---
title: Grandad says "back in my day words meant what they meant, forever."… — Where English came from · tree and pragmatics
description: Grandad says "back in my day words meant what they meant, forever." What's true? Test 5 · ★ of lesson 22 «Where English came from» of the language course of Mova's primary school, with the dependency tree and pragmatics of the question and of each option; Mova's choice was wrong.
---

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# Test 5 · ★ · Where English came from

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Grandad says "back in my day words meant what they meant, forever." What's true?

<!-- .vintro -->
**Mova's choice:** option 1 · **The right answer:** option 3 · wrong ✗ · **Who acts:** Grandad, words, my · **What happens:** say, mean, word, be · **To what, where:** day words · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
This is test 5 · ★ of lesson 22 «Where English came from» 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/22-where-english-came-from/#t5).

## The question {#question}

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 1:* Grandad says "back in my day words meant what they meant, forever."

```conllu
# sent_id = question:language:22-where-english-came-from:t5:1
# text = Grandad says "back in my day words meant what they meant, forever."
1	Grandad	Grandad	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	2	nsubj	_	_
2	says	say	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	"	"	PUNCT	``	_	9	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	back	back	ADV	RB	_	9	advmod	_	_
5	in	in	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
6	my	my	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Sing|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	8	nmod:poss	_	_
7	day	day	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	compound	_	_
8	words	word	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	9	obl	_	_
9	meant	mean	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	2	ccomp	_	_
10	what	what	PRON	WP	PronType=Int	12	obj	_	_
11	they	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	12	nsubj	_	_
12	meant	mean	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	9	ccomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	14	punct	_	_
14	forever	forever	ADV	RB	_	12	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **say** *speech: assert* | present | Grandad |  |  |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 2 | **mean** *in a quote* | past |  |  |  | my day words |  |  | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 3 | **mean** *in a quote* | past | words *= word* |  |  |  |  | forever *property* | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent what=Topic |
| 4 | **word** *in a quote* |  | my |  |  |  |  |  | nom word «communication transitive»: poss=agent |

<!-- .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's true?

```conllu
# sent_id = question:language:22-where-english-came-from:t5:2
# 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 · ← Mova's choice {#o1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Only slang words change, and proper dictionary words always stay the same

```conllu
# sent_id = question:language:22-where-english-came-from:t5:o1:1
# text = Only slang words change, and proper dictionary words always stay the same
1	Only	only	ADV	RB	_	2	advmod	_	_
2	slang	slang	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	compound	_	_
3	words	word	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	nsubj	_	_
4	change	change	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	11	punct	_	_
6	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	11	cc	_	_
7	proper	proper	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	9	amod	_	_
8	dictionary	dictionary	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	compound	_	_
9	words	word	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	11	nsubj	_	_
10	always	always	ADV	RB	PronType=Tot	11	advmod	_	_
11	stay	stay	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	conj	_	_
12	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	13	det	_	_
13	same	same	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	11	xcomp	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **change** | present | slang words |  |  |  |  |  | vn dress-41.1.1-1-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **stay** | present | proper dictionary words |  |  |  |  | always, same *property* | vn exist-47.1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |

### Option 2 {#o2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
He's right, words never change their meaning once they are in a dictionary

<!-- fold The tree, 14 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:language:22-where-english-came-from:t5:o2:1
# text = He's right, words never change their meaning once they are in a dictionary
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	5	amod	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	5	punct	_	_
5	words	word	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	7	nsubj	_	_
6	never	never	ADV	RB	PronType=Neg	7	advmod	_	_
7	change	change	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
8	their	their	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Plur|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	9	nmod:poss	_	_
9	meaning	meaning	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obj	_	_
10	once	once	SCONJ	IN	_	15	mark	_	_
11	they	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	15	nsubj	_	_
12	are	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	15	cop	_	_
13	in	in	ADP	IN	_	15	case	_	_
14	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	15	det	_	_
15	dictionary	dictionary	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	advcl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present | He |  |  |  |  | right *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **not** **change** | present | right words | words's meaning |  |  |  |  | vn dress-41.1.1-1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent meaning=Patient |
| 3 | **is** | present | words *= word* |  |  | a dictionary |  |  | tree rules |
| 4 | **mean** |  | words *= word* |  |  |  |  |  | nom meaning «communication transitive»: poss=agent |

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Words change meaning over time, like "meat" once meaning any food

```conllu
# sent_id = question:language:22-where-english-came-from:t5:o3:1
# text = Words change meaning over time, like "meat" once meaning any food
1	Words	word	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	nsubj	_	_
2	change	change	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	meaning	meaning	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
4	over	over	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
5	time	time	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	9	punct	_	_
7	like	like	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
8	"	"	PUNCT	``	_	9	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	meat	meat	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	parataxis	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	9	punct	_	_
11	once	once	SCONJ	IN	_	12	mark	_	_
12	meaning	mean	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	2	advcl	_	_
13	any	any	DET	DT	PronType=Ind	14	det	_	_
14	food	food	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	obj	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **change** | present | Words | meaning |  |  | time |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **mean** | gerund | Words *not said here* | any food |  |  |  |  | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent food=Topic |

### Option 4 {#o4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Words change only when a king orders it

```conllu
# sent_id = question:language:22-where-english-came-from:t5:o4:1
# text = Words change only when a king orders it
1	Words	word	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	nsubj	_	_
2	change	change	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	only	only	ADV	RB	_	2	advmod	_	_
4	when	when	SCONJ	WRB	_	7	mark	_	_
5	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	king	king	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nsubj	_	_
7	orders	order	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	2	advcl	_	_
8	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	7	obj	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **change** | present | Words |  |  |  |  |  | vn dress-41.1.1-1-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **order** | present | a king | it |  |  |  |  | vn get-13.5.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent it=Theme |

<!-- 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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