HANOI METROPOLITAN UNIVERSITY

FACULTY OF FOREIGN LANGUAGES

SEMANTICS ASSIGNMENT

TOPIC: AMBIGUITY

Student’s name : Bui Doan Thuy Trang

Student code : 218601230

Class : NNA D2018C

Course : SEMANTICS

Hanoi 10 / 2020
 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

During the process of completing this graduation paper, I have been fortunate to receive
much support, assistance, guidance encouragement from many people.

First and foremost, I would like to express my deepest gratitude to my supervisor - Ms

Nguyen Thi Anh Nguyet, who has kindly given me constructive comments, criticism,
suggestions.

Futhermore, I would also like to thank my sister, Tran Thi Tuan for providing useful
suggestions on how to improve this thesis.

Not forgotten to my dear friend, Nguyen Minh Thuy for her encouragement giving me
during the time I carry out this thesis.

Finally, special thanks go to all the people, far too many to mention them all, who made
a pleasant experience that I will remember as an important part of my personal and
professional life.

Moreover, the shortcomings in this study are unavoidable. Therefore, I hope to receive
the sympathy from teachers.

TABLE OF CONTENTS
PART I – INTRODUCTION ..………………………………........................................1

PART II- DEVELOPMENT...…………………………...……………………………..1

Chapter 1 – Theoretical Background

1.1 Definition of Ambiguity………………………………………….…….. .…2

1.1.2. Types of Ambiguity ………………………………………………………2

Chapter 2 – Lexical and strucural ambiguity in soundtrack song lyrics of Moana

Movie…………………………………………………………………………………....3-4

Chapter 3- A General Description of Headlines in English Electronic Newspapers

3.1. Lexical Ambiguity in English Electronic newspapers Headlines .…….......5

3.1.1 Nouns …………………………………………… ……………………5

3.1.2 Verbs …………………………………………… ……………………6

3.1.3. Prepositions …………………………………………… ……………6

3.2 Structural Ambiguity in English Electronic newspapers Headlines ……...6

3.2.2.1 Class ambiguity……………………………………………………..6

3.2.2. Syntactic Ambiguity …………………………………………………6

PART III: CONCLUSION……………………………….…………………………….7

REFERENCE
 PART I – INTRODUCTION

In English semantics, I was really interested in “ AMBIGUITY”. This study has many
advantages in process studying English.

The aim of this study is to identify lexical and structural ambiguity in English in a
specific register, English electronic newspaper headlines, and soundtrack song lyrics of
Moana Movie. In particular, the focus of the research is on examples of lexical and syntactic
ambiguity that result in sources of unintentional humor.

This study used descriptive method to analyze data. The research data collected from the
BBC news, Vanguard news, Guardian and “We Know The Way” lyrics by soundtrack
songs lyric of Moana movie. Through this study, I would like to help for English learners
to eliminate the difficulties in understanding English electronic newspapers headlines.The
study consists of three parts:

Part I, entitled “Introduction” outlines the background of the study.

Part II, with the title of “Development”, comprises three chapters. Chapter 1, as is implied
by the title “Theoretical Background”, discusses the theoretical notions necessary for and
relevant to the scope of the study, covering a series of concepts ranging from Definition of
Ambiguity, Types of Ambiguity , Structural ambiguity and lexical ambiguity in English.
Chapter 2 – “lexical and strucural ambiguity in soundtrack song lyrics of Moana Movie” is
concerned with the different sources of lexical ambiguity in the English language. In the
next chapter “A General Description of Headlines in English Electronic Newspapers"

Part III is “Conclusion”, which provides the recapitulation. The study ends with the
“References”.

PART II – DEVELOPMENT
Chapter 1: Theoretical Background
 I.Definition of Ambiguity

In Hurford and Heasley (2004:121) “Ambiguity is a word or sentence is ambiguous

when it has more than one sense”. It means to deliver a word or sentence it can be expressed
more than one way, then in the interpretation a meaning can be understand into two or more
meaning.

Kreidler statement (1998:56) “Ambiguity occurs also because a longer linguistic form
has a literal sense and figurative sense”. It means ambiguity has either literal or figurative
sense in the sentence.

