--- title: A Gen Z auntie says "baby talk is cringe and bad for babies, fr." ("… — How babies learn to talk · tree and pragmatics description: A Gen Z auntie says "baby talk is cringe and bad for babies, fr." ("Fr" means for real, "cringe" means embarrassing.) What does research say? Test 4 · ★ of lesson 31 «How babies learn to talk» of the language course of Mova's primary school, with the dependency tree and pragmatics of the question an --- [Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/language/31-how-babies-learn-to-talk/t4/) [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/) / [How babies learn to talk](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/language/31-how-babies-learn-to-talk/) / t4 # Test 4 · ★ · How babies learn to talk A Gen Z auntie says "baby talk is cringe and bad for babies, fr." ("Fr" means for real, "cringe" means embarrassing.) What does research say? **Mova's choice:** option 1 · **The right answer:** option 1 · right ✓ · **Who acts:** Z auntie, Fr, cringe, research · **What happens:** say, be, mean · **To what, where:** talk cringe · **Speech:** someone speaks here This is test 4 · ★ of lesson 31 «How babies learn to talk» 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/31-how-babies-learn-to-talk/#t4). ## The question {#question} *Sentence 1:* A Gen Z auntie says "baby talk is cringe and bad for babies, fr." ```conllu # sent_id = question:language:31-how-babies-learn-to-talk:t4:1 # text = A Gen Z auntie says "baby talk is cringe and bad for babies, fr." 1 A a DET DT Definite=Ind|PronType=Art 4 det _ _ 2 Gen gen NOUN NN Number=Sing 3 compound _ _ 3 Z z NOUN NN Number=Sing 4 compound _ _ 4 auntie auntie NOUN NN Number=Sing 5 nsubj _ _ 5 says say VERB VBZ Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin 0 root _ _ 6 " " PUNCT `` _ 10 punct _ SpaceAfter=No 7 baby baby NOUN NN Number=Sing 8 compound _ _ 8 talk talk NOUN NN Number=Sing 10 compound _ _ 9 is be AUX VBZ Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin 10 cop _ _ 10 cringe cringe NOUN NN Number=Sing 5 ccomp _ _ 11 and and CCONJ CC _ 12 cc _ _ 12 bad bad ADJ JJ Degree=Pos 10 conj _ _ 13 for for ADP IN _ 14 case _ _ 14 babies baby NOUN NNS Number=Plur 12 obl _ SpaceAfter=No 15 , , PUNCT , _ 16 punct _ _ 16 fr fr NOUN NN Number=Sing 14 conj _ SpaceAfter=No 17 . . PUNCT . _ 10 punct _ SpaceAfter=No 18 " " PUNCT '' _ 10 punct _ _ ``` | # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 1 | **say** *speech: assert* | present | a Z auntie | | | | | | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent | | 2 | **is a** *in a quote* | present | | talk cringe | | | | | tree rules | | 3 | **be** *in a quote* | | | | | | | for babies and fr | tree rules | 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. *Sentence 2:* ("Fr" means for real, "cringe" means embarrassing.) ```conllu # sent_id = question:language:31-how-babies-learn-to-talk:t4:2 # text = ("Fr" means for real, "cringe" means embarrassing.) 1 ( ( PUNCT -LRB- _ 5 punct _ SpaceAfter=No 2 " " PUNCT `` _ 3 punct _ SpaceAfter=No 3 Fr fr NOUN NN Number=Sing 5 nsubj _ SpaceAfter=No 4 " " PUNCT '' _ 3 punct _ _ 5 means mean VERB VBZ Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin 0 root _ _ 6 for for ADP IN _ 7 case _ _ 7 real real ADJ JJ Degree=Pos 5 obl _ SpaceAfter=No 8 , , PUNCT , _ 12 punct _ _ 9 " " PUNCT `` _ 10 punct _ SpaceAfter=No 10 cringe cringe NOUN NN Number=Sing 12 nsubj _ SpaceAfter=No 11 " " PUNCT '' _ 10 punct _ _ 12 means mean VERB VBZ Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin 5 conj _ _ 13 embarrassing embarrassing ADJ JJ Degree=Pos 12 xcomp _ SpaceAfter=No 14 . . PUNCT . _ 5 punct _ SpaceAfter=No 15 ) ) PUNCT -RRB- _ 5 punct _ _ ``` | # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 1 | **mean** | present | Fr | | | | | for real | vn representation-110.1 «NP V NP PP.attribute»: agent=Pivot for real=Attribute | | 2 | **mean** | present | cringe | | | | | embarrassing *property* | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V S»: agent=Agent | *Sentence 3:* What does research say? ```conllu # sent_id = question:language:31-how-babies-learn-to-talk:t4:3 # text = What does research say? 1 What what PRON WP PronType=Int 4 obj _ _ 2 does do AUX VBZ Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin 4 aux _ _ 3 research research NOUN NN Number=Sing 4 nsubj _ _ 4 say say VERB VB VerbForm=Inf 0 root _ SpaceAfter=No 5 ? ? PUNCT . _ 4 punct _ _ ``` | # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 1 | **say** *speech: assert* | present · do-support | research | | | | | | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V NP.topic»: agent=Agent what=Topic | ## The options {#options} ### Option 1 · ← Mova's choice · ✓ the