---
title: A Belfast lad says, «Your man's da died, I'm not going near him, I'd… — When a friend's mum or dad dies: what… · tree and pragmatics
description: A Belfast lad says, «Your man's da died, I'm not going near him, I'd only say something eejit.» («Eejit» means «idiot, stupid».) What is the wise advice? Test 5 · ★★★ of lesson 61 «When a friend's mum or dad dies: what to say and do» of the religion ethics course of Mova's primary school, with the d
---

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# Test 5 · ★★★ · When a friend's mum or dad dies: what to say and do

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A Belfast lad says, «Your man's da died, I'm not going near him, I'd only say something eejit.» («Eejit» means «idiot, stupid».) What is the wise advice?

<!-- .vintro -->
**Mova's choice:** option 1 · **The right answer:** option 4 · wrong ✗ · **Who acts:** Belfast lad, da, Eejit, wise advice · **What happens:** say, die, not go, mean, be · **To what, where:** something eejit, idiot · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
This is test 5 · ★★★ of lesson 61 «When a friend's mum or dad dies: what to say and do» of the religion ethics 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/religion-ethics/61-when-a-friends-mum-or-dad-dies-what-to-say-and-do/#t5).

## The question {#question}

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 1:* A Belfast lad says, «Your man's da died, I'm not going near him, I'd only say something eejit.»

```conllu
# sent_id = question:religion-ethics:61-when-a-friends-mum-or-dad-dies-what-to-say-and-do:t5:1
# text = A Belfast lad says, «Your man's da died, I'm not going near him, I'd only say something eejit.»
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	Belfast	Belfast	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	3	compound	_	_
3	lad	lad	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
4	says	say	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	11	punct	_	_
6	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	11	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	Your	your	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Person=2|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	8	nmod:poss	_	_
8	man	man	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	's	's	PART	POS	_	8	case	_	_
10	da	da	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	nsubj	_	_
11	died	die	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	4	ccomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	16	punct	_	_
13	I	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	16	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	'm	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=1|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	16	aux	_	_
15	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	16	advmod	_	_
16	going	go	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	11	conj	_	_
17	near	near	ADP	IN	_	18	case	_	_
18	him	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	16	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
19	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	23	punct	_	_
20	I	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	23	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
21	'd	would	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	23	aux	_	_
22	only	only	ADV	RB	_	23	advmod	_	_
23	say	say	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	4	conj	_	_
24	something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	25	compound	_	_
25	eejit	eejit	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	23	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
26	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
27	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **say** *speech: assert* | present | a Belfast lad |  |  |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 2 | **die** *in a quote* | past | Your man's da |  |  |  |  |  | vn calibratable\_cos-45.6.1 «NP.attribute V»: agent=Attribute |
| 3 | **not** **go** *in a quote* | present · progressive | a Belfast lad *= lad* |  |  |  |  | near da | vn occur-48.3-2 «NP V PP»: agent=Theme near he=Location |
| 4 | **say** *speech: assert* *in a quote* | would | a Belfast lad *= lad* | something eejit |  |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V NP.topic»: agent=Agent eejit=Topic |

<!-- .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:* («Eejit» means «idiot, stupid».)

```conllu
# sent_id = question:religion-ethics:61-when-a-friends-mum-or-dad-dies-what-to-say-and-do:t5:2
# text = («Eejit» means «idiot, stupid».)
1	(	(	PUNCT	-LRB-	_	5	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	3	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	Eejit	Eejit	PROPN	NNP	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	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	7	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	idiot	idiot	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	9	punct	_	_
9	stupid	stupid	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	appos	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	9	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	)	)	PUNCT	-RRB-	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **mean** | present | Eejit | idiot |  |  |  |  | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent idiot=Topic |

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 3:* What is the wise advice?

```conllu
# sent_id = question:religion-ethics:61-when-a-friends-mum-or-dad-dies-what-to-say-and-do:t5:3
# text = What is the wise advice?
1	What	what	PRON	WP	PronType=Int	0	root	_	_
2	is	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	wise	wise	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	amod	_	_
5	advice	advice	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

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

## The options {#options}

### Option 1 · ← Mova's choice {#o1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Stay away, so that you don't say anything stupid or wrong

