Maneno "unclear" na "vague" yanafanana kwa maana ya kutokuwa wazi, lakini kuna tofauti muhimu. "Unclear" ina maana kwamba kitu hakijaeleweka vizuri, kinaweza kuwa kigumu kuelewa au kimeandikwa vibaya. "Vague," kwa upande mwingine, ina maana kwamba kitu hakijaelezwa kwa undani wa kutosha, ni kama kinafichika au chenye maelezo machache mno. "Unclear" mara nyingi huhusisha ukosefu wa uwazi wa mawasiliano, huku "vague" ikihusisha ukosefu wa maelezo ya kutosha.

Hebu tuangalie mifano:

• Unclear: "His instructions were unclear; I didn't understand what he wanted me to do." (Maagizo yake hayakuwa wazi; sikuelewi alichotaka nifanye.) Katika sentensi hii, shida ni kwamba maagizo yalikuwa yameandikwa au kusemwa vibaya, yakifanya kuwa vigumu kuelewa.

• Vague: "He gave a vague description of the thief; all he said was that he was tall." (Alitoa maelezo hafifu ya mwizi; alichosema tu ni kwamba alikuwa mrefu.) Katika sentensi hii, shida ni ukosefu wa maelezo ya kutosha. Maelezo ya mwizi hayakuwa ya kina.

• Unclear: "The picture was unclear because it was taken in low light." (Picha haikuwa wazi kwa sababu ilipigwa kwa mwanga hafifu.) Hapa, shida iko kwenye ubora wa picha yenyewe.

• Vague: "Her plans for the future were vague; she didn't know exactly what she wanted to do." (Mipango yake ya baadaye ilikuwa hafifu; hakujua hasa alichokitaka kufanya.) Hapa, ukosefu wa maelezo ya kina ndio unaotatiza.

Katika sentensi zinazohusu mawazo au mipango, "vague" hutumika zaidi, wakati "unclear" inafaa zaidi kwa mawasiliano yaliyochanganyikiwa au yaliyoandikwa au kusemwa vibaya.

Happy learning!