What is the different between ambiguity and vagueness in semantics ?

Ambiguity and vagueness are two different types of interpretive uncertainty in semantics.

**Ambiguity** is when a word or sentence has multiple possible meanings. For example, the sentence "I will meet you at the bank" could mean that you will meet the person at a financial institution or at the edge of a river.

**Vagueness** is when the boundaries of a word's meaning are not well-defined. For example, the word "tall" can be used to describe someone who is 6 feet tall or someone who is 7 feet tall. It is not clear where the boundary between "tall" and "not tall" is.

Here is a table that summarizes the key differences between ambiguity and vagueness:

| Characteristic | Ambiguity | Vagueness |

|---|---|---|

| Type of uncertainty | Multiple possible meanings | Unclear boundaries of meaning |

| Examples | "I will meet you at the bank." | "He is tall." |

| Effect on communication | Can lead to misunderstandings | Can lead to disagreements about the truth of a statement |

It is important to note that ambiguity and vagueness can sometimes overlap. For example, the sentence "I will meet you at the bank" is both ambiguous and vague. It is ambiguous because the word "bank" could have multiple meanings. It is vague because the boundaries of the meaning of the word "bank" are not well-defined.

Ambiguity and vagueness are both important concepts in semantics because they can affect the way we communicate and understand each other. It is important to be aware of these concepts so that we can avoid misunderstandings and communicate more effectively.

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Another explanation 

Ambiguity and vagueness are two closely related concepts in semantics, but they are distinct.

• Ambiguity is a property of a word or phrase that has more than one meaning. For example, the word "bank" can refer to a financial institution or the side of a river. The sentence "I'm going to the bank" is ambiguous because it could mean that you are going to deposit money or that you are going for a walk along the river.
• Vagueness is a property of a word or phrase whose meaning is not clearly defined. For example, the word "tall" is vague because there is no clear height that makes someone tall. The sentence "He is tall" is vague because it is not clear how tall the person is.

Ambiguity and vagueness can be difficult to distinguish from each other, but there are a few key differences.

• Ambiguous words and phrases have multiple distinct meanings, while vague words and phrases have a single meaning that is not clearly defined.
• Ambiguity is often resolved by considering the context in which a word or phrase is used, while vagueness is more difficult to resolve. For example, the ambiguity of the sentence "I'm going to the bank" can be resolved by considering who is speaking and what their intentions are. However, the vagueness of the sentence "He is tall" cannot be resolved without more information about the person's height.
• Ambiguity is often used intentionally in language, for example in poetry or literature. Vagueness, on the other hand, is often unintentional and can lead to confusion.

Here are some more examples of ambiguity and vagueness:

Ambiguity:

• The word "left" can mean either the opposite of right or the past tense of the verb "to leave."
• The sentence "I saw the man with the telescope" is ambiguous because it is not clear whether the man was holding the telescope or whether the speaker was looking at the man through the telescope.

Vagueness:

• The word "tall" is vague because there is no clear height that makes someone tall.
• The word "soon" is vague because it does not specify a specific time.
• The sentence "The government should provide healthcare for all" is vague because it does not specify what kind of healthcare should be provided or who should be eligible for it.

Both ambiguity and vagueness can be challenging for language users, but they are also important parts of language. Ambiguity can be used to create new meanings and to add interest and complexity to communication. Vagueness can be used to make statements more general and to avoid making overly specific claims.