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Chapter 1. Introduction

How vague and ambiguous are vagueness and ambiguity?
  • Ilaria Fiorentini and Chiara Zanchi
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Vagueness, Ambiguity, and All the Rest
This chapter is in the book Vagueness, Ambiguity, and All the Rest

Abstract

The relationship between ambiguity and vagueness is traditionally considered rather complex. It is not always easy to distinguish between the two phenomena, and the two concepts may seem to overlap. This introduction aims to clarify what is generally understood by ambiguity and vagueness in previous scholarship and to emphasize the purpose of the volume, also in relation to the questions that remain open about the two phenomena. In presenting the chapters that make up the volume, an overview is given of how each of them responds to these questions. Finally, an attempt is made to draw some conclusions about the novel aspects brought about by the volume and possible future developments.

Abstract

The relationship between ambiguity and vagueness is traditionally considered rather complex. It is not always easy to distinguish between the two phenomena, and the two concepts may seem to overlap. This introduction aims to clarify what is generally understood by ambiguity and vagueness in previous scholarship and to emphasize the purpose of the volume, also in relation to the questions that remain open about the two phenomena. In presenting the chapters that make up the volume, an overview is given of how each of them responds to these questions. Finally, an attempt is made to draw some conclusions about the novel aspects brought about by the volume and possible future developments.

Chapters in this book

  1. 日本言語政策学会 / Japan Association for Language Policy. 言語政策 / Language Policy 10. 2014 i
  2. Table of contents v
  3. Chapter 1. Introduction 1
  4. Part I. Vagueness and ambiguity
  5. Chapter 2. The role of ambiguity and vagueness in language change 10
  6. Chapter 3. The role of ambiguity in intentional vagueness 29
  7. Chapter 4. Vagueness and ambiguity are very different (persuasion devices) 51
  8. Chapter 5. Ambiguity in discourse 84
  9. Part II. Vagueness and ambiguity in language change and use
  10. Chapter 6. Underspecification and ambiguity of voice markers 110
  11. Chapter 7. Vague stuff 148
  12. Chapter 8. Vagueness explored 177
  13. Chapter 9. Using ambiguity and vagueness to avoid problematic answers 208
  14. Chapter 10. Vagueness and ambiguity of perlocutionary effects in Prime Minister’s Question time sessions 234
  15. Chapter 11. Place names in legal texts 259
  16. Index 281
https://doi.org/10.1075/pbns.347.01fio

Chapters in this book

  1. 日本言語政策学会 / Japan Association for Language Policy. 言語政策 / Language Policy 10. 2014 i
  2. Table of contents v
  3. Chapter 1. Introduction 1
  4. Part I. Vagueness and ambiguity
  5. Chapter 2. The role of ambiguity and vagueness in language change 10
  6. Chapter 3. The role of ambiguity in intentional vagueness 29
  7. Chapter 4. Vagueness and ambiguity are very different (persuasion devices) 51
  8. Chapter 5. Ambiguity in discourse 84
  9. Part II. Vagueness and ambiguity in language change and use
  10. Chapter 6. Underspecification and ambiguity of voice markers 110
  11. Chapter 7. Vague stuff 148
  12. Chapter 8. Vagueness explored 177
  13. Chapter 9. Using ambiguity and vagueness to avoid problematic answers 208
  14. Chapter 10. Vagueness and ambiguity of perlocutionary effects in Prime Minister’s Question time sessions 234
  15. Chapter 11. Place names in legal texts 259
  16. Index 281
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