Amphibology

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Amphibology or amphiboly (from the Greek amphibolia) is, in logic, a verbal fallacy arising from ambiguity in the grammatical structure of a sentence.

For example:

Teenagers shouldn't be allowed to drive. It's getting too dangerous on the streets.

From the above statement it could be interpreted that teenagers shouldn't drive because they will be in danger, or that they shouldn't drive as they are causing all the danger.

or

I once shot an elephant in my pajamas.

A famous quote by Groucho Marx from the comedic film Animal Crackers, it is unclear if the speaker shot the elephant while wearing pajamas or if the elephant was in the speaker's pajamas.

It occurs frequently in poetry, owing to the alteration for metrical reasons of the natural order of words; for example, Shakespeare, in Henry VI:

The duke yet lives that Henry shall depose. (1.4.30).

Marlowe in Edward II provides an equally famous example:

Edwardum occidere nolite timere bonum est.

Depending on how the reader punctuates this line, this can be interpreted as Edward's death sentence, or as an order to preserve Edward's life

Fear not to kill the king, 'tis good he die... kill not the king, 'tis good to fear the worst. (5.4.8-11)

[edit] Other examples of amphibology

Dog for sale. Will eat anything. Especially fond of children.

At our drugstore, we dispense with accuracy!

(Professor to student, on receiving a fifty-page term paper): "I shall waste no time reading it." (Often attributed to Spooner)