Ambiguity in sentences with a noun qualified by an adjective with が particle


I was wondering if there is any ambiguity with sentences that have adjectives
qualifying a noun, especially regarding the が particle.

>   1. 僕が好きな人
>

Can this sentences have an ambiguous double meaning of "The person that I
like" and "The person that likes me"?

>   2. 僕が食べたい魚
>

Can this mean either "fish I want to eat" or "fish that wants to eat me"?

to make the meaning of this sentence clearer would

>   3. 僕を食べたい魚-
>

ONLY mean "fish that want to eat me" as the only interpretation?

Is there a go-to interpretation for qualifications like this or does one have
to identify exclusively via context unless there are further details provided?

For example, more detailed, clear-cut sentences

>   4. 僕が好きなところ
>

This sentence would ONLY mean "The place that I like/My Favorite place"

> 5. 野菜を食べるのが好きな人

In this sentence the only interpretation could be "People that like eating
vegetables"




> 1.) [僕]{ぼく}が[好]{す}きな[人]{ひと}
>
> Can this sentences have an ambiguous double meaning of "The person that I
> like" and "The person that likes me"?

First, that is not a sentence; It is only a noun phrase (or a relative
clause). "The person that I like." is not a sentence in English, either.

The answer is affirmative. **It can mean both** , but to mean "The person that
likes me.", it is more natural to say 「僕 **のこと** が好きな人」.

> 2.) 僕が[食]{た}べたい[魚]{さかな}
>
> Can this mean either "fish I want to eat" or "fish that wants to eat me"?

Strictly speaking, **no**. It can only mean "the fish that I want to eat".

In Japanese, we DO NOT say 「～～たい」 to talk about a third party's desire (in
this case, the fish). We say 「食べたがっている」. This is a common mistake among
J-learners.

「僕（のこと）を食べたがっている魚」 = "The fish that wants to eat me"

See here for details: [Aren't がる and たがる the same
thing?](https://japanese.stackexchange.com/questions/3839/arent-%e3%81%8c%e3%82%8b-and-%e3%81%9f%e3%81%8c%e3%82%8b-the-
same-thing)

> to make the meaning of this sentence clearer would
>
> 3.)僕を食べたい魚-
>
> ONLY mean "fish that want to eat me" as the only interpretation?

It is missing 「たがる」 as I mentioned above. You need to use it to talk about the
fish' desire.

> Is there a go to interpretation for qualifications like this or does one
> have to identify exclusively via context unless there are further details
> provided?

Depends on the phrase. As I stated, 「僕が食べたい魚」 can only mean "the fish I want
to eat" _**with or without**_ further context, but the phrase would be
ambiguous if one did not know about たい vs. たがる.

Context is important as Japanese is a most contextual language, but your own
knowledge of the grammar and such is equally important.




> 1.) [僕]{ぼく}が[好]{す}きな[人]{ひと}
>
> Can this sentences have an ambiguous double meaning of "The person that I
> like" and "The person that likes me"?

First, that is not a sentence; It is only a noun phrase (or a relative
clause). "The person that I like." is not a sentence in English, either.

The answer is affirmative. **It can mean both** , but to mean "The person that
likes me.", it is more natural to say 「僕 **のこと** が好きな人」.

> 2.) 僕が[食]{た}べたい[魚]{さかな}
>
> Can this mean either "fish I want to eat" or "fish that wants to eat me"?

Strictly speaking, **no**. It can only mean "the fish that I want to eat".

In Japanese, we DO NOT say 「～～たい」 to talk about a third party's desire (in
this case, the fish). We say 「食べたがっている」. This is a common mistake among
J-learners.

「僕（のこと）を食べたがっている魚」 = "The fish that wants to eat me"

See here for details: [Aren't がる and たがる the same
thing?](https://japanese.stackexchange.com/questions/3839/arent-%e3%81%8c%e3%82%8b-and-%e3%81%9f%e3%81%8c%e3%82%8b-the-
same-thing)

> to make the meaning of this sentence clearer would
>
> 3.)僕を食べたい魚-
>
> ONLY mean "fish that want to eat me" as the only interpretation?

It is missing 「たがる」 as I mentioned above. You need to use it to talk about the
fish' desire.

> Is there a go to interpretation for qualifications like this or does one
> have to identify exclusively via context unless there are further details
> provided?

Depends on the phrase. As I stated, 「僕が食べたい魚」 can only mean "the fish I want
to eat" _**with or without**_ further context, but the phrase would be
ambiguous if one did not know about たい vs. たがる.

Context is important as Japanese is a most contextual language, but your own
knowledge of the grammar and such is equally important.

