ambiguous Who acts: Ambiguous, meaning, 's, comma, sign, answer · What happens: mean, have, be, not decide, let, eat · To what, where: one possible meaning, one, 's, Grandma, ambiguous meaning, ambiguous ending · Speech: someone speaks here
«ambiguous» in the school dictionary: its 2 meanings for a pupil and its 8 examples, every sentence parsed by Mova itself — its syntax tree, a dependency tree in the style of Universal Dependencies, and its pragmatics clause by clause. The word in the dictionary, with its sense in the lessons: ambiguous in the school dictionary .
Meaning 1 Ambiguous means having more than one possible meaning, so it is unclear which one is meant.
The tree, 16 words nsubj xcomp advmod fixed nummod amod obj punct advmod nsubj cop parataxis det nsubj:pass aux:pass acl:relcl punct root Ambiguous PROPN means VERB having VERB more ADJ than ADP one NUM possible ADJ meaning NOUN , PUNCT so ADV it PRON is AUX unclear ADJ which DET one NOUN is AUX meant VERB . PUNCT The words, one row each (CoNLL-U) # word lemma UPOS features head relation 1 Ambiguous Ambiguous PROPN Number=Sing 2 means nsubj 2 means mean VERB Mood=Ind Number=Sing Person=3 Tense=Pres VerbForm=Fin root root 3 having have VERB VerbForm=Ger 2 means xcomp 4 more more ADJ Degree=Cmp ExtPos=ADV 6 one advmod 5 than than ADP _ 4 more fixed 6 one one NUM NumForm=Word NumType=Card 8 meaning nummod 7 possible possible ADJ Degree=Pos 8 meaning amod 8 meaning meaning NOUN Number=Sing 3 having obj 9 , , PUNCT _ 13 unclear punct 10 so so ADV _ 13 unclear advmod 11 it it PRON Case=Nom Gender=Neut Number=Sing Person=3 PronType=Prs 13 unclear nsubj 12 is be AUX Mood=Ind Number=Sing Person=3 Tense=Pres VerbForm=Fin 13 unclear cop 13 unclear unclear ADJ Degree=Pos 2 means parataxis 14 which which DET PronType=Int 15 one det 15 one one NOUN Number=Sing 17 meant nsubj:pass 16 is be AUX Mood=Ind Number=Sing Person=3 Tense=Pres VerbForm=Fin 17 meant aux:pass 17 meant mean VERB Tense=Past VerbForm=Part Voice=Pass 13 unclear acl:relcl 18 . . PUNCT _ 2 means punct
# verb tense, mood who what, whom to whom where when other roles by
1 mean present Ambiguous vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic 2 have not said to happen gerund Ambiguous not said here one possible meaning vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent meaning=Patient 3 is present meaning unclear property tree rules 4 mean present · passive which one vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V NP»: subject=Topic
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.
Meaning 2 Ambiguous can mean uncertain or not clearly decided.
nsubj aux xcomp cc advmod advmod conj punct root Ambiguous PROPN can AUX mean VERB uncertain ADJ or CCONJ not PART clearly ADV decided VERB . PUNCT The words, one row each (CoNLL-U) # word lemma UPOS features head relation 1 Ambiguous Ambiguous PROPN Number=Sing 3 mean nsubj 2 can can AUX VerbForm=Fin 3 mean aux 3 mean mean VERB VerbForm=Inf root root 4 uncertain uncertain ADJ Degree=Pos 3 mean xcomp 5 or or CCONJ _ 8 decided cc 6 not not PART Polarity=Neg 8 decided advmod 7 clearly clearly ADV _ 8 decided advmod 8 decided decide VERB Tense=Past VerbForm=Part Voice=Pass 4 uncertain conj 9 . . PUNCT _ 3 mean punct
# verb tense, mood who what, whom to whom where when other roles by
1 mean can Ambiguous uncertain property vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V S»: agent=Agent 2 not decide participle Ambiguous not said here clearly property vn correspond-36.1-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent
Example 1 «Let's eat, Grandma» and «Let's eat Grandma» show how a comma removes ambiguous meaning.
