Ambiguity and Vagueness

Description: Ambiguity and Vagueness Quiz
Number of Questions: 15
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Tags: ambiguity vagueness semantics pragmatics
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Which of the following sentences is ambiguous?

  1. The man saw the woman with the telescope.

  2. The boy gave the girl a book.

  3. The dog chased the cat.

  4. The sun is shining.


Correct Option: A
Explanation:

The sentence "The man saw the woman with the telescope." is ambiguous because it is unclear whether the man saw the woman using the telescope or whether he saw the woman and the telescope separately.

Which of the following sentences is vague?

  1. The car is fast.

  2. The tree is tall.

  3. The house is big.

  4. The food is delicious.


Correct Option: D
Explanation:

The sentence "The food is delicious." is vague because it does not specify what makes the food delicious. It is a subjective judgment that can vary from person to person.

What is the difference between ambiguity and vagueness?

  1. Ambiguity is when a word or phrase has more than one meaning, while vagueness is when a word or phrase is not clear or specific.

  2. Ambiguity is when a word or phrase has more than one meaning, while vagueness is when a word or phrase is not clear or specific.

  3. Ambiguity is when a word or phrase has more than one meaning, while vagueness is when a word or phrase is not clear or specific.

  4. Ambiguity is when a word or phrase has more than one meaning, while vagueness is when a word or phrase is not clear or specific.


Correct Option: A,B,C,D
Explanation:

Ambiguity is when a word or phrase has more than one meaning, while vagueness is when a word or phrase is not clear or specific.

Which of the following sentences is both ambiguous and vague?

  1. The man saw the woman with the telescope.

  2. The boy gave the girl a book.

  3. The dog chased the cat.

  4. The sun is shining.


Correct Option: A
Explanation:

The sentence "The man saw the woman with the telescope." is both ambiguous and vague because it is unclear whether the man saw the woman using the telescope or whether he saw the woman and the telescope separately, and it is also unclear what the man saw the woman doing with the telescope.

Which of the following sentences is neither ambiguous nor vague?

  1. The car is fast.

  2. The tree is tall.

  3. The house is big.

  4. The food is delicious.


Correct Option: A
Explanation:

The sentence "The car is fast." is neither ambiguous nor vague because it is clear and specific. It states that the car is fast, and it does not have any other possible meanings.

What are some strategies for dealing with ambiguity and vagueness in language?

  1. Use context clues to help you determine the meaning of ambiguous or vague words or phrases.

  2. Ask questions to clarify the meaning of ambiguous or vague words or phrases.

  3. Rephrase ambiguous or vague words or phrases into more clear and specific language.

  4. All of the above.


Correct Option: D
Explanation:

All of the above strategies can be used to deal with ambiguity and vagueness in language.

Why is it important to be able to identify and resolve ambiguity and vagueness in language?

  1. To avoid misunderstandings and miscommunications.

  2. To ensure that messages are clear and accurate.

  3. To build trust and rapport with others.

  4. All of the above.


Correct Option: D
Explanation:

All of the above reasons are why it is important to be able to identify and resolve ambiguity and vagueness in language.

Which of the following is an example of a lexical ambiguity?

  1. The bank is on the river.

  2. The time is now.

  3. The man is tall.

  4. The dog is barking.


Correct Option: A
Explanation:

The word "bank" has two different meanings: a financial institution and the side of a river. This is an example of a lexical ambiguity.

Which of the following is an example of a structural ambiguity?

  1. The man saw the woman with the telescope.

  2. The boy gave the girl a book.

  3. The dog chased the cat.

  4. The sun is shining.


Correct Option: A
Explanation:

The sentence "The man saw the woman with the telescope." is structurally ambiguous because it is unclear whether the man saw the woman using the telescope or whether he saw the woman and the telescope separately. This is an example of a structural ambiguity.

Which of the following is an example of a semantic ambiguity?

  1. The car is fast.

  2. The tree is tall.

  3. The house is big.

  4. The food is delicious.


Correct Option: D
Explanation:

The sentence "The food is delicious." is semantically ambiguous because it is unclear what makes the food delicious. This is an example of a semantic ambiguity.

Which of the following is an example of a pragmatic ambiguity?

  1. The man is wearing a hat.

  2. The woman is holding a book.

  3. The dog is chasing the cat.

  4. The sun is shining.


Correct Option: A
Explanation:

The sentence "The man is wearing a hat." is pragmatically ambiguous because it is unclear why the man is wearing a hat. This is an example of a pragmatic ambiguity.

Which of the following is an example of a referential ambiguity?

  1. The man saw the woman with the telescope.

  2. The boy gave the girl a book.

  3. The dog chased the cat.

  4. The sun is shining.


Correct Option: A
Explanation:

The sentence "The man saw the woman with the telescope." is referentially ambiguous because it is unclear who the man saw. This is an example of a referential ambiguity.

Which of the following is an example of a quantificational ambiguity?

  1. The man has many books.

  2. The woman has few friends.

  3. The dog has no toys.

  4. The sun is shining.


Correct Option: A
Explanation:

The sentence "The man has many books." is quantificational ambiguous because it is unclear how many books the man has. This is an example of a quantificational ambiguity.

Which of the following is an example of a temporal ambiguity?

  1. The man is going to the store.

  2. The woman is coming from work.

  3. The dog is running in the park.

  4. The sun is shining.


Correct Option: A
Explanation:

The sentence "The man is going to the store." is temporally ambiguous because it is unclear when the man is going to the store. This is an example of a temporal ambiguity.

Which of the following is an example of a modal ambiguity?

  1. The man can speak French.

  2. The woman must be tired.

  3. The dog should eat more.

  4. The sun is shining.


Correct Option: A
Explanation:

The sentence "The man can speak French." is modally ambiguous because it is unclear whether the man is able to speak French or whether he is allowed to speak French. This is an example of a modal ambiguity.

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