---
title: canard — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «canard» in the school dictionary: A canard is a false story or rumour that many people repeat and believe, especially one spread on purpose. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# canard

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** canard, many people, ordinary word, we, idea, newspaper · **What happens:** be, repeat, believe, spread, not use, use · **To what, where:** false story, purpose, small extra wing, front, ordinary word, French · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
«canard» in the school dictionary: its 3 meanings for a pupil and its 6 examples, every sentence parsed by Mova itself — its syntax tree, a dependency tree in the style of Universal Dependencies, and its pragmatics clause by clause. The word in the dictionary, with its sense in the lessons: [canard in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/canard.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .note -->
Usage: formal — kept apart, not parsed.

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A canard is a false story or rumour that many people repeat and believe, especially one spread on purpose.

<!-- fold The tree, 19 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:canard:m1:1
# text = A canard is a false story or rumour that many people repeat and believe, especially one spread on purpose.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	canard	canard	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	cop	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
5	false	false	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
6	story	story	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
7	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	8	cc	_	_
8	rumour	rumour	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	conj	_	_
9	that	that	SCONJ	IN	_	12	mark	_	_
10	many	many	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	11	amod	_	_
11	people	people	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	12	nsubj	_	_
12	repeat	repeat	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	advcl	_	_
13	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	14	cc	_	_
14	believe	believe	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	12	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	17	punct	_	_
16	especially	especially	ADV	RB	_	17	advmod	_	_
17	one	one	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	14	ccomp	_	_
18	spread	spread	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	17	acl	_	_
19	on	on	ADP	IN	_	20	case	_	_
20	purpose	purpose	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	18	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
21	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | a canard | a false story or rumour |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **repeat** | present | many people |  |  |  |  |  | vn begin-55.1-1-1 «NP.eventuality V»: agent=Eventuality |
| 3 | **believe** | present | many people *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn admire-31.2 «NP V that S»: agent=Experiencer |
| 4 | **spread** | participle |  |  |  | purpose |  |  | vn appear-48.1.1 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Theme on purpose=Location |

<!-- .note -->
One row per clause the reader finds. «not said here»: a role filled from the clause above. «roles by»: a VerbNet class and frame when one fits the verb, else the reader's rules on the tree.

## Meaning 2 {#m2}

<!-- .note -->
Usage: aircraft — kept apart, not parsed.

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A canard is a small extra wing near the front of a plane, in front of the main wings.

<!-- fold The tree, 19 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:canard:m2:1
# text = A canard is a small extra wing near the front of a plane, in front of the main wings.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	canard	canard	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nsubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	7	cop	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
5	small	small	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
6	extra	extra	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
7	wing	wing	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
8	near	near	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
9	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	front	front	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nmod	_	_
11	of	of	ADP	IN	_	13	case	_	_
12	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	13	det	_	_
13	plane	plane	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	16	punct	_	_
15	in	in	ADP	IN	_	16	case	_	_
16	front	front	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nmod	_	_
17	of	of	ADP	IN	_	20	case	_	_
18	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	20	det	_	_
19	main	main	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	20	amod	_	_
20	wings	wing	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	16	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
21	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | a canard | a small extra wing |  | the front of a plane |  | in front of the main wings | tree rules |

## Meaning 3 {#m3}

<!-- .note -->
Usage: French — kept apart, not parsed.

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
In French, «canard» is the ordinary word for a duck; in English it is not used for the bird.

<!-- fold The tree, 19 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:canard:m3:1
# text = In French, «canard» is the ordinary word for a duck; in English it is not used for the bird.
1	In	in	ADP	IN	_	2	case	_	_
2	French	French	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	10	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	5	punct	_	_
4	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	5	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	canard	canard	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	5	punct	_	_
7	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	10	cop	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
9	ordinary	ordinary	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	10	amod	_	_
10	word	word	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
11	for	for	ADP	IN	_	13	case	_	_
12	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	13	det	_	_
13	duck	duck	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	;	;	PUNCT	:	_	20	punct	_	_
15	in	in	ADP	IN	_	16	case	_	_
16	English	English	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	20	obl	_	_
17	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	20	nsubj:pass	_	_
18	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	20	aux:pass	_	_
19	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	20	advmod	_	_
20	used	use	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	10	acl	_	_
21	for	for	ADP	IN	_	23	case	_	_
22	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	23	det	_	_
23	bird	bird	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	20	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
24	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	10	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | canard | the ordinary word |  | French |  | for a duck | tree rules |
| 2 | **not** **use** | present · passive | the ordinary word *not said here* | canard |  | English |  | for the bird | vn use-105.1 «NP V NP PP.predicate»: subject=Theme for bird=Eventuality |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The idea that we use only ten percent of our brains is an old canard.

