She enjoys hiking, and she also likes swimming, unlike her brother.

[learnerAF]

Is this sentence ambiguous to native speakers?

The sentence in question:
"She enjoys hiking, and she also likes swimming, unlike her brother."

I believe this sentence is grammatically correct, but as an English learner, I find it potentially ambiguous. I’m unsure whether its meaning is clear and unambiguous to native speakers.

Based only on this sentence (with no additional context), which of the following interpretations is correct?

a) Her brother dislikes both hiking and swimming.
b) Her brother dislikes swimming, but we cannot determine whether he also dislikes hiking.

Please base your answer strictly on the given sentence, considering the placement of unlike and the commas.

Additionally, after answering the main question, please consider:

1. Would your answer change if the comma after hiking were removed?
2. Would your answer change if the comma after swimming were removed?
3. Would your answer change if both commas (after hiking and swimming) were removed?

 

[Tarheel]

Always keep in mind that there are only 24 hours in a day, and there is never enough to waste any.

You will never see that sentence outside some kind of context. The only exception to that would be if somebody made it up just so they could discuss it. (Why?)

I wouldn't worry about ambiguity. The chance of there being any confusion in real life about what is meant is practically zero.

Both commas are necessary. You can't remove them.

I don't know what "potential ambiguity" is.

It's your sentence. What do you intend for it to mean?

 

[jutfrank]

Is this sentence ambiguous to native speakers?

Yes.

I believe this sentence is grammatically correct, but as an English learner, I find it potentially ambiguous.

It's not 'potentially' ambiguous—it's ambiguous.

Based only on this sentence (with no additional context), which of the following interpretations is correct?

A correct interpretation is one which is what the speaker means, so here it's impossible to know. You want to ask which is the most likely.

a) Her brother dislikes both hiking and swimming.
b) Her brother dislikes swimming, but we cannot determine whether he also dislikes hiking.

I think the most likely is b).

Additionally, after answering the main question, please consider:

1. Would your answer change if the comma after hiking were removed?
2. Would your answer change if the comma after swimming were removed?
3. Would your answer change if both commas (after hiking and swimming) were removed?

It's the inclusion of the word 'also' that I think makes the greatest difference.

 

[Skrej]

@utsavviradiya and @navi tasan should start an ambiguity club, although it's not clear how many other members it could potentially support.

Also, the meeting dates might be problematic. Or maybe not.

 

[SoothingDave]

I read it as the brother liking hiking and not liking swimming.

 

[learnerAF]

@utsavviradiya and @navi tasan should start an ambiguity club, although it's not clear how many other members it could potentially support.

Also, the meeting dates might be problematic. Or maybe not.

Are you really a teacher? You look like a troll. Though rare, it is possible for someone to be both a teacher and a troll, and it seems to me that you are that someone.

 

[Skrej]

Tongue-in-cheek perhaps, but not trolling and humorously related to the thread.

If you had looked at the other member's post history (to do so, click on their name and then click on 'postings') you might have discovered their many posts regarding ambiguity in sentences (a particular interest of theirs). Several of your posts from 2023 were also related to ambiguity.

 

[Tarheel]

In real life any ambiguity would be quickly dispelled by the following sentence. "Um, what do you mean by that?"

It's astounding to me that anybody thinks that's how real conversations go-- that people just blurt out statements like that.

 

[learnerAF]

Tongue-in-cheek perhaps, but not trolling and humorously related to the thread.

No worries! All good. Mods can lock this one out if they want.