---
title: hearsay — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «hearsay» in the school dictionary: Things you have heard from other people but do not know are true; rumour. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# hearsay

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** you, Things, someone, witness, That, nobody · **What happens:** hear, not know, be, say, see, not allow · **To what, where:** Things, themselves, witness, hearsay, story, fact · **Speech:** someone speaks here

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

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Things you have heard from other people but do not know are true; rumour.

<!-- fold The tree, 14 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:hearsay:m1:1
# text = Things you have heard from other people but do not know are true; rumour.
1	Things	thing	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	13	nsubj	_	_
2	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs	4	nsubj	_	_
3	have	have	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=2|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	aux	_	_
4	heard	hear	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part	1	acl:relcl	_	_
5	from	from	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	other	other	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
7	people	people	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	obl	_	_
8	but	but	CCONJ	CC	_	11	cc	_	_
9	do	do	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=2|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	11	aux	_	_
10	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	11	advmod	_	_
11	know	know	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	4	conj	_	_
12	are	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	13	cop	_	_
13	true	true	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	;	;	PUNCT	:	_	15	punct	_	_
15	rumour	rumour	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	13	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	13	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **hear** | present · perfect | you | Things *not said here* |  |  |  | from other people | vn learn-14-2-1 «NP V NP PP.source»: agent=Agent thing=Topic from people=Source |
| 2 | **not** **know** | present · do-support | you *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn comprehend-87.2-1-1-1 «NP V»: agent=Experiencer |
| 3 | **is** | present | Things |  |  |  |  | true *property* | 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.

## Meaning 2 {#m2}

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Evidence in court about what someone else said, not what the witness saw themselves; it is often not allowed.

<!-- fold The tree, 19 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:hearsay:m2:1
# text = Evidence in court about what someone else said, not what the witness saw themselves; it is often not allowed.
1	Evidence	evidence	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
2	in	in	ADP	IN	_	3	case	_	_
3	court	court	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	nmod	_	_
4	about	about	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
5	what	what	PRON	WP	PronType=Rel	3	nmod	_	_
6	someone	someone	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	8	nsubj	_	_
7	else	else	ADV	RB	_	6	advmod	_	_
8	said	say	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	5	acl:relcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	11	punct	_	_
10	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	11	advmod	_	_
11	what	what	PRON	WP	PronType=Int	8	ccomp	_	_
12	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	13	det	_	_
13	witness	witness	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	14	nsubj	_	_
14	saw	see	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	11	acl:relcl	_	_
15	themselves	themselves	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs|Reflex=Yes	14	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	;	;	PUNCT	:	_	21	punct	_	_
17	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	21	nsubj:pass	_	_
18	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	21	aux:pass	_	_
19	often	often	ADV	RB	_	21	advmod	_	_
20	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	21	advmod	_	_
21	allowed	allow	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	8	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
22	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **say** *speech: assert* | past | someone |  |  |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **see** | past | the witness | themselves *= they* |  |  |  |  | vn comprehend-87.2-1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Experiencer themselves=Stimulus |
| 3 | **not** **allow** | present · passive |  | witness |  |  |  | often *property* | vn allow-64.1-1 «NP V NP»: subject=Beneficiary |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
That's just hearsay, nobody actually saw it.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:hearsay:x1:1
# text = That's just hearsay, nobody actually saw it.
1	That	that	PRON	DT	Number=Sing|PronType=Dem	4	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	's	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	cop	_	_
3	just	just	ADV	RB	_	4	advmod	_	_
4	hearsay	hearsay	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	8	punct	_	_
6	nobody	nobody	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Neg	8	nsubj	_	_
7	actually	actually	ADV	RB	_	8	advmod	_	_
8	saw	see	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	4	acl:relcl	_	_
9	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	8	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | That | hearsay |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **see** | past | nobody | hearsay |  |  |  | actually *property* | vn comprehend-87.2-1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Experiencer it=Stimulus |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
You shouldn't believe hearsay about people.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:hearsay:x2:1
# text = You shouldn't believe hearsay about people.
1	You	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs	4	nsubj	_	_
2	should	should	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	4	aux	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	n't	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	4	advmod	_	_
4	believe	believe	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
5	hearsay	hearsay	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obj	_	_
6	about	about	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
7	people	people	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **not** **believe** | should | You | hearsay |  |  |  | about people | vn admire-31.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Experiencer hearsay=Stimulus |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The judge said the statement was hearsay.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:hearsay:x3:1
# text = The judge said the statement was hearsay.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	judge	judge	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	said	say	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	statement	statement	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nsubj	_	_
6	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	7	cop	_	_
7	hearsay	hearsay	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	ccomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

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

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The story spread round school by hearsay.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:hearsay:x4:1
# text = The story spread round school by hearsay.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	story	story	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
3	spread	spread	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	2	acl	_	_
4	round	round	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
5	school	school	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	_
6	by	by	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
7	hearsay	hearsay	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **spread** | participle |  | the story *not said here* |  |  |  | round school; by hearsay | vn appear-48.1.1 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Theme by hearsay=Location |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Is this a fact or just hearsay?

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:hearsay:x5:1
# text = Is this a fact or just hearsay?
1	Is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	cop	_	_
2	this	this	PRON	DT	Number=Sing|PronType=Dem	4	nsubj	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	fact	fact	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
5	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	7	cc	_	_
6	just	just	ADV	RB	_	7	advmod	_	_
7	hearsay	hearsay	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

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

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Good journalists check facts instead of printing hearsay.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:hearsay:x6:1
# text = Good journalists check facts instead of printing hearsay.
1	Good	good	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	amod	_	_
2	journalists	journalist	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	nsubj	_	_
3	check	check	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	facts	fact	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	obj	_	_
5	instead	instead	ADV	RB	ExtPos=ADP	8	case	_	_
6	of	of	ADP	IN	_	5	fixed	_	_
7	printing	printing	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	compound	_	_
8	hearsay	hearsay	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **check** | present | Good journalists | facts |  |  |  | instead printing hearsay | vn assessment-34.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent fact=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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