Mary is not, like her mother, a well-educated woman.

[Yurui Liu]

Hi,

Are the following sentences ambiguous?

a. Mary is not, like her mother, a well-educated woman.
b. Mary is not a well-educated woman, like her mother.
c. Mary is not a well-educated woman like her mother.
d. Mary is not a well-educated woman, just like her mother.

I'd appreciate your help.

[bert]

Post by Yurui Liu
Hi,
Are the following sentences ambiguous?
a. Mary is not, like her mother, a well-educated woman.
b. Mary is not a well-educated woman, like her mother.
c. Mary is not a well-educated woman like her mother.
d. Mary is not a well-educated woman, just like her mother.
I'd appreciate your help.

All of them are ambiguous, although (b) is the least ambiguous.

While double negatives are sometimes dangerous, the meaning
is clear in "Unlike her mother, Mary is not a well-educated woman".

[Athel Cornish-Bowden]

Post by bert

Post by Yurui Liu
Hi,
Are the following sentences ambiguous?
a. Mary is not, like her mother, a well-educated woman.
b. Mary is not a well-educated woman, like her mother.
c. Mary is not a well-educated woman like her mother.
d. Mary is not a well-educated woman, just like her mother.
I'd appreciate your help.

All of them are ambiguous, although (b) is the least ambiguous.
While double negatives are sometimes dangerous, the meaning
is clear in "Unlike her mother, Mary is not a well-educated woman".

That's the natural way to express it, unless the intended meaning is
"Like her mother, Mary is a poorly educated woman"

[Paul Wolff]

On Sun, 24 Jan 2021, at 10:46:31, Athel Cornish-Bowden

Post by Athel Cornish-Bowden

Post by bert

Post by Yurui Liu
Are the following sentences ambiguous?
a. Mary is not, like her mother, a well-educated woman.
b. Mary is not a well-educated woman, like her mother.
c. Mary is not a well-educated woman like her mother.
d. Mary is not a well-educated woman, just like her mother.
I'd appreciate your help.

All of them are ambiguous, although (b) is the least ambiguous.
While double negatives are sometimes dangerous, the meaning
is clear in "Unlike her mother, Mary is not a well-educated woman".

That's the natural way to express it, unless the intended meaning is
"Like her mother, Mary is a poorly educated woman"

Interesting responses. I don't agree with either.

a. Mary is not, like her mother, a well-educated woman.
Omit the first comma and we read that Mary is not like her
mother, who is a well-educated woman. I'd take the comma after
'not' as just confusing the intention.

b. Mary is not a well-educated woman, like her mother.
Not ambiguous. Neither Mary nor her mother is well-educated.
The placement of the comma means that Mary is not well-educated
and is like her mother.

c. Mary is not a well-educated woman like her mother.
Not ambiguous. Mary's mother is well-educated, but Mary is not.
There is nothing ambiguous in the phrase "a well-educated woman
like her mother". Mary is not such a woman.

d. Mary is not a well-educated woman, just like her mother.
Not ambiguous. Neither Mary nor her mother is well-educated.

[Quinn C]

Post by Paul Wolff
On Sun, 24 Jan 2021, at 10:46:31, Athel Cornish-Bowden

Post by Athel Cornish-Bowden

Post by bert

Post by Yurui Liu
Are the following sentences ambiguous?
a. Mary is not, like her mother, a well-educated woman.
b. Mary is not a well-educated woman, like her mother.
c. Mary is not a well-educated woman like her mother.
d. Mary is not a well-educated woman, just like her mother.
I'd appreciate your help.

All of them are ambiguous, although (b) is the least ambiguous.
While double negatives are sometimes dangerous, the meaning
is clear in "Unlike her mother, Mary is not a well-educated woman".

That's the natural way to express it, unless the intended meaning is
"Like her mother, Mary is a poorly educated woman"

Interesting responses. I don't agree with either.
a. Mary is not, like her mother, a well-educated woman.
Omit the first comma and we read that Mary is not like her
mother, who is a well-educated woman.

But then we don't know in what way she's unlike her mother - maybe not
as aggressive as her mother, or not as loyal?

Post by Paul Wolff
I'd take the comma after
'not' as just confusing the intention.

To me, it makes it unambiguous, but maybe I'm reading them as German
commas.