Ambiguity issues with と when performing multiple roles


My understanding of と:

  * と performs listing

  * と indicates reciprocal action

  * The above two uses are indivisible from each other. That is to say that this particle is special in a sense that it always works in both senses. (I would like to assert a homologous relation to と to its Chinese counterpart 跟[gēn])

Consider:

>   1. AとBとCと会った
>
>   2. AとBとCが会談した
>
>

For the cases above, is it:

  1. A with B with C

  2. A with (B and C)

  3. (A and B) with C

If all three are possible interpretations, how is the ambiguity resolved?

Can I resolve ambiguity by:

  1. Using a pause when speaking. E.g. "Aと(pause)BとCと会った" to mean "A with (B and C)"

  2. Using と again. E.g. "`Aと[BとCと]` **`と`**`会った`" or "`Aと[BとC]` **`と`**`が会談した` to mean "A with (B and C)"




Yes, they are ambiguous. No, there is no correct interpretation, so far as I
can tell. English has the same sorts of problems. Consider:

> **A** saw **B** as he walked down the boulevard with **C**.

Who was walking down the boulevard, and who was who walking with? In practice,
no English speaker would wittingly use this sentence without an obvious
implied interpretation. More likely, the speaker would avoid the ambiguity by
using another grammatical construct.

> **The child** saw **Mr. Sanders** as he walked down the boulevard with
> **Mrs. Sanders**.
>
> _Or_
>
> **The child** saw **Mr. and Mrs. Sanders** walking together down the
> boulevard.

In the case of the sentence 「AとBとCが会談した」, a Japanese speaker would likely use:

> Aたちと会談した
>
> BたちがAと会談した

... etcetera.




Yes, they are ambiguous. No, there is no correct interpretation, so far as I
can tell. English has the same sorts of problems. Consider:

> **A** saw **B** as he walked down the boulevard with **C**.

Who was walking down the boulevard, and who was who walking with? In practice,
no English speaker would wittingly use this sentence without an obvious
implied interpretation. More likely, the speaker would avoid the ambiguity by
using another grammatical construct.

> **The child** saw **Mr. Sanders** as he walked down the boulevard with
> **Mrs. Sanders**.
>
> _Or_
>
> **The child** saw **Mr. and Mrs. Sanders** walking together down the
> boulevard.

In the case of the sentence 「AとBとCが会談した」, a Japanese speaker would likely use:

> Aたちと会談した
>
> BたちがAと会談した

... etcetera.

