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Thread: Ambiguity

  1. #1
    dtommy79's Avatar
    dtommy79 is offline Newbie
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    Default Ambiguity

    Hi,

    Could you help me with these sentences? I can't figure out the ambiguity, the two meanings of them.

    1. They took her flowers.

    2. She commented on the page.

    3. He took down the name.

    Thnks

  2. #2
    jctgf is offline Key Member
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    Default Re: Ambiguity

    Quote Originally Posted by dtommy79 View Post
    Hi,

    Could you help me with these sentences? I can't figure out the ambiguity, the two meanings of them.

    1. They took her flowers.

    2. She commented on the page.

    3. He took down the name.

    Thnks
    Just a student.
    I'd like to try the first one.
    It may mean that 'they' brought flowers to 'her'.
    At the same time, it sounds like 'they' took away the flowers that belonged to 'her'.
    Two opposite meanings for the same sentence.
    Just a student!

  3. #3
    Tdol is offline Editor, UsingEnglish.com
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    Default Re: Ambiguity

    I'll so the second:
    1 Her comments (about something else) were recorded on the page.
    2 She made comments about the page.

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