strawman Who acts: strawman, you, they, straw man, I, Saying · What happens: be, change, attack, say, make, use · To what, where: unfair trick, argument, idea, weaker version, that, figure · Speech: someone speaks here
«strawman» in the school dictionary: its 3 meanings for a pupil and its 7 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: strawman in the school dictionary .
Meaning 1 Usage: logic — kept apart, not parsed.
A strawman is an unfair trick in an argument: you change the other person's idea into a weaker or sillier version and then attack that instead of what they really said.
The tree, 32 words det nsubj cop det amod case det nmod punct nsubj parataxis det amod nmod:poss case obj case det amod cc conj obl cc advmod conj obj case fixed obl nsubj advmod acl:relcl punct root A DET strawman NOUN is AUX an DET unfair ADJ trick NOUN in ADP an DET argument NOUN : PUNCT you PRON change VERB the DET other ADJ person NOUN 's PART idea NOUN into ADP a DET weaker ADJ or CCONJ sillier ADJ version NOUN and CCONJ then ADV attack VERB that PRON instead ADV of ADP what PRON they PRON really ADV said VERB . PUNCT The words, one row each (CoNLL-U) # word lemma UPOS features head relation 1 A a DET Definite=Ind PronType=Art 2 strawman det 2 strawman strawman NOUN Number=Sing 6 trick nsubj 3 is be AUX Mood=Ind Number=Sing Person=3 Tense=Pres VerbForm=Fin 6 trick cop 4 an a DET Definite=Ind PronType=Art 6 trick det 5 unfair unfair ADJ Degree=Pos 6 trick amod 6 trick trick NOUN Number=Sing root root 7 in in ADP _ 9 argument case 8 an a DET Definite=Ind PronType=Art 9 argument det 9 argument argument NOUN Number=Sing 6 trick nmod 10 : : PUNCT _ 12 change punct 11 you you PRON Case=Nom Person=2 PronType=Prs 12 change nsubj 12 change change VERB Mood=Ind Number=Sing Person=2 Tense=Pres VerbForm=Fin 6 trick parataxis 13 the the DET Definite=Def PronType=Art 15 person det 14 other other ADJ Degree=Pos 15 person amod 15 person person NOUN Number=Sing 17 idea nmod:poss 16 's 's PART _ 15 person case 17 idea idea NOUN Number=Sing 12 change obj 18 into into ADP _ 23 version case 19 a a DET Definite=Ind PronType=Art 23 version det 20 weaker weak ADJ Degree=Cmp 23 version amod 21 or or CCONJ _ 22 sillier cc 22 sillier silly ADJ Degree=Cmp 20 weaker conj 23 version version NOUN Number=Sing 12 change obl 24 and and CCONJ _ 26 attack cc 25 then then ADV PronType=Dem 26 attack advmod 26 attack attack VERB VerbForm=Inf 12 change conj 27 that that PRON Number=Sing PronType=Dem 26 attack obj 28 instead instead ADV ExtPos=ADP 30 what case 29 of of ADP _ 28 instead fixed 30 what what PRON PronType=Rel 26 attack obl 31 they they PRON Case=Nom Number=Plur Person=3 PronType=Prs 33 said nsubj 32 really really ADV _ 33 said advmod 33 said say VERB Mood=Ind Number=Plur Person=3 Tense=Past VerbForm=Fin 30 what acl:relcl 34 . . PUNCT _ 6 trick punct
# verb tense, mood who what, whom to whom where when other roles by
1 is a present a strawman a unfair trick a argument tree rules 2 change present you the other person's idea into a weaker version result vn turn-26.6.1-1 «NP V NP.patient PP.result»: agent=Agent idea=Patient into version=Result 3 attack infinitive you not said here that then vn attack-60.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent that=Patient 4 say speech: assert past they vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent
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 A straw man is also a figure made of straw, like a scarecrow or a dummy for practice.
