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Ambiguity: Capable of being understood in two or more possible ways.

It was described as ‘disease of language’ (Graham 2001).

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Ambiguity: Intro to Linguistics [Video 9]

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Is ambiguity bad?? Ambiguity is inherent to human communication!

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Is ambiguity bad?? Ambiguity is inherent to human communication!

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‘It sometimes happens that one of my translators will ask me the following question: “I am at a loss as to how to render this passage, because it is ambiguous. It can be read two different ways’ (Confessions of a Young Novelist, 2011:33).

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"Ambigious sentences" in our life...

What are some examples of ambiguous sentences?

a: " I only write letters when I have to."

b: “Senator left Community feeling frustrated"

c: "I went to the bank"

See! Ambiguity is not Far from us! We are using it almost every day.

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What are some examples of ambiguous sentences?

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Answer (1 of 14): When you make statements that are ambiguous, you confuse the reader and hinder the meaning of the text. However, sometimes ambiguity is used deliberately to add humor to a text. Examples of Ambiguity: ... The word “grave” has an ambiguous meaning: Ask for me tomorrow and you sha…

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Classification of Ambiguity according to William Empson

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Classification of Ambiguity according to William Empson

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1. Semantic Ambiguity: Multiple word meanings.

2. Syntactic Ambiguity: Different sentence structure interpretations.

3. Scope Ambiguity: Varied conclusions from quantifier usage.

4. Ambiguity of Part of Speech: One word as multiple parts of speech.

5. Referential Ambiguity: Unclear word reference.

6. Modal Ambiguity: Differing interpretations of modal verbs.

7. Pun: Wordplay with multiple meanings or homophones.

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Translation ambiguity involving English occurs when...

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Translation ambiguity involving English occurs when...

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When a word in one language can be translated in more than one way into another language.

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Translation ambiguity occurs when a word in one language can be translated in more than one way into another language. This cross-language phenomenon comes from several sources of within-language ambiguity including lexical ambiguity, polysemy, and near-synonymy. We review the existing research on translation ambiguity, including its consequences for vocabulary learning, for lexical processing (e.g., translation performance), and for meaning representation. When possible, we discuss how the impact of translation ambiguity is affected by or interacts with the source of the ambiguity (i.e., near-synonymy vs. lexical ambiguity) and L2 proficiency level.

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Consequences for learning and processing: Translation ambiguity

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Translation ambiguity occurs when a word in one language can be translated in more than one way into another language. This cross-language phenomenon comes from several sources of within-language ambiguity including lexical ambiguity, polysemy, and near-synonymy. We review the existing research on translation ambiguity, including its consequences for vocabulary learning, for lexical processing (e.g., translation performance), and for meaning representation.

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General challenges and types of ambiguity in language translation

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General challenges and types of ambiguity in language translation

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Conclusions

• 1. Ambiguity in translation is inevitable.

•2. There are two main types of ambiguity: lexical and grammatical ambiguities.（2min24Sec in Video）

• 3. Context of situation plays a far major rule in disambiguating the ambiguous words or expressions.

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Translation into English: Lexical and Structural Ambiguity

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One example : Translation ambiguity in Mandarin-English bilinguals happens...

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One example : Translation ambiguity in Mandarin-English bilinguals happens...

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Research focused on the cognitive processes surrounding bilingual language representation has revealed the important role that translation ambiguity plays in how languages are stored in memory (Tokowicz & Kroll, 2007)

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How to deal with it when ambiguity occurs in language translation involving English?

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How to deal with it when ambiguity occurs in language translation involving English?

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In the late 4th century : Insisting on only one truth to avoid ambiguity of message by the Roman Catholic Church when they were dealing with ambiguity.

Postmodern literature: Seeing ambiguity a way to question what we once thought was clear. This now affects how we communicate in writing and speaking.

Modern-day translation : It is more complicated due to the popularity of ambiguity and other factors like cultural differences and varying interpretations. It can help express ideas but also make it harder to be understood.

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The layman usually considers language and dialects as a literal and clear medium for precisely conveying concepts and views. On one hand, even when people use language in a literal manner, meanings may change and misunderstandings may unavoidably come to pass.

Anyone can become unintentionally or intentionally ambiguous even without really trying. On the other hand, most words can have connotations, denotations, double entendres, apparent meanings, implied or hidden messages, and so on that naturally obfuscate whatever message a person tries to convey.

