---
title: frankly — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «frankly» in the school dictionary: Frankly means honestly and openly, saying what you really think. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# frankly

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** you, film, She, her, I, He · **What happens:** mean, say, think, use, show, go · **To what, where:** start, something, sentence, new rule, window, damn · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
«frankly» in the school dictionary: its 2 meanings for a pupil and its 7 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: [frankly in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/frankly.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Frankly means honestly and openly, saying what you really think.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:frankly:m1:1
# text = Frankly means honestly and openly, saying what you really think.
1	Frankly	frankly	ADV	RB	_	2	advmod	_	_
2	means	mean	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	honestly	honestly	ADV	RB	_	2	advmod	_	_
4	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	5	cc	_	_
5	openly	openly	ADV	RB	_	3	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	7	punct	_	_
7	saying	say	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	2	parataxis	_	_
8	what	what	PRON	WP	PronType=Int	11	obj	_	_
9	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs	11	nsubj	_	_
10	really	really	ADV	RB	_	11	advmod	_	_
11	think	think	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=2|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	7	ccomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **mean** | present |  |  |  |  |  | frankly, honestly *property* | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V S»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **say** *speech: assert* | gerund |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V how S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 3 | **think** *speech: other* | present | you |  |  |  |  |  | vn wish-62 «NP V NP»: agent=Pivot what=Theme |

<!-- .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: sentence adverb — kept apart, not parsed.

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Frankly is used at the start of a sentence to show you are going to say something honest, often a bit rude or surprising.

<!-- fold The tree, 24 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:frankly:m2:1
# text = Frankly is used at the start of a sentence to show you are going to say something honest, often a bit rude or surprising.
1	Frankly	frankly	ADV	RB	_	3	advmod	_	_
2	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	aux:pass	_	_
3	used	use	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
4	at	at	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	start	start	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	_
7	of	of	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
8	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	sentence	sentence	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nmod	_	_
10	to	to	PART	TO	_	11	mark	_	_
11	show	show	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	3	advcl	_	_
12	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs	14	nsubj	_	_
13	are	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=2|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	14	aux	_	_
14	going	go	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	11	ccomp	_	_
15	to	to	PART	TO	_	16	mark	_	_
16	say	say	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	14	xcomp	_	_
17	something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	16	obj	_	_
18	honest	honest	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	17	amod	_	SpaceAfter=No
19	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	23	punct	_	_
20	often	often	ADV	RB	_	23	advmod	_	_
21	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	22	det	_	_
22	bit	bit	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	23	obl:unmarked	_	_
23	rude	rude	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	parataxis	_	_
24	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	25	cc	_	_
25	surprising	surprising	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	23	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
26	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **use** | present · passive |  |  |  | the start of a sentence |  | frankly *property* | vn eat-39.1 «NP V» |
| 2 | **show** | to-infinitive |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn transfer\_mesg-37.1.1-1-1 «NP V how S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 3 | **go** | present · progressive | you |  |  |  |  |  | vn say-37.7 «NP V S-Quote»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 4 | **say** *speech: assert* | to-infinitive | you *not said here* | something |  |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V NP.topic»: agent=Agent something=Topic |
| 5 | **start** |  |  | a sentence |  |  |  |  | nom start «event transitive»: of=patient |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Frankly, that film was boring.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:frankly:x1:1
# text = Frankly, that film was boring.
1	Frankly	frankly	ADV	RB	_	6	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	1	punct	_	_
3	that	that	DET	DT	Number=Sing|PronType=Dem	4	det	_	_
4	film	film	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	_
5	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	6	cop	_	_
6	boring	boring	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | past | that film |  |  |  |  | boring, frankly *property* | tree rules |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
She spoke frankly about her worries.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:frankly:x2:1
# text = She spoke frankly about her worries.
1	She	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	spoke	speak	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	frankly	frankly	ADV	RB	_	2	advmod	_	_
4	about	about	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
5	her	her	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	6	nmod:poss	_	_
6	worries	worry	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **speak** *speech: other* | past | She |  |  |  |  | about her worries; frankly *property* | vn talk-37.5 «NP V PP.topic»: agent=Agent about worry=Topic |
| 2 | **worry** |  | her *= she* |  |  |  |  |  | nom worry «cognition intransitive»: poss=agent |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Quite frankly, I've had enough of the rain.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:frankly:x3:1
# text = Quite frankly, I've had enough of the rain.
1	Quite	quite	ADV	RB	_	2	advmod	_	_
2	frankly	frankly	ADV	RB	_	6	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	2	punct	_	_
4	I	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	6	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	've	have	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=1|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	aux	_	_
6	had	have	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part	0	root	_	_
7	enough	enough	ADV	RB	_	6	advmod	_	_
8	of	of	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
9	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	rain	rain	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **have** | present · perfect | I |  |  |  |  | of the rain; enough, frankly *property* | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Can I speak frankly? I don't like the new rule.