The tree, 18 words det compound nsubj cop advmod det acl case obl punct case det parataxis cc det conj case nmod punct root A DET straw NOUN man NOUN is AUX also ADV a DET figure NOUN made VERB of ADP straw NOUN , PUNCT like ADP a DET scarecrow NOUN or CCONJ a DET dummy NOUN for ADP practice NOUN . PUNCT The words, one row each (CoNLL-U) # word lemma UPOS features head relation 1 A a DET Definite=Ind PronType=Art 3 man det 2 straw straw NOUN Number=Sing 3 man compound 3 man man NOUN Number=Sing 7 figure nsubj 4 is be AUX Mood=Ind Number=Sing Person=3 Tense=Pres VerbForm=Fin 7 figure cop 5 also also ADV _ 7 figure advmod 6 a a DET Definite=Ind PronType=Art 7 figure det 7 figure figure NOUN Number=Sing root root 8 made make VERB Tense=Past VerbForm=Part Voice=Pass 7 figure acl 9 of of ADP _ 10 straw case 10 straw straw NOUN Number=Sing 8 made obl 11 , , PUNCT _ 14 scarecrow punct 12 like like ADP _ 14 scarecrow case 13 a a DET Definite=Ind PronType=Art 14 scarecrow det 14 scarecrow scarecrow NOUN Number=Sing 7 figure parataxis 15 or or CCONJ _ 17 dummy cc 16 a a DET Definite=Ind PronType=Art 17 dummy det 17 dummy dummy NOUN Number=Sing 14 scarecrow conj 18 for for ADP _ 19 practice case 19 practice practice NOUN Number=Sing 17 dummy nmod 20 . . PUNCT _ 7 figure punct
# verb tense, mood who what, whom to whom where when other roles by
1 is a present a straw man a figure tree rules 2 make participle a figure not said here of straw vn build-26.1-1 «NP.asset V NP»: agent=Asset
Meaning 3 Usage: informal — kept apart, not parsed.
A straw man can be a person used to hide who is really behind something.
The tree, 15 words det compound nsubj aux cop det acl mark advcl nsubj cop advmod case ccomp punct root A DET straw NOUN man NOUN can AUX be AUX a DET person NOUN used VERB to PART hide VERB who PRON is AUX really ADV behind ADP something PRON . PUNCT The words, one row each (CoNLL-U) # word lemma UPOS features head relation 1 A a DET Definite=Ind PronType=Art 3 man det 2 straw straw NOUN Number=Sing 3 man compound 3 man man NOUN Number=Sing 7 person nsubj 4 can can AUX VerbForm=Fin 7 person aux 5 be be AUX VerbForm=Inf 7 person cop 6 a a DET Definite=Ind PronType=Art 7 person det 7 person person NOUN Number=Sing root root 8 used use VERB Tense=Past VerbForm=Part Voice=Pass 7 person acl 9 to to PART _ 10 hide mark 10 hide hide VERB VerbForm=Inf 8 used advcl 11 who who PRON PronType=Rel 15 something nsubj 12 is be AUX Mood=Ind Number=Sing Person=3 Tense=Pres VerbForm=Fin 15 something cop 13 really really ADV _ 15 something advmod 14 behind behind ADP _ 15 something case 15 something something PRON Number=Sing PronType=Ind 10 hide ccomp 16 . . PUNCT _ 7 person punct
# verb tense, mood who what, whom to whom where when other roles by
1 is a can a straw man a person tree rules 2 use participle a person not said here vn eat-39.1 «NP V»: agent=Agent 3 hide to-infinitive vn concealment-16-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent 4 is present something tree rules
Example 1 Saying I hate all vegetables because I don't like peas is a strawman.
The tree, 14 words csubj nsubj ccomp det obj mark nsubj aux advmod advcl obj cop det punct root Saying VERB I PRON hate VERB all DET vegetables NOUN because SCONJ I PRON do AUX n't PART like VERB peas NOUN is AUX a DET strawman NOUN . PUNCT The words, one row each (CoNLL-U) # word lemma UPOS features head relation 1 Saying say VERB Tense=Pres VerbForm=Part 14 strawman csubj 2 I I PRON Case=Nom Number=Sing Person=1 PronType=Prs 3 hate nsubj 3 hate hate VERB Mood=Ind Number=Sing Person=1 Tense=Pres VerbForm=Fin 1 Saying ccomp 4 all all DET PronType=Tot 5 vegetables det 5 vegetables vegetable NOUN Number=Plur 3 hate obj 6 because because SCONJ _ 10 like mark 7 I I PRON Case=Nom Number=Sing Person=1 PronType=Prs 10 like nsubj 8 do do AUX Mood=Ind Number=Sing Person=1 Tense=Pres VerbForm=Fin 10 like aux 9 n't not PART Polarity=Neg 10 like advmod 10 like like VERB VerbForm=Inf 3 hate advcl 11 peas pea NOUN Number=Plur 10 like obj 12 is be AUX Mood=Ind Number=Sing Person=3 Tense=Pres VerbForm=Fin 14 strawman cop 13 a a DET Definite=Ind PronType=Art 14 strawman det 14 strawman strawman NOUN Number=Sing root root 15 . . PUNCT _ 14 strawman punct
# verb tense, mood who what, whom to whom where when other roles by
1 say speech: assert gerund vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic 2 hate present I all vegetables vn admire-31.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Experiencer vegetable=Stimulus 3 not like present · do-support I peas vn want-32.1-1-1 «NP V NP ADV»: agent=Pivot pea=Theme 4 is a present Saying a strawman tree rules
Example 2 "You want less homework, so you don't care about learning!" — that's a strawman argument.
