---
title: neither — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «neither» in the school dictionary: Neither means not this one and not that one, of two. If neither cat is black, both cats are another colour. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# neither

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** Neither, cat, cats, that, I, Tom · **What happens:** not mean, be, join, not be, do, mean · **To what, where:** one, colour, two things, red pen, 10 balls, sport · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
«neither» in the school dictionary: its 3 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: [neither in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/neither.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Neither means not this one and not that one, of two. If neither cat is black, both cats are another colour.

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 1:* Neither means not this one and not that one, of two.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:neither:m1:1
# text = Neither means not this one and not that one, of two.
1	Neither	neither	DET	DT	PronType=Neg	2	nsubj	_	_
2	means	mean	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	2	advmod	_	_
4	this	this	DET	DT	Number=Sing|PronType=Dem	5	det	_	_
5	one	one	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
6	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	9	cc	_	_
7	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	9	advmod	_	_
8	that	that	SCONJ	IN	_	9	mark	_	_
9	one	one	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	5	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	12	punct	_	_
11	of	of	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
12	two	two	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	9	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **not** **mean** | present | Neither | this one  one |  |  |  |  | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent one=Topic |

<!-- .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.

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 2:* If neither cat is black, both cats are another colour.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:neither:m1:2
# text = If neither cat is black, both cats are another colour.
1	If	if	SCONJ	IN	_	5	mark	_	_
2	neither	neither	DET	DT	PronType=Neg	3	det	_	_
3	cat	cat	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
4	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
5	black	black	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	11	advcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	5	punct	_	_
7	both	both	DET	DT	PronType=Tot	8	det	_	_
8	cats	cat	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	11	nsubj	_	_
9	are	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	11	cop	_	_
10	another	another	DET	DT	PronType=Ind	11	det	_	_
11	colour	colour	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	11	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** *a condition, not said to happen* | present | neither cat |  |  |  |  | black *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **is a** | present | both cats | another colour |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

## Meaning 2 {#m2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
«Neither ... nor» joins two things that are both not true: «neither tea nor milk».

<!-- fold The tree, 14 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:neither:m2:1
# text = «Neither ... nor» joins two things that are both not true: «neither tea nor milk».
1	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	6	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	Neither	neither	DET	DT	PronType=Neg	6	nsubj	_	_
3	...	...	PUNCT	,	_	6	punct	_	_
4	nor	nor	CCONJ	CC	Polarity=Neg	6	cc	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	4	punct	_	_
6	joins	join	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
7	two	two	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	8	nummod	_	_
8	things	thing	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	obj	_	_
9	that	that	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	13	nsubj	_	_
10	are	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	13	cop	_	_
11	both	both	ADV	RB	_	13	advmod	_	_
12	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	13	advmod	_	_
13	true	true	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	parataxis	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	17	punct	_	_
15	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	17	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	neither	neither	DET	DT	PronType=Neg	17	det	_	_
17	tea	tea	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	13	parataxis	_	_
18	nor	nor	CCONJ	CC	Polarity=Neg	19	cc	_	_
19	milk	milk	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	17	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
20	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	17	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
21	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **join** | present | Neither | two things |  |  |  |  | vn mix-22.1-2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent thing=Patient |
| 2 | **not** **is** | present | that |  |  |  |  | both, true *property* | tree rules |

## Meaning 3 {#m3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
«Me neither» or «neither do I» means I also do not.

<!-- fold The tree, 11 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:neither:m3:1
# text = «Me neither» or «neither do I» means I also do not.
1	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	3	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	Me	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	3	nsubj	_	_
3	neither	neither	ADV	RB	_	11	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	3	punct	_	_
5	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	8	cc	_	_
6	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	8	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	neither	neither	DET	DT	PronType=Neg	8	nsubj	_	_
8	do	do	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	conj	_	_
9	I	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	8	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	3	punct	_	_
11	means	mean	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
12	I	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	14	nsubj	_	_
13	also	also	ADV	RB	_	14	advmod	_	_
14	do	do	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=1|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	11	ccomp	_	_
15	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	14	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	11	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **do** *in a quote* | present | neither |  |  |  |  |  | vn act-114-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **mean** | present |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 3 | **not** **do** | present | I |  |  |  |  |  | vn act-114-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Neither Tom nor Ann has a red pen.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:neither:x1:1
# text = Neither Tom nor Ann has a red pen.
1	Neither	neither	DET	DT	PronType=Neg	2	det	_	_
2	Tom	Tom	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
3	nor	nor	CCONJ	CC	Polarity=Neg	4	cc	_	_
4	Ann	Ann	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	2	conj	_	_
5	has	have	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
6	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
7	red	red	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	amod	_	_
8	pen	pen	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **have** | present | neither Tom nor Ann | a red pen |  |  |  |  | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent pen=Patient |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
5 pupils like neither tea nor milk.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:neither:x2:1
# text = 5 pupils like neither tea nor milk.
1	5	5	NUM	CD	NumForm=Digit|NumType=Card	2	nummod	_	_
2	pupils	pupil	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	0	root	_	_
3	like	like	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
4	neither	neither	DET	DT	PronType=Neg	5	det	_	_
5	tea	tea	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nmod	_	_
6	nor	nor	CCONJ	CC	Polarity=Neg	7	cc	_	_
7	milk	milk	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .note -->
The frames reader finds no event or fact in this sentence.

