---
title: Why is "I can't explain myself, because I'm not myself" a clever joke? — Alice in Wonderland, chapter V, part 1… · tree and pragmatics
description: Why is "I can't explain myself, because I'm not myself" a clever joke? Test 3 · ★★ of lesson 9 «Alice in Wonderland, chapter V, part 1: Advice from a Caterpillar» of the books course of Mova's primary school, with the dependency tree and pragmatics of the question and of each option; Mova's choice w
---

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# Test 3 · ★★ · Alice in Wonderland, chapter V, part 1: Advice from a Cate…

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Why is "I can't explain myself, because I'm not myself" a clever joke?

<!-- .vintro -->
**Mova's choice:** option 1 · **The right answer:** option 4 · wrong ✗ · **Who acts:** I · **What happens:** not be · **To what, where:** clever joke · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
This is test 3 · ★★ of lesson 9 «Alice in Wonderland, chapter V, part 1: Advice from a Caterpillar» of the books course of Mova's primary school. The page gives the question's syntax tree — a dependency tree in the style of Universal Dependencies — and its pragmatics clause by clause, then the 4 options as the student saw them, each with its tree and pragmatics. Every text is parsed by Mova itself. How the student answered it, with the score of every option and why: [the test at school](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/school-run/books/9-alice-ch5-part1-advice-from-a-caterpillar/#t3).

## The question {#question}

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:9-alice-ch5-part1-advice-from-a-caterpillar:t3:1
# text = Why is "I can't explain myself, because I'm not myself" a clever joke?
1	Why	why	ADV	WRB	PronType=Int	7	advmod	_	_
2	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	7	cop	_	_
3	"	"	PUNCT	``	_	7	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	I	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	7	nsubj	_	_
5	ca	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	7	aux	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	n't	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	7	advmod	_	_
7	explain	explain	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
8	myself	myself	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs|Reflex=Yes	7	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	18	punct	_	_
10	because	because	SCONJ	IN	_	18	mark	_	_
11	I	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	18	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	'm	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=1|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	18	cop	_	_
13	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	18	advmod	_	_
14	myself	myself	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs|Reflex=Yes	18	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	"	"	PUNCT	``	_	18	punct	_	_
16	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	18	det	_	_
17	clever	clever	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	18	amod	_	_
18	joke	joke	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	parataxis	_	SpaceAfter=No
19	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **not** **is** *in a quote* | can · present | I |  |  |  |  | explain *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **not** **be** *speech: other* | present |  | a clever joke |  |  |  |  | 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.

## The options {#options}

### Option 1 · ← Mova's choice {#o1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
It is clever because the Caterpillar is rude and Alice is polite, which makes the joke work well in the story

<!-- fold The tree, 21 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:9-alice-ch5-part1-advice-from-a-caterpillar:t3:o1:1
# text = It is clever because the Caterpillar is rude and Alice is polite, which makes the joke work well in the story
1	It	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	3	nsubj	_	_
2	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	cop	_	_
3	clever	clever	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	_
4	because	because	SCONJ	IN	_	8	mark	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	Caterpillar	Caterpillar	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	8	nsubj	_	_
7	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	8	cop	_	_
8	rude	rude	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	advcl	_	_
9	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	12	cc	_	_
10	Alice	Alice	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	12	nsubj	_	_
11	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	12	cop	_	_
12	polite	polite	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	15	punct	_	_
14	which	which	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	15	nsubj	_	_
15	makes	make	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	18	advcl	_	_
16	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	17	det	_	_
17	joke	joke	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	15	obj	_	_
18	work	work	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	parataxis	_	_
19	well	well	ADV	RB	Degree=Pos	18	advmod	_	_
20	in	in	ADP	IN	_	22	case	_	_
21	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	22	det	_	_
22	story	story	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	18	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present | It |  |  |  |  | clever *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **is** | present | the Caterpillar |  |  |  |  | rude *property* | tree rules |
| 3 | **is** | present | Alice |  |  |  |  | polite *property* | tree rules |
| 4 | **make** | present |  | the joke |  |  |  |  | vn build-26.1-1 «NP.asset V NP»: agent=Asset joke=Product |
| 5 | **work** | present |  |  |  |  |  | in the story; well *property* | vn employment-95.3 «NP V PP.theme»: agent=Agent in story=Theme |