The tree, 16 words punct nsubj amod obj punct advmod nsubj aux advmod conj case obl punct punct punct nsubj cop det compound parataxis punct root " PUNCT You PRON want VERB less ADJ homework NOUN , PUNCT so ADV you PRON do AUX n't PART care VERB about ADP learning NOUN ! PUNCT " PUNCT — PUNCT that PRON 's AUX a DET strawman NOUN argument NOUN . PUNCT The words, one row each (CoNLL-U) # word lemma UPOS features head relation 1 " " PUNCT _ 3 want punct 2 You you PRON Case=Nom Person=2 PronType=Prs 3 want nsubj 3 want want VERB Mood=Ind Number=Sing Person=2 Tense=Pres VerbForm=Fin root root 4 less less ADJ Degree=Cmp 5 homework amod 5 homework homework NOUN Number=Sing 3 want obj 6 , , PUNCT _ 11 care punct 7 so so ADV _ 11 care advmod 8 you you PRON Case=Nom Person=2 PronType=Prs 11 care nsubj 9 do do AUX Mood=Ind Number=Sing Person=2 Tense=Pres VerbForm=Fin 11 care aux 10 n't not PART Polarity=Neg 11 care advmod 11 care care VERB VerbForm=Inf 3 want conj 12 about about ADP _ 13 learning case 13 learning learning NOUN Number=Sing 11 care obl 14 ! ! PUNCT _ 3 want punct 15 " " PUNCT _ 3 want punct 16 — - PUNCT _ 21 argument punct 17 that that PRON Number=Sing PronType=Dem 21 argument nsubj 18 's be AUX Mood=Ind Number=Sing Person=3 Tense=Pres VerbForm=Fin 21 argument cop 19 a a DET Definite=Ind PronType=Art 21 argument det 20 strawman strawman NOUN Number=Sing 21 argument compound 21 argument argument NOUN Number=Sing 3 want parataxis 22 . . PUNCT _ 3 want punct
# verb tense, mood who what, whom to whom where when other roles by
1 want in a quote present You less homework tree rules 2 not care in a quote present · do-support you about learning vn care-88.1-1 «NP V PP.stimulus what S»: agent=Experiencer about learning=Stimulus 3 is a present that a strawman argument tree rules
Example 3 Politicians sometimes attack a strawman instead of the real idea.
nsubj advmod det obj case fixed det amod obl punct root Politicians NOUN sometimes ADV attack VERB a DET strawman NOUN instead ADV of ADP the DET real ADJ idea NOUN . PUNCT The words, one row each (CoNLL-U) # word lemma UPOS features head relation 1 Politicians politician NOUN Number=Plur 3 attack nsubj 2 sometimes sometimes ADV PronType=Ind 3 attack advmod 3 attack attack VERB Mood=Ind Number=Plur Person=3 Tense=Pres VerbForm=Fin root root 4 a a DET Definite=Ind PronType=Art 5 strawman det 5 strawman strawman NOUN Number=Sing 3 attack obj 6 instead instead ADV ExtPos=ADP 10 idea case 7 of of ADP _ 6 instead fixed 8 the the DET Definite=Def PronType=Art 10 idea det 9 real real ADJ Degree=Pos 10 idea amod 10 idea idea NOUN Number=Sing 3 attack obl 11 . . PUNCT _ 3 attack punct
# verb tense, mood who what, whom to whom where when other roles by
1 attack present Politicians a strawman instead the real idea; sometimes property vn attack-60.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent strawman=Patient
Example 4 The scarecrow was a straw man stuffed with hay.
det nsubj cop det compound acl case obl punct root The DET scarecrow NOUN was AUX a DET straw NOUN man NOUN stuffed VERB with ADP hay NOUN . PUNCT The words, one row each (CoNLL-U) # word lemma UPOS features head relation 1 The the DET Definite=Def PronType=Art 2 scarecrow det 2 scarecrow scarecrow NOUN Number=Sing 6 man nsubj 3 was be AUX Mood=Ind Number=Sing Person=3 Tense=Past VerbForm=Fin 6 man cop 4 a a DET Definite=Ind PronType=Art 6 man det 5 straw straw NOUN Number=Sing 6 man compound 6 man man NOUN Number=Sing root root 7 stuffed stuff VERB Tense=Past VerbForm=Part Voice=Pass 6 man acl 8 with with ADP _ 9 hay case 9 hay hay NOUN Number=Sing 7 stuffed obl 10 . . PUNCT _ 6 man punct
# verb tense, mood who what, whom to whom where when other roles by
1 is a past the scarecrow a straw man tree rules 2 stuff participle a straw man not said here with hay vn spray-9.7-2 «NP V NP.destination PP.theme»: agent=Agent with hay=Theme
Example 5 Don't strawman my point; listen to what I actually said.