2.1. Structural Ambiguity : A sentence which is ambiguous because its words relate to
each other in different ways, even though none of the individual words are ambiguous.

For example : The chicken is ready to eat

1) The chicken is ready to be eaten 2) The chicken is ready to eat some

food

2.2. Lexical Ambiguity

Lexical Ambiguity depends on homonymy (sense not related) and polysemy (sense
related. For example:

1) Lexical Ambiguity caused Homonymy

a) I will meet you at the bank b) I will meet you at the bank in fornt
(riparian) of the receptionist desk (place which is
related with financial)

2) Lexical Ambiguity caused Polysemy

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a) I will get the foods (find some b) I get it (understanding something)
foods)

Chapter 2 – Lexical and strucural ambiguity in soundtrack song lyrics of

Moana Movie

We know the way.

Song’s lyric Types Of Ambiguity Meaning of

Ambiguity Song’s
Structural Lexical Ambiguity Lyric
Ambiguity

1.We read the wind [We read the Wind = current of air The Polynesian
and the sky wind and the or breath tribe is trying to
sky] ; it is know about
ambiguos cause condition of the
the wind and the weather
sky can not to
read

2. When the sun is [The sun is high ] High = the size of Show the time is
: the sun is not distance or sound morning
high grow up

3. We sail the [sail the length of -Sail = A journey in The polynesian

length of the seas the seas]: they sail a boat/ship tribe sail the
the seas which the various of the seas
size of the sea is -Length = the size of
length distance or time

5.At night we name [we name every The polynesian

every star star]: the stars do tribe give the sign
not life so they do when they are sail
not need name on the seas.

6. We know where Know=have The polynesian

we are information tribe know the
location where
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 they are.

7. We know who Know = have The polynesian

we are, who we are information know if they are is
Who = used to a fisherman
refer or
questions

8. We set a course [set a course] ; set - Set = position, The polynesian

to find the way or set the equipment, or tribe set the way to
subject arrange something- find something
- Find = to judge
something or
experience a
feeling something

9. A brand new [a brand new Brand = mark The polynesian

island everywhere island]: the new something or name of tribe find some
we roam name from the product new islands or
island or new new locations
know the name of when they are
the island roam

10. We keep our [we keep our Keep = save The polynesian
island in our mind island in our something or take tribe always
mind] : they save care soething remember their
their island in island (polynesian)
their mind or take Mind = about
remembrance or
care their island brain

11. And when it's -Time = to show The polynesian

time to find home, about the minutes, tribe is come back
we know the way. days, and years or to their island and
about the period they know the way
back to their island
-Way = method or
route

12. We are - Sign = give a They learn

explorers reading notice or give a something new
every sign mark about the sail after
they have sail

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 13.We tell the - Tell = knowing The polynesian
stories of our elders something or said tribe tell about the
in a never-ending something stories of their
chain. elders (a
fisherman)

Chapter 3 – Lexical and structural ambiguity in humorous

headlines in English electronic Newspapers

A news headline is an integral part of the journalistic article. Some journalists,

intentionally or unintentionally, employ ambiguity when constructing news headlines.
Ambiguity could have positive effects on the readers and motivate them to continue
reading the news story. Conversely, it could also lead to misunderstanding and
frustration.

3.1. Lexical Ambiguity in English Electronic Newspapers headlines

“Any ambiguity resulting from the ambiguity of a word is lexical ambiguity”

(Huford,1983:128)-The lexical ambiguity that Huford illustrates is a same- class ambiguity.
Same-class lexical ambiguity in the corpus was found in different parts of speech, namely
nouns , verbs , and prepositions.

3.1.1. Nouns

1. “Obama tries to mend fences with American Jews.”

