2 9 5
Equivocation
Poetry, songs, and jokes often intentionally exploit multiple meanings for
effect. Find examples in poems, songs, and jokes that you like. Are these
examples of ambiguity on the above definition? Why or why not?
Exercise III
- Time for Football and Meatball Stew
- Police Kill Man with Ax
- Squad Helps Dog Bite Victim
- Child Teaching Expert to Speak
- Prostitutes Appeal to Pope
- Legalized Outhouses Aired by Legislature
- Police Can’t Stop Gambling
- Judge Permits Club to Continue Sex Bar
- Greeks Fine Hookers
- Survivor of Siamese Twins Joins Parents
- Caribbean Islands Drift to the Left
- Teenage Prostitution Problem Is Mounting
- Miners Refuse to Work After Death
- Police Begin Campaign to Run Down Jaywalkers
- Red Tape Holds Up New Bridges
- Juvenile Court to Try Shooting Defendant
- Kids Make Nutritious Snacks
- Study of Obesity Looks for Larger Test Group
- Hospitals Sued by Seven Foot Doctors
- Local High School Dropouts Cut in Half
- Iraqi Head Seeks Arms
- Drunk Gets Nine Months in Violin Case
- Teacher Strikes Idle Kids
- British Left Waffles on Falkland Islands
- Stolen Painting Found by Tree
- New Vaccine May Contain Rabies
EqUIvoCATIon
Ambiguity can cause a variety of problems for arguments. Often it produces
hilarious or embarrassing side effects, and it is hard to get your arguments
taken seriously if your listeners are giggling over an unintended double
entendre in which one of the double meanings has risqué connotations.
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