The tree, 16 words punct nsubj obj xcomp punct obj punct cc punct conj obj xcomp obj punct advmod det nsubj ccomp amod obj punct root « PUNCT Let VERB 's PRON eat VERB , PUNCT Grandma NOUN » PUNCT and CCONJ « PUNCT Let VERB 's PRON eat VERB Grandma NOUN » PUNCT show VERB how ADV a DET comma NOUN removes VERB ambiguous ADJ meaning NOUN . PUNCT The words, one row each (CoNLL-U) # word lemma UPOS features head relation 1 « « PUNCT _ 2 Let punct 2 Let let VERB Mood=Imp VerbForm=Fin 15 show nsubj 3 's we PRON Case=Acc Number=Plur Person=1 PronType=Prs 2 Let obj 4 eat eat VERB VerbForm=Inf 2 Let xcomp 5 , , PUNCT _ 6 Grandma punct 6 Grandma grandma NOUN Number=Sing 4 eat obj 7 » » PUNCT _ 2 Let punct 8 and and CCONJ _ 10 Let cc 9 « « PUNCT _ 10 Let punct 10 Let let VERB Mood=Imp VerbForm=Fin 2 Let conj 11 's we PRON Case=Acc Number=Plur Person=1 PronType=Prs 10 Let obj 12 eat eat VERB VerbForm=Inf 10 Let xcomp 13 Grandma grandma NOUN Number=Sing 12 eat obj 14 » » PUNCT _ 10 Let punct 15 show show VERB Mood=Ind Number=Plur Person=3 Tense=Pres VerbForm=Fin root root 16 how how ADV PronType=Int 19 removes advmod 17 a a DET Definite=Ind PronType=Art 18 comma det 18 comma comma NOUN Number=Sing 19 removes nsubj 19 removes remove VERB Mood=Ind Number=Sing Person=3 Tense=Pres VerbForm=Fin 15 show ccomp 20 ambiguous ambiguous ADJ Degree=Pos 21 meaning amod 21 meaning meaning NOUN Number=Sing 19 removes obj 22 . . PUNCT _ 15 show punct
# verb tense, mood who what, whom to whom where when other roles by
1 let in a quote infinitive 's tree rules 2 eat in a quote infinitive 's not said here Grandma vn eat-39.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent grandma=Patient 3 let in a quote infinitive 's tree rules 4 eat in a quote infinitive 's not said here Grandma vn eat-39.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent grandma=Patient 5 show present vn transfer_mesg-37.1.1-1-1 «NP V how S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic 6 remove present a comma ambiguous meaning vn fire-10.10 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent meaning=Theme
Example 2 The sign «Slow children» is ambiguous!
det nsubj punct amod appos punct cop punct root The DET sign NOUN « PUNCT Slow ADJ children NOUN » PUNCT is AUX ambiguous ADJ ! PUNCT The words, one row each (CoNLL-U) # word lemma UPOS features head relation 1 The the DET Definite=Def PronType=Art 2 sign det 2 sign sign NOUN Number=Sing 8 ambiguous nsubj 3 « « PUNCT _ 5 children punct 4 Slow slow ADJ Degree=Pos 5 children amod 5 children child NOUN Number=Plur 2 sign appos 6 » » PUNCT _ 5 children punct 7 is be AUX Mood=Ind Number=Sing Person=3 Tense=Pres VerbForm=Fin 8 ambiguous cop 8 ambiguous ambiguous ADJ Degree=Pos root root 9 ! ! PUNCT _ 8 ambiguous punct
# verb tense, mood who what, whom to whom where when other roles by
1 is present the sign ambiguous property tree rules
Example 3 Her answer was ambiguous: I couldn't tell if it was yes or no.