<!-- fold The tree, 15 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:canard:x1:1
# text = The idea that we use only ten percent of our brains is an old canard.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	idea	idea	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	15	nsubj	_	_
3	that	that	SCONJ	IN	_	5	mark	_	_
4	we	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	5	nsubj	_	_
5	use	use	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=1|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	2	acl	_	_
6	only	only	ADV	RB	_	7	advmod	_	_
7	ten	ten	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	8	nummod	_	_
8	percent	percent	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obj	_	_
9	of	of	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
10	our	our	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Plur|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	11	nmod:poss	_	_
11	brains	brain	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	8	nmod	_	_
12	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	15	cop	_	_
13	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	15	det	_	_
14	old	old	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	15	amod	_	_
15	canard	canard	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	15	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **use** | present | we | ten percent of our brains |  |  |  |  | vn eat-39.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent percent=Patient |
| 2 | **is a** | present | the idea | a old canard |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The newspaper had to apologise for spreading the canard.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:canard:x2:1
# text = The newspaper had to apologise for spreading the canard.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	newspaper	newspaper	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	had	have	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	to	to	PART	TO	_	5	mark	_	_
5	apologise	apologise	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	3	xcomp	_	_
6	for	for	SCONJ	IN	_	7	mark	_	_
7	spreading	spread	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	5	advcl	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	canard	canard	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **have** | past | the newspaper |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **apologise** *speech: apologize* | to-infinitive | the newspaper *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 3 | **spread** | gerund | the newspaper *not said here* | the canard |  |  |  |  | vn appear-48.1.1 «PP.location V NP»: agent=Location canard=Theme |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The teacher said that story about the king was a canard.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:canard:x3:1
# text = The teacher said that story about the king was a canard.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	teacher	teacher	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	said	say	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	that	that	SCONJ	IN	_	11	mark	_	_
5	story	story	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	nsubj	_	_
6	about	about	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	king	king	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nmod	_	_
9	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	11	cop	_	_
10	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
11	canard	canard	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	ccomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **say** *speech: assert* | past | the teacher |  |  |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **is a** | past | story about the king | a canard |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
That plane has small canards in front of its main wings.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:canard:x4:1
# text = That plane has small canards in front of its main wings.
1	That	that	DET	DT	Number=Sing|PronType=Dem	2	det	_	_
2	plane	plane	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	has	have	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	small	small	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	amod	_	_
5	canards	canard	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	obj	_	_
6	in	in	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
7	front	front	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nmod	_	_
8	of	of	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
9	its	its	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	11	nmod:poss	_	_
10	main	main	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	11	amod	_	_
11	wings	wing	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	7	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **have** | present | that plane | small canards |  | front of plane's main wings |  |  | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent canard=Patient |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
In Paris, Dad ordered «canard», which turned out to be duck.

<!-- fold The tree, 11 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:canard:x5:1
# text = In Paris, Dad ordered «canard», which turned out to be duck.
1	In	in	ADP	IN	_	2	case	_	_
2	Paris	Paris	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	5	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	2	punct	_	_
4	Dad	Dad	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
5	ordered	order	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
6	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	7	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	canard	canard	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	7	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	11	punct	_	_
10	which	which	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	11	nsubj	_	_
11	turned	turn	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	7	acl:relcl	_	_
12	out	out	ADP	RP	_	11	compound:prt	_	_
13	to	to	PART	TO	_	15	mark	_	_
14	be	be	AUX	VB	VerbForm=Inf	15	cop	_	_
15	duck	duck	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **order** | past | Dad | canard |  | Paris |  |  | vn get-13.5.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent canard=Theme |
| 2 | **turn out** | past | canard |  |  |  |  |  | vn appear-48.1.1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 3 | **is a** | to-infinitive | canard *not said here* | duck |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Don't repeat that canard about goldfish having a three-second memory.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:canard:x6:1
# text = Don't repeat that canard about goldfish having a three-second memory.
1	Do	do	AUX	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	3	aux	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	n't	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	3	advmod	_	_
3	repeat	repeat	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	that	that	DET	DT	Number=Sing|PronType=Dem	5	det	_	_
5	canard	canard	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
6	about	about	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
7	goldfish	goldfish	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nmod	_	_
8	having	have	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	7	acl	_	_
9	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	13	det	_	_
10	three	three	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	12	nummod	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	-	-	PUNCT	HYPH	_	10	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	second	second	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos|NumForm=Word|NumType=Ord	13	amod	_	_
13	memory	memory	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **not** **repeat** | imperative · do-support | you *not said here* | that canard |  |  |  | about goldfish | vn begin-55.1-1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent canard=Eventuality |
| 2 | **have** | gerund | goldfish *not said here* | a second memory |  |  |  |  | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent memory=Patient |

<!-- div src -->

**Text:** the school dictionary of Mova's schools (`world/data/dictionary-schools/`), written for Mova. **Trees:** Mova's own parse — the `en` model on the CPU, when the site is built — not checked by a teacher; they may be wrong. **Frames:** Mova's frames reader (`prag`), each meaning and example read on its own. Elamur Cosmic License.

<!-- /div -->

<!-- pn -->
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