NLP Scope Ambiguity

First some Examples

• Speaking to you as a child. (am I speaking as if I were a child, or as though you were a child?)
• Why don’t you come over when you have nothing on?
•  He drew a picture of himself in the nude.
  The older men and women came to the party.  (Is it older men and older women, or just older men?)
• Flying planes can be dangerous.
• Investigating FBI agents can be dangerous.
• They are murdering peasants.
• They are walking dogs
• Hypnotizing hypnotists can be very dangerous.

So by now you come to the conclusion the Milton Model and especially Scope Ambiguity is not rocket science. It is easy to learn, yet your brain needs to get adjusted to the fact that they exist and so you need to learn them, right?

And ofcourse some exercise …

The exercise is fairly simple. Reread the examples above and start to think with your critical thinking hat on. What refers to what? Does it make sense? If you come to the conclusion that it does not makes sense, start to ask better questions. A golden rule is: “If you want to have better answers, ask better questions!”. If you want to practice your skills on asking the right questions, please read the articles about the Meta Model. And if you are having trouble generating Rapport, read the article about generating Rapport and especially the article about the Meta Model and Rapport.

Where does NLP Scope Ambiguity resides?

In NLP Scope Ambiguity is part of the Indirect Elicitation Patterns (Ambiguities) which on its turn is part of the Milton Model.

Last but not Least

Remember, to increase your efficiency as a NLP Practitioner, know your positive intention for the message you want to convey, build rapport and pay attention on what and how you use language. Leave people and business in a better place that where you found them, every day!