引起歧义的句子英文(英语中的句法结构歧义—三谈歧义是自然语言中的普遍现象)

这是帆船？是桥洞？还是牙齿？

英语中的句法结构歧义—三谈歧义是自然语言中的普遍现象

冯志伟

英语中的歧义（ambiguity）不仅存在于词义（sense）和词类（part ofspeech）中，而且也存在于句法结构中。

如果一个语法可以把一个以上的剖析指派给同一个句子，那么，我们就说，这个句子具有结构歧义（structureambiguity）。

在上面的图中，为我们似乎看到了一排大帆船，又似乎看到了一连串的桥洞，又似乎看到了一排牙齿，它们的结构各异，究竟是什么，使我们感到迷惘，这就是结构歧义。

英语中主要有三种结构歧义：附着歧义（attachment ambiguity），并列歧义（coordinationambiguity）和名词短语括号歧义（noun-phrase bracketingambiguity）。此外，还有其他类型的结构歧义，我们在这里也做简单的介绍。

——附着歧义（Attachmentambiguity）

a)  PP附着歧义（PP attachment ambiguity）

介词短语（PrepositionPhrase，简称PP，可能做句子中动词短语的修饰语，又可能做名词短语的修饰语，造成PP附着歧义。例如，如果我们有英语句子“Theymade a report about the ship”和“On the ship, they made areport”，这两个句子是没有歧义的，但是，如果我们把它们改写成句子“They made a report on theship”，“on the ship”这个PP可以修饰动词made，也可以修饰名词report，就产生了PP附着歧义。我们可以把这种PP附着歧义写为如下形式：

1) They made a report about the ship.

On the ship, they made areport.

->They madea report on the ship.

另外的例子还有：

2) They made a decision concerning the boat.

On the boat, they made adecision.

->They made a decision on the boat.

3) He drove the car which was near the post office.

Near the post office, he drove the car.

-> He drove the car near thepost office.

4) They are walking around the lake which is situated in thepark.

In the park, they arewalking around the lake.

->They are walking around the lake in the park.

5) He shot at the man who was with a gun.

With a gun, he shot at theman.

->He shot at the man with a gun.

6) The policeman arrested the thief who was in the room.

In the room, the policemanarrested the thief.

->The policeman arrested the thief in the room.

Church and Patil(1982)证明了，在带多个介词短语PP的名词短语中，名词短语剖析结果的歧义的数量随着介词短语PP的数量的增加而增加，其增加速率与算术表达式的插入数（numberof parenthesization）相同。这个插入问题是按照Catalan数（Catalan number）以指数增长的。

b) 动名词附着歧义（Gerundive attachment ambiguity）

英语句子中的动名词可能修饰中心动词，作为动词的状语，也可能作为动词宾语从句中的谓语，从而引起结构歧义。

例如。在句子“We saw the Eiffel tower flying to Paris”中，动名词短语“flying toParis”可能修饰动词“saw”，作为“saw”的状语，句子的意思是“我们飞到巴黎时看到了埃菲尔铁塔”；但是，“flying toParis”也可能作为动词“saw”的从句“the Eiffel tower flying toParis”中的谓语，句子的意思是“我们看到埃菲尔铁塔正向巴黎飞来”。当然，后面这种情况只在神话世界或者童话世界中才可能发生。

另外的例子还有：

2) I saw that a boy was swimming in the river.

I saw a boy who was swimming in the river.

I saw a boy while I was swimming in the river.

-> I saw a boy swimming in theriver.

3) I noticed that the man was smoking in the corridor.

I noticed the man who wassmoking in the corridor.

I noticed the man whilesmoking in the corridor.

->I noticed the man smoking in the corridor.

c) 局部歧义（local ambiguity）

如果整个的句子是没有歧义的，但是这个句子中的某些部分在剖析过程中可能是有歧义的，这时，就会发生局部歧义。

例如，句子 “book that flight”是没有歧义的，但是，在剖析过程中，当剖析程序扫描到单词“book”的时候，可能辨不清这个book是动词还是名词，在这种情况下，就应该采用回溯（backtracking）或者并行分析（parallelism）的办法，同时考虑到两种可能的剖析。“book”实际上是一个兼类词，如果我们在形态分析的时候，就进行了兼类词“book”的歧义消解，就可以大大减少这样的局部歧义问题。

——并列歧义（Coordination ambiguity）

并列歧义是由and引起的歧义。

下面是并列歧义的例子，箭头后面的句子是有并列歧义的：

1) She looks care of old men and old women.

