Breakdown of O embaixador evitou a ambiguidade no seu discurso.
em
in / on / at
a
to / at (direction)
o
him/it (m)
seu
your (formal) / his / her (all forms: seu, sua, seus, suas)
Questions & Answers about O embaixador evitou a ambiguidade no seu discurso.
In ambiguidade, is the 'u' pronounced, or is it silent like in guitarra?
The 'u' is pronounced here! In Portuguese, the 'u' in gui and gue is usually silent (like in guitarra or guerra). However, in words where the 'u' is sounded out, like ambiguidade or pinguim, you have to pronounce it. Before the spelling reform, this was marked with a double dot over the 'u', but now you just have to memorize which words pronounce it.
Why is there an a before ambiguidade when English just says 'avoided ambiguity'?
In Portuguese, abstract nouns used in a general or absolute sense almost always require a definite article. While in English you simply say 'avoided ambiguity', Portuguese treats it as a defined concept, so it becomes evitou a ambiguidade.
The sentence uses seu discurso for 'his speech'. Wouldn't discurso dele be better to avoid confusion with 'your speech'?
You are absolutely right that dele removes any doubt. However, in formal written Portuguese, such as a news report about an ambassador, seu is very commonly used for 'his' or 'her'. The formal context makes it clear that he is giving his own speech, not yours. In casual conversation, you would more likely hear no discurso dele.
How could I follow up this sentence with a reformulation marker like por outras palavras?