Amphiboly

Amphiboly is when a sentence can be read in two different ways because of its structure—e.g. unclear attachment of a phrase or ambiguous reference—and the argument uses the confusion. Grammar or word order makes the sentence ambiguous. The fallacy is to rely on one reading to draw a conclusion when the other reading would not support it, or to exploit the ambiguity to mislead. Fixing the grammar or rephrasing usually removes the ambiguity.

Examples

• The police shot the man with a gun.

• I saw the man on the hill with the telescope.

• The council will discuss rubbish in the meeting.

• She told her daughter she was leaving.

• The dog chased the cat that was eating the bird in the garden.