The tree, 14 words nmod:poss nsubj cop punct nsubj aux advmod conj mark nsubj cop obj cc conj root Her PRON answer NOUN was AUX ambiguous ADJ : PUNCT I PRON could AUX n't PART tell VERB if SCONJ it PRON was AUX yes INTJ or CCONJ no. NOUN The words, one row each (CoNLL-U) # word lemma UPOS features head relation 1 Her her PRON Case=Gen Gender=Fem Number=Sing Person=3 Poss=Yes PronType=Prs 2 answer nmod:poss 2 answer answer NOUN Number=Sing 4 ambiguous nsubj 3 was be AUX Mood=Ind Number=Sing Person=3 Tense=Past VerbForm=Fin 4 ambiguous cop 4 ambiguous ambiguous ADJ Degree=Pos root root 5 : : PUNCT _ 9 tell punct 6 I I PRON Case=Nom Number=Sing Person=1 PronType=Prs 9 tell nsubj 7 could could AUX VerbForm=Fin 9 tell aux 8 n't not PART Polarity=Neg 9 tell advmod 9 tell tell VERB VerbForm=Inf 4 ambiguous conj 10 if if SCONJ _ 13 yes mark 11 it it PRON Case=Nom Gender=Neut Number=Sing Person=3 PronType=Prs 13 yes nsubj 12 was be AUX Mood=Ind Number=Sing Person=3 Tense=Past VerbForm=Fin 13 yes cop 13 yes yes INTJ Polarity=Pos 9 tell obj 14 or or CCONJ _ 15 no. cc 15 no. no. NOUN Abbr=Yes Number=Sing 13 yes conj
# verb tense, mood who what, whom to whom where when other roles by
1 is past Her answer ambiguous property tree rules 2 not tell speech: assert could I vn transfer_mesg-37.1.1-1-1 «NP V NP.recipient»: agent=Agent yes=Recipient 3 answer Her = she nom answer «communication transitive»: poss=agent
Example 4 The story has an ambiguous ending, so readers argue about what happened.
det nsubj det amod obj punct advmod nsubj conj mark nsubj ccomp punct root The DET story NOUN has VERB an DET ambiguous ADJ ending NOUN , PUNCT so ADV readers NOUN argue VERB about SCONJ what PRON happened VERB . PUNCT The words, one row each (CoNLL-U) # word lemma UPOS features head relation 1 The the DET Definite=Def PronType=Art 2 story det 2 story story NOUN Number=Sing 3 has nsubj 3 has have VERB Mood=Ind Number=Sing Person=3 Tense=Pres VerbForm=Fin root root 4 an a DET Definite=Ind PronType=Art 6 ending det 5 ambiguous ambiguous ADJ Degree=Pos 6 ending amod 6 ending ending NOUN Number=Sing 3 has obj 7 , , PUNCT _ 10 argue punct 8 so so ADV _ 10 argue advmod 9 readers reader NOUN Number=Plur 10 argue nsubj 10 argue argue VERB Mood=Ind Number=Plur Person=3 Tense=Pres VerbForm=Fin 3 has conj 11 about about SCONJ _ 13 happened mark 12 what what PRON PronType=Int 13 happened nsubj 13 happened happen VERB Mood=Ind Number=Sing Person=3 Tense=Past VerbForm=Fin 10 argue ccomp 14 . . PUNCT _ 3 has punct
# verb tense, mood who what, whom to whom where when other roles by
1 have present the story a ambiguous ending vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent ending=Patient 2 argue speech: disagree present readers vn correspond-36.1-1 «NP V what S_INF»: agent=Agent clause=Topic 3 happen past vn occur-48.3-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme
Example 5 Is 6 − 2 + 1 ambiguous? Brackets make it clear.
Sentence 1: Is 6 − 2 + 1 ambiguous?
cop compound case nmod advmod nummod punct root Is AUX 6 NUM − SYM 2 NUM + SYM 1 NUM ambiguous NOUN ? PUNCT The words, one row each (CoNLL-U) # word lemma UPOS features head relation 1 Is be AUX Mood=Ind Number=Sing Person=3 Tense=Pres VerbForm=Fin 7 ambiguous cop 2 6 6 NUM NumForm=Digit NumType=Card 7 ambiguous compound 3 − − SYM _ 4 2 case 4 2 2 NUM NumForm=Digit NumType=Card 2 6 nmod 5 + + SYM _ 6 1 advmod 6 1 1 NUM NumForm=Digit NumType=Card 7 ambiguous nummod 7 ambiguous ambiguous NOUN Number=Sing root root 8 ? ? PUNCT _ 7 ambiguous punct
# verb tense, mood who what, whom to whom where when other roles by
1 is a present 6 1 ambiguous tree rules
Sentence 2: Brackets make it clear.