(http://Top Political News.com, March 24, 2010)

In headline (1), the noun ‘fences’ can be interpreted in two different ways. In the
intentional meaning, ‘fences’ are referred to “connections or relations”. However, readers
can understand “fences” in this headline humorously as “ a structure serving as an enclosure,
a berrier, usually made of posts or stakes joined together".
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 2.“Safety experts say school bus passengers should be belted”
(http://www.alta.asn, March 6, 2009)

In headline (2), the noun “belted” has two interpretations. In the intentional meaning, “
belted” are refererred to “secured with a (seat)belt”. However, in meaning two, “belted” as
“hit with a belt” triggers the humorous effect.
3.1.2. Verbs
3. “20-year friendship ends at altar.” (From the Guardian)
Headline (3) is made ambiguous by the two opposite meanings of the verb "to end". In
the meaning one, the headline is understand as news about a couple that decided to get
married after having been friends for twenty years. However, in the meaning two, the
sentence like an example of a good friendship being ruined by a wedding.

1.1.3 Prepositions
4. “IDF confirms 5 Palestinians injured by Gaza border.”

(From the BBC November 30, 2010)

In (15) humor is created by confusion between two of the meanings of the preposition
"by". In the intentional meaning , “by” is meaning of “beside” or “near”. However, the
preposition “by” is also used to the passive sentence in general. So, the humor is created
when “Gaza border” is understood as a new weapon which injured 5 Palestinians.
3.2 Structural Ambiguity in English Electronic newspapers Headlines
3.2.1 Class ambiguity
In most of the headlines carrying structural ambiguity, confusion is created between the class
of nouns and that of verbs.

5. “Dealers will hear car talk at noon.”

(From the BBC, July 18, 2008)

In headline 5, the humorous reading revolves around of interpreting "talk" as a noun or a
verb. The headline can be understand as "the dealers will hear someone talking about cars".
However, readers can understand this headline humorously as “ they will hear a car talking"
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3.2.2 Syntactic Ambiguity
6. “Police chase men jump into river. (From the BBC, July 27, 2006)
The headline (6) become ambiguous structurally. In the intentional meaning, the headline
is meaning that the men had jumped into a river after being chased by the police. But with
the arrangement of words in this headline, “police” which is modified by “chase men” . In
this case, readers can understand in this headline humorously as the police who had chased
the men jumped into the river.

PART III: CONCLUSION

To sum up, the study has analyzed linguistic ambiguity as a source of humor in a
corpus of English electronic newspaper headlines and in song's lyric. Basing on the result of
the research, in the case of lexical ambiguity, humor depends mainly on nouns, verbs, and
prepositions. In any case, homonymy and polysymy are considered the origin of lexical
ambiguity. Moreover, In the first song “We Know The Way” lyrics there are 26 ambiguity
which it has 8 structural ambiguity and 18 lexical ambiguity. The ambiguity in soundtrack
song lyric’s Moana movie has function to interest the audience, more variation style in
language, and has good combination with the audio. Finally, I hope that the study will be of
great help to you better understand while studying and working.

REFERENCES

 Websites

1. http://uxxi.yolasite.com/resources/Bucaria%20Lex%20and%20synt%20ambiguity%20in
%20humorous%20headlines.pdf
2. https://www.academia.edu/376184/Lexical_and_Syntactic_Ambiguity_As_a_Source_of_Humor_the
_Case_of_Newspaper_Headlines
3. https://www.academia.edu/37766293/Introducing_English_Semantics_by_Charles_W_Kreidler
https://www.amazon.com/Semantics-Coursebook-James-R-Hurford-ebook/dp/B001AVJQ3K
4. https://go.lnkam.com/link/r?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.abebooks.com%2Fbook-search%2Ftitle
%2Fenglish-phonetics-phonology-practical-course%2Fauthor%2Fpeter-
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5. https://www.disneyclips.com/lyrics/moana-we-know-the-way.html

 Books

1. James R. Huford and Brendan Heasley (1983), Semantics: A Course Boook,

University Press, Cambridge
2. Perter Roach, “English Phonetics and phonology” A practical course

3. Yastanti, U., & Setiawati, A. D. (2018). Ambiguity In Soundtrack Songs Lyric of

Moana Movie. Wanastra, 10(2), 1–14.

APPENDIX

- (http://Top Political News.com, March 24, 2010)

- (http://www.alta.asn, March 6, 2009)
- (From the Guardian)
- (From the BBC November 30, 2010)
- (From the BBC, July 18, 2008)
- (From the BBC, July 27, 2006)

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