right answer {#o1} Babies pay more attention to sing-song talk, and it can help ```conllu # sent_id = question:language:31-how-babies-learn-to-talk:t4:o1:1 # text = Babies pay more attention to sing-song talk, and it can help 1 Babies baby NOUN NNS Number=Plur 2 nsubj _ _ 2 pay pay VERB VBP Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin 0 root _ _ 3 more more ADJ JJR Degree=Cmp 4 amod _ _ 4 attention attention NOUN NN Number=Sing 2 obj _ _ 5 to to PART TO _ 6 mark _ _ 6 sing sing VERB VB VerbForm=Inf 2 advcl _ SpaceAfter=No 7 - - PUNCT HYPH _ 8 punct _ SpaceAfter=No 8 song song NOUN NN Number=Sing 9 compound _ _ 9 talk talk NOUN NN Number=Sing 6 obj _ SpaceAfter=No 10 , , PUNCT , _ 14 punct _ _ 11 and and CCONJ CC _ 14 cc _ _ 12 it it PRON PRP Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs 14 nsubj _ _ 13 can can AUX MD VerbForm=Fin 14 aux _ _ 14 help help VERB VB VerbForm=Inf 2 conj _ _ ``` | # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 1 | **pay** | present | Babies | more attention | | | | | vn pay-68-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent attention=Asset | | 2 | **sing** *speech: express* | to-infinitive | Babies *not said here* | song talk | | | | | vn sound\_emission-43.2 «PP.location V NP»: agent=Location talk=Theme | | 3 | **help** | can | talk | | | | | | vn help-72.1-1-1 «NP V PP.theme»: agent=Agent | ### Option 2 {#o2} It has no effect at all ```conllu # sent_id = question:language:31-how-babies-learn-to-talk:t4:o2:1 # text = It has no effect at all 1 It it PRON PRP Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs 2 nsubj _ _ 2 has have VERB VBZ Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin 0 root _ _ 3 no no DET DT PronType=Neg 4 det _ _ 4 effect effect NOUN NN Number=Sing 2 obj _ _ 5 at at ADP IN _ 6 case _ _ 6 all all DET DT PronType=Tot 4 nmod _ _ ``` | # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 1 | **have** | present | It | no effect | | all | | | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent effect=Patient | ### Option 3 {#o3} She's right, it harms babies and slows down their talking ```conllu # sent_id = question:language:31-how-babies-learn-to-talk:t4:o3:1 # text = She's right, it harms babies and slows down their talking 1 She she PRON PRP Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|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 , _ 6 punct _ _ 5 it it PRON PRP Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs 6 nsubj _ _ 6 harms harm VERB VBZ Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin 3 parataxis _ _ 7 babies baby NOUN NNS Number=Plur 6 obj _ _ 8 and and CCONJ CC _ 9 cc _ _ 9 slows slow VERB VBZ Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin 6 conj _ _ 10 down down ADP RP _ 9 compound:prt _ _ 11 their their PRON PRP$ Case=Gen|Number=Plur|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs 12 nmod:poss _ _ 12 talking talking NOUN NN Number=Sing 9 obj _ _ ``` | # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 1 | **is** | present | She | | | | | right *property* | tree rules | | 2 | **harm** | present | it | babies | | | | | vn amuse-31.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Stimulus baby=Experiencer | | 3 | **slow down** | present | | babies's talking | | | | | vn other\_cos-45.4 «NP V NP.patient»: agent=Agent talking=Patient | | 4 | **talk** | | babies *= baby* | | | | | | nom talking «communication intransitive»: poss=agent | ### Option 4 {#o4} It makes babies stop talking ```conllu # sent_id = question:language:31-how-babies-learn-to-talk:t4:o4:1 # text = It makes babies stop talking 1 It it PRON PRP Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs 2 nsubj _ _ 2 makes make VERB VBZ Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin 0 root _ _ 3 babies baby NOUN NNS Number=Plur 2 obj _ _ 4 stop stop VERB VB VerbForm=Inf 2 xcomp _ _ 5 talking talk VERB VBG VerbForm=Ger 4 xcomp _ _ ``` | # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 1 | **make** | present | It | babies | | | | | tree rules | | 2 | **stop** | infinitive | babies *not said here* | | | | | | vn stop-55.4-1-1 «NP V S\_ING»: agent=Affector clause=Eventuality | | 3 | **talk** | gerund | babies *not said here* | | | | | | vn talk-37.5 «NP V»: agent=Agent | **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. - ← previous: [How babies learn to talk, test 3](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/language/31-how-babies-learn-to-talk/t3/) - next →: [How babies learn to talk, test 5](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/language/31-how-babies-learn-to-talk/t5/) - ↑ back to [How babies learn to talk](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/language/31-how-babies-learn-to-talk/)