Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Semantics Ambiguity Buidoanthuytrang
Semantics Ambiguity Buidoanthuytrang
SEMANTICS ASSIGNMENT
TOPIC: AMBIGUITY
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.
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
REFERENCE
PART I – INTRODUCTION
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
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.
Lexical Ambiguity depends on homonymy (sense not related) and polysemy (sense
related. For example:
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
a) I will get the foods (find some b) I get it (understanding something)
foods)
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
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
4
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)
3.1.1. Nouns
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".
5
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.”
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-
7
5. https://www.disneyclips.com/lyrics/moana-we-know-the-way.html
Books
APPENDIX
8
9
8