Slide semantic meeting 8

Semantics 1
Meeting 8


Section1: Word Meaning
2.1.4 Ambiguity
Ex1: We watched the hunters with binoculars
S
V
O
Adv

We watched the hunters with binoculars
S
V
O
Adj


Section1: Word Meaning
2.14.1 Structural ambiguity
NP

S

PRO

VP

NP
PRO

VP
V

S
VP
V

AdvP

NP

NP

AdjP

NP
PP

We watch the hunters with
binoculars
We watch the hunters with
binoculars


Section1: Word Meaning
 A sentence is considered as structurally ambiguous
when its structure permits more than one interpretation.
2.14.1 Lexical ambiguity
Ex2: They were waiting at the bank.

They were waiting at the financial institution. bank = a homonym
They were waiting at the shore of the river.
Ex3: That robot is bright.
That robot is shining.
That robot is intelligent.

bright = a polysemous word


Section1: Word Meaning
 Any ambiguity resulting from the ambiguity of a word is
lexical ambiguity.
 Both polysemy and homonymy contribute to lexical
ambiguity


Exercise 20,p.83
2. The long DRILL is boring.
- The long tool for drilling MAKES me bored/tired.
- The long TRAINING EXERCISE is uninteresting.
3. When he got the clear title to the land, it WAS a good deed.
- When he got the clear title to the land, it WAS a good act.
- When he got the clear title to the land, it WAS a great achievement.
4. The proprietor of the fish store WAS the sole owner.
- The proprietor of the fish store WAS the only owner.
- The proprietor of the fish store WAS single/unmarried.


Exercise 20,p.83
5. We like the ball.

- I like the sphere.

- I like the formal social gathering for dancing.
6. They PASSED the port at night.
- They WENT BY the harbour at night.
- They DELIVERED the Portuguese wine at night.
7. The captain CORRECTED the list.
- The captain CORRECTED the tilt.
- The captain CORRECTED the inventory.


Exercise 20,p.83
8. He WAS KNOCKED OVER by the punch.
- He WAS KNOCKED OVER because of a blow given with the fist.
- He WAS KNOCKED OVER near/beside the machine for cutting
holes in leather,metal,paper etc..
9. The camel SWALLOWED the chocolate and then ate it.
- The camel GULPED the chocolate down and then ate it.
- The camel easily BELIEVED something to be chocolate and then
ate it.


Exercise 21,p.84
(1). She cannot bear children.
- She cannot give birth to.
- She cannot tolerate children.

Bear = a homonym

(2). The cat sat on the mat.

- The cat sat on a piece of material, made of straw, fibre,rushes
etc. used to cover part of a floor
- The cat sat on a small piece of material placed under a hot dish,
glass, a vase, etc..
mat = a polysemous word


Exercise 22,p.84
They were waiting at the financial institution (bank1).
bank = a homonym
They were waiting at the shore of the river (bank2).
Homonyms can create lexical ambiguity.

Exercise 23,p.84
That robot is shining (bright1).

bright = a polysemous word
That robot is intelligent (bright2).
A polysemous word can create lexical ambiguity.


EXERCISE 24,p.85
S
NP

VP

V

NP

1(a) The drunkard visitor ROLLED UP the carpet.


EXERCISE 24,p85
S
NP

VP

VP

AdvP

V

PP

1(b) The drunkard visitor ROLLED up the carpet.


EXERCISE 24,p.85
2(a) Is he really that kind? that = a demonstrative adjective
= Does he really belong to that kind of people?
2(b) Is he really that kind? That is an adverb of degree meaning ‘to
such a degree’
= Is he really so kind?
3(a) My financee is reserved. reserved = a past participle, part of
the finite verb is reserved
= My financee is kept only for me.

3(b) My financee is reserved. Reserved = an adjective = quiet
= My financee rarely talks.


EXERCISE 24,p.86
4(a) I SAW her slip. slip (n) = petticoat; loose sleeveless garment worn
under a dress.
= I SAW the petticoat that belongs to her.

4(b) I SAW her slip. slip (v) = loose one’s balance
= I saw her lose her balance and nearly fall.

5(a) We SAW her duck. duck(n) = domestic water bird
= We SAW the domestic water bird that belongs to her.
5(b) We SAW her duck. duck(v) = move one’s head down quickly,
to avoid being seen or hit
= We SAW her lower her head.


EXERCISE 24,p.86
6(a) They ARE COOKING bananas. cooking = a present participle
= Bananas are cooked.
6(b) They ARE cooking bananas. cooking = a gerund
= They are bananas for cooking.

7(a) They ARE MOVING sidewalks. moving = a present participle
= The sidewalks are moved.
7(b) They ARE MOVING sidewalks. moving = a gerund
= They are the sidewalks for moving.

EXERCISE 24,p.86-87
8(a) John LOVES Richard more than Martha (LOVES Richard).

8(b) John LOVES Richard more than (he LOVES) Martha.
9(a) Old men and women WILL BE SERVED first.
= We first serve the men who are old and all of the women.
9b) Old men and women WILL BE SERVED first.
= We first serve the men and women who are old.
10(a) The thing that bothered Bill WAS CROUCHING under the table.
= Bill was annoyed by the thing that was crouching under the table.
10(b) The thing that bothered Bill WAS CROUCHING under the table.
= it was crouching under the table that annoyed Bill.


Section1: Word Meaning
2.15 Anomaly
EX: That bachelor is pregnant.
Bachelor [ +male] ; pregnant [ + female]

Anomaly is “ violation of semantic rules to create
nonsense”


EXERCISE 25,p.88
1. Christopher is killing phonemes.

Killing [ + living organism] ; phoneme [ non-living thing]
semantically anomalous
2. My brother is a spinster.

spinster [ + female] ; brother [ + male ] semantically anomalous
3. The boy swallowed the chocolate and then chewed it.
wrong order  chewed the chocolate first and then swallowed it


EXERCISE 25,p.89
4. Babies can lift one ton.

babies [ + young, - strong]; how can they lift one ton 
semantically anomalous
5. Puppies are human.
puppies [ + animate, - human]  semantically anomalous
6. My unmarried sister is married to a bachelor.
unmarried sister & bachelor [ + single, - husband/wife] 
semantically anomalous.


EXERCISE 25,p.89
7. The bigger key and John opened the door.

The bigger key [ + instrument, - agent]

8. James sliced the ideas.
ideas [ + abstract notion]; slice [ + tomato, +sausage ] 
semantically anomalous
9. Jack’s courage chewed the bones.
 Jack’s courage [ + abstract notion, - chew]  semantically
anomalous.

EXERCISE 25,p.89
10. I hear the cloud.

hear [ + audible]; cloud [-audible]  semantically anomalous

11.The tiger remained alive for an hour after the hunter killed it.
 semantically anomalous; The tiger died right at the moment the
hunter killed it.


EXERCISE 26,p.90
1. Christopher is killing him.

2. My brother is a bachelor.

3. The boy chewed the chocolate and then swallowed it.


EXERCISE 25,p.90
4. This crane can lift one ton.

5. Puppies are not human.

6. My unmarried sister will be married to a bachelor.


EXERCISE 25,p.89
7. John opened the door with the bigger key.

8. James sliced the tomatoes.

9. Jack chewed the bones.


EXERCISE 25,p.89
10. I hear the piece of news already.

11.The tiger remained alive for an hour after the hunter injured it.