20 linguistics meaning or interpretation that can be categorized as an ambiguous
word or sentence.
a. Vagueness
Some experts relate ambiguity with vagueness. Frawley 1992 mentions that when an expression has two meanings, it can be either ambiguous or vague
p.58. The difference between two, as Frawley 1992 has mentioned, is clearly identifiable p.59. It is ambiguous if there are at least two distinct semantic
specifications underlying a single overt form. An expression is vague if it is unspecified for particular meanings and takes them from context. It also can be
said that vague sentence lacks of precise meaning, while ambiguous sentence has two or more precise meanings. The example given by Frawley 1992 is as
follows. xi.
I punched the paper. The example x can be interpreted in two meanings, either like 1 I hit the paper
with my fist or 2 I pierced a hole in the paper using hole-punching machine. When it is said to be ambiguous, there are two different sets of properties. If it is
vague, then it is only one unspecified word which inherits the rest of definitions. Cruse 2000 also defines the test of discreteness which the researcher
believe can be used to test vagueness suggested by Frawley 1992. In order to understand discreteness, Cruse 2000 considers four criteria in which three of
them were previously known as ambiguity tests p.106. From the test, an expression can be judged whether it is ambiguous or vague.
21
1 The Identity Test
The first test is named identity test. Consider the example: xii.
Mary is wearing a light dress; so is Jane. Literally, the word light has two different meanings; light in color or light in
weight, not heavy. Knowing those two meanings, there are four interpretations which can be assigned to the situation in example xii: 1 they are both
lightweight, 2 they are light colored, 3 Mary’s dress is lightweight, and Jane’s dress is light colored, 4 Mary’s dress is light colored, and Jane’s dress is
lightweight. However, there are only two conditions which are acceptable, they are 1 and 2. It is because once one has decided the meaning of light, one has to
stick with it Cruse, 2000, p. 106. This is called identity constraint. The identity constraint discussed in xii should be contrasted with the absence in xiii:
xiii. Mary has adopted a child; so has Jane.
This child must be a girl or a boy. However, there are no constraints on the possible readings: Mary’s adopted child should be of the same sex with Jane’s.
2 Independent Truth Condition
YesNo questions can help the reader to check the second criterion for the discreteness. The second criterion is that they have independent truth conditional
properties. Consider the example xii, when someone asks Mary Were you wearing light dress?, Mary can answer it with negative or the negative Yes, I was wearing
my green pale dress No, I was wearing my heavy wool dress. On the other hand, considering the example xiii, if Mary was asked Is it true that you have adopted a
22 child?, there are no conceivable situations which she could answer either Yes or
No.
3 Independent Sense Relation
When two readings have the independent sets of sense relation, it can be said that those two readings are distinct. For example, the two readings of light
have their own opposites, dark and heavy. Moreover, those two opposites do not have relation in meaning.
4 Autonomy
The last indicator of discreteness is autonomy. Autonomy is the use of the word in one of the senses when the other is explicitly denied by the reason of
anomaly of some such. The word dog can refer to both senses canine species and male canine species. When a person says I prefer dogs to bitches, the sentence is
acceptable and fully normal. However, when a person says I prefer children to girls, the sex specific interpretation of child is not autonomous.
b. Types of Ambiguity