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Post Closed as "Duplicate" by FumbleFingers, Edwin Ashworth, Chenmunka, Margana, tchrist
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kevin
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The purpose is not to dance like an elephant.

I see two ways of interpreting this sentence:

  1. It is incorrect to say that "dance like an elephant" is the goal.
  2. The objective is to prevent dancing like an elephant.

How should the sentence be re-written to avoid the ambiguity, if the desired meaning is (1) or (2), respectively?


Edit: perhaps I should give more context info about how this question came to me.

I want to write a document which should be referred to as a guideline rather than hard rules. I describe my intent with:

The purpose of this document is not to enforce rules or regulations.

However, I want to avoid the interpretation "the author wishes to stop enforcing rules and regulations".

The purpose is not to dance like an elephant.

I see two ways of interpreting this sentence:

  1. It is incorrect to say that "dance like an elephant" is the goal.
  2. The objective is to prevent dancing like an elephant.

How should the sentence be re-written to avoid the ambiguity, if the desired meaning is (1) or (2), respectively?

The purpose is not to dance like an elephant.

I see two ways of interpreting this sentence:

  1. It is incorrect to say that "dance like an elephant" is the goal.
  2. The objective is to prevent dancing like an elephant.

How should the sentence be re-written to avoid the ambiguity, if the desired meaning is (1) or (2), respectively?


Edit: perhaps I should give more context info about how this question came to me.

I want to write a document which should be referred to as a guideline rather than hard rules. I describe my intent with:

The purpose of this document is not to enforce rules or regulations.

However, I want to avoid the interpretation "the author wishes to stop enforcing rules and regulations".

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kevin
  • 234
  • 2
  • 7

Ambiguity of "... is not to ..."

The purpose is not to dance like an elephant.

I see two ways of interpreting this sentence:

  1. It is incorrect to say that "dance like an elephant" is the goal.
  2. The objective is to prevent dancing like an elephant.

How should the sentence be re-written to avoid the ambiguity, if the desired meaning is (1) or (2), respectively?