Scribe of wisdom

Amphibology

>A sentence or phrase that can be interpreted in more than one way.
>Double or doubtful meaning; ambiguity, esp. from uncertain grammatical construction.

It is derived from amphi- (“both”) and ballein (“to throw”), literally means “encompassing” or “hitting at both ends”; figuratively it means “ambiguous.”

Example

>When Mom talked to Judy, she said she might call her back the next day
(Who said who might call whom back? That’s not clear)

>They are flying planes’
(This means either that someone is flying planes or that something is flying planes)

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