### Option 2 {#o2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
It plays on "not myself" as ill, but she has only grown wiser

<!-- fold The tree, 13 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:9-alice-ch5-part1-advice-from-a-caterpillar:t3:o2:1
# text = It plays on "not myself" as ill, but she has only grown wiser
1	It	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	plays	play	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	on	on	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
4	"	"	PUNCT	``	_	6	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	6	advmod	_	_
6	myself	myself	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs|Reflex=Yes	2	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	6	punct	_	_
8	as	as	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
9	ill	ill	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	15	punct	_	_
11	but	but	CCONJ	CC	_	15	cc	_	_
12	she	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	15	nsubj	_	_
13	has	have	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	15	aux	_	_
14	only	only	ADV	RB	_	15	advmod	_	_
15	grown	grow	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part	2	conj	_	_
16	wiser	wise	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp	2	conj	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **play** | present | It |  |  |  |  | on myself; as ill | vn performance-26.7-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **grow** | present · perfect | she |  |  |  |  |  | vn appear-48.1.1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |

### Option 3 {#o3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
It rhymes, so it sounds clever, though it means very little really

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:9-alice-ch5-part1-advice-from-a-caterpillar:t3:o3:1
# text = It rhymes, so it sounds clever, though it means very little really
1	It	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	rhymes	rhyme	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	6	punct	_	_
4	so	so	ADV	RB	_	6	advmod	_	_
5	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	6	nsubj	_	_
6	sounds	sound	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	2	advcl	_	_
7	clever	clever	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	11	punct	_	_
9	though	though	SCONJ	IN	_	11	mark	_	_
10	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	11	nsubj	_	_
11	means	mean	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	2	parataxis	_	_
12	very	very	ADV	RB	_	13	advmod	_	_
13	little	little	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	11	obj	_	_
14	really	really	ADV	RB	_	2	advmod	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **rhyme** | present | It |  |  |  |  |  | vn amalgamate-22.2-2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **sound** | present | it |  |  |  |  | clever *property* | vn stimulus\_subject-30.4 «NP V ADJ»: agent=Stimulus |
| 3 | **mean** | present | it | little |  |  |  |  | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent little=Topic |

### Option 4 · ✓ the right answer {#o4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
"Not myself" means feeling odd, but Alice has truly changed

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:9-alice-ch5-part1-advice-from-a-caterpillar:t3:o4:1
# text = "Not myself" means feeling odd, but Alice has truly changed
1	"	"	PUNCT	``	_	3	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	Not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	3	advmod	_	_
3	myself	myself	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs|Reflex=Yes	5	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	3	punct	_	_
5	means	mean	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
6	feeling	feel	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	5	xcomp	_	_
7	odd	odd	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	13	punct	_	_
9	but	but	CCONJ	CC	_	13	cc	_	_
10	Alice	Alice	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	13	nsubj	_	_
11	has	have	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	13	aux	_	_
12	truly	truly	ADV	RB	_	13	advmod	_	_
13	changed	change	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part	5	parataxis	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **mean** | present | myself |  |  |  |  |  | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 2 | **feel** *not said to happen* | gerund | myself *not said here* |  |  |  |  | odd *property* | vn stimulus\_subject-30.4 «NP V ADJ»: agent=Stimulus |
| 3 | **change** | present · perfect | Alice |  |  |  |  | truly *property* | vn dress-41.1.1-1-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

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**Text:** the tests of Mova's primary school, written for Mova (`world/data/school/`), as the course runner gave them to the student. **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 text read on its own. Elamur Cosmic License.

<!-- /div -->

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- ← previous: [Alice in Wonderland, chapter V, part 1…, test 2](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/books/9-alice-ch5-part1-advice-from-a-caterpillar/t2/)
- next →: [Alice in Wonderland, chapter V, part 1…, test 4](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/books/9-alice-ch5-part1-advice-from-a-caterpillar/t4/)
- ↑ back to [Alice in Wonderland, chapter V, part 1: Advice from a Caterpillar](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/books/9-alice-ch5-part1-advice-from-a-caterpillar/)