Using multiple verbs with multiple nouns

Question

In a sentence which uses multiple verbs and multiple nouns, is there a way to logically show which verb corresponds to which noun(s)?

E.g.

 1. I like to buy and eat fish and chips.

(Both verbs apply to both nouns.)

 2. I like to drink and watch football and cricket.

(Second verb applies to both nouns. The first applies to neither.)

Do we have to rely entirely on context?

Answer 1

For sentences structured like the example - you are right, context (and pragmatics) are all: without any context to suggest otherwise, "buy" needs an object, so the object must be shared, and since "football and cricket" is not a suitable object for "drink", we understand the intransitive sense of that verb (to drink alcohol).

For situations where confusion might arise, there are plenty of possible strategies to make it clear what is intended, for example:

I like to buy fish and chips and eat it.

I like to drink and I like to watch football and cricket.

I like to drink while watching football and cricket.

I like to watch football and cricket and drink. (here we assume the speaker doesn't like watching drink!)

Answer 2

In some contexts "respectively" will resolve the ambiguity, but not in all (eg your second example), so it is not a general solution.