由于我們中國(guó)留學(xué)生初到國(guó)外留學(xué)不具備國(guó)外的寫作思維模式和習(xí)慣，往往在完成的Assignment會(huì)有很多錯(cuò)誤被老師詬病，其中模棱兩可的歧義現(xiàn)象非常普遍，這是因?yàn)槲覀兞魧W(xué)生對(duì)單詞的理解和使用不夠嫻熟，之前的中文語法影響，經(jīng)常出現(xiàn)句意的模棱兩可。今天我們小編就通過一些實(shí)際的案例來為大家分析該在Assignment寫作的時(shí)候避免出現(xiàn)的歧義問題。

　　例1：He noticed a large stain in the rug that was right in the center.

　　分析：這一句中的that可以指代rug，表示rug在(房子的)中心;也可以修飾a large stain in the rug這個(gè)整體(也就是stain)，表示stain在rug的中心，所以這就會(huì)造成歧義現(xiàn)象。

　　我們建議修改為：He noticed a large stain right in the center of the rug.

　　例2：You can call your mother in London and tell her all about George’s taking you out to dinner for just two dollars.

　　分析：這一句中的for just two dollars到底是指George’s taking you out to dinner花了two dollars，還是指call your mother花了two dollars?好像都可以。如果要表示打電話花了two dollars，建議把two dollars放到最前面。

　　我們建議修改：For just two dollars you can call your mother in London and tell her all about George’s taking you out to dinner.

　　例3：There was a stir in the audience that suggested disapproval.

　　分析：這一句的讀者也面臨著that是修飾audience還是a stir in the audience(即stir)的疑惑。

　　我們建議修改：A stir that suggested disapproval swept the audience.

　　例4：A proposal to amend the Sherman Act,which has been variously judged.

　　分析：看到這句，which是指the Sherman Act還是proposal?用英文來說就是This sentence leaves the reader wondering whether it is the proposal or the Act that has been variously judged.所以可以把關(guān)系從句放到前面。

　　小編建議修改：A proposal,which has been variously judged,to amend the Sherman Act….

　　例5：The grandson of William Henry Harrison,who

　　分析：這句話中who的修飾對(duì)象也是模棱兩可

　　我們建議修改：William Henry Harrison’s grandson,Benjamin Harrison,who

　　例6：All the members were not present.

　　分析：這句話很有迷惑性，感覺是“所有成員都沒在場(chǎng)”的意思，但其實(shí)它的意思是：“不是所有成員都在場(chǎng)”。如果有要表達(dá)“所有成員都沒在場(chǎng)”,一般是寫成：None of the members were not present.正是由于這種表達(dá)實(shí)在是別扭，母語人士用得也不多。

　　我們建議修改：Not all the members were present.

　　例7：She only found two mistakes.

　　分析：Only是修飾two的，所以讓only和two挨在一起更好：

　　我們建議修改：She found only two mistakes.

　　例8：The director said he hoped all members would give generously to the Fund at a meeting of the committee yesterday.

　　分析：在這句話中，at a meeting of the committee yesterday到底是指give generously to the Fund這個(gè)動(dòng)作發(fā)生的時(shí)間地點(diǎn)，還是指said這個(gè)動(dòng)作發(fā)生的時(shí)間地點(diǎn)?如果是指said的時(shí)間地點(diǎn)，不如放到最前面。

　　我們建議修改：At a meeting of the committee yesterday,the director said he hoped all members would give generously to the Fund.

　　例9：Major R.E.Joyce will give a lecture on Tuesday evening in Bailey Hall,to which the public is invited on“My Experiences in Mesopotamia”at 8:00 P.M.

　　分析：”My Experiences in Mesopotamia”是lecture的主題，但是現(xiàn)在和lecture相隔很遠(yuǎn);public is invited on感覺有點(diǎn)怪異。經(jīng)過一些列調(diào)整，

　　我們建議修改：On Tuesday evening at eight,Major R.E.Joyce will give a lecture in Bailey Hall on“My Experiences in Mesopotamia.”The public is invited.

　　分析：首先把時(shí)間放在了句首，由于有了evening，P.M.也可以省去;give a lecture in Bailey Hall on“My Experiences in Mesopotamia.”和give a lecture on“My Experiences in Mesopotamia”in Bailey Hall這兩種表達(dá)都可以，但是”My Experiences in Mesopotamia”比Bailey Hall長(zhǎng)，英文中一般傾向于把較長(zhǎng)的結(jié)構(gòu)甩在后面。最后，The public is invited另起一句。

　　總之，大家在Assignment寫作的時(shí)候要避免歧義，就要保證所寫句子在語法層面只有一種理解方式;如果不能保證在語法層面只有一種理解方式，那就要確保通過上下文很容易排除其他的理解方式，且目前的句式更優(yōu)。