```conllu
# sent_id = question:religion-ethics:61-when-a-friends-mum-or-dad-dies-what-to-say-and-do:t5:o1:1
# text = Stay away, so that you don't say anything stupid or wrong
1	Stay	stay	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
2	away	away	ADV	RB	_	1	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	9	punct	_	_
4	so	so	SCONJ	IN	ExtPos=SCONJ	9	mark	_	_
5	that	that	SCONJ	IN	_	4	fixed	_	_
6	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs	9	nsubj	_	_
7	do	do	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=2|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	9	aux	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	n't	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	9	advmod	_	_
9	say	say	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	1	conj	_	_
10	anything	anything	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	9	obj	_	_
11	stupid	stupid	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	9	obj	_	_
12	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	13	cc	_	_
13	wrong	wrong	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	11	conj	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **stay away** | imperative | you *not said here* |  |  |  |  | away *property* | vn exist-47.1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 2 | **not** **say** *speech: assert* | present · do-support | you | anything |  |  |  |  | vn pronounce-29.3.1 «NP V NP NP»: agent=Agent anything=Theme stupid=Manner |

### Option 2 {#o2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Wait for a whole year until he is better, then talk to him

```conllu
# sent_id = question:religion-ethics:61-when-a-friends-mum-or-dad-dies-what-to-say-and-do:t5:o2:1
# text = Wait for a whole year until he is better, then talk to him
1	Wait	wait	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
2	for	for	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
4	whole	whole	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	amod	_	_
5	year	year	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obl	_	_
6	until	until	SCONJ	IN	_	9	mark	_	_
7	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	9	nsubj	_	_
8	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	9	cop	_	_
9	better	good	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp	1	advcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	12	punct	_	_
11	then	then	ADV	RB	PronType=Dem	12	advmod	_	_
12	talk	talk	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	1	conj	_	_
13	to	to	ADP	IN	_	14	case	_	_
14	him	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	12	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **wait** | imperative | you *not said here* |  |  |  | year |  | vn exist-47.1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 2 | **is** | present | he |  |  |  |  | good *property* | tree rules |
| 3 | **talk** | infinitive | you *not said here* |  | him *= he* |  | then |  | vn talk-37.5 «NP V PP.co-agent»: agent=Agent to he=Co-Agent |

### Option 3 {#o3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Send someone else in your place to talk to him for you

```conllu
# sent_id = question:religion-ethics:61-when-a-friends-mum-or-dad-dies-what-to-say-and-do:t5:o3:1
# text = Send someone else in your place to talk to him for you
1	Send	send	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
2	someone	someone	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	1	obj	_	_
3	else	else	ADV	RB	_	2	advmod	_	_
4	in	in	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
5	your	your	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Person=2|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	6	nmod:poss	_	_
6	place	place	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obl	_	_
7	to	to	PART	TO	_	8	mark	_	_
8	talk	talk	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	1	advcl	_	_
9	to	to	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
10	him	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	8	obl	_	_
11	for	for	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
12	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Person=2|PronType=Prs	8	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **send** | imperative | you *not said here* | someone |  | your place |  |  | vn confine-92-1 «NP V NP PP.destination»: agent=Agent someone=Theme in place=Destination |
| 2 | **talk** | to-infinitive | you *not said here* |  | him *= he* |  |  | for you | vn talk-37.5 «NP V PP.co-agent»: agent=Agent to he=Co-Agent |

### Option 4 · ✓ the right answer {#o4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Go anyway; «I'm sorry, I don't know what to say» is enough

<!-- fold The tree, 14 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:religion-ethics:61-when-a-friends-mum-or-dad-dies-what-to-say-and-do:t5:o4:1
# text = Go anyway; «I'm sorry, I don't know what to say» is enough
1	Go	go	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
2	anyway	anyway	ADV	RB	_	1	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	;	;	PUNCT	:	_	7	punct	_	_
4	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	7	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	I	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	7	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	'm	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=1|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	7	cop	_	_
7	sorry	sorry	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	18	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	12	punct	_	_
9	I	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	12	nsubj	_	_
10	do	do	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=1|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	12	aux	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	n't	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	12	advmod	_	_
12	know	know	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	7	parataxis	_	_
13	what	what	PRON	WP	PronType=Int	15	obj	_	_
14	to	to	PART	TO	_	15	mark	_	_
15	say	say	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	12	ccomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	7	punct	_	_
17	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	18	cop	_	_
18	enough	enough	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	1	parataxis	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **go** | imperative | you *not said here* |  |  |  |  | anyway *property* | vn disappearance-48.2-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 2 | **is** *in a quote* | present | I |  |  |  |  | sorry *property* | tree rules |
| 3 | **not** **know** *in a quote* | present · do-support | I |  |  |  |  |  | vn comprehend-87.2-1-1-1 «NP V how S\_INF»: agent=Experiencer clause=Stimulus |
| 4 | **say** *speech: assert* *in a quote* | to-infinitive |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V NP.topic»: agent=Agent what=Topic |
| 5 | **is** | present | sorry |  |  |  |  | enough *property* | tree rules |

<!-- 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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