---
title: Identify the principal reason for which the English word "cat" and t… — What language is: sounds, words and ru… · tree and pragmatics
description: Identify the principal reason for which the English word "cat" and the Ukrainian word "кіт" differ, notwithstanding their common referent. Exam question 2 of lesson 1 «What language is: sounds, words and rules everyone shares» of the language course of Mova's primary school, with the dependency tree
---

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# Exam question 2 · What language is: sounds, words and rules everyone shares

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Identify the principal reason for which the English word "cat" and the Ukrainian word "кіт" differ, notwithstanding their common referent.

<!-- .vintro -->
**Mova's choice:** option 1 · **The right answer:** option 1 · right ✓ · **Who acts:** you, English word · **What happens:** identify, differ, notwithstand · **To what, where:** principal reason, common referent

<!-- .vabout -->
This is exam question 2 of lesson 1 «What language is: sounds, words and rules everyone shares» of the language course of Mova's primary school, asked in stiff, formal language. 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/language/1-what-language-is-sounds-words-and-rules/#e2).

## The question {#question}

```conllu
# sent_id = question:language:1-what-language-is-sounds-words-and-rules:e2:1
# text = Identify the principal reason for which the English word "cat" and the Ukrainian word "кіт" differ, notwithstanding their common referent.
1	Identify	identify	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
2	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
3	principal	principal	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	amod	_	_
4	reason	reason	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obj	_	_
5	for	for	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
6	which	which	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	20	obl	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
8	English	English	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	9	amod	_	_
9	word	word	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	20	nsubj	_	_
10	"	"	PUNCT	``	_	11	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	cat	cat	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	appos	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	11	punct	_	_
13	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	16	cc	_	_
14	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	16	det	_	_
15	Ukrainian	ukrainian	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	16	amod	_	_
16	word	word	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	conj	_	_
17	"	"	PUNCT	``	_	18	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
18	кіт	кіт	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	16	appos	_	SpaceAfter=No
19	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	18	punct	_	_
20	differ	differ	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	acl:relcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
21	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	22	punct	_	_
22	notwithstanding	notwithstand	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	20	advcl	_	_
23	their	their	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Plur|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	25	nmod:poss	_	_
24	common	common	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	25	amod	_	_
25	referent	referent	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	22	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
26	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **identify** | imperative | you *not said here* | the principal reason |  |  |  |  | vn characterize-29.2-1-1 «NP V NP S\_ING»: agent=Agent reason=Theme |
| 2 | **differ** | present | the English word and the Ukrainian word |  |  |  |  | for the principal reason | vn correspond-36.1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 3 | **notwithstand** | gerund | the English word and the Ukrainian word *not said here* | word's common referent |  |  |  |  | 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 · ✓ the right answer {#o1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The association of word and meaning is established by the convention of each community of speakers

<!-- fold The tree, 16 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:language:1-what-language-is-sounds-words-and-rules:e2:o1:1
# text = The association of word and meaning is established by the convention of each community of speakers
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	association	association	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	nsubj:pass	_	_
3	of	of	ADP	IN	_	4	case	_	_
4	word	word	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nmod	_	_
5	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	6	cc	_	_
6	meaning	meaning	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	conj	_	_
7	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	8	aux:pass	_	_
8	established	establish	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
9	by	by	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
10	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
11	convention	convention	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	obl	_	_
12	of	of	ADP	IN	_	14	case	_	_
13	each	each	DET	DT	PronType=Tot	14	det	_	_
14	community	community	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	nmod	_	_
15	of	of	ADP	IN	_	16	case	_	_
16	speakers	speaker	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	14	nmod	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **establish** | present · passive | the convention of each community of speakers | the association of word and meaning |  |  |  |  | vn establish-55.5-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent subject=Patient |

### Option 2 {#o2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
One of the two forms is officially deemed incorrect

```conllu
# sent_id = question:language:1-what-language-is-sounds-words-and-rules:e2:o2:1
# text = One of the two forms is officially deemed incorrect
1	One	one	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	8	nsubj:pass	_	_
2	of	of	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
4	two	two	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	5	nummod	_	_
5	forms	form	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	1	nmod	_	_
6	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	8	aux:pass	_	_
7	officially	officially	ADV	RB	_	8	advmod	_	_
8	deemed	deem	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
9	incorrect	incorrect	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	xcomp	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **deem** | present · passive |  | One of the two forms |  |  |  | incorrect, officially *property* | vn consider-29.9-1 «NP V NP PP.attribute»: subject=Attribute |

### Option 3 {#o3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The English form reproduces the natural vocalisation of the animal

```conllu
# sent_id = question:language:1-what-language-is-sounds-words-and-rules:e2:o3:1
# text = The English form reproduces the natural vocalisation of the animal
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	English	English	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	form	form	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
4	reproduces	reproduce	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
6	natural	natural	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
7	vocalisation	vocalisation	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obj	_	_
8	of	of	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
9	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	animal	animal	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nmod	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **reproduce** | present | the English form | the natural vocalisation of the animal |  |  |  |  | vn other\_cos-45.4 «NP V NP.patient»: agent=Agent vocalisation=Patient |
| 2 | **vocalise** |  |  | the animal |  |  |  |  | nom vocalisation «communication transitive»: of=patient |

### Option 4 {#o4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The Ukrainian form constitutes a corruption of the English original

```conllu
# sent_id = question:language:1-what-language-is-sounds-words-and-rules:e2:o4:1
# text = The Ukrainian form constitutes a corruption of the English original
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	Ukrainian	ukrainian	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	form	form	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
4	constitutes	constitute	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	corruption	corruption	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obj	_	_
7	of	of	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
9	English	English	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	10	amod	_	_
10	original	original	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nmod	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **constitute** | present | the Ukrainian form | a corruption of the English original |  |  |  |  | vn comprise-107.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Theme corruption=Pivot |

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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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