---
title: contradistinction — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «contradistinction» in the school dictionary: Contradistinction is telling two things apart by showing how they are opposite or different. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# contradistinction

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**Who acts:** Contradistinction, things, Mammals, reptiles, writer, Living things · **What happens:** tell, show, be, feed, not do, describe · **To what, where:** two things, babies milk, Facts, contradistinction · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
«contradistinction» in the school dictionary: its meaning 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: [contradistinction in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/contradistinction.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Contradistinction is telling two things apart by showing how they are opposite or different.

<!-- fold The tree, 14 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:contradistinction:m1:1
# text = Contradistinction is telling two things apart by showing how they are opposite or different.
1	Contradistinction	contradistinction	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
2	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	aux	_	_
3	telling	tell	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	0	root	_	_
4	two	two	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	5	nummod	_	_
5	things	thing	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	obj	_	_
6	apart	apart	ADV	RB	_	3	advmod	_	_
7	by	by	SCONJ	IN	_	8	mark	_	_
8	showing	show	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	3	advcl	_	_
9	how	how	ADV	WRB	PronType=Int	12	advmod	_	_
10	they	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	12	nsubj	_	_
11	are	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	12	cop	_	_
12	opposite	opposite	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	ccomp	_	_
13	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	14	cc	_	_
14	different	different	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	12	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **tell** *speech: assert* | present · progressive | Contradistinction | two things |  |  |  | apart *property* | vn transfer\_mesg-37.1.1-1-1 «NP V NP.recipient»: agent=Agent thing=Recipient |
| 2 | **show** | gerund | Contradistinction *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn transfer\_mesg-37.1.1-1-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 3 | **is** | present | things *= thing* |  |  |  |  | opposite *property* | tree rules |
| 4 | **be** |  | things *= thing* *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

<!-- .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.

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Mammals feed their babies milk, in contradistinction to reptiles, which do not.

<!-- fold The tree, 12 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:contradistinction:x1:1
# text = Mammals feed their babies milk, in contradistinction to reptiles, which do not.
1	Mammals	mammal	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	nsubj	_	_
2	feed	feed	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	their	their	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Plur|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	5	nmod:poss	_	_
4	babies	baby	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	compound	_	_
5	milk	milk	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	8	punct	_	_
7	in	in	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
8	contradistinction	contradistinction	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	conj	_	_
9	to	to	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
10	reptiles	reptile	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	8	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	13	punct	_	_
12	which	which	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	13	nsubj	_	_
13	do	do	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	10	acl:relcl	_	_
14	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	13	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **feed** | present | Mammals | Mammals's babies milk |  |  |  |  | vn feeding-39.7 «NP V NP PP.recipient»: agent=Agent milk=Theme |
| 2 | **not** **do** | present | reptiles |  |  |  |  |  | vn act-114-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The essay described day, in contradistinction to night.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:contradistinction:x2:1
# text = The essay described day, in contradistinction to night.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	essay	essay	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
3	described	describe	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	4	amod	_	_
4	day	day	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nmod:unmarked	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	7	punct	_	_
6	in	in	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
7	contradistinction	contradistinction	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	conj	_	_
8	to	to	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
9	night	night	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **describe** | participle |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn characterize-29.2-1-1 «NP V S\_ING»: agent=Agent |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Facts, in contradistinction to opinions, can be checked.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:contradistinction:x3:1
# text = Facts, in contradistinction to opinions, can be checked.
1	Facts	fact	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	10	nsubj:pass	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	4	punct	_	_
3	in	in	ADP	IN	_	4	case	_	_
4	contradistinction	contradistinction	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	appos	_	_
5	to	to	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
6	opinions	opinion	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	1	punct	_	_
8	can	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	10	aux	_	_
9	be	be	AUX	VB	VerbForm=Inf	10	aux:pass	_	_
10	checked	check	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	10	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **check** | can · passive |  | Facts |  |  |  |  | vn assessment-34.1 «NP V NP»: subject=Theme |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The writer drew a contradistinction between bravery and foolishness.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:contradistinction:x4:1
# text = The writer drew a contradistinction between bravery and foolishness.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	writer	writer	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	drew	draw	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	contradistinction	contradistinction	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
6	between	between	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
7	bravery	bravery	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nmod	_	_
8	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	9	cc	_	_
9	foolishness	foolishness	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **draw** | past | the writer | a contradistinction |  |  |  | between bravery and foolishness | vn scribble-25.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent contradistinction=Theme |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Living things, in contradistinction to rocks, grow and reproduce.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:contradistinction:x5:1
# text = Living things, in contradistinction to rocks, grow and reproduce.
1	Living	living	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	amod	_	_
2	things	thing	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	9	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	5	punct	_	_
4	in	in	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
5	contradistinction	contradistinction	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	appos	_	_
6	to	to	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
7	rocks	rock	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	2	punct	_	_
9	grow	grow	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
10	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	11	cc	_	_
11	reproduce	reproduce	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	9	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	9	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **grow** | infinitive | Living things |  |  |  |  |  | vn appear-48.1.1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 2 | **reproduce** | infinitive | Living things *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn birth-28.2-2 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
In contradistinction to his noisy brother, Tom was very quiet.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:contradistinction:x6:1
# text = In contradistinction to his noisy brother, Tom was very quiet.
1	In	in	ADP	IN	_	2	case	_	_
2	contradistinction	contradistinction	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	obl	_	_
3	to	to	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
4	his	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	6	nmod:poss	_	_
5	noisy	noisy	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
6	brother	brother	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	2	punct	_	_
8	Tom	Tom	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	11	nsubj	_	_
9	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	11	cop	_	_
10	very	very	ADV	RB	_	11	advmod	_	_
11	quiet	quiet	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	11	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | past | Tom |  |  | contradistinction to his noisy brother |  | quiet *property* | tree rules |

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**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 -->

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