The analysis of ambiguity in English language based on structural grammar

摘要

Ambiguity, a common phenomenon in English language, presents in various levels such as phonological ambiguity, lexical ambiguity, and grammatical ambiguity. This paper introduces relevant theories of structural grammar, classifying ambiguity into three levels: phonological ambiguity, morphological ambiguity and syntactic ambiguity. By employing structural grammar, this paper analyzes different forms of ambiguity via diagramming, and further discusses their pragmatic functions in context. The main purpose of this paper is to arouse English learners' attention to ambiguity in English language and promote their awareness of using ambiguity in a proper way.