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修辞的另一条重要原则是要求表意明确，而不是模棱两可。一句话如果既可作这样解释，又可作那样解释，这就叫做歧义。引起歧义的原因是多种多样。其中重要的一种是句子成分之间的关系不明确，特别是照应关系、修饰关系、比较关系不明确往往引起歧义。照应必须有被照应的对象，修饰也必有被修饰的对象，如果这些关系搞不清，意思就含糊不明。因此，关系明确是避免歧义的重要方法。
一、处理好照应关系
英语中代词照应是照应关系中最重要的。处理好照应关系是理解篇章的最基本的前提。如：
Since my grandfather was a doctor, it is not surprising that I have chosen that for a job.
在这里第二个that所指不明，不论是指doctor, 还是指my grandfather was doctor, 在本句中都讲不明。因此在这个句中，have chosen 的宾语以不用代词为宜：
Since my grandfather was a doctor, it is not surprising that I have chosen medicine for my job.
再如：
The players and umpires (裁判)know one another well and sometimes they call them by their first names.
这个并列句后半部的they, them, their含义不明。如果是运动员对他们认识的裁判员有时直呼其名，可以说：
Players who know umpires well sometimes call them by their first names.
如果是裁判员对他们认识的运动员有时直呼其名，那就说：
Knowing the players well, the umpires sometimes call them by their first names.
二、处理好修饰关系
关于名词修饰语和状语(特别是副词)的位置问题，这里再从修辞角度作一些补充。
状语的位置如果处理不当往往会引起歧义。如：
I have followed the advice sincerely given by the teacher.
The woman scolded the boy for playing with fire bitterly.
上述诸句中，sincerely, bitterly 叫“偏斜修饰语”，因为它们在句中位置不正，以致sincerely既可理解为修饰followed, 也可理解为修饰given；bitterly 本应修饰scolded，但在句中却好象在修饰playing，从而产生了歧义。这些修饰语的位置应作如下调整：
I have sincerely followed the advice given by the teacher.
The woman bitterly scolded the boy for playing with matches.
再如：
He sent us the full story of his rescue from Lake of the Ozarks(美国奥沙克湖).
在这里from Lake of the Ozarks既可理解为修饰sent，也可理解修饰his rescue。根据“靠近”的原则，可将该句调整如下：
He sent us from the Ozarks the full story of his rescue.
三、避免中途改变语态或主语
在主动结构和被动结构的使用上，一般修辞原则是要保持前后一致。如果中途改变语态，则往往意义不明。如：
He left the examination after his answer had been checked.
这句话，主句用了主动结构，从句忽然改为被动结构，这样一来，到底是谁“核对子答案”便不明确了。要改进这个句子，最好把前后的动词语态一致起来，从而主语也一致了：
He left the exmination after he had checked his answer.
再如：
As the guests entered the church, proper seats were arranged by the ushers leading them.(迎客的人).
这句话的毛病是中途改变主语，以致“座位指定给谁”，含义不明。应将前后主语一致起来，尽管语态有变，但不影响意义：
As the guests entered the church, they were led to the proper seats by the ushers.
四、处理好比较关系
比较关系也是一种修饰关系。比较结构如果不完整或不确切也会引出歧义。请观察：
He is as tall, if not taller, than his brother.
在这句话中，比较结构不完全，因为不可能说He is as tall than his brother, 而只能说as tall as his brother。 所以这句话应该调整为：
He is as tall as his brother, if not taller.
或调整为：
He is as tall, if not taller , as his brother.
再如：
Leonardo had one of the greatest, if not the greatest minds of all times.
这个最高级结构也是不完全的，从而非常费解，因为在这里有两个名词词组“one of the greatest minds”和“the greatest mind”。应补足为：
Leonardo had one of the greatest minds, if not the greatest mind, of all times.
有时，比较结构不完全，导致表意不合逻辑。如：
Her salary was lower than a typist.
怎么会一个人的薪水比打字员低呢？应该说成：
Her salary was lower than that of a typist.
或者：Her salary was lower than a typist’s.
再如：
The food here costs no more than any other resaurant.
这句话从字面上看可以理解为The food here costs no more than any other restaurant costs, 这样以来，就变成拿食品价格和其它饭店的相比了，显然不合逻辑。应该拿这里的食品价格和任何其它饭店的食品相比：
The food here costs no more than (it does) at any other restaurant.
由上述诸例可以看出，在使用比较结构时，必须把被比较的对象明确起来。如果被比较的对象不明确，那就意义含糊。如：
Claremont is farther from Los Angeles than Pomona.
这句话的意思很含糊。到底是Claremont 距离Los Angeles 比Pomona 距离Los Angeles 远呢？还是Claremont距离Los Angeles 比Claremont距离Pomona远呢？如果是前一种意思，应该说成：Claremont is farther from Los Angeles than Pomona is.
如果是后一种意思，则应该说：
Claremont is farther from Los Angeles than it is from Pomona.
有时，在比较结构中使用than any…不当，其表意不合逻辑。如： For many years the Empire State building was taller than any building in New York.
