1. Propositions.

2. Types of meaning

AMBIGUITY

Task 1. The following words have more than one meaning. (ambiguity)

1. Provide definitions for two of the meanings of the words.

2. For each meaning, give a clear example sentence.

A. run

B. bank

C. must

D. bright

E. old

Task 2. Find the ambiguity:

Example: Pat likes English poems and novels.

Reading 1: Pat likes poems in English and novels.

Reading 2: Pat likes English poems and English novels.

1. The police stopped the man with a gun.

2. Chris answered the question wisely.

3. They decided on the boat.

Task 3. Read and analyze the cartoon and state the meanings on it.
3. Entailment
For each pair of sentences, say whether the a sentence entails the b sentence and justify
your answers as well as you can. Where proper names or pronouns or similar
expressions are repeated in a and b, assume that the same individual is referred to in
each case; assume also that temporal expressions (like today and the present tense)
receive a constant interpretation. (USE THE NOTATION TO REPRESENT THE
ENTAILMET)

(1)  a. Today is sunny. b. Today is warm.

(2)  a. Jane ate oatmeal for breakfast this morning. b. Jane ate breakfast this morning.

(3)  a. Jane ate oatmeal for breakfast this morning. b. Jane ate something hot for
breakfast this morning.

(4)  a. Juan is not aware that Mindy is pregnant. b. Mindy is pregnant.

(5)  a. Every second-year student who knows Latin will get credit for it.
b. If John is a second-year student and knows Latin, he will get credit for it.

(6)  a. If Alice wins a fellowship, she can finish her thesis.
b. If Alice doesn’t win a fellowship, she can’t finish her thesis.

(7)  a. Maria and Marco are married.

b. Maria and Marco are married to each other.

(8)  a. Only Amy knows the answer. b. Amy knows the answer.