She looks care of women andold men.

->She looks care of old men and women.

2) Mr. John is a scientist of great fame and a professor ofgreat fame.

Mr. John is a professor ofgreat fame and a scientist.

->Mr. John is a scientist and a professor of great fame.

3) Someone tells me he’s cheating, and I can’t do anything aboutit.

Someone tells me that he’scheating and that I can’t do anything about it.

->Someone tells me he’s cheating and I can’t do anything aboutit.

4) John will go, or Dick and Tom will go.

John or Dick will go, andTom will go.

->John or Dick and Tom will go.

——名词短语括号歧义（Noun-phrase bracketing ambiguity）

在名词短语“ADJ + N1 +N2”中，形容词ADJ可能修饰N1+N2，也可能只修饰N1，从而形成歧义。第一种情况可用括号表示为NP(ADJ(NP(N1N2)))。第二种情况可用括号表示为NP(NP(ADJ N1)N2)。这种歧义可用括号式说明：

NP(ADJ(NP(N1N2))) NP(NP(ADJ N1)N2):

下面是名词短语括号歧义的例子，箭头后面的句子是有名词短语括号歧义的：

1) The salesman who sells old cars is busy.

The old salesman who sells cars is busy.

-> The old car salesman isbusy.

2) He is a Department Head, who is from England.

He is Head of the EnglishDepartment.

->He is an English Department Head.

——歧义结构‘Somebody is + V-ing + N’

V-ing可能修饰N，形成NP，V-ing也可能与前面的is结合，形成VP，从而产生了歧义。

例如：

1) They are receiving women as guest.

They are amusing women.

-> They are entertainingwomen.（entertaining有“接待”和“快乐”等不同含义）

2) They are flying the planes.

They are the flyingplanes.

->They are flying planes.

3) They are roses which are growing.

They are cultivatingroses.

-> They are growing roses.

4) They are having apples.

They are apples for eating.

-> They areeating apples.

——歧义结构‘somebody has + V-ed  + N’

V-ed可能修饰N，形成NP，V-ed也可能与前面的has结合，形成VP，从而产生歧义。

例如，

1) He has already discarded boots.

He has a pair of discardedboots.

->He has discarded boots.

2) They have used cars as a transportation tool.

They havea few used cars.

->They have used cars.

——动词不定式造成的歧义

动词不定式可能做它前面的名词的修饰语，也可能做中心动词的状语，从而产生歧义。

例如，

1) He wants an assistant who can finish the experiment.

To finish the experiment,he wants an assistant.

->He wants an assistant to finish the experiment.

2) The students will discuss their plan about a dance party thatthey are to hold.

In order to hold a danceparty, the students will discuss their plan.

->The students will discuss their plan to hold a dance party.

——歧义结构‘Something is not to do’

not可能与它前面的is相结合，形成否定形式is not，not也可能与它后面的to do结合，形成not todo，从而产生歧义。

例如，

His object isn’t to eat（他的目的不是吃）.

Not to eat is hisobject.（他的目的是不吃）

-> His object is not to eat.

——歧义结构‘something is ready to do’

这种结构中的is ready可能表示主动态，也可能表示被动态，从而形成歧义。

例如，

1) The chicken is ready to eat some food.

The chicken is ready to beeaten.

->The chicken is ready to eat.

2) The horse itself is ready to ride on the track (on theway).

The horse is ready forsomeone to ride.

->The horse is ready to ride.

——‘V-ing’引起的歧义

‘V-ing’可能具有主动和被动两种含义，从而引起歧义。

例如，

1) John likes to question scientist.

John likes scientist whooften asks questions.

-> John likesquestioning scientist.

2) The way of the hunter shot was terrible.

That the hunter was shotwas terrible.

-> The shooting of the hunterwas terrible.

——双宾语引起的歧义

her可能做双宾语中的间接宾语的修饰语，也可能单独做间接宾语，从而引起歧义。

例如，

1) Mary gave picture to her baby.

Mary gave baby picture toher.

->Mary gave her baby picture.

2) Mary taught manners to her child.

