Ambiguity

Ambiguity is the presence of two or more possible meanings in a single passage. Adjective: ambiguous.

In speech and writing, there are two basic types of ambiguity: (1) lexical ambiguity (the presence of two or more possible meanings within a single word) and (2) syntactic ambiguity (the presence of two or more possible meanings within a single sentence or sequence of words).
In addition, ambiguity is sometimes regarded as a fallacy (commonly known as equivocation) in which the same term is used in more than one way.

Difference Between Ambiguity and Vagueness

At first glance, it may seem that ambiguity and vagueness are nearly homonymic, as the definition of ambiguity allows for more than one potential conclusion. However, the possible interpretations of an ambiguous situation or phrase are limited and stem logically from the information presented. Vagueness, on the other hand, refers to a situation in which no interpretation can be successfully drawn because the information given is not clear enough.

Significance of Ambiguity in Literature

Ambiguity can be a powerful tool in literature when an author uses it intentionally. Ambiguous situations can force the reader to decide what happens in a story for him- or herself. This decision about which interpretation to choose thus reflects on the reader’s own psychology. If a reader is an optimistic person, for example, she or he might decide that things ended well, or if the reader has recently gone through a bad breakup he or she might decide that a betrayal was intentional rather than accidental. Authors sometimes write ambiguous endings in their books precisely to create situations that ask the reader to bring their own experience to bear to decide what happened.

Common Examples of Ambiguity

We experience ambiguity on a daily basis, whether in ordinary language and conversation, or while watching politicians or comedians. Here are some simple sentences that have more than one possible interpretation:

• The bark was painful. (Could mean a tree’s bark was rough or a dog’s bark communicated pain or hurt the listener’s ears).
• You should bring wine or beer and dessert. (Could mean that you must bring just wine, wine and dessert, or beer and dessert).
• Harry isn’t coming to the party. Tell Joe that we’ll see him next week. (The “him” could refer either to Harry or to Joe).

An example of an ambiguos expression is the word ‘pike’; it can mean a kind of fish, or it can mean a kind of weapon
            Interdeterminacy is quite a different concept.It was state above that the meaning of an expression fixes its connotation. The connotation of an expression must be possesed by each object in its denotation. In this way, an expression determines that object in tis denotation possess certain properties, namely, the properties which are its connotation and not possess certain others, namely, those incompetible with its connotation, it does not determine any other properties. It is with respect to these last properties that an expression is determine.

References :
http://semantics.uchicago.edu/kennedy/classes/s06/readings/gillon90.pdf
http://www.literarydevices.com/ambiguity/
http://grammar.about.com/od/terms/g/ambiguity.htm

Connotation, Denotation and Implication

If you want to discuss the meaning of a word, it helps to know the difference between denotation and connotation. These two terms are easy to confuse because they describe related concepts. Additionally, both denotation and connotation stem from the Latin word notāre, meaning “to note.”

The denotation of a word or phrase is its explicit or direct meaning. Another way to think of it is as the associations that a word usually elicits for most speakers of a language, as distinguished from those elicited for any individual speaker because of personal experience.

The connotation of a word or phrase is the associated or secondary meaning; it can be something suggested or implied by a word or thing, rather than being explicitly named or described.
For example, the words home and house have similar denotations or primary meanings: a home is “a shelter that is the usual residence of a person, family, or household,” and a house is “a building in which people live.” However, for many, these terms carry different associations or secondary meanings, also known as connotations. Many people would agree that home connotes a sense of belonging and comfort, whereas house conveys little more than a structure.

Implication is something implied or suggested as naturally to be inferred or understood.
The conclusion that can be drawn from something although it is not explicitly stated: the implication is that no one person at the bank is responsible

  Any implication that I am engaged in diversionary activity will be hotly denied.

  I don't disagree that economists said this, but his implication is that they were wrong.

  Most people would instinctively say no, and his implication in his article is that this crazy.

Use Implication in a sentence

 Cheryl’s hiding of her report card gave me the implication she had failed at least one of her classes.

When I saw the maître d’ staring at my jeans and tee shirt, I knew he was making an implication about my ability to afford a five-star meal.

Bill resented the implication he was a drug dealer simply because he carried a large amount of cash in his pockets.

When Ann received a gym membership as a gift from her husband, she took it as an implication she needed to lose weight.

The belt in my father’s hand was a clear implication I was in trouble.

Reference :
http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/implication
http://www.thefreedictionary.com/implication
http://wordsinasentence.com/implication-in-a-sentence/
http://blog.dictionary.com/denotation-and-connotation/

EUPHEMISM

EUPHEMISM

 A euphemism /ˈjufəˌmɪzəm/ is a generally innocuous word or expression used in place of one that may be found offensive or suggest something unpleasant. Euphemism is an idiomatic expression which loses its literal meanings and refers to something else in order to hide its unpleasantness. For example, “kick the bucket” is a euphemism that describes the death of a person. In addition, many organizations use the term “downsizing” for the distressing act of “firing” its employees.

