Natural Language Processing

Assignment no_1
Ambiguity: Lexical and Structural Ambiguity

Amna Atiq
MPCS021R22-21

Ambiguity: lexical and structural ambiguity

Qno.1 Which is correct?

1a) As a quick and easy way to share content, I recommend Dropbox.
1b) I recommend Dropbox as a quick and easy way to share content. (Correct)

2a) Being in a run-down condition, I was able to buy the house very cheap. (Correct)
2b) Being in a run-down condition, the house was sold at a very cheap price.
3a) On her way home, Jan found a gold man’s watch.
3b) On her way home, Jan found a man’s gold watch. (Correct)

Qno.2 Practice
Examine the statement and identify the ambiguity. Then, disambiguate the statement.
a) Freshly baked from the oven, I truly enjoyed the cake.
The fact that the first half of this statement does not provide a complete meaning and the
stuff/bakery item that has been cooked from the oven is not mentioned there makes it ambiguous
as to missing noun in the first half.
Disambiguate:
I truly enjoyed the freshly baked cake from the oven.
b) Flying planes can be dangerous.
The statement flying planes can be dangerous could mean two things its either that the planes
flying are dangerous or that flying a plane could be dangerous.
Disambiguate:
Flying a plane can be dangerous
c) The strike was called by angry lecturers and students.
This statement means that a random strike was called by angry lecturers and students adding
ambiguity to the statement.
Disambiguate:
A strike was called for by angry lecturers and students.
d) The girl hit the boy with a book.
This statement does not hold much of ambiguity as it clearly states that a boy was hit with a book
by a girl.
e) The tennis courts are open to members only on Thursdays.
The statement states that tennis court is open to members and only on Thursdays leading to
ambiguity here as to if its not opened the other days.
Disambiguate:
The Tennis courts are open on Thursdays for members only.
f) I know a man with a dog who has fleas.
The ambiguity here is whether the dog has the fleas or the man.
Disambiguate:
I know a man whose dog has fleas.
g) The gang leader hit the lawyer with a stick and laughed loudly.
The ambiguity here is whether the lawyer laughed after being hit by a stick or the gang laughed
loudly.
Disambiguate:
The gang leader laughed loudly after he hit the lawyer with a stick.
h) He told me to stay many times.
The ambiguity here is that the structure of the sentence is not correct leading it to have 2 meanings
as he told the guy to stay but that was done many times as even earlier and also it means that he
was told to stay many times.
Disambiguate:
He told me many times to stay.
i) The apple on the table which my mum just bought is delicious.
The ambiguity here is that this statement has dual meanings one that his mother bought apples and
other that his mother bought only one apple.
Disambiguate:
The apple on the table which my mum bought is just delicious
j) Unable to reach the top shelf, the jam is left expired.
The ambiguity here is that first half alone of the statement does not provide proper dependency on
the other half of the sentence not specifying what could not reach the top shelf here.
Disambiguate:
The jam was unable to reach the top shelf and was left expired
Qno.3 News Headlines
1. ENRAGED COW INJURES FARMER WITH AX

The headline might be interpreted as a cow being furious and injuring a farmer with an axe, or as a
farmer becoming enraged and injuring a cow with an axe.

2. JUVENILE COURT TO TRY SHOOTING DEFENDANT

The headline might imply that the defendant is a child who will be prosecuted in court for shooting
someone, or that the court will attempt to identify who shot the defendant.

3. STOLEN PAINTING FOUND BY TREE

This headline holds three meanings as to the artwork stolen from a local art institution has been
discovered by a tree or the picture was discovered beside a tree. It could also mean that the
painting stolen from a local art institution has been recovered.

4. TWO SISTERS REUNITED AFTER 18 YEARS IN CHECKOUT COUNTER

It might signify one of three things: the two sisters met after 18 years, they were separated for 18
years and have finally reunited, or 18 years has gone since they were last seen together. "After"
might relate to the time the criminal has spent in jail, or it could refer to the period since the
criminal was last caught.

5. MINERS REFUSE TO WORK AFTER DEATH

This headline could mean two things that by following the death of one of their colleagues, the
miners refuse to work OR after their benefits package expired, the miners refused to work.

6. GRANDMOTHER OF EIGHT MAKES HOLE IN ONE

This headline could cause ambiguity as to what eight means here. The term 'eight' might refer to
either the number or the grandchildren.

7. IRAQI HEAD SEEKS ARMS

The headline might be pointing to Iraq's head seeking arms, or to an Iraqi who is a head seeking
arms.
8. POLICE BEGIN CAMPAIGN TO RUN DOWN JAYWALKERS

The police are launching a drive to catch jaywalkers. And the term "jaywalkers" can apply to either
persons who cross the street unlawfully or those who cross the street recklessly.

9. HOSPITALS ARE SUED BY 7 FOOT DOCTORS

The headline might be understood to suggest that hospitals are being sued by 7-foot-tall physicians,
or that hospitals are being sued by a group of 7 doctors.