L'ambiguïté : du fait de langue aux stratégies interlocutives

Abstract

In this paper, ambiguity is defined as a particular kind of non-biunivocal form-meaning relationship, namely a 'split univocity', which imposes a necessary but impossible choice on the hearer/reader. Ambiguity proceeds from either homonymy or polysemy, and is to be found at all levels of linguistic analysis – thus giving way to a typology of ambiguous facts. According to the situation, the hearer/reader and the speaker/writer are shown to use different possible strategies in order to cope with ambiguity.