---
title: Grandma uses "nice" for everything. A friend says "nice has always m… — Slang and how it changes with every ge… · tree and pragmatics
description: Grandma uses "nice" for everything. A friend says "nice has always meant pleasant." What's true? Test 5 of lesson 17 «Slang and how it changes with every generation» of the language course of Mova's primary school, with the dependency tree and pragmatics of the question and of each option; Mova's ch
---

<!-- md -->
[Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/language/17-slang-and-how-it-changes-with-every-generation/t5/)

<!-- crumbs -->
[home](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) / [corpora](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/) / [questions](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/) / [Language](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/language/) / [Slang and how it changes with every ge…](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/language/17-slang-and-how-it-changes-with-every-generation/) / t5

# Test 5 · Slang and how it changes with every generation

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Grandma uses "nice" for everything. A friend says "nice has always meant pleasant." What's true?

<!-- .vintro -->
**Mova's choice:** option 4 · **The right answer:** option 3 · wrong ✗ · **Who acts:** Grandma, friend · **What happens:** use, say, mean, be · **To what, where:** nice · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
This is test 5 of lesson 17 «Slang and how it changes with every generation» of the language 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/language/17-slang-and-how-it-changes-with-every-generation/#t5).

## The question {#question}

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 1:* Grandma uses "nice" for everything.

```conllu
# sent_id = question:language:17-slang-and-how-it-changes-with-every-generation:t5:1
# text = Grandma uses "nice" for everything.
1	Grandma	grandma	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nsubj	_	_
2	uses	use	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	"	"	PUNCT	``	_	4	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	nice	nice	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	4	punct	_	_
6	for	for	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
7	everything	everything	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Tot	2	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **use** | present | Grandma | nice |  |  |  | for everything | vn use-105.1 «NP V NP PP.predicate»: agent=Agent nice=Theme for everything=Eventuality |

<!-- .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:* A friend says "nice has always meant pleasant."

```conllu
# sent_id = question:language:17-slang-and-how-it-changes-with-every-generation:t5:2
# text = A friend says "nice has always meant pleasant."
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	friend	friend	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	``	_	8	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	nice	nice	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	nsubj:pass	_	_
6	has	have	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	8	aux	_	_
7	always	always	ADV	RB	PronType=Tot	8	advmod	_	_
8	meant	mean	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part	3	ccomp	_	_
9	pleasant	pleasant	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	8	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	8	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **say** *speech: assert* | present | a friend |  |  |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 2 | **mean** *in a quote* | present · perfect · passive |  | nice |  |  |  | always, pleasant *property* | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V NP»: subject=Topic |

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

```conllu
# sent_id = question:language:17-slang-and-how-it-changes-with-every-generation:t5:3
# 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 is a brand-new word from the 1990s

```conllu
# sent_id = question:language:17-slang-and-how-it-changes-with-every-generation:t5:o1:1
# text = It is a brand-new word from the 1990s
1	It	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	7	nsubj	_	_
2	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	7	cop	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
4	brand	brand	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	compound	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	-	-	PUNCT	HYPH	_	4	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	new	new	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
7	word	word	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
8	from	from	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
9	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	1990s	1990s	NOUN	NNS	Number=Ptan|NumForm=Combi|NumType=Card	7	nmod	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | It | a new word |  | the 1990s |  |  | tree rules |

### Option 2 {#o2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
It meant pleasant in Latin and English never changed it

```conllu
# sent_id = question:language:17-slang-and-how-it-changes-with-every-generation:t5:o2:1
# text = It meant pleasant in Latin and English never changed it
1	It	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	meant	mean	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	pleasant	pleasant	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	xcomp	_	_
4	in	in	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
5	Latin	Latin	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	_
6	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	7	cc	_	_
7	English	English	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	5	conj	_	_
8	never	never	ADV	RB	PronType=Neg	9	advmod	_	_
9	changed	change	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	2	advcl	_	_
10	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	9	obj	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **mean** | past | It |  |  |  |  | pleasant *property* | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V S»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **not** **change** | past |  | it |  |  |  |  | vn dress-41.1.1-1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent it=Patient |

### Option 3 · ✓ the right answer {#o3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Long ago it meant foolish; meanings drift over time

```conllu
# sent_id = question:language:17-slang-and-how-it-changes-with-every-generation:t5:o3:1
# text = Long ago it meant foolish; meanings drift over time
1	Long	long	ADV	RB	Degree=Pos	2	advmod	_	_
2	ago	ago	ADV	RB	_	4	advmod	_	_
3	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	4	nsubj	_	_
4	meant	mean	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	foolish	foolish	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	;	;	PUNCT	:	_	8	punct	_	_
7	meanings	meaning	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	8	nsubj	_	_
8	drift	drift	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	ccomp	_	_
9	over	over	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
10	time	time	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **mean** | past | it |  |  |  |  | ago, foolish *property* | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 2 | **drift** | present | meanings |  |  |  | time |  | vn run-51.3.2-2 «NP V»: agent=Theme |

### Option 4 · ← Mova's choice {#o4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
It has always meant pleasant since the Romans

```conllu
# sent_id = question:language:17-slang-and-how-it-changes-with-every-generation:t5:o4:1
# text = It has always meant pleasant since the Romans
1	It	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	4	nsubj:pass	_	_
2	has	have	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	aux	_	_
3	always	always	ADV	RB	PronType=Tot	4	advmod	_	_
4	meant	mean	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
5	pleasant	pleasant	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	xcomp	_	_
6	since	since	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	Romans	Roman	PROPN	NNPS	Number=Plur	4	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **mean** | present · perfect · passive |  | It |  |  | since the Romans | always, pleasant *property* | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V NP»: subject=Topic |

<!-- 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 -->

<!-- pn -->
- ← previous: [Slang and how it changes with every ge…, test 4](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/language/17-slang-and-how-it-changes-with-every-generation/t4/)
- next →: [Slang and how it changes with every ge…, test 6](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/language/17-slang-and-how-it-changes-with-every-generation/t6/)
- ↑ back to [Slang and how it changes with every generation](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/language/17-slang-and-how-it-changes-with-every-generation/)