Lingualogue Blog

All About Languages

Beware of Ambiguity

Posted by lingualo On July - 23 - 2009

When learning a new language, one of the things you have to be careful of when formulating sentences is being ambiguous. This can only lead to misunderstandings and confusion.

You only have to look at the English language to see how ambiguity can arise. Many words in English have more than one meaning: The word “round” apparently has over 70 different meanings depending on how it is used and this can cause great confusion…or great hilarity. Even native speakers often misuse the language to a degree where ambiguity becomes humerous.

Below are a few examples I found across the net of how easy it is to be lax in language use and create humerous ambiguity.

Poster: Dog For Sale: Eats anything; especially fond of children.
Menu: Dinner Special – Chicken or Beef $2.25; Turkey $2.35; Children $2.00
Poster: For sale: An antique desk suitable for lady with thick legs and large drawers.
Advertisement: Wanted: Man to take care of cow that does not smoke or drink.
Advertisement: We do not tear your clothing with machinery. We do it carefully by hand.
Advertisement: Now is your chance to have your ears pierced and get an extra pair to take home too.
Advertisement: Used Cars: Why go elsewhere to be cheated? Come here first!
Advertisement: Auto Repair Service. Free pickup and delivery. Try us once, and you’ll never go anywhere again.
Advertisement: Mixing bowl set designed to please a cook with round bottom for efficient beating.
Advertisement: And now, the Superstore – unequalled in size, unmatched in variety, unrivalled inconvenience.
Poster: Illiterate? Write for free information.
In a Vienna hotel: In case of fire, do your utmost to alarm the hotel porter.
In a Zurich hotel: Because of the impropriety of entertaining guests of the opposite sex in the bedroom, it is suggested that the lobby be used for this purpose.
In a Rome laundry: Ladies, leave your clothes here and spend the afternoon having a good time.
Advertisement for donkey rides in Thailand: Would you like to ride on your own ass?
In a Bangkok temple: It is forbidden to enter a woman even foreigner if dressed as a man.
In a Norwegian cocktail lounge: Ladies are requested not to have children in the bar.
In the office of a Roman doctor: Specialist in women and other diseases.
In a Japanese hotel: You are invited to take advantage of the chambermaid.
Outside a Hong Kong tailor shop: Ladies may have a fit upstairs.
In a Bangkok dry cleaner’s: Drop your trousers here for best results.
In an Acapulco hotel: The manager has personally passed all the water served here.
Church bulletin: The rosebud on the altar this morning is to announce the birth of David Alan Belzer, the sin of Rev. and Mrs. Julius Belzer.
Church bulletin: This being Easter Sunday, we will ask Mrs. Lewis to come forward and lay an egg on the altar.
Church bulletin: The ladies of the church have cast off clothing of every kind and they may be seen in the church basement Friday.
Outside a farm: Horse manure: 50p per pre-packed bag, 20p do-it-yourself
Seen at the side of a Sussex road: Slow cattle crossing. No overtaking for the next 100 yrs.
Notice in a field: The farmer allows walkers to cross the field for free, but the bull charges
Message on a leaflet: If you cannot read, this leaflet will tell you how to get lessons
Sign at Norfolk farm gate: Beware! I shoot every tenth trespasser and the ninth one has just left
Spotted in a toilet in a London office block: Toilet out of order. Please use floor below
Seen in a watch shop: Please wait patiently to be served. I only have two hands