---
title: unintelligible — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «unintelligible» in the school dictionary: Unintelligible speech or writing cannot be understood because it is unclear, mumbled, too messy, or in a code or language you do not know. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# unintelligible

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** writing, you, message, handwriting, His, She · **What happens:** not understand, be, mumble, not know, handwrite, mutter · **To what, where:** Unintelligible speech, code, something, bed, trains, key · **Speech:** someone speaks here

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

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Unintelligible speech or writing cannot be understood because it is unclear, mumbled, too messy, or in a code or language you do not know.

<!-- fold The tree, 25 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:unintelligible:m1:1
# text = Unintelligible speech or writing cannot be understood because it is unclear, mumbled, too messy, or in a code or language you do not know.
1	Unintelligible	unintelligible	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	amod	_	_
2	speech	speech	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	nsubj:pass	_	_
3	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	4	cc	_	_
4	writing	writing	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	conj	_	_
5	can	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	8	aux	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	8	advmod	_	_
7	be	be	AUX	VB	VerbForm=Inf	8	aux:pass	_	_
8	understood	understand	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
9	because	because	SCONJ	IN	_	12	mark	_	_
10	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	12	nsubj	_	_
11	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	12	cop	_	_
12	unclear	unclear	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	advcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	14	punct	_	_
14	mumbled	mumble	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	12	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	17	punct	_	_
16	too	too	ADV	RB	_	17	advmod	_	_
17	messy	messy	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	14	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
18	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	28	punct	_	_
19	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	28	cc	_	_
20	in	in	ADP	IN	_	22	case	_	_
21	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	22	det	_	_
22	code	code	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	28	obl	_	_
23	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	24	cc	_	_
24	language	language	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	22	conj	_	_
25	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs	28	nsubj	_	_
26	do	do	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=2|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	28	aux	_	_
27	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	28	advmod	_	_
28	know	know	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	17	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
29	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	8	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **not** **understand** | can · passive |  | Unintelligible speech or writing |  |  |  |  | vn comprehend-87.2-1-1-1 «NP V NP PP.attribute»: subject=Stimulus |
| 2 | **is** | present | writing |  |  |  |  | unclear *property* | tree rules |
| 3 | **mumble** *speech: other* | participle | writing *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn manner\_speaking-37.3 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 4 | **not** **know** | present · do-support | you |  |  | a code or language |  |  | vn comprehend-87.2-1-1-1 «NP V»: agent=Experiencer |

<!-- .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 message on the radio was unintelligible because of the noise.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:unintelligible:x1:1
# text = The message on the radio was unintelligible because of the noise.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	message	message	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	radio	radio	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nmod	_	_
6	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	7	cop	_	_
7	unintelligible	unintelligible	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	_
8	because	because	ADP	IN	ExtPos=ADP	11	case	_	_
9	of	of	ADP	IN	_	8	fixed	_	_
10	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
11	noise	noise	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | past | the message on the radio |  |  |  |  | because the noise; unintelligible *property* | tree rules |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
His handwriting was almost unintelligible.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:unintelligible:x2:1
# text = His handwriting was almost unintelligible.
1	His	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	2	nmod:poss	_	_
2	handwriting	handwriting	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
3	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
4	almost	almost	ADV	RB	_	5	advmod	_	_
5	unintelligible	unintelligible	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | past | His handwriting |  |  |  |  | almost, unintelligible *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **handwrite** |  | His *= he* |  |  |  |  |  | nom handwriting «communication transitive»: poss=agent |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
She muttered something unintelligible and went to bed.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:unintelligible:x3:1
# text = She muttered something unintelligible and went to bed.
1	She	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	muttered	mutter	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	2	obj	_	_
4	unintelligible	unintelligible	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
5	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	6	cc	_	_
6	went	go	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	2	conj	_	_
7	to	to	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
8	bed	bed	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **mutter** *speech: assert* | past | She | something |  |  |  |  | vn manner\_speaking-37.3 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent something=Topic |
| 2 | **go** | past | She *not said here* |  |  | bed |  |  | vn escape-51.1-1 «NP V PP.initial\_location»: agent=Theme to bed=Initial\_Location |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The station announcement was unintelligible over the trains.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:unintelligible:x4:1
# text = The station announcement was unintelligible over the trains.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	station	station	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	compound	_	_
3	announcement	announcement	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
4	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
5	unintelligible	unintelligible	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	_
6	over	over	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	trains	train	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | past | the station announcement |  |  | the trains |  | unintelligible *property* | tree rules |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The baby's babble is still unintelligible to visitors.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:unintelligible:x5:1
# text = The baby's babble is still unintelligible to visitors.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	baby	baby	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	's	's	PART	POS	_	2	case	_	_
4	babble	babble	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nsubj	_	_
5	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	7	cop	_	_
6	still	still	ADV	RB	_	7	advmod	_	_
7	unintelligible	unintelligible	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	_
8	to	to	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
9	visitors	visitor	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	7	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present | the baby's babble |  |  |  | still | to visitors; unintelligible *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **babble** |  | the baby |  |  |  |  |  | nom babble «communication transitive»: poss=agent |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The code looked like unintelligible nonsense until we found the key.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:unintelligible:x6:1
# text = The code looked like unintelligible nonsense until we found the key.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	code	code	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	looked	look	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	like	like	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
5	unintelligible	unintelligible	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
6	nonsense	nonsense	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	_
7	until	until	SCONJ	IN	_	9	mark	_	_
8	we	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	9	nsubj	_	_
9	found	find	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	3	advcl	_	_
10	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
11	key	key	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **look** | past | the code |  |  |  |  | like unintelligible nonsense | vn stimulus\_subject-30.4 «NP V PP.attribute»: agent=Stimulus |
| 2 | **find** | past | we | the key |  |  |  |  | vn discover-84 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent key=Topic |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The longer he spoke with the boatmen, the more unintelligible did their language become to him.

<!-- fold The tree, 16 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:unintelligible:x7:1
# text = The longer he spoke with the boatmen, the more unintelligible did their language become to him.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	longer	long	ADV	RBR	Degree=Cmp	4	advmod	_	_
3	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	4	nsubj	_	_
4	spoke	speak	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	with	with	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	boatmen	boatman	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	15	punct	_	_
9	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
10	more	more	ADV	RBR	Degree=Cmp	11	advmod	_	_
11	unintelligible	unintelligible	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	15	nsubj	_	_
12	did	do	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	15	aux	_	_
13	their	their	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Plur|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	14	nmod:poss	_	_
14	language	language	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	15	nsubj	_	_
15	become	become	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	4	conj	_	_
16	to	to	ADP	IN	_	17	case	_	_
17	him	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	15	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
18	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **speak** *speech: other* | past | he |  |  |  |  | with the boatmen; long *property* | vn talk-37.5 «NP V PP.co-agent»: agent=Agent with boatman=Co-Agent |
| 2 | **become** | past · do-support | the unintelligible |  | language |  |  |  | vn become-109.1-1-1 «NP V PP.attribute»: agent=Patient |

<!-- 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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