Ambiguity and Translation People often utilize words in a figurative manner in ordinary dialogue, even though it's a type of speech more often associated with fiction and poetry. Ambiguity isn't only a poetic vehicle; it's also natural for humans to find deeper meanings within a correspondence or exchange. Text is given, and we provide our interpretation of it in return.

Our own experiences and knowledge enable us to comprehend what is presented before us. On that note, ambiguity is also a factor when it comes to translation, whether it's machine or human translation. After all, anyone doing translation work (whether it's someone from a solo translation service or an agent of a professional translation agency) is also interpreting through his experience and knowledge the text that is presented to him, only this time he has to do it from one language to another.

Ambiguity in History Translation services and the concept of professional translation were unheard of in the olden days because faithfulness to the text was the order of the day for human translation at the time. Take for instance the various interpretations that the bible went through during the fourth to sixteenth centuries.

Insisting on only one truth to avoid ambiguity of message was part of the reason why the bible was left in Latin (the Latin version itself was translated from other languages) by the Roman Catholic Church for quite some time. Because the bible is situated in the heart of many of the world's most important religions, it has been subjected to a massive amount of scrutiny and inspection.

As such, many of the denominations of just one religion (Christianity) sprouted from diverse interpretations of scripture, and Christianity itself (as well as Islam) was born from the reinterpretation of an even older holy scripture (the Torah) and religion (Judaism). Wars, persecution, excommunications, and other religious conflicts have occurred because of the continuous battle between ambiguousness, interpretation, and one single, unified truth.

Ambiguity and Literature Postmodern literature and other trends within the late twentieth and early twenty-first century has made ambiguity a factor when it comes to calling into question past certainties, which opened a window for it to become an appropriate form of communication in both the written word and verbal dialogue.

Adding that complexity to modern-day translation will provide people a threefold example of meaning being further pushed back by both the current vogue of ambiguity and other factors such as cultural differences, multiple interpretations, and an altogether nebulous message. As much as ambiguity presents a new avenue for people to naturally express themselves, it also presents a pitfall by which no person would be able to express himself at all.

Getblend is the world's fastest professional human translation service. One Getblend provides Fast, High-Quality Professional Translation on a 24/7 basis thanks to a community of over 8000 certified translators from all over the world.

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Ambiguity When Translating - How to Deal with It? | BLEND

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How do you deal with the ambiguity in literature & translation? In this guide, we explore the ambiguity in history and more.

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Gao, J., Zhou, M., Nie, J. Y., He, H., & Chen, W. (2002, August). Resolving query translation ambiguity using a decaying co-occurrence model and syntactic depen

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1, Context is the key: The paper evaluates the translation accuracy and shows that translating triples as units is more precise than a word-by-word translation.

2, Consider Cultural Nuances: Be aware of cultural nuances and adapt the translation accordingly.

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Interpreters on the world stage influence international affairs through translated ambiguity.

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Interpreters on the world stage influence international affairs through translated ambiguity.

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In the case of "One China," the ambiguity around its translation and interpretation has had serious consequences for ties between China, Taiwan, and other countries, particularly the United States.

As a result of the possible influence of ambiguity in international affairs, we need exact and culturally sensitive translation in diplomacy and foreign relations to encourage clear communication.

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1, Why this topic?

"In exploring the topic, 'How does ambiguity occur during language translation involving English?' I reflected on the lessons from my past experiences. During my first semester break, I returned to China and worked as a translator intern at the Ministry of Agriculture of China. My main task was to translate documents related to Chinese Beef Cattle breeding technology into English for African students. It allowed me to witness firsthand how ambiguity can have real-world consequences, especially in critical situations where clarity is paramount. What’s more, another reason for choosing this topic is it allows for a multidisciplinary approach, drawing from linguistics, culture studies, and practical translation experiences.

2, How to do this Blendspace Assignment?

When I designed this topic "How does ambiguity occur during English language translation?", I imagined myself as a teacher who is going to introduce this topic to students. What kind of materials am I going to curate? What content is most valuable and actionable to them? In addition to the practical aspects of translation, by delving into the cultural, historical, and sociolinguistic dimensions of ambiguity, I aim to make the subject more relatable and practical, demonstrating the significance of precise translation and its potential impact on international affairs.

3, What's the future implication?

I hope that by studying this, we can all get better at making communication clearer worldwide.