Abstract

The ambiguity is a common linguistic phenomenon, referring to the same utterance with two or more understandings. In brief, it is a particular relation between a linguistic structural form and its meaning. The ambiguity exists in every language in the world, including English. English ambiguity can be classified into three categories：phonetic ambiguity, lexical ambiguity and pragmatic ambiguity.
Because of the uncertainty and polysemy of ambiguity, ambiguity has specific effects in language communication. In different language situations, some people intentionally utilize ambiguity to achieve some specific pragmatic purposes, while on other occasions, falsely or unconscious using of ambiguity really leads to misunderstanding or even offends others’ feeling. Ambiguity itself is a unity of opposites, with the positive aspect as well as the negative aspect. Up to now, many domestic, as well as international, scholars become interested in English ambiguity. They analyze and study the ambiguity from different point of view. And the research results have essential effects.
Based on analyzing the classifications of ambiguity, this paper mainly discusses the positive functions of ambiguity from the following three aspects: aesthetic function, humorous function and communicative function. And then the writer is like to offer certain examples to introduce the negative function exiting in ambiguity. Hopefully this paper will lead people to handle ambiguity properly and utilize it to achieve humorous, ironic, euphemistic and witty effects.

Key words: ambiguity; pragmatic function; classification of ambiguity

摘  要

歧义是一种常见的语言现象，是指相同的话语具有两种或两种以上的理解。简单来说，就是语言结构形式与其意义之间的特殊关系。歧义存在于世界各个语言中，也包括英语。英语歧义可以分为三类：语音歧义、词义歧义和语义歧义。
由于歧义的不确定性和多义性，使得歧义在语言交流中具有独特的功效。在不同语言场合中，人们有意利用歧义以达到某种特殊的语用目的。然而，在某些场合中，错误地使用歧义或者无意歧义确实会导致误解，甚至伤害到他人。歧义本身是对立统一的，既有积极的一面，也有消极的一面。目前为止，许多国内外学者都对歧义产生了兴趣。他们从不同的角度对歧义加以分析、研究，其研究成果有着至关重要的作用。
本文在分析了歧义的分类的基础上，主要从美学功能、幽默功能和交际功能三方面探讨歧义所起到的正面影响，然后作者通过举例介绍了歧义存在的负面影响，旨在引导人们正确对待歧义、利用歧义达到幽默、讽刺、妙语连珠的语言效果。

关键词：歧义；语用功能；歧义的类型