"leaves margin for interpretation"?

Question

Is this statement unusual or unidiomatic (or straightforward incorrect)?

"His ambiguity leaves margin for interpreting it as a good sign".

Here, to "leave a margin for" should be understood as similar to "leaves room for", "allows a given interpretation".

I found very few hits when searching for this expression on Google Scholar, most seemed from foreign researchers.

Ambiguity by definition leaves room for interpretation. Thank you so much for coming in today to interview is ambiguous enough to be a gracious sign of high interest or formulaic BS suggesting and there is the door. All the sentence needs to say is "I took his ambiguity as a good sign." — Yosef Baskin, Sep 05 '23 at 03:54
I would say leave margin for error, and leave room for interpretation. Those are the idioms I know, maybe it's a malaphor? — Mark, Sep 05 '23 at 11:26
To leave margin for something may be idiomatic in financial contexts — Sam, Sep 05 '23 at 15:23
Do you want "leave margin for" or "leave a margin for"? Your sentence uses the former but then you mention "leave a margin for" immediately after. I'd prefer with "a" but it's not set in stone. — Stuart F, Sep 06 '23 at 11:10
@StuartF interesting point! I thought "leave margin" without the "a" would sound better. Would you say it'd sound natural as "leaves a margin for" or just that it'd sound less bad? — flen, Sep 08 '23 at 22:02

score 3 · Accepted Answer · answered Sep 05 '23 at 01:53

3

It would sound much more natural as “His ambiguity leaves room to interpret it as a good sign.”

To leave margin is not idiomatic English.

answered Sep 05 '23 at 01:53

Paul Tanenbaum

I don't think your version makes much sense.... – Lambie Sep 05 '23 at 15:20
It’s not clear, @Lambie, where you see faults in it. As for me, I find the originally cited passage clumsy: I have assumed that the antecedent of it is the same thing, event, idea, or whatever as the topic about which “he” is “ambiguous.” – Paul Tanenbaum Sep 05 '23 at 19:36

score 1 · Answer 2 · answered Sep 05 '23 at 12:49

1

While a little old fashioned, "margin for," "leaves margin for" and "leave a margin for" are all idiomatic English

"There's no margin for error." "We need to leave a margin for error." "That advantage leaves margin for error."

According to Google Ngrams, usage peaked in the 1880s, pretty much falling to it's current rarity by the 1980s

answered Sep 05 '23 at 12:49

JCRM

I note that Google Ngrams also indicates that margin of* error* is—and always has been—far more common. (Okay, since 1700) – Paul Tanenbaum Sep 05 '23 at 12:58
2

A margin is something that is aside from the main element, like the margin on the side of the text in a book. For instance, "margin of error" evokes the idea of deviating from an accurate result, but still being safe inside a margin. So, yes "leaves margin for" can work in some contexts, but probably not in all contexts. "Room for interpretation" is probably much better than "margin for interpretation", unless you want to paint an interpretation as being "a little bit off, but still acceptable". – Stef Sep 05 '23 at 13:31
but that has a different meaning @PaulTanenbaum – JCRM Sep 06 '23 at 09:45
Ok, @JCRM, I guess I see what you mean. – Paul Tanenbaum Sep 06 '23 at 11:54
@JCRM This is a good point, but all your examples use "margin for error". Would you say the same applies to "margin for" + "interpretation", "solutions" or something other than error? – flen Sep 08 '23 at 22:07
I chose a "common" consistent set of examples, different from the example being asked about. Interpretation is very much acceptable; solution less so, it seems "better| when the verb and noun forms are the same.
I don't like "solutions," but I don't like "room for solutions" either.
– JCRM Sep 09 '23 at 11:05

2 Answers2