---
title: untruth — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «untruth» in the school dictionary: An untruth is a lie, a statement that is not true. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# untruth

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**Who acts:** untruth, statement, state, I, that, newspaper · **What happens:** be, not be, print, tell, hurt, trick · **To what, where:** lie, state, untruth, untruths, friendships, hen · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
«untruth» in the school dictionary: its 2 meanings for a pupil and its 5 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: [untruth in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/untruth.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
An untruth is a lie, a statement that is not true.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:untruth:m1:1
# text = An untruth is a lie, a statement that is not true.
1	An	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	untruth	untruth	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	lie	lie	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	8	punct	_	_
7	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	statement	statement	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	conj	_	_
9	that	that	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	12	nsubj	_	_
10	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	12	cop	_	_
11	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	12	advmod	_	_
12	true	true	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	acl:relcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | a untruth | a lie and a statement |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **not** **is** | present | a statement |  |  |  |  | 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}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Untruth (uncountable) is the state of not being true.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:untruth:m2:1
# text = Untruth (uncountable) is the state of not being true.
1	Untruth	untruth	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nsubj	_	_
2	(	(	PUNCT	-LRB-	_	3	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	uncountable	uncountable	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	1	appos	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	)	)	PUNCT	-RRB-	_	3	punct	_	_
5	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	7	cop	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	state	state	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
8	of	of	SCONJ	IN	_	11	mark	_	_
9	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	11	advmod	_	_
10	being	be	AUX	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	11	cop	_	_
11	true	true	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	acl	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | Untruth | the state |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **not** **is** | gerund | the state *not said here* |  |  |  |  | true *property* | tree rules |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
I'm afraid that is an untruth.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:untruth:x1:1
# text = I'm afraid that is an untruth.
1	I	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	3	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	'm	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=1|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	cop	_	_
3	afraid	afraid	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	_
4	that	that	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	7	nsubj	_	_
5	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	7	cop	_	_
6	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	untruth	untruth	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	ccomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present | I |  |  |  |  | afraid *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **is a** | present | that | a untruth |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The newspaper printed an untruth about the singer.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:untruth:x2:1
# text = The newspaper printed an untruth about the singer.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	newspaper	newspaper	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	printed	print	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	untruth	untruth	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
6	about	about	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	singer	singer	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **print** | past | the newspaper | a untruth |  |  |  | about the singer | vn scribble-25.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent untruth=Theme |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Telling untruths can hurt friendships.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:untruth:x3:1
# text = Telling untruths can hurt friendships.
1	Telling	tell	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	4	csubj	_	_
2	untruths	untruth	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	1	obj	_	_
3	can	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	4	aux	_	_
4	hurt	hurt	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
5	friendships	friendship	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **tell** *speech: assert* | gerund |  | untruths |  |  |  |  | vn transfer\_mesg-37.1.1-1-1 «NP V NP.recipient»: agent=Agent untruth=Recipient |
| 2 | **hurt** | can | Telling | friendships |  |  |  |  | vn hurt-40.8.3-2 «NP V NP»: agent=Experiencer friendship=Patient |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The fox told the hen an untruth to trick her.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:untruth:x4:1
# text = The fox told the hen an untruth to trick her.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	fox	fox	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	told	tell	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	hen	hen	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	iobj	_	_
6	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	untruth	untruth	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
8	to	to	PART	TO	_	9	mark	_	_
9	trick	trick	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	3	advcl	_	_
10	her	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	9	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **tell** *speech: assert* | past | the fox | a untruth | the hen |  |  |  | vn transfer\_mesg-37.1.1-1-1 «NP V NP-Dative NP»: agent=Agent hen=Recipient untruth=Topic |
| 2 | **trick** | to-infinitive | the fox *not said here* | fox |  |  |  |  | vn trick-59.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent she=Patient |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
It was a small untruth, but it got him in trouble.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:untruth:x5:1
# text = It was a small untruth, but it got him in trouble.
1	It	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	5	nsubj	_	_
2	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
4	small	small	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	amod	_	_
5	untruth	untruth	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	9	punct	_	_
7	but	but	CCONJ	CC	_	9	cc	_	_
8	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	9	nsubj	_	_
9	got	get	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	5	conj	_	_
10	him	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	9	obj	_	_
11	in	in	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
12	trouble	trouble	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | past | It | a small untruth |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **get** | past | untruth | him *= he* |  | trouble |  |  | vn comprehend-87.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Experiencer he=Stimulus |

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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.

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