“Syntactic Ambiguity”
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What is Syntactic Ambiguity?
When a sentence has multiple interpretations depending on grammar, punctuation, or emphasis.
Business Application
There is a whole industry designed around removing ambiguity from agreements (legal contracts). This is because when making an agreement or conducting a transaction, it is essential that both parties have clear expectations. Reviewing a sentence for potential ambiguity will expose any potential ill-intent and save you from major headaches.
Example
“Earn a salary, commission or bonuses!”
Why This is a Fallacy
A job listing with this language may be interpreted as a salary with bonuses (or commission.) It may also be interpreted as commission only with the potential for salary (or bonuses.) One situation is much less desirable than the other.
