amphiboly
/æmˈfɪbəli/
grammatical ambiguity allowing multiple interpretations
amphiboly in a sentence
“I saw the man with binoculars—was I using them, or was he?”
Origin of amphiboly
Greek amphibolia (ambiguity), from amphi- (both ways) + ballein (to throw)
Related Words
accent fallacy
changing meaning through emphasis or punctuation
composition fallacy
assuming the whole has properties of its parts
division fallacy
assuming parts have properties of the whole
no true Scotsman
dismissing counterexamples by redefining the category
equivocation
using a word with multiple meanings to mislead