NEWSPAPER HEADLINES FOR SYNTAX

Read each of the following sentences carefully and decide the two ways in which the phrase structure may be interpreted in order to provide the two ambiguous interpretations. Use brackets on two copies of each headline to demonstrate the structural cause of the ambiguity. For example:


Soviet virgin lands short of goal again

[Soviet virgin lands]NP[fall short of goalVP again]S
[Soviet virgin]NP [lands short of goalVP again]S

Be prepared to diagram these examples on the board in class.

Syntactically Ambiguous News Headlines
1. British Left Waffles on Falkland Islands
2. Dr. Ruth to Talk about Sex with Newspaper Editors
3. Lung Cancer in Women Mushrooms
4. Teacher Strikes Idle Kids
5. Stud Tires Out
6. Soviet Virgin Lands Short of Goal Again
7. Shot Off Woman's Leg Helps Nicklaus to 66
8. Reagan Wins on Budget, but More Lies Ahead
9. Enraged Cow Injures Farmer with Axe
10. Miners Refuse to Work after Death
11. Squad Helps Dog Bite Victim
12. Juvenile Court Tries Shooting Defendant
13. Stolen Painting Found by Tree
14. Killer Sentenced to Die for Second Time in 10 Years
15. Drunk Drivers Paid $1,000 in 1984
16. Grandmother of Eight Makes Hole in One
17. Stiff opposition expected to casketless funeral plan
18. Two Convicts Evade Noose, Jury Hung
19. Squad helps dog bite victim
20. Dealers will Hear Car Talk at Noon
21. Enraged Cow Injures Farmer with Ax
22. Milk Drinkers are Turning to Powder
23. NJ Judge to Rule on Nude Beach