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 1:* Can I speak frankly?

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:frankly:x4:1
# text = Can I speak frankly?
1	Can	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	3	aux	_	_
2	I	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	3	nsubj	_	_
3	speak	speak	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
4	frankly	frankly	ADV	RB	_	3	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **speak** *speech: other* | can | I |  |  |  |  | frankly *property* | vn talk-37.5 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 2:* I don't like the new rule.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:frankly:x4:2
# text = I don't like the new rule.
1	I	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	4	nsubj	_	_
2	do	do	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=1|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	aux	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	n't	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	4	advmod	_	_
4	like	like	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
6	new	new	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
7	rule	rule	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **not** **like** | present · do-support | I | the new rule |  |  |  |  | vn want-32.1-1-1 «NP V NP ADV»: agent=Pivot rule=Theme |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
He frankly admitted he had broken the window.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:frankly:x5:1
# text = He frankly admitted he had broken the window.
1	He	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	3	nsubj	_	_
2	frankly	frankly	ADV	RB	_	3	advmod	_	_
3	admitted	admit	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	6	nsubj	_	_
5	had	have	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	6	aux	_	_
6	broken	break	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part	3	ccomp	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	window	window	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **admit** *speech: other* | past | He |  |  |  |  | frankly *property* | vn confess-37.10 «NP V how S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 2 | **break** | past · perfect | he | the window |  |  |  |  | vn hurt-40.8.3-1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Experiencer window=Patient |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Frankly, my dear, I don't give a damn — a famous film line.

<!-- fold The tree, 13 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:frankly:x6:1
# text = Frankly, my dear, I don't give a damn — a famous film line.
1	Frankly	frankly	ADV	RB	_	4	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	4	punct	_	_
3	my	my	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Sing|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	4	nmod:poss	_	_
4	dear	dear	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	9	punct	_	_
6	I	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	9	nsubj	_	_
7	do	do	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=1|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	9	aux	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	n't	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	9	advmod	_	_
9	give	give	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	4	conj	_	_
10	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
11	damn	damn	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	obj	_	_
12	—	-	PUNCT	:	_	16	punct	_	_
13	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	16	det	_	_
14	famous	famous	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	16	amod	_	_
15	film	film	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	16	compound	_	_
16	line	line	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **not** **give** | present · do-support | I | a damn |  |  |  | a famous film line *obl* | vn give-13.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent damn=Theme |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
I have not exhausted the list of Perrault's writings, but, to speak frankly, the rest are not worth mentioning.

<!-- fold The tree, 20 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:frankly:x7:1
# text = I have not exhausted the list of Perrault's writings, but, to speak frankly, the rest are not worth mentioning.
1	I	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	4	nsubj	_	_
2	have	have	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=1|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	aux	_	_
3	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	4	advmod	_	_
4	exhausted	exhaust	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part	0	root	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	list	list	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obj	_	_
7	of	of	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
8	Perrault	Perrault	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	10	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	's	's	PART	POS	_	8	case	_	_
10	writings	writing	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	22	punct	_	_
12	but	but	CCONJ	CC	_	22	cc	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	15	punct	_	_
14	to	to	PART	TO	_	15	mark	_	_
15	speak	speak	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	22	advcl	_	_
16	frankly	frankly	ADV	RB	_	15	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	15	punct	_	_
18	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	19	det	_	_
19	rest	rest	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	22	nsubj	_	_
20	are	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	22	cop	_	_
21	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	22	advmod	_	_
22	worth	worth	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	parataxis	_	_
23	mentioning	mention	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	22	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
24	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **not** **exhaust** | present · perfect | I | the list of Perrault's writings |  |  |  |  | vn amuse-31.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Stimulus list=Experiencer |
| 2 | **speak** *speech: other* | to-infinitive | the rest *not said here* |  |  |  |  | frankly *property* | vn talk-37.5 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 3 | **not** **is** | present | the rest |  |  |  |  | worth *property* | tree rules |
| 4 | **mention** *speech: other* | gerund | the rest *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent |
| 5 | **list** |  |  | Perrault's writings |  |  |  |  | nom list «communication transitive»: of=patient |
| 6 | **write** |  | Perrault |  |  |  |  |  | nom writing «act transitive»: poss=agent |

<!-- 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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