nsubj obj xcomp punct root Brackets NOUN make VERB it PRON clear ADJ . PUNCT The words, one row each (CoNLL-U) # word lemma UPOS features head relation 1 Brackets bracket NOUN Number=Plur 2 make nsubj 2 make make VERB Mood=Ind Number=Plur Person=3 Tense=Pres VerbForm=Fin root root 3 it it PRON Case=Acc Gender=Neut Number=Sing Person=3 PronType=Prs 2 make obj 4 clear clear ADJ Degree=Pos 2 make xcomp 5 . . PUNCT _ 2 make punct
# verb tense, mood who what, whom to whom where when other roles by
1 make present Brackets ambiguous clear property vn build-26.1-1 «NP.asset V NP»: agent=Asset it=Product
Example 6 «I saw her duck» is ambiguous: a bird or a movement?
The tree, 11 words punct nsubj csubj nmod:poss obj punct cop punct det parataxis cc det conj punct root « PUNCT I PRON saw VERB her PRON duck NOUN » PUNCT is AUX ambiguous ADJ : PUNCT a DET bird NOUN or CCONJ a DET movement NOUN ? PUNCT The words, one row each (CoNLL-U) # word lemma UPOS features head relation 1 « « PUNCT _ 3 saw punct 2 I I PRON Case=Nom Number=Sing Person=1 PronType=Prs 3 saw nsubj 3 saw see VERB Mood=Ind Number=Sing Person=1 Tense=Past VerbForm=Fin 8 ambiguous csubj 4 her her PRON Case=Gen Gender=Fem Number=Sing Person=3 Poss=Yes PronType=Prs 5 duck nmod:poss 5 duck duck NOUN Number=Sing 3 saw obj 6 » » PUNCT _ 3 saw punct 7 is be AUX Mood=Ind Number=Sing Person=3 Tense=Pres VerbForm=Fin 8 ambiguous cop 8 ambiguous ambiguous ADJ Degree=Pos root root 9 : : PUNCT _ 11 bird punct 10 a a DET Definite=Ind PronType=Art 11 bird det 11 bird bird NOUN Number=Sing 8 ambiguous parataxis 12 or or CCONJ _ 14 movement cc 13 a a DET Definite=Ind PronType=Art 14 movement det 14 movement movement NOUN Number=Sing 11 bird conj 15 ? ? PUNCT _ 8 ambiguous punct
# verb tense, mood who what, whom to whom where when other roles by
1 see in a quote past I her duck vn comprehend-87.2-1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Experiencer duck=Stimulus 2 is present ambiguous property tree rules
Example 7 The rules of the game were ambiguous, so we argued.
det nsubj case det nmod cop punct advmod nsubj conj punct root The DET rules NOUN of ADP the DET game NOUN were AUX ambiguous ADJ , PUNCT so ADV we PRON argued VERB . PUNCT The words, one row each (CoNLL-U) # word lemma UPOS features head relation 1 The the DET Definite=Def PronType=Art 2 rules det 2 rules rule NOUN Number=Plur 7 ambiguous nsubj 3 of of ADP _ 5 game case 4 the the DET Definite=Def PronType=Art 5 game det 5 game game NOUN Number=Sing 2 rules nmod 6 were be AUX Mood=Ind Number=Plur Person=3 Tense=Past VerbForm=Fin 7 ambiguous cop 7 ambiguous ambiguous ADJ Degree=Pos root root 8 , , PUNCT _ 11 argued punct 9 so so ADV _ 11 argued advmod 10 we we PRON Case=Nom Number=Plur Person=1 PronType=Prs 11 argued nsubj 11 argued argue VERB Mood=Ind Number=Plur Person=1 Tense=Past VerbForm=Fin 7 ambiguous conj 12 . . PUNCT _ 7 ambiguous punct
# verb tense, mood who what, whom to whom where when other roles by
1 is past the rules of the game ambiguous property tree rules 2 argue speech: disagree past we vn correspond-36.1-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent 3 rule the game nom rule «cognition intransitive»: of=agent
Example 8 Interpreting this ambiguous reply to signify the third summer, Hyllus controlled his impatience for three years, when, having collected a powerful army, he once more entered the Peloponnesus.
