Question

amphibology noun A venerable old word in English, amphibology is from Greek amphibolos (via Late Latin and Latin). Amphibolos, from amphi- ("both") and ballein ("to throw"), literally means "encompassing" or "hitting at both ends"; figuratively it means "ambiguous." Amphibology is an equivocator's friend. An editor who has been sent an unsolicited manuscript to critique, for example, might reply, "I shall lose no time in reading your book." Or a dinner guest who feels the onset of heartburn might say something like, "Ah, that was a meal I shall not soon forget!" But amphibology’s ambiguity can be unintended and undesirable as well, as in "When Mom talked to Judy, she said she might call her back the next day." (Who said who might call whom back?) : a sentence or phrase that can be interpreted in more than one way

Accepted Answer

March 30, 2015 am-fuh-BAH-luh-jee Still feeling some of the effects of her recent cold, Tara was bemused by the amphibology on the café's menu: "Try our soup-you won't get better."   "I have started an amphibology collection: my favourite to date is the garage that advertises its services with the words: 'Why go anywhere else to be robbed?'" - Jonathan Ford, Financial Times, July 27, 2012

Word	amphibology
Date	March 30, 2015
Type	noun
Syllables	am-fuh-BAH-luh-jee
Etymology	A venerable old word in English, amphibology is from Greek amphibolos (via Late Latin and Latin). Amphibolos, from amphi- ("both") and ballein ("to throw"), literally means "encompassing" or "hitting at both ends"; figuratively it means "ambiguous." Amphibology is an equivocator's friend. An editor who has been sent an unsolicited manuscript to critique, for example, might reply, "I shall lose no time in reading your book." Or a dinner guest who feels the onset of heartburn might say something like, "Ah, that was a meal I shall not soon forget!" But amphibology’s ambiguity can be unintended and undesirable as well, as in "When Mom talked to Judy, she said she might call her back the next day." (Who said who might call whom back?)
Examples	Still feeling some of the effects of her recent cold, Tara was bemused by the amphibology on the café's menu: "Try our soup-you won't get better." "I have started an amphibology collection: my favourite to date is the garage that advertises its services with the words: 'Why go anywhere else to be robbed?'" - Jonathan Ford, Financial Times, July 27, 2012
Definition	: a sentence or phrase that can be interpreted in more than one way

Amphibology Means I Call March Noun Am Fuh Bah Luh Jee Venerable