---
title: Your Yank cousin ("Yank" is British slang for an American) says "zed… — British and American words · tree and pragmatics
description: Your Yank cousin ("Yank" is British slang for an American) says "zed is a made-up British joke". What do you tell him? Test 4 of lesson 21 «British and American words» of the language course of Mova's primary school, with the dependency tree and pragmatics of the question and of each option; Mova's 
---

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# Test 4 · British and American words

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Your Yank cousin ("Yank" is British slang for an American) says "zed is a made-up British joke". What do you tell him?

<!-- .vintro -->
**Mova's choice:** option 1 · **The right answer:** option 3 · wrong ✗ · **Who acts:** Yank, Yank cousin, zed, you · **What happens:** be, say, make up, tell · **To what, where:** British slang, made British joke, zed · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
This is test 4 of lesson 21 «British and American words» 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/21-british-and-american-words/#t4).

## The question {#question}

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 1:* Your Yank cousin ("Yank" is British slang for an American) says "zed is a made-up British joke".

```conllu
# sent_id = question:language:21-british-and-american-words:t4:1
# text = Your Yank cousin ("Yank" is British slang for an American) says "zed is a made-up British joke".
1	Your	your	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Person=2|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	3	nmod:poss	_	_
2	Yank	yank	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	compound	_	_
3	cousin	cousin	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	15	nsubj	_	_
4	(	(	PUNCT	-LRB-	_	10	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	"	"	PUNCT	``	_	6	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	Yank	Yank	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	10	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	6	punct	_	_
8	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	10	cop	_	_
9	British	British	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	10	amod	_	_
10	slang	slang	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	appos	_	_
11	for	for	ADP	IN	_	13	case	_	_
12	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	13	det	_	_
13	American	American	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	10	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	)	)	PUNCT	-RRB-	_	10	punct	_	_
15	says	say	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
16	"	"	PUNCT	``	_	24	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	zed	zed	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	24	nsubj	_	_
18	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	24	cop	_	_
19	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	24	det	_	_
20	made	make	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	24	amod	_	SpaceAfter=No
21	-	-	PUNCT	HYPH	_	22	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
22	up	up	ADP	RP	_	20	compound:prt	_	_
23	British	British	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	24	amod	_	_
24	joke	joke	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	15	ccomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
25	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	24	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
26	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	15	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | Yank | British slang |  |  |  | for a American | tree rules |
| 2 | **say** *speech: assert* | present | Your Yank cousin |  |  |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent |
| 3 | **make up** *in a quote* | participle |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn comprise-107.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Theme |
| 4 | **is a** *in a quote* | present | zed | a made British 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.

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 2:* What do you tell him?

```conllu
# sent_id = question:language:21-british-and-american-words:t4:2
# text = What do you tell him?
1	What	what	PRON	WP	PronType=Int	4	obj	_	_
2	do	do	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=2|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	aux	_	_
3	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs	4	nsubj	_	_
4	tell	tell	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
5	him	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	4	iobj	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **tell** *speech: assert* | present · do-support | you |  | zed |  |  |  | vn transfer\_mesg-37.1.1-1-1 «NP V NP-Dative NP»: agent=Agent he=Recipient what=Topic |

## The options {#options}

### Option 1 · ← Mova's choice {#o1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
"Zed" is only used in maths

```conllu
# sent_id = question:language:21-british-and-american-words:t4:o1:1
# text = "Zed" is only used in maths
1	"	"	PUNCT	``	_	2	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	Zed	zed	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj:pass	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	2	punct	_	_
4	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	aux:pass	_	_
5	only	only	ADV	RB	_	6	advmod	_	_
6	used	use	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
7	in	in	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
8	maths	math	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **use** | present · passive |  | Zed |  | maths |  |  | vn eat-39.1 «NP V NP»: subject=Patient |

### Option 2 {#o2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
He's right, only the Queen said "zed"

```conllu
# sent_id = question:language:21-british-and-american-words:t4:o2:1
# text = He's right, only the Queen said "zed"
1	He	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	3	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	's	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	cop	_	_
3	right	right	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	8	punct	_	_
5	only	only	ADV	RB	_	8	advmod	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	Queen	Queen	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	8	nsubj	_	_
8	said	say	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	3	conj	_	_
9	"	"	PUNCT	``	_	10	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	zed	zed	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	10	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present | He |  |  |  |  | right *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **say** *speech: assert* | past | the Queen | zed |  |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V NP.topic»: agent=Agent zed=Topic |

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Most English-speaking countries say "zed"

```conllu
# sent_id = question:language:21-british-and-american-words:t4:o3:1
# text = Most English-speaking countries say "zed"
1	Most	most	ADJ	JJS	Degree=Sup	5	amod	_	_
2	English	English	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	compound	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	-	-	PUNCT	HYPH	_	2	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	speaking	speak	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	5	amod	_	_
5	countries	country	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	nsubj	_	_
6	say	say	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
7	"	"	PUNCT	``	_	8	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	zed	zed	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	8	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **speak** *speech: other* | gerund |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn talk-37.5 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **say** *speech: assert* | present | Most speaking countries | zed |  |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V NP.topic»: agent=Agent zed=Topic |

### Option 4 {#o4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Both names are wrong, it's "zet"

```conllu
# sent_id = question:language:21-british-and-american-words:t4:o4:1
# text = Both names are wrong, it's "zet"
1	Both	both	DET	DT	PronType=Tot	2	det	_	_
2	names	name	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	nsubj	_	_
3	are	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	cop	_	_
4	wrong	wrong	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	9	punct	_	_
6	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	9	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	's	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	9	cop	_	_
8	"	"	PUNCT	``	_	9	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	zet	zet	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	parataxis	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	9	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present | both names |  |  |  |  | wrong *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **is a** *in a quote* | present | it | zet |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

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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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