The tree, 28 words advcl det amod obj mark advcl det amod obj punct nsubj nmod:poss obj case nummod obl punct advmod punct advcl xcomp det amod obj punct nsubj advmod advmod conj det obj punct root Interpreting VERB this DET ambiguous ADJ reply NOUN to PART signify VERB the DET third ADJ summer NOUN , PUNCT Hyllus PROPN controlled VERB his PRON impatience NOUN for ADP three NUM years NOUN , PUNCT when ADV , PUNCT having VERB collected VERB a DET powerful ADJ army NOUN , PUNCT he PRON once ADV more ADV entered VERB the DET Peloponnesus PROPN . PUNCT The words, one row each (CoNLL-U) # word lemma UPOS features head relation 1 Interpreting interpret VERB Tense=Pres VerbForm=Part 12 controlled advcl 2 this this DET Number=Sing PronType=Dem 4 reply det 3 ambiguous ambiguous ADJ Degree=Pos 4 reply amod 4 reply reply NOUN Number=Sing 1 Interpreting obj 5 to to PART _ 6 signify mark 6 signify signify VERB VerbForm=Inf 1 Interpreting advcl 7 the the DET Definite=Def PronType=Art 9 summer det 8 third third ADJ Degree=Pos NumForm=Word NumType=Ord 9 summer amod 9 summer summer NOUN Number=Sing 6 signify obj 10 , , PUNCT _ 1 Interpreting punct 11 Hyllus Hyllus PROPN Number=Sing 12 controlled nsubj 12 controlled control VERB Mood=Ind Number=Sing Person=3 Tense=Past VerbForm=Fin root root 13 his his PRON Case=Gen Gender=Masc Number=Sing Person=3 Poss=Yes PronType=Prs 14 impatience nmod:poss 14 impatience impatience NOUN Number=Sing 12 controlled obj 15 for for ADP _ 17 years case 16 three three NUM NumForm=Word NumType=Card 17 years nummod 17 years year NOUN Number=Plur 12 controlled obl 18 , , PUNCT _ 19 when punct 19 when when ADV PronType=Int 12 controlled advmod 20 , , PUNCT _ 21 having punct 21 having have VERB Tense=Pres VerbForm=Part 12 controlled advcl 22 collected collect VERB Tense=Past VerbForm=Part Voice=Pass 21 having xcomp 23 a a DET Definite=Ind PronType=Art 25 army det 24 powerful powerful ADJ Degree=Pos 25 army amod 25 army army NOUN Number=Sing 22 collected obj 26 , , PUNCT _ 30 entered punct 27 he he PRON Case=Nom Gender=Masc Number=Sing Person=3 PronType=Prs 30 entered nsubj 28 once once ADV NumForm=Word NumType=Mult 30 entered advmod 29 more more ADV Degree=Cmp 30 entered advmod 30 entered enter VERB Mood=Ind Number=Sing Person=3 Tense=Past VerbForm=Fin 12 controlled conj 31 the the DET Definite=Def PronType=Art 32 Peloponnesus det 32 Peloponnesus Peloponnesus PROPN Number=Sing 30 entered obj 33 . . PUNCT _ 12 controlled punct
# verb tense, mood who what, whom to whom where when other roles by
1 interpret gerund Hyllus not said here this ambiguous reply vn characterize-29.2 «NP V NP S_ING»: agent=Agent reply=Theme 2 signify to-infinitive Hyllus not said here summer vn representation-110.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Pivot 3 control past Hyllus Hyllus's impatience year vn enforce-63 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent impatience=Theme 4 have gerund Hyllus not said here tree rules 5 collect participle Hyllus not said here a powerful army vn obtain-13.5.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent army=Theme 6 enter past Hyllus the Peloponnesus once property vn escape-51.1-1-2 «NP V NP»: agent=Theme peloponnesus=Destination
Text: the school dictionary of Mova's schools (world/data/dictionary-schools/), written for Mova. 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 meaning and example read on its own. Elamur Cosmic License.
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