Monday 27 August 2012

Ambiguity in language

Would it ever be possible to create a human language free of ambiguity? That is, each concept has exactly one way to express it, and each expression matches only one thought concept? My feeling is that, if you did so, you would have drained all of the colour, subtlety and nuance out of the language. It would be the most basic form of language possible, without the ability to express much complexity or beauty at all. So ambiguous language, as frustrating as it can be, is probably essential for the expression of complexity, beauty and subtlety. If there were no ambiguity, there could be no metaphor, and therefore no poetry.

Mokalus of Borg

PS - And I don't think humans are wired that way.
PPS - We are born to misunderstand each other.

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