sycophancy Who acts: Sycophancy, chatbot, people, advisers, Honest feedback, She · What happens: flatter, agree, please, get, mean, tell · To what, where: them, something, chatbot, people, bad news, king · Speech: someone speaks here
«sycophancy» in the school dictionary: its 2 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: sycophancy in the school dictionary .
Meaning 1 Usage: formal — kept apart, not parsed.
Sycophancy is flattering and agreeing with an important or powerful person too much, to please them and get something for yourself.
The tree, 21 words nsubj aux cc conj case det amod cc conj obl advmod amod punct mark parataxis obj cc conj obj case obl punct root Sycophancy NOUN is AUX flattering VERB and CCONJ agreeing VERB with ADP an DET important ADJ or CCONJ powerful ADJ person NOUN too ADV much ADJ , PUNCT to PART please VERB them PRON and CCONJ get VERB something PRON for ADP yourself PRON . PUNCT The words, one row each (CoNLL-U) # word lemma UPOS features head relation 1 Sycophancy sycophancy NOUN Number=Sing 3 flattering nsubj 2 is be AUX Mood=Ind Number=Sing Person=3 Tense=Pres VerbForm=Fin 3 flattering aux 3 flattering flatter VERB Tense=Pres VerbForm=Part root root 4 and and CCONJ _ 5 agreeing cc 5 agreeing agree VERB Tense=Pres VerbForm=Part 3 flattering conj 6 with with ADP _ 11 person case 7 an a DET Definite=Ind PronType=Art 11 person det 8 important important ADJ Degree=Pos 11 person amod 9 or or CCONJ _ 10 powerful cc 10 powerful powerful ADJ Degree=Pos 8 important conj 11 person person NOUN Number=Sing 5 agreeing obl 12 too too ADV _ 13 much advmod 13 much much ADJ Degree=Pos 11 person amod 14 , , PUNCT _ 16 please punct 15 to to PART _ 16 please mark 16 please please VERB Mood=Imp VerbForm=Fin 3 flattering parataxis 17 them they PRON Case=Acc Number=Plur Person=3 PronType=Prs 16 please obj 18 and and CCONJ _ 19 get cc 19 get get VERB Mood=Imp VerbForm=Fin 16 please conj 20 something something PRON Number=Sing PronType=Ind 19 get obj 21 for for ADP _ 22 yourself case 22 yourself yourself PRON Case=Acc Number=Sing Person=2 PronType=Prs Reflex=Yes 19 get obl 23 . . PUNCT _ 3 flattering punct
# verb tense, mood who what, whom to whom where when other roles by
1 flatter present · progressive Sycophancy vn amuse-31.1 «NP V ADV-Middle»: agent=Experiencer 2 agree speech: agree gerund Sycophancy not said here with a important person vn correspond-36.1-1 «NP V PP.co-agent how S»: agent=Agent with person=Co-Agent 3 please to-infinitive them = they vn amuse-31.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Stimulus they=Experiencer 4 get infinitive something for yourself vn get-13.5.1-1 «NP V NP PP.source»: agent=Agent something=Theme for yourself=Source
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 For computers and AI, sycophancy means a chatbot telling people what they want to hear instead of what is true.
The tree, 20 words case obl cc conj punct nsubj det obj acl obj obj nsubj acl:relcl mark xcomp case fixed nsubj cop obl punct root For ADP computers NOUN and CCONJ AI NOUN , PUNCT sycophancy NOUN means VERB a DET chatbot NOUN telling VERB people NOUN what PRON they PRON want VERB to PART hear VERB instead ADV of ADP what PRON is AUX true ADJ . PUNCT The words, one row each (CoNLL-U) # word lemma UPOS features head relation 1 For for ADP _ 2 computers case 2 computers computer NOUN Number=Plur 7 means obl 3 and and CCONJ _ 4 AI cc 4 AI ai NOUN Number=Sing 2 computers conj 5 , , PUNCT _ 2 computers punct 6 sycophancy sycophancy NOUN Number=Sing 7 means nsubj 7 means mean VERB Mood=Ind Number=Sing Person=3 Tense=Pres VerbForm=Fin root root 8 a a DET Definite=Ind PronType=Art 9 chatbot det 9 chatbot chatbot NOUN Number=Sing 7 means obj 10 telling tell VERB VerbForm=Ger 9 chatbot acl 11 people people NOUN Number=Plur 10 telling obj 12 what what PRON PronType=Int 14 want obj 13 they they PRON Case=Nom Number=Plur Person=3 PronType=Prs 14 want nsubj 14 want want VERB Mood=Ind Number=Plur Person=3 Tense=Pres VerbForm=Fin 11 people acl:relcl 15 to to PART _ 16 hear mark 16 hear hear VERB VerbForm=Inf 14 want xcomp 17 instead instead ADV ExtPos=ADP 21 true case 18 of of ADP _ 17 instead fixed 19 what what PRON PronType=Int 21 true nsubj 20 is be AUX Mood=Ind Number=Sing Person=3 Tense=Pres VerbForm=Fin 21 true cop 21 true true ADJ Degree=Pos 16 hear obl 22 . . PUNCT _ 7 means punct
# verb tense, mood who what, whom to whom where when other roles by
1 mean present sycophancy a chatbot for computers and AI vn representation-110.1 «NP V NP PP.attribute»: agent=Pivot chatbot=Theme for computer=Attribute 2 tell speech: assert gerund a chatbot not said here people vn transfer_mesg-37.1.1-1-1 «NP V NP.recipient»: agent=Agent people=Recipient 3 want present people people tree rules 4 hear not said to happen to-infinitive people not said here vn see-30.1-1-1 «NP V PP.stimulus»: agent=Experiencer 5 is present true property tree rules
Example 1 The king's advisers were full of sycophancy and never told him bad news.
