Questions tagged [ambiguity]
The ambiguity tag has no usage guidance.
8
questions
1
vote
1
answer
72
views
A way to make the grammatical number of accusative nouns after a proper name in the genitive case unambiguous without using ''von''?
For example:
Wir haben Toms Schlüssel gefunden.
could mean ''We have found Tom's keys.'', as well as ''We have found Tom's key.''
Is there a way to make it unambiguous without using the following ...
- 69
1
vote
5
answers
270
views
In what context does the apparent meaning of "ausreichend" make sense
The Goethe Institut vocabulary list for B1 level includes the word »ausreichend«, which I understand to have general correspondence to the English idea of sufficient, or enough.
However, the example ...
- 1,417
5
votes
1
answer
66
views
Two possible meanings: identify how the sentence is meant
Aus einem Kinderlied:
"Die Gans hat sieben Küken und jedes hat sie lieb."
The second part of the sentence could be read in two ways:
Die Gans hat jedes Küken lieb.
Jedes Küken hat die Gans ...
- 153
3
votes
2
answers
162
views
Unambiguous or clear meaning?
I'm an English native speaker living in Germany. My wife is German.
I received an Email with the following short sentence.
I got the meaning wrong. Was told I was an idiot for getting it.
So dear ...
- 141
8
votes
5
answers
286
views
Wie den uneindeutigen Superlativ von "nahe", eindeutig machen?
Sei x = 4,2, was ist die nächste natürliche Zahl?
Da »nächste« nicht zwischen räumlicher/absoluter Distanz (am wenigsten weit entfernt) und zeitlich/sequentieller Abfolge (unmittelbar folgend) ...
- 203
6
votes
1
answer
329
views
Ambiguous Compound Words
In German, different words can combine to form longer, more descriptive compound words. Are there any German compound words that have an ambiguous meaning?
A possibility I've thought of:
If "__" is ...
13
votes
4
answers
4k
views
Who was married?
I'm seeking clarity on a passage written by Ivan Fedorovich Kruzenshtern, the captain of the first Russian around-the-world voyage. He wrote an account of his trip and there's a point in it that I don'...
- 231
5
votes
1
answer
169
views
Ambiguity in a subordinate clause
Die Schauspielerin, die nicht nur die Männer, sondern auch viele Frauen vergötterten
According to my book, this translates as:
The actress, whom not only the men, but also many women adored
I ...
- 771