--- title: Your uncle says "all languages come from one word mama, that proves… — How babies learn to talk · tree and pragmatics description: Your uncle says "all languages come from one word mama, that proves it." What's the better explanation? Test 5 · ★ 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 and of each option; Mova's choice was ri --- [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/t5/) [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/) / t5 # Test 5 · ★ · How babies learn to talk Your uncle says "all languages come from one word mama, that proves it." What's the better explanation? **Mova's choice:** option 3 · **The right answer:** option 3 · right ✓ · **Who acts:** uncle, languages, one word mama, better explanation · **What happens:** say, come, prove, be · **To what, where:** one word mama, mama · **Speech:** someone speaks here This is test 5 · ★ 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/#t5). ## The question {#question} *Sentence 1:* Your uncle says "all languages come from one word mama, that proves it." ```conllu # sent_id = question:language:31-how-babies-learn-to-talk:t5:1 # text = Your uncle says "all languages come from one word mama, that proves it." 1 Your your PRON PRP$ Case=Gen|Person=2|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs 2 nmod:poss _ _ 2 uncle uncle 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 `` _ 7 punct _ SpaceAfter=No 5 all all DET DT PronType=Tot 6 det _ _ 6 languages language NOUN NNS Number=Plur 7 nsubj _ _ 7 come come VERB VBP Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin 3 ccomp _ _ 8 from from ADP IN _ 11 case _ _ 9 one one NUM CD NumForm=Word|NumType=Card 11 nummod _ _ 10 word word NOUN NN Number=Sing 11 compound _ _ 11 mama mama NOUN NN Number=Sing 7 obl _ SpaceAfter=No 12 , , PUNCT , _ 14 punct _ _ 13 that that PRON WDT PronType=Rel 14 nsubj _ _ 14 proves prove VERB VBZ Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin 11 acl:relcl _ _ 15 it it PRON PRP Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs 14 obj _ SpaceAfter=No 16 . . PUNCT . _ 7 punct _ SpaceAfter=No 17 " " PUNCT '' _ 7 punct _ _ ``` | # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 1 | **say** *speech: assert* | present | Your uncle | | | | | | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic | | 2 | **come** *in a quote* | present | all languages | | | one word mama | | | vn escape-51.1-1 «NP V PP.initial\_location»: agent=Theme from mama=Initial\_Location | | 3 | **prove** *in a quote* | present | one word mama | mama | | | | | vn deduce-97.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent it=Theme | 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:* What's the better explanation? ```conllu # sent_id = question:language:31-how-babies-learn-to-talk:t5:2 # text = What's the better explanation? 1 What what PRON WP PronType=Int 0 root _ SpaceAfter=No 2 's be AUX VBZ Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin 1 cop _ _ 3 the the DET DT Definite=Def|PronType=Art 5 det _ _ 4 better good ADJ JJR Degree=Cmp 5 amod _ _ 5 explanation explanation NOUN NN Number=Sing 1 nsubj _ SpaceAfter=No 6 ? ? PUNCT . _ 1 punct _ _ ``` | # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 1 | **is a** | present | the better explanation | | | | | | tree rules | ## The options {#options} ### Option 1 {#o1} Mama was invented in 1950 ```conllu # sent_id = question:language:31-how-babies-learn-to-talk:t5:o1:1 # text = Mama was invented in 1950 1 Mama Mama PROPN NNP Number=Sing 3 nsubj _ _ 2 was be AUX VBD Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin 3 aux:pass _ _ 3 invented invent VERB VBN Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass 0 root _ _ 4 in in ADP IN _ 5 case _ _ 5 1950 1950 NUM CD NumForm=Digit|NumType=Card 3 obl _ _ ``` | # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 1 | **invent** | past · passive | | Mama | | 1950 | | | vn create-26.4-1 «NP V NP»: subject=Result | ### Option 2 {#o2} He's right, it proves all languages are one family ```conllu # sent_id = question:language:31-how-babies-learn-to-talk:t5:o2:1 # text = He's right, it proves all languages are one family 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 , _ 6 punct _ _ 5 it it PRON PRP Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs 6 nsubj _ _ 6 proves prove VERB VBZ Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin 3 parataxis _ _ 7 all all DET DT PronType=Tot 8 det _ _ 8 languages language NOUN NNS Number=Plur 11 nsubj _ _ 9 are be AUX VBP Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin 11 cop _ _ 10 one one NUM CD NumForm=Word|NumType=Card 11 nummod _ _ 11 family family NOUN NN Number=Sing 6 ccomp _ _ ``` | # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 1 | **is** | present | He | | | | | right *property* | tree rules | | 2 | **prove** | present | it | | | | | | vn declare-29.4-1-1 «NP V what S\_INF»: agent=Agent | | 3 | **is a** | present | all languages | one family | | | | | tree rules | ### Option 3 · ← Mova's choice · ✓ the right answer {#o3} "Ma" is an easy baby sound, so many languages chose it ```conllu # sent_id = question:language:31-how-babies-learn-to-talk:t5:o3:1 # text = "Ma" is an easy baby sound, so many languages chose it 1 " " PUNCT `` _ 2 punct _ SpaceAfter=No 2 Ma ma NOUN NN Number=Sing 8 nsubj _ SpaceAfter=No 3 " " PUNCT '' _ 2 punct _ _ 4 is be AUX VBZ Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin 8 cop _ _ 5 an a DET DT Definite=Ind|PronType=Art 8 det _ _ 6 easy easy ADJ JJ Degree=Pos 8 amod _ _ 7 baby baby NOUN NN Number=Sing 8 compound _ _ 8 sound sound NOUN NN Number=Sing 0 root _ SpaceAfter=No 9 , , PUNCT , _ 13 punct _ _ 10 so so ADV RB _ 11 advmod _ _ 11 many many ADJ JJ Degree=Pos 12 amod _ _ 12 languages language NOUN NNS Number=Plur 13 nsubj _ _ 13 chose choose VERB VBD Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin 8 parataxis _ _ 14 it it PRON PRP Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs 13 obj _ _ ``` | # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 1 | **is a** | present | Ma | a easy baby sound | | | | | tree rules | | 2 | **choose** | past | many languages | Ma | | | | | vn get-13.5.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent it=Theme | ### Option 4 {#o4} Mama is an English word that every other language copied ```conllu # sent_id = question:language:31-how-babies-learn-to-talk:t5:o4:1 # text = Mama is an English word that every other language copied 1 Mama mama NOUN NN Number=Sing 5 nsubj _ _ 2 is be AUX VBZ Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin 5 cop _ _ 3 an a DET DT Definite=Ind|PronType=Art 5 det _ _ 4 English English ADJ JJ Degree=Pos 5 amod _ _ 5 word word NOUN NN Number=Sing 0 root _ _ 6 that that PRON WDT PronType=Rel 9 nsubj _ _ 7 every every DET DT PronType=Tot 9 det _ _ 8 other other ADJ JJ Degree=Pos 9 amod _ _ 9 language language NOUN NN Number=Sing 5 appos _ _ 10 copied copy VERB VBN Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass 9 acl _ _ ``` | # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 1 | **is a** | present | Mama | a English word | | | | | tree rules | | 2 | **language** | | that | | | | | | tree rules | | 3 | **copy** | participle | | every other language *not said here* | | | | | vn scribble-25.2 «NP V NP»: 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 4](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/language/31-how-babies-learn-to-talk/t4/) - next →: [How babies learn to talk, test 6](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/language/31-how-babies-learn-to-talk/t6/) - ↑ back to [How babies learn to talk](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/language/31-how-babies-learn-to-talk/)