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Neither box holds more than 10 balls.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:neither:x3:1
# text = Neither box holds more than 10 balls.
1	Neither	neither	DET	DT	PronType=Neg	2	det	_	_
2	box	box	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	holds	hold	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	more	more	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp|ExtPos=ADV	6	advmod	_	_
5	than	than	ADP	IN	_	4	fixed	_	_
6	10	10	NUM	CD	NumForm=Digit|NumType=Card	7	nummod	_	_
7	balls	ball	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **hold** | present | neither box | 10 balls |  |  |  |  | vn keep-15.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent ball=Theme |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
How many children play neither sport?

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:neither:x4:1
# text = How many children play neither sport?
1	How	how	ADV	WRB	PronType=Int	2	advmod	_	_
2	many	many	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	children	child	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	nsubj	_	_
4	play	play	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	neither	neither	DET	DT	PronType=Neg	6	det	_	_
6	sport	sport	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **play** | present | many children | neither sport |  |  |  |  | vn use-105.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent sport=Theme |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Neither of my brothers likes football.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:neither:x5:1
# text = Neither of my brothers likes football.
1	Neither	neither	DET	DT	PronType=Neg	5	nsubj	_	_
2	of	of	ADP	IN	_	4	case	_	_
3	my	my	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Sing|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	4	nmod:poss	_	_
4	brothers	brother	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	1	nmod	_	_
5	likes	like	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
6	football	football	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **like** | present | Neither | football |  |  |  |  | vn want-32.1-1-1 «NP V NP ADV»: agent=Pivot football=Theme |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
«I can't swim.» «Me neither.»

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 1:* «I can't swim.»

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:neither:x6:1
# text = «I can't swim.»
1	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	5	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	I	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	5	nsubj	_	_
3	ca	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	5	aux	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	n't	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	5	advmod	_	_
5	swim	swim	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **not** **swim** *in a quote* | can | I |  |  |  |  |  | vn run-51.3.2-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 2:* «Me neither.»

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:neither:x6:2
# text = «Me neither.»
1	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	2	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	Me	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	0	root	_	_
3	neither	neither	ADV	RB	_	2	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .note -->
The frames reader finds no event or fact in this sentence.

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
In the Venn diagram, write the numbers in neither set outside the circles.

<!-- fold The tree, 13 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:neither:x7:1
# text = In the Venn diagram, write the numbers in neither set outside the circles.
1	In	in	ADP	IN	_	4	case	_	_
2	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
3	Venn	Venn	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	4	compound	_	_
4	diagram	diagram	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	4	punct	_	_
6	write	write	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	numbers	number	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	obj	_	_
9	in	in	SCONJ	IN	_	11	mark	_	_
10	neither	neither	ADV	RB	_	11	advmod	_	_
11	set	set	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	6	advcl	_	_
12	outside	outside	ADP	IN	_	14	case	_	_
13	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	14	det	_	_
14	circles	circle	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	11	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **write** | imperative | you *not said here* | the numbers |  | the Venn diagram |  |  | vn scribble-25.2-1 «NP V NP PP.destination»: agent=Agent number=Theme in diagram=Destination |
| 2 | **set** | participle | you *not said here* |  |  | the circles |  | neither *property* | vn put-9.1-2 «NP V NP PP.destination»: agent=Agent outside circle=Destination |

## Example 8 {#x8}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
She was neither hungry nor tired.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:neither:x8:1
# text = She was neither hungry nor tired.
1	She	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	4	nsubj	_	_
2	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	4	cop	_	_
3	neither	neither	ADV	RB	_	4	advmod	_	_
4	hungry	hungry	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	_
5	nor	nor	CCONJ	CC	Polarity=Neg	6	cc	_	_
6	tired	tired	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | past | She |  |  |  |  | hungry, neither *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **be** |  | She *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | 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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