---
title: unintelligibility — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «unintelligibility» in the school dictionary: Unintelligibility is the state of being impossible or very hard to understand, especially speech or writing that cannot be made out. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# unintelligibility

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** Unintelligibility, letter, Teachers, his, Two dialects · **What happens:** be, understand, not make out, make, read, crackle · **To what, where:** state, speech, letter, radio message, unintelligibility

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

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Unintelligibility is the state of being impossible or very hard to understand, especially speech or writing that cannot be made out.

<!-- fold The tree, 22 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:unintelligibility:m1:1
# text = Unintelligibility is the state of being impossible or very hard to understand, especially speech or writing that cannot be made out.
1	Unintelligibility	unintelligibility	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
2	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	cop	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	state	state	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
5	of	of	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	being	be	AUX	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	7	cop	_	_
7	impossible	impossible	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	nmod	_	_
8	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	10	cc	_	_
9	very	very	ADV	RB	_	10	advmod	_	_
10	hard	hard	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	conj	_	_
11	to	to	PART	TO	_	12	mark	_	_
12	understand	understand	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	10	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	15	punct	_	_
14	especially	especially	ADV	RB	_	15	advmod	_	_
15	speech	speech	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nmod	_	_
16	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	17	cc	_	_
17	writing	writing	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	15	conj	_	_
18	that	that	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	22	obl	_	_
19	can	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	22	aux	_	SpaceAfter=No
20	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	22	advmod	_	_
21	be	be	AUX	VB	VerbForm=Inf	22	aux:pass	_	_
22	made	make	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	15	acl	_	_
23	out	out	ADP	RP	_	22	compound:prt	_	SpaceAfter=No
24	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | Unintelligibility | the state |  |  |  | speech or writing *nmod* | tree rules |
| 2 | **is** | gerund |  |  |  |  |  | impossible *property* | tree rules |
| 3 | **be** |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 4 | **understand** | to-infinitive |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn comprehend-87.2-1-1-1 «NP V»: agent=Experiencer |
| 5 | **not** **make out** | can · passive |  | speech or writing |  |  |  |  | vn sight-30.2 «NP V NP» |

<!-- .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.

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The unintelligibility of the old letter made it hard to read.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:unintelligibility:x1:1
# text = The unintelligibility of the old letter made it hard to read.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	unintelligibility	unintelligibility	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nsubj	_	_
3	of	of	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
5	old	old	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
6	letter	letter	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nmod	_	_
7	made	make	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
8	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	7	obj	_	_
9	hard	hard	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	xcomp	_	_
10	to	to	PART	TO	_	11	mark	_	_
11	read	read	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	9	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **make** | past | the unintelligibility of the old letter | letter |  |  |  | hard *property* | vn build-26.1-1 «NP.asset V NP»: agent=Asset it=Product |
| 2 | **read** | to-infinitive | letter *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn transfer\_mesg-37.1.1-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The radio message crackled into unintelligibility.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:unintelligibility:x2:1
# text = The radio message crackled into unintelligibility.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	radio	radio	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	compound	_	_
3	message	message	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
4	crackled	crackle	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	3	acl	_	_
5	into	into	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
6	unintelligibility	unintelligibility	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **crackle** | participle |  | the radio message *not said here* |  | unintelligibility |  |  | vn sound\_emission-43.2 «NP V»: agent=Theme |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Mumbling leads to unintelligibility.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:unintelligibility:x3:1
# text = Mumbling leads to unintelligibility.
1	Mumbling	mumble	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	2	nsubj	_	_
2	leads	lead	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	to	to	ADP	IN	_	4	case	_	_
4	unintelligibility	unintelligibility	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **mumble** *speech: other* | gerund |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn manner\_speaking-37.3 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **lead** | present |  |  |  |  |  | to unintelligibility | vn result-27.2 «NP V PP»: agent=Precondition to unintelligibility=Patient |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The unintelligibility of the code kept the secret safe.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:unintelligibility:x4:1
# text = The unintelligibility of the code kept the secret safe.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	unintelligibility	unintelligibility	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	_
3	of	of	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	code	code	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nmod	_	_
6	kept	keep	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	secret	secret	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	xcomp	_	_
9	safe	safe	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **keep** | past | the unintelligibility of the code |  |  |  |  | safe, secret *property* | vn keep-15.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Teachers complained about the unintelligibility of his handwriting.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:unintelligibility:x5:1
# text = Teachers complained about the unintelligibility of his handwriting.
1	Teachers	teacher	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	nsubj	_	_
2	complained	complain	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	about	about	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	unintelligibility	unintelligibility	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	_
6	of	of	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	his	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	8	nmod:poss	_	_
8	handwriting	handwriting	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **complain** *speech: other* | past | Teachers |  |  |  |  | about the unintelligibility of his handwriting | vn complain-37.8 «NP V PP.topic»: agent=Agent about unintelligibility=Topic |
| 2 | **handwrite** |  | his *= he* |  |  |  |  |  | nom handwriting «communication transitive»: poss=agent |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Two dialects can drift towards unintelligibility over centuries.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:unintelligibility:x6:1
# text = Two dialects can drift towards unintelligibility over centuries.
1	Two	two	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	2	nummod	_	_
2	dialects	dialect	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	nsubj	_	_
3	can	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	4	aux	_	_
4	drift	drift	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
5	towards	towards	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
6	unintelligibility	unintelligibility	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	_
7	over	over	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
8	centuries	century	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **drift** | can | Two dialects |  |  | unintelligibility | century |  | vn run-51.3.2-2 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Theme towards unintelligibility=Destination |

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**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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