Euphemism depends largely on the social context of the speakers and writers where they feel the need to replace certain words which may prove embarrassing for particular listeners or readers in a particular situation.

Eufemisme dalam bentuk kiasan :

1.Ambigu (untuk kotoran, situasi atau "seorang gadis dalam kesulitan" untuk kehamilan, pergi ke sisi lain untuk kematian, melakukannya atau datang bersama-sama dalam referensi untuk sebuah tindakan seksual, lelah dan emosional karena mabuk)

 2.Understatements ( "tidur" untuk "mati", "minum" untuk "mengkonsumsi alkohol", "sakit" untuk "terluka", dll)

3. Metafora ( "mengalahkan daging" atau "tersedak ayam" untuk masturbasi, "mengambil dump" dan "mengeringkan vena utama" untuk buang air besar dan buang air kecil masing-masing).

4.Perbandingan ( "roti" untuk "pantat", "gulma" untuk "ganja").

5.Metonymy ( "kehilangan orang" untuk "menghadapi kematian seseorang", "berlalu" untuk "mati", "kamar pria" untuk "toilet pria").

Eufemisme dapat digunakan sebagai strategi retoris, dalam hal tujuannya adalah untuk mengubah valensi deskripsi dari positif ke negatif.

Euphemism Examples in Everyday Life

Euphemism is frequently used in everyday life. Let us look at some common euphemism examples:

• You are becoming a little thin on top (bald).
• Our teacher is in the family way (pregnant).
• He is always tired and emotional (drunk).
• We do not hire mentally challenged (stupid) people.
• He is a special child (disabled or retarded).

Pemakaian Eufemisme  dalam Bidang adab atau Sopan Santun

Pemakaian eufemisme dalam adab atau sopan santun adalah pengungkapan rasa yang sesuai dengan keinginan masyarakat yang bersangkutan. Semua pengungkapan yang dapat melukai perasaan orang lain hendaklah dihindari. Untuk lebih  jelasnya, ha ltersebut dapat dilihat pada uraian berikut ini:

1. Kata yang Mengacu pada Pengertian Cacat

Kata yang mengacu pada pengertian cacat mengakibatkan menyinggung perasaan bagi orang yang menderita cacat. Misalnya, orang buta tidaksuka  disebut  picak ‘buta’ atau wuta ‘buta’. Untuk menghindari agar tidak menyinggung perasaan yang bersangkutan dibuatlah ungkapan lain, misalnya tunanetra.  Penyebutan untuk penderita cacat tertentu, baik mengenai kejasmanian atau kesusilaan akhir-akhir ini digunakan kata-kata tertentu untuk menghilangkan perasaan kasar yang ditimbulkan oleh kata-kata yang telah lama dikenal oleh masyarakat.Kata-kata itu misalnya tuna karya untuk menyebut orang yang tidak memiliki pekerjaan,

2.  Kata-Kata yang Mengacu pada Nilai 

Kata-kata yang mengacu pada nilai rasa jijik biasanya dituturkan dengan cara memperhalus kata. Kata nguyuh ‘kencing’ dan ngising ‘berak’ diperhalus dengan kata toyan ‘kencing’ dan bebucal ‘berak’ Kedua kata tersebutdiperhalus lagi dengan kata badhédhatengwingking ‘akan pergi kebelakang’. Tempat kencing dan berak disebut kakus ‘WC”.Kata kakus ‘WC’ menimbulkan nilai rasa jijik.Oleh karena itu, kata kakus diperhalus menjadi pekiwan. 

Contoh eufemisme:

1. orang itu telah berubah akal (tidak waras)
2. ia telah pergi mendahului kita (meninggal)

3. putera bapak memang agak ketinggalan (kurangpintar)
4. karena tidak disiplin, pegawai tersebut diistirahatkan (di pecat)

5. banyak penduduk di negara tersebut ,kekurangan makanan ( kelaparan )

Kesimpulan

Berdasarkan kajian bahwa eufemisme diucapkan dengan maksud untuk memperhalus tuturan agar informasi yang diberikan bersifat negatif, yaitu dapat menimbulkan marah, tidak sopan, dan menimbulkan rasa tersinggung sehingga tidak ada tenggang rasa. Sehubungan dengan hal itu, digunakan suatu cara tertentu agar informasi negative itu tetap disampaikan tetapi tidak menyinggung perasaan bagi penerima informasi. Salah satu yang dapat digunakan adalah dengan pemakaian eufemisme, semacam acuan berupa ungkapan-ungkapan yang halus untuk menggantikan acuan-acuan yang mungkin dirasakan menyinggung, menghina, atau menyugestikan sesuatu yang tidak menyenangkan.
Eufemisme dalam bahasa Jawa antara lain digunakan dalam bidang kesehatan, sosial, kepercayaan, dan sopan santun.

References

https://id.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eufemisme

          http://www.kompasiana.com/rijal_paddaitu/eufemisme-sopan-santun-yang-menipu_5500f1608133110e51fa76df

          http://literarydevices.net/euphemism/

          https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Euphemism