Ambiguity

[Libre]

I'm intrigued by linguistic ambiguity. I take note of ambiguous sentences, when I encounter them, and I also like to invent my own. I actually did a project in college that studied ambiguity, in a course called psycholinguistics (or, the psychology of speech).

Here's an interesting one, that I invented way back when I did that project:
Istanbul is what Constantinople was. What is the current name of the city?
The question is ambiguous such that either answer would be possible.

Here's another:
Patronizing prostitutes can be sickening.

Well, got any you'd like to contribute?

 

[StillILearn]

Tell us a little bit more about psycholinguistics, Libre, it sounds fascinating.

Istanbul is what Constantinople was. What is the current name of the city? The question is ambiguous such that either answer would be possible.

I don't see how the above is ambiguous as it clearly states what Istanbul is. What am I missing? Ah! Okay. I see now. It also says that Constantinople was Istanbul. Got it. It's kind of like an optical illusion.

Istanbul was Constantinople
Now it's Istanbul, not Constantinople
Been a long time gone, Constantinople
Now it's Turkish delight on a moonlit night

Every gal in Constantinople
Lives in Istanbul, not Constantinople
So if you've a date in Constantinople
She'll be waiting in Istanbul

Even old New York was once New Amsterdam
Why they changed it I can't say
People just liked it better that way

So take me back to Constantinople
No, you can't go back to Constantinople
Been a long time gone, Constantinople
Why did Constantinople get the works
That's nobody's business but the Turks

 

[Libre]

Great poem, Still.
For those that don't get it, it's tough to see. It's like those weird optical illusions that you can only see one way and then it suddenly switches and then you see it another way. Oh, you said that - and unambiguously!

Psycholinguistics was one of the most fascinating courses I ever took. It focused on the work of Noam Chomsky, who basically invented it. As some may know, Chomsky postulated two structures of language:
surface structure and deep structure.
Basically, surface structure represents the grammatical rules of syntax and semantics, and deep structure represents the underlying meaning of what we are saying.

With reference to ambiguity, there are (at least) three types:
lexical ambiguity, surface structure ambiguity, and deep structure ambiguity.
Lexical ambiguity is the simplest kind. Some words can have more than one meaning, and the context does not make it clear which meaning is intended.
Ex: Drunk gets 5 years in violin case.
Ex: Tom lost his balls in the plane crash.

Surface structure ambiguity is a little more involved. The structure of the sentence makes it unclear what is intended. There are different kinds. One kind is called a grouping ambiguity.
Ex: I bought a box of large dog biscuits.
Ex: I work in a small animal hospital.
Ex: Hand me the red and yellow balls.

Deep structure ambiguity. The most puzzling. No element in the sentence is ambiguous, yet, the overall meaning is unclear.
Ex: What has the dog in its mouth?
Ex: The chicken is ready for eating.
Ex: Istanbul is what Constantinople was.

To me, a fascinating topic.

Perhaps, the MOST interesting section of the course was the part about cognitive dissonance.
That topic changed the way I look at life and relationships, why certain things bother us (seemingly inexplicably) and why other things please us (again, inexplicably).
At least they are inexplicable until one has studied cognitive dissonance.
I can give some examples, but perhaps, in another post.

 

[tundra]

That's not a poem, it's the lyrics to a They Might Be Giants song entitled..(surprise surprise).."Istanbul."

 

[StillILearn]

That's not a poem, it's the lyrics to a They Might Be Giants song entitled..(surprise surprise).."Istanbul."

Drat. Foiled again. And by a circumlocationist.

 

[beer good]

That's not a poem, it's the lyrics to a They Might Be Giants song entitled..(surprise surprise).."Istanbul."

Actually, the song is a lot older than that, going back to 1953. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Istanbul_Not_Constantinople

 

[StillILearn]

Plagiarism just doen't pay anymore. Play. Whatever.

 

[Halo]

Just for you, Still:

If you must write prose/poems
The words you use should be your own
Don't plagiarise or take "on loan"
'Cause there's always someone, somewhere
With a big nose, who knows
And who trips you up and laughs
When you fall
Who'll trip you up and laugh
When you fall

PS: Before you ask, no!

 

[StillILearn]

Just for you, Still:





PS: Before you ask, no!

Drat. Not even when you're not using it?

 

[Halo]

But I'm always using it... Are you sure there isn't another one you would like better?

 

[StillILearn]

It's the A-1, best ever, numero uno, par excellance, one-of-a-kind, can't-be-beat, no ka oi signature line.

In other words, I covet it.

So, no, there isn't "another one I'd like better". I'll just wait patiently until you get tired of it. Or of me begging.

I could say more but you get the general idea.

 

[Halo]

It's the A-1, best ever, numero uno, par excellance, one-of-a-kind, can't-be-beat, no ka oi signature line.

In other words, I covet it.

So, no, there isn't "another one I'd like better". I'll just wait patiently until you get tired of it. Or of me begging.

So that's a "no" then? Still, you really will have to try and express yourself more clearly.

I could say more but you get the general idea.

Oi!