---
title: equivocation — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «equivocation» in the school dictionary: Using unclear words or answers on purpose so you do not have to give a straight answer or tell the full truth. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# equivocation

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** you, answer, minister, argument, equivocation, us · **What happens:** use, not have, give, tell, be, answer · **To what, where:** unclear words, purpose, straight answer, full truth, one word, pure equivocation · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
«equivocation» in the school dictionary: its 2 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: [equivocation in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/equivocation.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Using unclear words or answers on purpose so you do not have to give a straight answer or tell the full truth.

<!-- fold The tree, 22 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:equivocation:m1:1
# text = Using unclear words or answers on purpose so you do not have to give a straight answer or tell the full truth.
1	Using	use	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	12	csubj	_	_
2	unclear	unclear	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	words	word	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	1	obj	_	_
4	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	5	cc	_	_
5	answers	answer	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	conj	_	_
6	on	on	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
7	purpose	purpose	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obl	_	_
8	so	so	ADV	RB	_	12	advmod	_	_
9	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs	12	nsubj	_	_
10	do	do	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	12	aux	_	_
11	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	12	advmod	_	_
12	have	have	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
13	to	to	PART	TO	_	14	mark	_	_
14	give	give	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	12	xcomp	_	_
15	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	17	det	_	_
16	straight	straight	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	17	amod	_	_
17	answer	answer	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	14	obj	_	_
18	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	19	cc	_	_
19	tell	tell	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	14	conj	_	_
20	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	22	det	_	_
21	full	full	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	22	amod	_	_
22	truth	truth	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	19	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
23	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	12	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **use** | gerund |  | unclear words or answers |  | purpose |  |  | vn eat-39.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent word=Patient |
| 2 | **not** **have** | present · do-support | you |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 3 | **give** | to-infinitive | you *not said here* | a straight answer |  |  |  |  | vn give-13.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent answer=Theme |
| 4 | **tell** *speech: assert* | infinitive | you *not said here* | the full truth |  |  |  |  | vn transfer\_mesg-37.1.1-1-1 «NP V NP.recipient»: agent=Agent truth=Recipient |

<!-- .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: logic — kept apart, not parsed.

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A mistake in an argument where one word is used with two different meanings.

<!-- fold The tree, 14 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:equivocation:m2:1
# text = A mistake in an argument where one word is used with two different meanings.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	mistake	mistake	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
3	in	in	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
4	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	argument	argument	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nmod	_	_
6	where	where	ADV	WRB	PronType=Rel	10	advmod	_	_
7	one	one	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	8	nummod	_	_
8	word	word	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	nsubj:pass	_	_
9	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	10	aux:pass	_	_
10	used	use	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	5	acl:relcl	_	_
11	with	with	ADP	IN	_	14	case	_	_
12	two	two	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	14	nummod	_	_
13	different	different	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	14	amod	_	_
14	meanings	meaning	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	10	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **use** | present · passive |  | one word |  |  |  | with two different meanings | vn eat-39.1 «NP V NP»: subject=Patient |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The minister's answer was pure equivocation.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:equivocation:x1:1
# text = The minister's answer was pure equivocation.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	minister	minister	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	's	's	PART	POS	_	2	case	_	_
4	answer	answer	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nsubj	_	_
5	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	7	cop	_	_
6	pure	pure	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
7	equivocation	equivocation	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | past | the minister's answer | pure equivocation |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **answer** |  | the minister |  |  |  |  |  | nom answer «communication transitive»: poss=agent |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
«Did you eat the cake?» «Well, cakes get eaten...» That is equivocation.

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 1:* «Did you eat the cake?»

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:equivocation:x2:1
# text = «Did you eat the cake?»
1	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	4	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	Did	do	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=2|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	4	aux	_	_
3	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs	4	nsubj	_	_
4	eat	eat	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	cake	cake	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **eat** *in a quote* | past · do-support | you | the cake |  |  |  |  | vn eat-39.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent cake=Patient |

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 2:* «Well, cakes get eaten...»

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:equivocation:x2:2
# text = «Well, cakes get eaten...»
1	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	6	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	Well	well	INTJ	UH	_	6	discourse	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	2	punct	_	_
4	cakes	cake	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	nsubj:pass	_	_
5	get	get	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	aux:pass	_	_
6	eaten	eat	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	...	...	PUNCT	,	_	6	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **eat** *in a quote* | present · passive |  | cakes |  |  |  |  | vn eat-39.1-1 «NP V NP»: subject=Patient |

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 3:* That is equivocation.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:equivocation:x2:3
# text = That is equivocation.
1	That	that	DET	DT	Number=Sing|PronType=Dem	3	det	_	_
2	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	cop	_	_
3	equivocation	equivocation	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present |  | that equivocation |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Please answer without equivocation: yes or no?

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:equivocation:x3:1
# text = Please answer without equivocation: yes or no?
1	Please	please	INTJ	UH	_	2	discourse	_	_
2	answer	answer	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
3	without	without	ADP	IN	_	4	case	_	_
4	equivocation	equivocation	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	2	punct	_	_
6	yes	yes	INTJ	UH	Polarity=Pos	2	obj	_	_
7	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	8	cc	_	_
8	no	no	INTJ	UH	Polarity=Neg	6	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **answer** *speech: assert* | imperative | you *not said here* |  |  |  |  | without equivocation | vn reciprocate-112-1 «NP V PP»: agent=Agent yes=Eventuality |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The argument fails because of equivocation on the word «bank».

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:equivocation:x4:1
# text = The argument fails because of equivocation on the word «bank».
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	argument	argument	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	fails	fail	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	because	because	ADP	IN	ExtPos=ADP	6	case	_	_
5	of	of	ADP	IN	_	4	fixed	_	_
6	equivocation	equivocation	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	_
7	on	on	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	word	word	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	_
10	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	11	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	bank	bank	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	appos	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	11	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **fail** | present | the argument |  |  | the word |  | because equivocation | vn succeed-74-3-1-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
His equivocation made us think he was hiding something.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:equivocation:x5:1
# text = His equivocation made us think he was hiding something.
1	His	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	2	nmod:poss	_	_
2	equivocation	equivocation	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	made	make	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	us	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	3	obj	_	_
5	think	think	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	3	xcomp	_	_
6	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	8	nsubj	_	_
7	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	8	aux	_	_
8	hiding	hide	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	5	ccomp	_	_
9	something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	8	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **make** | past | His equivocation | us |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **think** *speech: other* | infinitive | us *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn consider-29.9-2 «NP V how S»: agent=Agent clause=Theme |
| 3 | **hide** | past · progressive | equivocation | something |  |  |  |  | vn concealment-16-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent something=Patient |
| 4 | **equivocate** |  | His *= he* |  |  |  |  |  | nom equivocation «communication intransitive»: poss=agent |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Spot the equivocation in the riddle.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:equivocation:x6:1
# text = Spot the equivocation in the riddle.
1	Spot	spot	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
2	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
3	equivocation	equivocation	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obj	_	_
4	in	in	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	riddle	riddle	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **spot** | imperative | you *not said here* | the equivocation |  |  |  | in the riddle | vn fill-9.8-1 «NP V NP PP.theme»: agent=Agent equivocation=Destination in riddle=Theme |

<!-- 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 -->

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