTUREOFTHESENTENCE6331COMPARATIVEADVERBIALCLAUSESINENGLISHCONTEXT,ASCOMPARATIVEADVERBIALCLAUSESALWAYSTAKETHEFORMOFELLIPSIS,THEYCAUSEAMBIGUITYEASILYFOREXAMPLE1IKNOWJANEBETTERTHANYOUTHEREARETWOEXPLANATIONSABOUTTHISSENTENCEONONESIDE,ITMEANS“IKNOWJANEBETTERTHANYOUDOTHANYOUKNOWJANE”
33、ONTHEOTHERSIDE,ITALSOCANMEAN“IKNOWJANEBETTERTHANIKNOWYOU”2JIMLIKEDJANEASWELLASJOHNTHEFIRSTEXPLANATIONIS“JIMLIKEDJANEASWELLASJOHNDIDASWELLASJOHNLIKEDJANE”,ANDTHEOTHEREXPLANATIONIS“JIMLIKEDJANEASWELLASJIMLIKEDJOHN”332COORDINATESTRUCTURETHECOORDINATEWORDSSOMETIMESWILLCAUSEAMBIGUITYTAKE“AND”FOREXAMPLE,1
34、OLDMENANDWOMENTHISSENTENCECANMEAN“OLDMENANDOLDWOMEN”,OR“WOMENANDOLDMEN”2THESCHOLARWROTELONGTHESESANDBOOKSINTHISSENTENCE,THEREARETWOCOORDINATEINGREDIENTS,“THESES”AND“BOOK”THEATTRIBUTIVEWORD“LONG”CANONLYMODIFYTHEWORD“THESES”,ANDALSOCANMODIFYTHEWORDS“THESES”AND“BOOK”333NEGATIVEWORDIFTHEPREDICATEVERBINT
35、HESENTENCEISNEGATEDANDISALSOFOLLOWEDBYANADVERBIAL,AMBIGUITYISCAUSEDEASILYFOREXAMPLE1MARYDIDNTSINGASSHEWISHEDOBVIOUSLY,THISSENTENCEHASTWOMEANINGSONTHEONEHAND,ITMEANS“MARYHASNOT7SUNG”ONTHEOTHERHAND,ANDITALSOMEANS“MARYHASSUNG,BUTNOTSANGWELL”2JANEDOESNTDANCETOPLEASEHERMOTHERTHISSENTENCEALSOHASTWOMEANING
36、STHEFIRSTEXPLANATIONIS“JANEDANCEDNOTBECAUSEHERMOTHERASKHERDOLIKETHIS”,THESECONDEXPLANATIONIS“JANEHASNTDANCED,BECAUSEHERMOTHERDIDNTALLOWHERTODO”334THEUNSURERANGEOFNEGATIONTHEUNSURERANGEOFNEGATIONCANCAUSEAMBIGUITYFOREXAMPLE1JACKWONTSPEAKUNTIL10OCLOCKTHEREARETWOEXPLANATIONSABOUTTHISSENTENCEFIRST,ITMEAN
37、S“JACKJUSTCANSPEAKAFTER10OCLOCK”SECONDLY,ITMEANS“JACKWILLNOTSPEAKALLTHEWAY”2DONTWRITEANYTHINGWECANHANDLETHISSENTENCEFROMTWOWAYSFIRST,IFWETAKEITASASENTENCEPARTLYNEGATED,SOITMEANS“DONOTWRITEANYTHINGNOMATTERYOUCONFIRMORNOTCONFIRM”,BUTIFWEREGARDITASASENTENCEWHOLENEGATED,SOITMEANS“YOUCANWRITESOMETHING,BU
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39、ORD“IT”ALSOCAUSESAMBIGUITYIFITINDICATESTHEOBJECT“CAR”,SOTHISSENTENCEMEANS“THECARWASBADLYDAMAGED”,BUTIFITINDICATESTHEOBJECT“FENCE”,SOITMEANS“BECAUSETHECARDROVEIN,THEFENCEWASBADLYDAMAGED”336SOMESTRUCTURES8AMBIGUITYWILLBECAUSEDBYSOMEOTHERSTRUCTURESLIKE“NP1VPNP2PP”FOREXAMPLE1ISAWTHEGIRLATTHEBOOKSHOPTHER
40、EARETWOEXPLANATIONSOFTHISSENTENCEONONEHAND,ITMEANS“ISAWTHEGIRLWHENIWASATTHEBOOKSHOP”ONTHEOTHERHAND,ITMEANS“ISAWTHEGIRLWHOWASATTHEBOOKSHOP”2IFOUNDJOHNANEXPERIENCEDDOCTORTHISSENTENCEALSOHASAMBIGUITY,ANDTHETRANSITIVEVERB“FOUND”WASFOLLOWEDBYTWONOUNS,“JOHN“AND“ANEXPERIENCEDDOCTOR”FIRST,ITCANREFER“IDISCOV
