Natural Languages are Ambiguous

The definition of "statement" assumes that a sentence conveys a single meaning. Actually in all natural languages many, if not most, sentences can be "interpreted" in a variety of ways with subtle or often great differences of meaning from one "interpretation" to another. Such sentences are said to be "ambiguous." Since a statement is identified with a meaning, ambiguous sentences may actually express more than one statement.

Thus before any logical analysis of an argument can begin, the sentences in which the argument is expressed must be given a single unambiguous meaning. For purposes of logic we may simply stipulate, by an arbitrary decision, which meaning is to be accorded the ambiguous sentence. In this context we need not be worried about whether this is the "right" or "correct" meaning.

However, for the purpose of interpreting a text, the concern of hermeneutics, then of course it is quite possible that one interpretation would be better than another. Generally speaking, the task of interpretation requires great sensitivity to meaning and cannot be reduced to simple rules; the result is usually controversial. However, the logical analysis of the argument -which results after the interpretive process gives each sentence a single unambiguous meaning- can often be reduced to a rule determined procedure, the result of which is uncontroversial.