Reading, Language, and Literature, Part 22

Question 1: Define ambiguity in detail.

Answer 1: Historically, ambiguity in writing was generally viewed as an error or flaw. The word now means “a literary technique in which a word or phrase conveys two or more different meanings.” William Empson defines ambiguity as “any verbal nuance, however slight, which gives room for alternative reactions to the same piece of language.” Empson’s chief purpose in defining ambiguity was to note how this device affects the interpretation of poetry. Empson identified seven types of ambiguity, including the traditional meaning. These seven types of ambiguity each provide a different view of possible interpretation of text in writing. Empson’s Seven Types of Ambiguity was the first detailed analysis of the phenomenon of multiple meanings, sometimes called plurisignation. Ambiguity can be a useful device for some types of writing but does lend itself to informative or persuasive text.

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Question 2: Discuss the recursive nature of the writing process.

Answer 2: The process of writing is described as recursive. This means that the goals and parts of the writing process are often a seamless flow, constantly influencing each other without clear boundaries. The steps in the writing process occur organically, with planning, drafting, and revising all taking place simultaneously, in no necessary or orderly fashion. The writer rarely pays attention to the recursive patterns. The process unfolds naturally, without attention or dependence on a predetermined sequence. The writing process is a series of recursive activities, which rarely occur in a linear fashion, rather moving back and forth between planning, drafting, revising, more planning, more drafting, polishing until the writing is complete. Forthcoming topics will cover many parts of the process individually, but they go on together as a seamless flow.

Question 3: Discuss conventions in writing.

Answer 3: Conventions in writing are traditional assumptions or practices used by authors of all types of text. Some basic conventions have survived through the centuries, for example, the assumption that a first-person narrator in a work is telling the truth. Others, such as having characters in melodramas speak in asides to the audience, have become outmoded. Conventions are particularly important in specialized types of writing that demand specific formats and styles. This is true of scientific and research papers, as well as much of academic and business writing. This formality has relaxed somewhat in several areas but still holds true for many fields of technical writing. Conventions are particularly useful for writers working in various types of nonfiction writing, in which guidelines help the writer conform to the rules expected for that field. Conventions are part of the unspoken contract between writer and audience, and they should be respected.

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