What does it mean when you are ambiguous?
Ambiguous has, like many words in English, more than one possible meaning; a quality some might refer to as ambiguous itself. This word may mean “doubtful or uncertain especially from obscurity or indistinctness,” “capable of being understood in two or more possible senses or ways,” and “inexplicable.”
What are examples of ambiguous terms?
Ambiguity Definition Ambiguous words or statements lead to vagueness and confusion, and shape the basis for instances of unintentional humor. For instance, it is ambiguous to say “I rode a black horse in red pajamas,” because it may lead us to think the horse was wearing red pajamas.
What does ambiguous mean in genetics?
In a baby with ambiguous genitalia, the genitals may be incompletely developed or the baby may have characteristics of both sexes. The external sex organs may not match the internal sex organs or genetic sex.
What is an ambiguous word or phrase?
Ambiguity is when the meaning of a word, phrase, or sentence is uncertain. There could be more than one meaning. When you make statements that are ambiguous, you confuse the reader and hinder the meaning of the text. However, sometimes ambiguity is used deliberately to add humor to a text.
What is an ambiguous attitude?
adj. 1 having more than one possible interpretation or meaning.
Which is the best definition of the word ambiguous?
Definition of ambiguous. 2 : capable of being understood in two or more possible senses or ways an ambiguous smile an ambiguous term a deliberately ambiguous reply.
What is the function of ambiguity in language?
Ambiguity serves a function in language as it tends to make speech and writing more brief, entertaining, humorous and colorful. However, ambiguity can also have negative impacts as it can lead to misinterpretations. The following are common types of ambiguous language. A word with multiple meanings.
Is the phrase is an uncle ambiguous or unspecified?
While ‘is an uncle’ can be satisfied by both brothers of mothers and brothers of fathers, the phrase is not ambiguous but unspecified with respect to parent. The boundaries of the predicate ‘is a heap’ is famously difficult to detect but the problem doesn’t seem to be that ‘heap’ enjoys too many meanings.
Which is the best example of structural ambiguity?
For example, “the fisherman went to the bank” is ambiguous because “bank” could be a financial institution or the shore of a river. Structural Ambiguity. Ambiguity in the syntax and semantics of a language. For example, “Kim and Henry are married.”
What’s a synonym for ambiguous?
Some common synonyms of ambiguous are cryptic, dark, enigmatic, equivocal, obscure, and vague. While all these words mean “not clearly understandable,” ambiguous applies to language capable of more than one interpretation.
What is meant by ambiguous statement?
An ambiguous sentence has two or more possible meanings within a single sentence or sequence of words. This can confuse the reader and make the meaning of the sentence unclear.
What is ambiguous behavior?
n. 1. the property of a behavior, behavior pattern, or situation that might be interpreted in more than one way.
Does ambiguous mean confusing?
If you describe something as ambiguous, you mean that it is unclear or confusing because it can be understood in more than one way. This agreement is very ambiguous and open to various interpretations.
What is an example of ambiguous?
Ambiguity, or fallacy of ambiguity, is a word, phrase, or statement which contains more than one meaning. For instance, it is ambiguous to say “I rode a black horse in red pajamas,” because it may lead us to think the horse was wearing red pajamas.
What is opposite of ambiguous?
ambiguous. Antonyms: univocal, obvious, plain, clear, unambiguous, indisputable, necessary, unmistakable, unequivocal, lucid. Synonyms: equivocal, vague, doubtful, enigmatical, uncertain, obscure, unintelligible, perplexing, indistinct, dubious.
Can you describe a person as ambiguous?
Ambiguous, on the other hand, isn’t a word used to describe people—though it is used to describe things people do or say. It’s used in cases where the meaning of something is not clear, often because it can be understood in more than one way: Ambiguous has been with us since the early 16th century.
What does ambiguous mean in Econ?
The ambiguity effect is a cognitive bias where decision making is affected by a lack of information, or “ambiguity”. The effect implies that people tend to select options for which the probability of a favorable outcome is known, over an option for which the probability of a favorable outcome is unknown.
What are some ambiguous sentences?
I ran all the way to the main gate, and then I waited a second till I got my breath. I have no wind, if you want to know the truth. I’m quite a heavy smoker, for one thing—that is, I used to be. They made me cut it out.
What does unambiguous mean in psychology?
clear. readily apparent to the mind. unequivocal, univocal. admitting of no doubt or misunderstanding; having only one meaning or interpretation and leading to only one conclusion. Antonyms: ambiguous.
What is the opposite meaning of ambiguous?
Which is the best definition of the word impassive?
Definition of impassive. 1 : giving no sign of feeling or emotion : expressionless. 2a : unsusceptible to or destitute of emotion : apathetic.
What does the prefix ambivalent mean in English?
Their shared prefix, ambi -, means “both.”. The – valent in ambivalent comes from the Late Latin valentia (“power”) and, in combination with ambi-, suggests the pull of two different emotions. The -guous in ambiguous, on the other hand, comes ultimately from Latin agere (“to drive, to lead”); paired with ambi-,…