Influence Of Ambiguity Tolerance On Perception Of Ambiguity Caused By A Modifier

The phenomenon of ambiguity caused by a modifier is easily seen in English, yet it is seldom systematically explored in China.As an important aspect of language learning, ambiguity recognition and processing poses challenges to English majors. Are they able to recognize and process ambiguity? Will they tolerate ambiguity or see it as a threat? If learners can accept ambiguity calmly instead of regarding it as a threat, then they are tolerant of ambiguity, and the degree to which ambiguity tolerated is known as tolerance of ambiguity or ambiguity tolerance.Tolerance of ambiguity is an important factor that determines the level of learners'competence. It is commonly assumed that the higher the tolerance of ambiguity, the better the language learners will be.However, some scholars believe that good language learners are those who have moderate ambiguity tolerance. Through quantitative analysis, the author attempts to study English majors'competence in recognizing and processing ambiguity caused by a modifier, and the correlation between tolerance of ambiguity and the ability to recognize and process ambiguity.It is found that the overall competence of the subjects in recognizing and processing ambiguity is poor, and there is no correlation between tolerance of ambiguity and the ability to recognize and process ambiguity. A tentative conclusion drawn from the study is that neither too high nor too low tolerance of ambiguity is good for recognizing and processing ambiguity. Subjects who are relatively competent are those who have moderate tolerance of ambiguity.The study is of great significance because on the one hand, it helps learners to gain a deep insight into the nature of ambiguity; on the other hand, it sheds light on the English majors'competence in recognizing and processing of ambiguity caused by a modifier. It is hoped that the study will promote language learning and teaching.