这句话不合逻辑，因为Empire State Building 坐落在纽约市。它怎能和包括它自己在内的纽约市建筑物相比呢？处理这类问题，只要在any之后加个other就可以了：
From many years the Empire State Building was taller than any other building in New York.
一、处理好照应关系
英语中代词照应是照应关系中最重要的。处理好照应关系是理解篇章的最基本的前提。如：
Since my grandfather was a doctor, it is not surprising that I have chosen that for a job.
在这里第二个that所指不明，不论是指doctor, 还是指my grandfather was doctor, 在本句中都讲不明。因此在这个句中，have chosen 的宾语以不用代词为宜：
Since my grandfather was a doctor, it is not surprising that I have chosen medicine for my job.
再如：
The players and umpires (裁判)know one another well and sometimes they call them by their first names.
这个并列句后半部的they, them, their含义不明。如果是运动员对他们认识的裁判员有时直呼其名，可以说：
Players who know umpires well sometimes call them by their first names.
如果是裁判员对他们认识的运动员有时直呼其名，那就说：
Knowing the players well, the umpires sometimes call them by their first names.
二、处理好修饰关系
关于名词修饰语和状语(特别是副词)的位置问题，这里再从修辞角度作一些补充。
状语的位置如果处理不当往往会引起歧义。如：
I have followed the advice sincerely given by the teacher.
The woman scolded the boy for playing with fire bitterly.
上述诸句中，sincerely, bitterly 叫“偏斜修饰语”，因为它们在句中位置不正，以致sincerely既可理解为修饰followed, 也可理解为修饰given；bitterly 本应修饰scolded，但在句中却好象在修饰playing，从而产生了歧义。这些修饰语的位置应作如下调整：
I have sincerely followed the advice given by the teacher.
The woman bitterly scolded the boy for playing with matches.
再如：
He sent us the full story of his rescue from Lake of the Ozarks(美国奥沙克湖).
在这里from Lake of the Ozarks既可理解为修饰sent，也可理解修饰his rescue。根据“靠近”的原则，可将该句调整如下：
He sent us from the Ozarks the full story of his rescue.
三、避免中途改变语态或主语
在主动结构和被动结构的使用上，一般修辞原则是要保持前后一致。如果中途改变语态，则往往意义不明。如：
He left the examination after his answer had been checked.
这句话，主句用了主动结构，从句忽然改为被动结构，这样一来，到底是谁“核对子答案”便不明确了。要改进这个句子，最好把前后的动词语态一致起来，从而主语也一致了：
He left the exmination after he had checked his answer.
再如：
As the guests entered the church, proper seats were arranged by the ushers leading them.(迎客的人).
这句话的毛病是中途改变主语，以致“座位指定给谁”，含义不明。应将前后主语一致起来，尽管语态有变，但不影响意义：
As the guests entered the church, they were led to the proper seats by the ushers.
四、处理好比较关系
比较关系也是一种修饰关系。比较结构如果不完整或不确切也会引出歧义。请观察：
He is as tall, if not taller, than his brother.
在这句话中，比较结构不完全，因为不可能说He is as tall than his brother, 而只能说as tall as his brother。 所以这句话应该调整为：
He is as tall as his brother, if not taller.
或调整为：
He is as tall, if not taller , as his brother.
再如：
Leonardo had one of the greatest, if not the greatest minds of all times.
这个最高级结构也是不完全的，从而非常费解，因为在这里有两个名词词组“one of the greatest minds”和“the greatest mind”。应补足为：
Leonardo had one of the greatest minds, if not the greatest mind, of all times.
有时，比较结构不完全，导致表意不合逻辑。如：
Her salary was lower than a typist.
怎么会一个人的薪水比打字员低呢？应该说成：
Her salary was lower than that of a typist.
或者：Her salary was lower than a typist’s.
再如：
The food here costs no more than any other resaurant.
这句话从字面上看可以理解为The food here costs no more than any other restaurant costs, 这样以来，就变成拿食品价格和其它饭店的相比了，显然不合逻辑。应该拿这里的食品价格和任何其它饭店的食品相比：
The food here costs no more than (it does) at any other restaurant.
由上述诸例可以看出，在使用比较结构时，必须把被比较的对象明确起来。如果被比较的对象不明确，那就意义含糊。如：
Claremont is farther from Los Angeles than Pomona.
这句话的意思很含糊。到底是Claremont 距离Los Angeles 比Pomona 距离Los Angeles 远呢？还是Claremont距离Los Angeles 比Claremont距离Pomona远呢？如果是前一种意思，应该说成：Claremont is farther from Los Angeles than Pomona is.
如果是后一种意思，则应该说：
Claremont is farther from Los Angeles than it is from Pomona.
有时，在比较结构中使用than any…不当，其表意不合逻辑。如： For many years the Empire State building was taller than any building in New York.
这句话不合逻辑，因为Empire State Building 坐落在纽约市。它怎能和包括它自己在内的纽约市建筑物相比呢？处理这类问题，只要在any之后加个other就可以了：
From many years the Empire State Building was taller than any other building in New York.