Final answer:
The term 'ambiguous' correctly fills the blank, indicating that language can have more than one meaning or underlying representation due to its surface structure.
Step-by-step explanation:
When language is ambiguous, surface structure can have more than one meaning or underlying representation. The correct answer is (C) ambiguous.
Language ambiguity occurs when a sentence or phrase has multiple interpretations due to its structure or word choice.
For example, the sentence 'I saw the man with a telescope' can be interpreted in different ways: either the speaker used a telescope to see the man, or the man had a telescope. In this case, 'ambiguous' refers to this potential for multiple interpretations, which is a common feature in natural language and often leveraged in literature and everyday communication for humor, nuance, or clarity purposes.
When language is ambiguous, surface structure can have more than one meaning or underlying representation. This means that a sentence or phrase can be interpreted in multiple ways, leading to confusion or different understandings of the message being conveyed.
For example, the sentence 'I saw her duck' can have two possible meanings - either the person saw a duck that belongs to her or the person saw her physically ducking (bending down). The ambiguity arises due to the multiple meanings of the word 'duck.'
Understanding and navigating language ambiguity is an important skill in linguistic analysis, literary interpretation, and effective communication.