---
title: Lín's teacher hears a kid call someone "waste matter". The kid says… — Words that hurt — what they mean, neve… · tree and pragmatics
description: Lín's teacher hears a kid call someone "waste matter". The kid says "my dad says it to me". What's true? Test 7 · ★★ of lesson 24 «Words that hurt — what they mean, never to be said» of the Chinese street course of Mova's primary school, with the dependency tree and pragmatics of the question and of
---

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# Test 7 · ★★ · Words that hurt — what they mean, never to be said

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Lín's teacher hears a kid call someone "waste matter". The kid says "my dad says it to me". What's true?

<!-- .vintro -->
**Mova's choice:** option 3 · **The right answer:** option 3 · right ✓ · **Who acts:** teacher, kid, dad · **What happens:** hear, say, be · **To what, where:** kid call, kid · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
This is test 7 · ★★ of lesson 24 «Words that hurt — what they mean, never to be said» of the Chinese street 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/chinese-street/24-words-that-hurt/#t7).

## The question {#question}

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 1:* Lín's teacher hears a kid call someone "waste matter".

```conllu
# sent_id = question:chinese-street:24-words-that-hurt:t7:1
# text = Lín's teacher hears a kid call someone "waste matter".
1	Lín	Lín	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	3	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	's	's	PART	POS	_	1	case	_	_
3	teacher	teacher	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
4	hears	hear	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
6	kid	kid	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	compound	_	_
7	call	call	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obj	_	_
8	someone	someone	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	7	nmod:unmarked	_	_
9	"	"	PUNCT	``	_	11	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	waste	waste	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	compound	_	_
11	matter	matter	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	appos	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	11	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **hear** | present | Lín's teacher | a kid call  someone |  |  |  |  | vn see-30.1-1-1 «NP V S»: agent=Experiencer call=Stimulus |

<!-- .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:* The kid says "my dad says it to me".

```conllu
# sent_id = question:chinese-street:24-words-that-hurt:t7:2
# text = The kid says "my dad says it to me".
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	kid	kid	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	says	say	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	"	"	PUNCT	``	_	7	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	my	my	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Sing|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	6	nmod:poss	_	_
6	dad	dad	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nsubj	_	_
7	says	say	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	ccomp	_	_
8	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	7	obj	_	_
9	to	to	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
10	me	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	7	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	7	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **say** *speech: assert* | present | the kid |  |  |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 2 | **say** *speech: assert* *in a quote* | present | my dad | kid | the kid *= kid* |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V NP PP.recipient»: agent=Agent it=Topic to i=Recipient |

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 3:* What's true?

```conllu
# sent_id = question:chinese-street:24-words-that-hurt:t7:3
# text = What's true?
1	What	what	PRON	WP	PronType=Int	3	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	's	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	cop	_	_
3	true	true	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

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

## The options {#options}

### Option 1 {#o1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
It's a joke in every family, nobody minds it

```conllu
# sent_id = question:chinese-street:24-words-that-hurt:t7:o1:1
# text = It's a joke in every family, nobody minds it
1	It	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	4	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	's	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	cop	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	joke	joke	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
5	in	in	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	every	every	DET	DT	PronType=Tot	7	det	_	_
7	family	family	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	10	punct	_	_
9	nobody	nobody	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Neg	10	nsubj	_	_
10	minds	mind	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	parataxis	_	_
11	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	10	obj	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | It | a joke |  | every family |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **mind** | present | nobody | family |  |  |  |  | vn caring-75.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent it=Theme |

### Option 2 {#o2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
It's a word for doing well

```conllu
# sent_id = question:chinese-street:24-words-that-hurt:t7:o2:1
# text = It's a word for doing well
1	It	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	4	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	's	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	cop	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	word	word	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
5	for	for	SCONJ	IN	_	6	mark	_	_
6	doing	do	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	4	acl	_	_
7	well	well	ADV	RB	Degree=Pos	6	advmod	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | It | a word |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **do** | gerund | a word *not said here* |  |  |  |  | well *property* | vn act-114-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

### Option 3 · ← Mova's choice · ✓ the right answer {#o3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
It hurts; some kids hear it from adults, never add to it

```conllu
# sent_id = question:chinese-street:24-words-that-hurt:t7:o3:1
# text = It hurts; some kids hear it from adults, never add to it
1	It	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	hurts	hurt	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	;	;	PUNCT	:	_	6	punct	_	_
4	some	some	DET	DT	PronType=Ind	5	det	_	_
5	kids	kid	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	nsubj	_	_
6	hear	hear	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	2	advcl	_	_
7	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	6	obj	_	_
8	from	from	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
9	adults	adult	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	12	punct	_	_
11	never	never	ADV	RB	PronType=Neg	12	advmod	_	_
12	add	add	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	6	conj	_	_
13	to	to	ADP	IN	_	14	case	_	_
14	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	12	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **hurt** | present | It |  |  |  |  |  | vn amuse-31.1 «NP V NP-PRO-ARB»: agent=Stimulus |
| 2 | **hear** | present | some kids | it |  |  |  | from adults | vn learn-14-2-1 «NP V NP PP.source»: agent=Agent it=Topic from adult=Source |
| 3 | **not** **add** *speech: assert* | infinitive | some kids *not said here* |  | it |  |  |  | vn mix-22.1-2 «NP V ADVP-Middle PP»: agent=Patient to it=Co-Patient |

### Option 4 {#o4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
It's fine because a dad said it, so it's allowed

```conllu
# sent_id = question:chinese-street:24-words-that-hurt:t7:o4:1
# text = It's fine because a dad said it, so it's allowed
1	It	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	3	expl	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	's	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	cop	_	_
3	fine	fine	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	_
4	because	because	SCONJ	IN	_	7	mark	_	_
5	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	dad	dad	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nsubj	_	_
7	said	say	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	3	parataxis	_	_
8	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	7	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	13	punct	_	_
10	so	so	ADV	RB	_	13	advmod	_	_
11	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	13	nsubj:pass	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	's	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	13	aux:pass	_	_
13	allowed	allow	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	3	conj	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present |  |  |  |  |  | fine *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **say** *speech: assert* | past | a dad | it |  |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V NP.topic»: agent=Agent it=Topic |
| 3 | **allow** | present · passive |  | it |  |  |  |  | vn allow-64.1-1 «NP V NP»: subject=Beneficiary |

<!-- div src -->

**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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