advmod obj nmod:poss obj punct conj case obl nsubj advmod acl:relcl punct root Do VERB n't PART strawman NOUN my PRON point NOUN ; PUNCT listen VERB to ADP what PRON I PRON actually ADV said VERB . PUNCT The words, one row each (CoNLL-U) # word lemma UPOS features head relation 1 Do do VERB Mood=Imp VerbForm=Fin root root 2 n't not PART Polarity=Neg 3 strawman advmod 3 strawman strawman NOUN Number=Sing 1 Do obj 4 my my PRON Case=Gen Number=Sing Person=1 Poss=Yes PronType=Prs 5 point nmod:poss 5 point point NOUN Number=Sing 1 Do obj 6 ; ; PUNCT _ 7 listen punct 7 listen listen VERB Mood=Imp VerbForm=Fin 1 Do conj 8 to to ADP _ 9 what case 9 what what PRON PronType=Rel 7 listen obl 10 I I PRON Case=Nom Number=Sing Person=1 PronType=Prs 12 said nsubj 11 actually actually ADV _ 12 said advmod 12 said say VERB Mood=Ind Number=Sing Person=1 Tense=Past VerbForm=Fin 9 what acl:relcl 13 . . PUNCT _ 1 Do punct
# verb tense, mood who what, whom to whom where when other roles by
1 do imperative you not said here strawman tree rules 2 listen infinitive you not said here vn peer-30.3 «NP V PP.theme»: agent=Agent to what=Theme 3 say speech: assert past I actually property vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent 4 point my nom point «cognition transitive»: poss=agent
Example 6 Our debate coach taught us to spot strawman arguments.
nmod:poss compound nsubj obj mark xcomp compound obj punct root Our PRON debate NOUN coach NOUN taught VERB us PRON to PART spot VERB strawman NOUN arguments NOUN . PUNCT The words, one row each (CoNLL-U) # word lemma UPOS features head relation 1 Our our PRON Case=Gen Number=Plur Person=1 Poss=Yes PronType=Prs 3 coach nmod:poss 2 debate debate NOUN Number=Sing 3 coach compound 3 coach coach NOUN Number=Sing 4 taught nsubj 4 taught teach VERB Mood=Ind Number=Sing Person=3 Tense=Past VerbForm=Fin root root 5 us we PRON Case=Acc Number=Plur Person=1 PronType=Prs 4 taught obj 6 to to PART _ 7 spot mark 7 spot spot VERB VerbForm=Inf 4 taught xcomp 8 strawman strawman NOUN Number=Sing 9 arguments compound 9 arguments argument NOUN Number=Plur 7 spot obj 10 . . PUNCT _ 4 taught punct
# verb tense, mood who what, whom to whom where when other roles by
1 teach speech: other past Our debate coach us vn transfer_mesg-37.1.1-1-1 «NP V NP S_INF»: agent=Agent we=Recipient clause=Topic 2 spot to-infinitive Our debate coach not said here strawman arguments vn fill-9.8-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Theme argument=Destination
Example 7 Knights practised with their lances on a straw man.
nsubj case nmod:poss obl case det compound nmod punct root Knights NOUN practised VERB with ADP their PRON lances NOUN on ADP a DET straw NOUN man NOUN . PUNCT The words, one row each (CoNLL-U) # word lemma UPOS features head relation 1 Knights knight NOUN Number=Plur 2 practised nsubj 2 practised practise VERB Tense=Past VerbForm=Part root root 3 with with ADP _ 5 lances case 4 their their PRON Case=Gen Number=Plur Person=3 Poss=Yes PronType=Prs 5 lances nmod:poss 5 lances lance NOUN Number=Plur 2 practised obl 6 on on ADP _ 9 man case 7 a a DET Definite=Ind PronType=Art 9 man det 8 straw straw NOUN Number=Sing 9 man compound 9 man man NOUN Number=Sing 5 lances nmod 10 . . PUNCT _ 2 practised punct
# verb tense, mood who what, whom to whom where when other roles by
1 practise participle Knights with Knights's lances on a straw man tree rules
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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