The tree, 14 words det nmod:poss case nsubj cop case obl cc advmod conj iobj amod obj punct root The DET king NOUN 's PART advisers NOUN were AUX full ADJ of ADP sycophancy NOUN and CCONJ never ADV told VERB him PRON bad ADJ news NOUN . PUNCT The words, one row each (CoNLL-U) # word lemma UPOS features head relation 1 The the DET Definite=Def PronType=Art 2 king det 2 king king NOUN Number=Sing 4 advisers nmod:poss 3 's 's PART _ 2 king case 4 advisers adviser NOUN Number=Plur 6 full nsubj 5 were be AUX Mood=Ind Number=Plur Person=3 Tense=Past VerbForm=Fin 6 full cop 6 full full ADJ Degree=Pos root root 7 of of ADP _ 8 sycophancy case 8 sycophancy sycophancy NOUN Number=Sing 6 full obl 9 and and CCONJ _ 11 told cc 10 never never ADV PronType=Neg 11 told advmod 11 told tell VERB Mood=Ind Number=Plur Person=3 Tense=Past VerbForm=Fin 6 full conj 12 him he PRON Case=Acc Gender=Masc Number=Sing Person=3 PronType=Prs 11 told iobj 13 bad bad ADJ Degree=Pos 14 news amod 14 news news NOUN Number=Sing 11 told obj 15 . . PUNCT _ 6 full punct
# verb tense, mood who what, whom to whom where when other roles by
1 is past the king's advisers of sycophancy; full property tree rules 2 not tell speech: assert past the king's advisers not said here bad news king vn transfer_mesg-37.1.1-1-1 «NP V NP-Dative NP»: agent=Agent he=Recipient news=Topic
Example 2 His sycophancy towards the head teacher annoyed the class.
nmod:poss nsubj case det compound nmod det nsubj punct root His PRON sycophancy NOUN towards ADP the DET head NOUN teacher NOUN annoyed ADJ the DET class NOUN . PUNCT The words, one row each (CoNLL-U) # word lemma UPOS features head relation 1 His his PRON Case=Gen Gender=Masc Number=Sing Person=3 Poss=Yes PronType=Prs 2 sycophancy nmod:poss 2 sycophancy sycophancy NOUN Number=Sing 7 annoyed nsubj 3 towards towards ADP _ 6 teacher case 4 the the DET Definite=Def PronType=Art 6 teacher det 5 head head NOUN Number=Sing 6 teacher compound 6 teacher teacher NOUN Number=Sing 2 sycophancy nmod 7 annoyed annoyed ADJ Degree=Pos root root 8 the the DET Definite=Def PronType=Art 9 class det 9 class class NOUN Number=Sing 7 annoyed nsubj 10 . . PUNCT _ 7 annoyed punct
The frames reader finds no event or fact in this sentence.