Mary taught child mannersto her.

->Mary taught her child manners.

——歧义结构 ‘V+ her + 动名兼类词’

当动名兼类词解释为名词时，her是这个名词的修饰语，当动名兼类词解释为动词时，her是这个动词的宾语，从而形成歧义。

例如，

1) I heard that she cried to help.

I heard her loud cry forhelp.

->I heard her cry for help.

2) I saw the wonder she had done.

I saw her feel greatlysurprised.

-> I saw herwonder. （wonder有“奇迹”和“惊奇”等不同含义） 

3) I saw her remain awake.

I saw the watch belonged toher.

->I saw her watch.（watch有“观察”和“手表”等不同含义）

4) I saw her lower her head.

I saw the duck whichbelonged to her.

->I saw her duck.（duck有“低头”和“鸭子”等不同含义）

——歧义结构 ‘V+ somebody + V-ed’

V-ed可能做somebody的修饰语，也可能做从句中的谓语，从而产生歧义。

例如，

She found that a boy was hidden behind the door.

She found a boy who washidden behind the door.

->She found a boy hidden behind the door.

——歧义结构 ‘V + somebody + who clause’

‘who clause’可能做somebody的修饰语，也可能做动词V的宾语从句，从而产生歧义。

例如，

1) I asked the professor, who would give the lecture.

I ask the professor. This professor would give the lecture.

->I asked the professor who would give the lecture.

2) John asked the lady, who was sitting on the stairs.

John asked the lady. She was sitting on the stairs.

-> John asked the lady who wassitting on the stairs.

——歧义结构‘V+ somebody + when clause’

‘when clause’可能做动词V的时间状语，也可能做动词V的宾语从句，从而产生歧义。

例如，

Tell me at what time you are free.

When you are free, tellme.

->Tell me when you are free.

——歧义结构‘V+ somebody + if clause’

‘if clause’可能做动词V的条件从句，也可能做动词V的宾语从句，从而产生歧义。

例如，

1) Tell me whether you have time or not.

If you have time, tellme.

->Tell me if you have time.

——歧义结构 ‘V+ if clause’

这种歧义结构与前面的歧义结构类似。‘if clause’可能做动词V的条件从句，也可能做动词V的宾语从句，从而产生歧义。

例如，

Let me know whether you’re coming or not.

If you’re coming, let meknow.

->Let me know if you’re coming.

——修饰语的歧义

由修饰语产生的歧义有各种不同的情况，从下面的例句中，大家不难看出它们的差别来。

1) It is a pretty skirt for a little girl

It is a fairly (=pretty)little skirt for a girl.

It is an attractive(=pretty) little skirt for a girl

It is a skirt for a fairlylittle girl.

It is a skirt for anattractive little girl.

->It is a pretty little girl’s skirt.

2) Do you happen to know the gentleman next to the lady who isreading a book?

Do you happen to know thegentleman who is reading a book, next to the lady?

->Do you happen to know the gentleman next to the lady reading abook.

3) I recommended John to Tom. The former was approachable.

I recommended John to Tom.The latter was approachable.

->I recommended John to Tom who was approachable.

4) I like the books on the shelves. I bought the shelvesyesterday.

I like the books on theshelves. I bought the books yesterday.

-> I likethe books on the shelves I bought yesterday.

5) There is a theatre located near the business district. Thetheatre is crowded every night.

There is a theatre near thebusiness district. The business district is crowded everynight.

->There is a theatre near the business district which is crowdedevery night.

6) The secretary granted my request namely that I might see thepresident.

The secretary granted myrequest so that I might see the president.

->The secretary granted my request that I might see thepresident.

——状语的歧义

由状语产生的歧义有各种不同的情况，从下面的例句中，读者不难看出它们的差别来。

1) When you are free, tell him.

Tell him at what time youare free.

->Tell him when you are free.

2) If you have time, tell me.

Tell me whether you havetime or not.

->Tell me if you have time.

3) She knew that, before I met you, you had begun to studyNLP.

Before I met you, she knewthat you had begun to study NLP.

->She knew that you had begun to study NLP before I met you.

由此可见，歧义不仅存在于词义中，不仅存在于词类中，而且也存在于句法结构中，歧义是自然语言重的普遍现象。我们必须注意歧义问题的研究。