Keywords

Ambiguity, Wordplays, Language structure, Structural ambiguities

Abstract

Competent writers usually avoid ambiguity, but there are some types of writing tasks such as advertising in which a writer might actually want to create ambiguous wordplays. Among the most interesting of the wordplays are those which involve structural ambiguities. In the natural course of brainstorming, advertisers will occasionally generate structural ambiguities, but a more conscious understanding of the structure of a language could make the generation of such ambiguities easier. The English language contains some characteristics and patterns which contribute significantly toward creating structural ambiguities. And if ad writers know where to focus their attention, structurally ambiguous wordplays can be generated more from design than happenstance. This article examines some of the structural features of the language which could prove useful to advertisers who wish to create deliberate structural ambiguities.

Original Publication Citation

“Structural Ambiguities and Written Advertisements: An Inventory of Tools for More Resourceful Advertisements in English." The Journal of Technical Writing and Communication. 25:4 (1995). 371-92.

Document Type

Peer-Reviewed Article

Publication Date

1995

Publisher

SAGE Publications

Language

English

College

Humanities

Department

Linguistics

University Standing at Time of Publication

Full Professor

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Included in

Linguistics Commons

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