---
title: indistinguishable — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «indistinguishable» in the school dictionary: So alike that you cannot tell them apart. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# indistinguishable

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** you, twins, one, fake note, hills, two salts · **What happens:** not tell, not pick out, recognise, be, smile, test · **To what, where:** them, it, fog, salts, you, wild mushrooms · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
«indistinguishable» in the school dictionary: its 2 meanings for a pupil and its 8 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: [indistinguishable in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/indistinguishable.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
So alike that you cannot tell them apart.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:indistinguishable:m1:1
# text = So alike that you cannot tell them apart.
1	So	so	ADV	RB	_	2	advmod	_	_
2	alike	alike	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	_
3	that	that	SCONJ	IN	_	7	mark	_	_
4	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs	7	nsubj	_	_
5	can	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	7	aux	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	7	advmod	_	_
7	tell	tell	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	2	advcl	_	_
8	them	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	7	iobj	_	_
9	apart	apart	ADV	RB	_	7	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **not** **tell** *speech: assert* | can | you |  | them *= they* |  |  | apart *property* | vn transfer\_mesg-37.1.1-1-1 «NP V NP.recipient»: agent=Agent they=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}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
So faint or unclear that you cannot pick it out or recognise it, for example a shape in fog.

<!-- fold The tree, 20 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:indistinguishable:m2:1
# text = So faint or unclear that you cannot pick it out or recognise it, for example a shape in fog.
1	So	so	ADV	RB	_	2	advmod	_	_
2	faint	faint	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	_
3	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	4	cc	_	_
4	unclear	unclear	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	conj	_	_
5	that	that	SCONJ	IN	_	9	mark	_	_
6	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs	9	nsubj	_	_
7	can	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	9	aux	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	9	advmod	_	_
9	pick	pick	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	4	advcl	_	_
10	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	9	obj	_	_
11	out	out	ADP	RP	_	9	compound:prt	_	_
12	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	13	cc	_	_
13	recognise	recognise	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	9	conj	_	_
14	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	13	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	17	punct	_	_
16	for	for	ADP	IN	_	17	case	_	_
17	example	example	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	13	obl	_	_
18	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	19	det	_	_
19	shape	shape	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	17	appos	_	_
20	in	in	ADP	IN	_	21	case	_	_
21	fog	fog	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	19	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
22	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **not** **pick out** | can | you | it |  |  |  |  | vn chew-39.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent it=Patient |
| 2 | **recognise** | infinitive | you *not said here* | it |  |  |  | for example | vn comprehend-87.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Experiencer it=Stimulus |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The twins are indistinguishable until one of them smiles.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:indistinguishable:x1:1
# text = The twins are indistinguishable until one of them smiles.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	twins	twin	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	nsubj	_	_
3	are	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	cop	_	_
4	indistinguishable	indistinguishable	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	_
5	until	until	SCONJ	IN	_	9	mark	_	_
6	one	one	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	9	nsubj	_	_
7	of	of	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
8	them	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	6	nmod	_	_
9	smiles	smile	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	advcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present | the twins |  |  |  |  | indistinguishable *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **smile** | present | one of twins |  |  |  |  |  | vn manner\_speaking-37.3 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
This fake note is almost indistinguishable from a real one.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:indistinguishable:x2:1
# text = This fake note is almost indistinguishable from a real one.
1	This	this	DET	DT	Number=Sing|PronType=Dem	3	det	_	_
2	fake	fake	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	note	note	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	_
4	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	cop	_	_
5	almost	almost	ADV	RB	_	6	advmod	_	_
6	indistinguishable	indistinguishable	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	_
7	from	from	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
8	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
9	real	real	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	10	amod	_	_
10	one	one	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 | **is** | present | this fake note |  |  |  |  | from a real one; almost, indistinguishable *property* | tree rules |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
In the fog, the hills were indistinguishable from the sky.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:indistinguishable:x3:1
# text = In the fog, the hills were indistinguishable from the sky.
1	In	in	ADP	IN	_	3	case	_	_
2	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
3	fog	fog	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	3	punct	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	hills	hill	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	8	nsubj	_	_
7	were	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	8	cop	_	_
8	indistinguishable	indistinguishable	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	_
9	from	from	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
10	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
11	sky	sky	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	8	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | past | the hills |  |  | the fog |  | from the sky; indistinguishable *property* | tree rules |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The two salts are indistinguishable by sight, so we tested them with water.

