Are “vagueness” and “ambiguity” shortcomings of language or can they be viewed as positive aspects of language?
Language, as a form of communication and as a way of knowing, is incredibly essential to learning and understanding because of its amazing capabilities. Unlike other methods of communication, it has evolved to become complex, multifaceted, and deeply powerful through the limitless combination of words and associated intonations or metaphorical implications. However, with this, comes a level of “vagueness” or “ambiguity” to language that can be considered shortcomings or positive aspects, depending on the situation.
On one hand, vagueness or lack of specificity in language can hinder understanding and the accumulation of knowledge. Ambiguity and overly complex terminology are often used in situations such as the courtroom to sway public opinion through implied messages and subtleties; such manipulations of vagueness could have consequences as vast as affecting the lives of many. Another example of a potential shortcoming of vagueness in language, however, is the many possible interpretations that can be taken. For example, several different interpretations of the Bible, Qur’an, or other religious texts pursuing the truth have emerged over the past millennia, leading to disagreements, conflicts, and violence even to today.
On the other hand, the vagueness and ambiguity of language can contribute greatly to its flexibility, and therefore power, as a way of knowing. For example, language is often creatively utilized in great poetry and literature to not only describe situations or emotions, but convey the complexity of the human condition through connotative implications or ironic statements. And in contrast to the aforementioned negativity of multiple interpretations, its vagueness and ambiguity also allows it to apply to humans as a whole, by allowing different meanings to be interpreted from literature or other uses of language.
In the end, the characteristics of “vagueness” or “ambiguity” to language can be either construed as positive or negative, depending on the situation and use.
