50 researcher could find several ambiguous words and phrases. There were 7 phrases
and 47 words which were considered ambiguous. In this section, the researcher would like to analyze the possible ambiguous words or phrases.
Figure 4.1 Ambiguity Ratio
Figure 4.1 explains the ratio of the findings. The majority of the ambiguities found were lexical ambiguity which was 88. While structural
ambiguity was only 12 of the data. In doing the analysis, the researcher applied Grenat and Taher 2008 theories on ambiguity about lexical and structural
ambiguity. The researcher would also provide the interpretations of each ambiguous word and phrase as follows.
1. Ambiguous Words
First, the researcher would like to discuss the lexical ambiguity. Lexical ambiguity deals with words. The problem might arise because the word itself has
multiple meanings. The researcher used two dictionaries to help her in the studies,
Lexical 88
Structural 12
Ambiguity Ratio
Lexical Structural
51 Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary and Cambridge Advanced Learner’s
Dictionary. In the case of lexical ambiguity, the word might be polysemous or homonymous. In analyzing the lexical ambiguity, the researcher found some
words that occur more than once. Therefore, the researcher would only discuss it once. However, the researcher provided table in Appendix 1 which contains all
ambiguities found in the studies. The analysis of lexical ambiguity words are as follows.
1. Can the KPK explain, based on its analogy, why the jersey is not a gratuity
because it was given by Christiano Ronaldo? Comments: Ronaldo’s jersey for SBY not a gratuity: KPK on July 1, 2013
The sentence was taken from a comment on KPK policy. The writer of the comment was comparing the case of Ronaldo’s jersey with Trujillo’s guitar. The
researcher found that the word jersey is ambiguous. The researcher found two meanings of the word jersey that could be attached to the sentence. Based on
Cambridge Advance Learner’s Dictionary, jersey can be; a.
a piece of a piece of clothing made from wool or cotton, which has sleeves and is worn on the upper part of the body and does not open at the front
b. a shirt which is worn by a sport member or team.
Based on those two meanings, the interpretations of the sentence would be 1 Can the KPK explain, based on its analogy, why the wool or cotton shirt is not
a gratuity because it was given by Christiano Ronaldo? and 2 Can the KPK explain, based on its analogy, why the sport team shirt is not a gratuity because it
was given by Christiano Ronaldo? Those two sentences made sense and
52 semantically correct. Without knowing that Christiano Ronaldo is a football
player, the reader could not be sure of the meaning of the sentence. 2.
Indonesian is by far the most significant member of ASEAN with the largest
population and strongest economy of all member states, and it is politically
neutral. Comments: Vietnam, RI to upgrade relationship on July 1, 2013
The writer comments on the Vietnamese President’s coming to Indonesia at Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono’s invitation. In the comment, the writer said that
Indonesian was the most significant member of ASEAN. The word significant caused ambiguity since it could be described as:
a. important
b. special
If both meanings were assigned to the sentence, both could make reasonable sentences. The interpretations are: 1 Indonesian is by far the most
important member of ASEAN with the largest population and strongest economy of all member states, and it is politically neutral, and 2 Indonesian is by far the
most special member of ASEAN with the largest population and strongest economy of all member states, and it is politically neutral. Both sentences made
sense. Yet, the reader did not really know what the writer intended to say. 3.
Indonesian is by far the most significant member of ASEAN with the largest population and strongest economy of all member states, and it is politically
neutral. Comments: Vietnam, RI to upgrade relationship on July 1, 2013
53 In point 2, the researcher discussed the word significant. However, in the
same sentence, the researcher also found that the word neutral could also trigger ambiguity. According to Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary, the meanings of
the word neutral could be: a. not helping or supporting either side in a dispute, contest, or war
b. having no distinct or positive qualities. The sentence consisted of two clauses. If first meaning was assigned to the
second clause, where the ambiguous word was attached, the meaning would be 1 Indonesia does not support either side in the affair within the ASEAN members.
On the other hand, if the second meaning was assigned, the interpretation would be 2 Indonesia does not have distinct or positive qualities in politics. Both
meanings could also be assigned to the word neutral. However, the second meaning was not reasonable, since it would contradict the previous clause
Indonesian is by far the most significant member of ASEAN with the largest population and strongest economy of all member states. Therefore, the second
meaning best conveyed the whole idea of the sentence. 4.
Indonesian is well-respected and always helps to lead regional direction. Comments: Vietnam, RI to upgrade relationship on July 1, 2013
From the same comment on the Vietnamese President’s coming to Indonesia at Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono’s invitation, the researcher found
another ambiguous word. Direction was the word that was possibly ambiguous.