<!-- fold The tree, 13 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:indistinguishable:x4:1
# text = The two salts are indistinguishable by sight, so we tested them with water.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	two	two	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	3	nummod	_	_
3	salts	salt	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	nsubj	_	_
4	are	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
5	indistinguishable	indistinguishable	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	_
6	by	by	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
7	sight	sight	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	11	punct	_	_
9	so	so	ADV	RB	_	11	advmod	_	_
10	we	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	11	nsubj	_	_
11	tested	test	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	5	conj	_	_
12	them	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	11	obj	_	_
13	with	with	ADP	IN	_	14	case	_	_
14	water	water	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present | the two salts |  |  |  |  | by sight; indistinguishable *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **test** | past | we | salts *= salt* |  |  |  | with water | vn assessment-34.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent they=Theme |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Some mushrooms that can kill you are nearly indistinguishable from safe ones, so never pick wild mushrooms to eat.

<!-- fold The tree, 19 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:indistinguishable:x5:1
# text = Some mushrooms that can kill you are nearly indistinguishable from safe ones, so never pick wild mushrooms to eat.
1	Some	some	DET	DT	PronType=Ind	2	det	_	_
2	mushrooms	mushroom	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	9	nsubj	_	_
3	that	that	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	5	nsubj	_	_
4	can	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	5	aux	_	_
5	kill	kill	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	2	acl:relcl	_	_
6	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Person=2|PronType=Prs	5	obj	_	_
7	are	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	9	cop	_	_
8	nearly	nearly	ADV	RB	_	9	advmod	_	_
9	indistinguishable	indistinguishable	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	_
10	from	from	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
11	safe	safe	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	12	amod	_	_
12	ones	one	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	9	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	16	punct	_	_
14	so	so	ADV	RB	_	16	advmod	_	_
15	never	never	ADV	RB	PronType=Neg	16	advmod	_	_
16	pick	pick	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	9	parataxis	_	_
17	wild	wild	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	18	amod	_	_
18	mushrooms	mushroom	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	16	obj	_	_
19	to	to	PART	TO	_	20	mark	_	_
20	eat	eat	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	16	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
21	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	9	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **kill** | can | some mushrooms | you |  |  |  |  | vn remove-10.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent you=Theme |
| 2 | **is** | present | some mushrooms |  |  |  |  | from safe ones; indistinguishable, nearly *property* | tree rules |
| 3 | **not** **pick** | infinitive |  | wild mushrooms |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 4 | **eat** | to-infinitive |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn eat-39.1-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Her copy of the painting was indistinguishable from the original.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:indistinguishable:x6:1
# text = Her copy of the painting was indistinguishable from the original.
1	Her	her	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	2	nmod:poss	_	_
2	copy	copy	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nsubj	_	_
3	of	of	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	painting	painting	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nmod	_	_
6	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	7	cop	_	_
7	indistinguishable	indistinguishable	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	_
8	from	from	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
9	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	original	original	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | past | Her copy of the painting |  |  | the original |  | indistinguishable *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **copy** |  | Her *= she* | the painting |  |  |  |  | nom copy «communication transitive»: poss=agent of=patient |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
In the problem, the five red balls are indistinguishable, so swapping them does not make a new arrangement.

<!-- fold The tree, 18 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:indistinguishable:x7:1
# text = In the problem, the five red balls are indistinguishable, so swapping them does not make a new arrangement.
1	In	in	ADP	IN	_	3	case	_	_
2	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
3	problem	problem	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	3	punct	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
6	five	five	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	8	nummod	_	_
7	red	red	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	amod	_	_
8	balls	ball	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	10	nsubj	_	_
9	are	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	10	cop	_	_
10	indistinguishable	indistinguishable	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	17	punct	_	_
12	so	so	ADV	RB	_	17	advmod	_	_
13	swapping	swap	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	17	csubj	_	_
14	them	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	13	obj	_	_
15	does	do	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	17	aux	_	_
16	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	17	advmod	_	_
17	make	make	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	10	conj	_	_
18	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	20	det	_	_
19	new	new	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	20	amod	_	_
20	arrangement	arrangement	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	17	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
21	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	10	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present | the five red balls |  |  | the problem |  | indistinguishable *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **swap** | gerund |  | balls *= ball* |  |  |  |  | vn exchange-13.6.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent they=Theme |
| 3 | **not** **make** | present · do-support | swapping | a new arrangement |  |  |  |  | vn build-26.1-1 «NP.asset V NP»: agent=Asset arrangement=Product |

## Example 8 {#x8}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
His voice on the phone was indistinguishable from his dad's.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:indistinguishable:x8:1
# text = His voice on the phone was indistinguishable from his dad's.
1	His	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	2	nmod:poss	_	_
2	voice	voice	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nsubj	_	_
3	on	on	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	phone	phone	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nmod	_	_
6	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	7	cop	_	_
7	indistinguishable	indistinguishable	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	_
8	from	from	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
9	his	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	10	nmod:poss	_	_
10	dad	dad	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	's	's	PART	POS	_	10	case	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | past | His voice on the phone |  |  |  |  | from his dad; indistinguishable *property* | tree rules |

<!-- 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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