The communicative function of ambiguity in language

Abstract

We present a general information-theoretic argument that all efficient communication systems will be ambiguous, assuming that context is informative about meaning. We also argue that ambiguity allows for greater ease of processing by permitting efficient linguistic units to be re-used. We test predictions of this theory in English, German, and Dutch. Our results and theoretical analysis suggest that ambiguity is a functional property of language that allows for greater communicative efficiency. This provides theoretical and empirical arguments against recent suggestions that core features of linguistic systems are not designed for communication. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Journal

Title: Cognition

Abbreviated Title: Cognition

Publisher: Elsevier BV

ISSN (Print): 00100277

Publication date Created: March 2012

Publication date (Print): March 2012

Volume: 122

Issue: 3

Pages: 280-291

Article

DOI: 10.1016/j.cognition.2011.10.004

PubMed ID: 22192697

Copyright statement: © 2012

License:

https://www.elsevier.com/tdm/userlicense/1.0/

Product

Self URI (article page): https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S0010027711002496