54 This word has several meanings. However two meanings that suited the sentence
the most were: a. instruction of what or how to do something
b. management or guidance In the first meaning, the sentence was interpreted as 1 Indonesian is well-
respected and always helps to lead regional instruction. On the other hand, in the second meaning, the sentence was interpreted as 2 Indonesian is well respected
and always helps to lead regional management. 5.
It naturally attracts international interest due to the fact that more than a half of the world’s maritime traffic traverses those waters. Comments: Vietnam,
RI to upgrade relationship on July 1, 2013
The word interest has multiple meanings. It has eight meanings in Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary. However, there were only three entries suitable
for the sentence: a.
the feeling of wanting to give your attention to something or discover more about something
b. an involvement of legal right
c. advantages, benefits
If we analyze the sentence based on the possible meanings suggested, the meanings of the sentence would be 1 It naturally attracts international attention
due to the fact that more than a half of the world’s maritime traffic traverses those waters, 2 It naturally attracts the international legal rights due to the fact that
more than a half of the world’s maritime traffic traverses those waters, and 3 It
55 naturally attracts international benefits due to the fact that more than a half of the
world’s maritime traffic traverses those waters. 6.
It naturally attracts international interest due to the fact that more than a half
of the world’s maritime traffic traverses those waters. Comments: Vietnam, RI to upgrade relationship on July 1, 2013
The researcher also found another ambiguous word from the same sentence as presented in point 5. Traffic has three meanings in Cambridge
Advanced Learner’s Dictionary. Those meanings are: a.
the amount of vehicles moving along roads b.
people or goods transported through water, air, or roads c.
illegal trade From those three meanings, the sentence could be interpreted as 1 It
naturally attracts international interest due to the fact that more than a half of the world’s maritime vehicles such as ship traverse those waters, 2 It naturally
attracts international interest due to the fact that more than a half of the world’s maritime transportation of people and goods traverses those waters, and 3 It
naturally attracts international interest due to the fact that more than a half of the world’s maritime illegal trade traverses those waters. Having read the passage,
the first and second interpretation could meet the message of the passage. 7.
The fact that even those people who are known to be corrupt, who have
knowingly and deliberately trampled the human rights of fellow souls. Text your say: Haj pilgrimage postponement on July 1, 2013
56 The passage discussed the readers’ comments and opinions on Haj
pilgrimage quota. The comments which the sentence was taken talked about the corruptor who could go Haj pilgrimage as they liked for several times. However,
the researcher found that the word trample was ambiguous. According to Oxford Advanced Learners Dictionary, the meanings of the word trample were:
a. step heavily on something
b. act without respect
Those two meanings could meet the idea of the sentence. The first meaning was 1 The fact that even those people who are known to be corrupt,
who have knowingly and deliberately stepped the human rights of fellow souls. The second meaning was 2 The fact that even those people who are known to be
corrupt, who have knowingly and deliberately disregarded the human rights of fellow souls. If we see the first meaning, the sentence had connotative meaning on
stepped the human rights. While in the second sentence, the meaning of the sentence was as it was written.
8. The fact that even those people who are known to be corrupt, who have
knowingly and deliberately trampled the human rights of fellow souls. Text your say: Haj pilgrimage postponement on July 1, 2013
From the same sentence as presented in point 8, the researcher found another ambiguous word. The word fellow has multiple meanings that could fit
the idea of the sentence. Those meanings were: a.
man b.
organizational member
57 When those meanings are assigned to the sentence, the meaning could be
either wider or narrower. If we applied the first meaning, the sentence would be 1 The fact that even those people who are known to be corrupt, who have
knowingly and deliberately trampled the human rights of man souls. The second meaning would modify the sentence as follows 2 The fact that even those people
who are known to be corrupt, who have knowingly and deliberately trampled the human rights of the organization’s member souls. The first interpretation would
make the sentence became wider since it might refer to everyone. On the other hand, the second interpretation was narrower since it only referred to particular
people. 9.
Cannot the most holy places for Muslims be made to be located not in any
country, maybe somewhat like the Vatican and managed not by any national government, but by an international council of Muslims? Text your say:
Haj pilgrimage postponement on July 1, 2013
The researcher found that the word country in the sentence is ambiguous. The word country can be used to describe two things. Those meanings are:
a. a nation
b. area outside the town or cities typically with village
Using those two meanings, the interpretations of the sentence would be: 1 Cannot the most holy places for Muslims be made to be located not in any
nation, maybe somewhat like the Vatican and managed not by any national government, but by an international council of Muslims? and 2 Cannot the most
holy places for Muslims be made to be located not in any village, maybe
58 somewhat like the Vatican and managed not by any national government, but by
an international council of Muslims? From those two interpretations, the first meaning was the most suitable.
10. So, in order to make Indonesia better in the future, all candidates need to