41、EREDTHATJOHNWASANEXPERIENCEDDOCTOR”SECOND,ITALSOMEANS“ISUCCEEDINFINDINGANEXPERIENCEDDOCTORFORJOHN”34PRAGMATICAMBIGUITYPRAGMATICAMBIGUITYISALSOAVERYCOMMONPHENOMENONINTHERESEARCHOFAMBIGUITYPEOPLEALWAYSPUTTHEAMBIGUITYINTOTHERANGEOFPRAGMATICSANDGOONADYNAMICRESEARCHTHESPEAKERSWILLUSETHEWORDSNOTSURELYANDI
42、NDIRECTLYONTHESPECIFICCONTEXT,WHICHMAYLETTHELISTENERSHAVEMOREEXTRAIMAGINATIONCONSEQUENTLY,PRAGMATICAMBIGUITYCANNOTBEUNDERSTOODSODIRECTLYSOMETIMESPEOPLEONLYCANUNDERSTANDTHEREALINTENTIONWHENTHEYUSEPRAGMATICKNOWLEDGE,ORTURNTOSOMEPRAGMATICDERIVATIONTHISPAPERWILLTALKABOUTTWOCAUSESFORPRAGMATICAMBIGUITY,AN
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45、NS“JANESMOTHERACTEDFOOLISHLY”2JANEGREETEDMEBYMYFIRSTNAMEANDHANDEDMEALETTER,BUTTHISDIDNT9SURPRISEMEINTHISSENTENCE,THEDEXISWORD“THIS”NOTONLYCANINDICATE“JANEGREETEDMEBYMYFIRSTNAME”,BUTALSOCANINDICATE“JANEHANDEDMEALETTER”FORTHISREASON,THESENTENCEHASAMBIGUITYSURELY342IMPLICATUREANDPRAGMATICAMBIGUITYASWEA
46、LLKNOW,ASENTENCESOMETIMESCANTREFLECTTHESPEAKERSREALMEANINGINANOTHERWAY,WESAYTHISSENTENCEHASITSIMPLICATUREINTHECOMMUNICATION,ANDTHEIMPLICATUREISAVERYIMPORTANTSUBJECTINTHEPRAGMATICSIMPLICATUREMEANSPEOPLERESEARCHTHETRUEMEANINGOFTHESENTENCENOTFROMTHEINNERSYSTEMOFTHELANGUAGE,BUTFROMTHELANGUAGECONTEXTTOUN
47、DERSTANDITSDENOTATIONINANOTHERWORD,SPEAKERSMAYENDOWTHESENTENCEWITHACTIONPURPOSEANDASGRICESAID,IFWEWANTTHESOCIALACTIVITYTOGOONSUCCESSFULLY,WESHOULDCOMPLYWITHFOURCOOPERATIONPRINCIPLES,QUANTITYMAXIM,QUALITYMAXIM,RELATIONMAXIMANDMANNERMAXIMBUTIFWEINFRINGEONEOFTHESEPRINCIPLES,ITWILLPRODUCETHEIMPLICATUREW
48、HICHMAYCAUSEAMBIGUITYFOREXAMPLE1AWHOAHASYOURBOSSGONECRAZYBLETSGOANDGETSOMECOFFEEINTHISDIALOGUE,BVIOLATESTHERELATIONMAXIMBMAYTHINKWHATASAIDISNOTSUITABLE,ANDHEISAFRAIDTHATTHEWALLSHAVEEARSMAYBEHISBOSSISINNEXTDOORSOHECHANGEDTHETOPICOFCONVERSATIONANDSAIDTHEUNRELATEDTHING2ALETSGETTHEKIDSSOMETHINGBOKAY,BUT
49、IVOTEICECREAMTHISDIALOGUEINFRINGESTHEMANNERMAXIM,ANDWHATBSPEAKSBEATINGAROUNDTHEBUSHBHAVENTSAIDICECREAMDIRECTLY,BUTSAIDTHELETTERSONEBYONEHISPURPOSEISTOMAKETHEKIDSCANTUNDERSTANDWHATHEHADSAIDOBVIOUSLY,AHASGOTTHEMESSAGEACCORDINGTOTHEABOVEANALYSIS,WECANCONCLUDETHATTHEREARESIXCAUSESRESULTINGINAMBIGUITYFIRST,THEUNCLEARPRONOUNSECOND,THEWORDTHATHASTWOORMOREMEANINGSTHIRD,THEWORDINTHESENTENCETHATHASMORETHANONEPARTOFSPEECHFOURTH,THEUNCLEARINDICATINGTARGETFIFTH,THEINDEFINITESTRUCTUREOFTHESENTENCEANDSIXTH,THEWORDITSELF4CONCLUSIONAMBIGUITYISONEOFTHESUBJECTSTHATTHESCHOLARSAREWILLI