Example 3 Sycophancy is not real friendship.
nsubj cop advmod amod punct root Sycophancy NOUN is AUX not PART real ADJ friendship NOUN . PUNCT The words, one row each (CoNLL-U) # word lemma UPOS features head relation 1 Sycophancy sycophancy NOUN Number=Sing 5 friendship nsubj 2 is be AUX Mood=Ind Number=Sing Person=3 Tense=Pres VerbForm=Fin 5 friendship cop 3 not not PART Polarity=Neg 5 friendship advmod 4 real real ADJ Degree=Pos 5 friendship amod 5 friendship friendship NOUN Number=Sing root root 6 . . PUNCT _ 5 friendship punct
# verb tense, mood who what, whom to whom where when other roles by
1 not is a present Sycophancy real friendship tree rules
Example 4 The AI's sycophancy meant it agreed with every wrong answer.
det nmod:poss case nsubj obj xcomp case det amod obl punct root The DET AI NOUN 's PART sycophancy NOUN meant VERB it PRON agreed VERB with ADP every DET wrong ADJ answer NOUN . PUNCT The words, one row each (CoNLL-U) # word lemma UPOS features head relation 1 The the DET Definite=Def PronType=Art 2 AI det 2 AI ai NOUN Number=Sing 4 sycophancy nmod:poss 3 's 's PART _ 2 AI case 4 sycophancy sycophancy NOUN Number=Sing 5 meant nsubj 5 meant mean VERB Mood=Ind Number=Sing Person=3 Tense=Past VerbForm=Fin root root 6 it it PRON Case=Acc Gender=Neut Number=Sing Person=3 PronType=Prs 5 meant obj 7 agreed agree VERB Tense=Past VerbForm=Part Voice=Pass 5 meant xcomp 8 with with ADP _ 11 answer case 9 every every DET PronType=Tot 11 answer det 10 wrong wrong ADJ Degree=Pos 11 answer amod 11 answer answer NOUN Number=Sing 7 agreed obl 12 . . PUNCT _ 5 meant punct
# verb tense, mood who what, whom to whom where when other roles by
1 mean past the AI's sycophancy AI tree rules 2 agree speech: agree not said to happen participle the AI's sycophancy not said here with every wrong answer vn correspond-36.1-1 «NP V PP.co-agent how S»: agent=Agent with answer=Co-Agent
Example 5 In the play, the servant's sycophancy hides his plan to steal.
case det obl punct det nmod:poss case nsubj nmod:poss obj mark acl punct root In ADP the DET play NOUN , PUNCT the DET servant NOUN 's PART sycophancy NOUN hides VERB his PRON plan NOUN to PART steal VERB . PUNCT The words, one row each (CoNLL-U) # word lemma UPOS features head relation 1 In in ADP _ 3 play case 2 the the DET Definite=Def PronType=Art 3 play det 3 play play NOUN Number=Sing 9 hides obl 4 , , PUNCT _ 3 play punct 5 the the DET Definite=Def PronType=Art 6 servant det 6 servant servant NOUN Number=Sing 8 sycophancy nmod:poss 7 's 's PART _ 6 servant case 8 sycophancy sycophancy NOUN Number=Sing 9 hides nsubj 9 hides hide VERB Mood=Ind Number=Sing Person=3 Tense=Pres VerbForm=Fin root root 10 his his PRON Case=Gen Gender=Masc Number=Sing Person=3 Poss=Yes PronType=Prs 11 plan nmod:poss 11 plan plan NOUN Number=Sing 9 hides obj 12 to to PART _ 13 steal mark 13 steal steal VERB VerbForm=Inf 11 plan acl 14 . . PUNCT _ 9 hides punct
# verb tense, mood who what, whom to whom where when other roles by
1 hide present the servant's sycophancy sycophancy's plan the play vn concealment-16-1 «NP V NP PP.location»: agent=Agent plan=Patient in play=Location 2 steal to-infinitive the servant's sycophancy not said here sycophancy's plan not said here vn appear-48.1.1 «NP V»: agent=Theme 3 plan sycophancy nom plan «cognition transitive»: poss=agent
Example 6 Honest feedback is better than sycophancy.
amod nsubj cop case obl punct root Honest ADJ feedback NOUN is AUX better ADJ than ADP sycophancy NOUN . PUNCT The words, one row each (CoNLL-U) # word lemma UPOS features head relation 1 Honest honest ADJ Degree=Pos 2 feedback amod 2 feedback feedback NOUN Number=Sing 4 better nsubj 3 is be AUX Mood=Ind Number=Sing Person=3 Tense=Pres VerbForm=Fin 4 better cop 4 better good ADJ Degree=Cmp root root 5 than than ADP _ 6 sycophancy case 6 sycophancy sycophancy NOUN Number=Sing 4 better obl 7 . . PUNCT _ 4 better punct
# verb tense, mood who what, whom to whom where when other roles by
1 is present Honest feedback than sycophancy; good property tree rules
Example 7 She rejected the sycophancy of people who only liked her money.
nsubj det obj case nmod obj advmod acl:relcl nmod:poss obj punct root She PRON rejected VERB the DET sycophancy NOUN of ADP people NOUN who PRON only ADV liked VERB her PRON money NOUN . PUNCT The words, one row each (CoNLL-U) # word lemma UPOS features head relation 1 She she PRON Case=Nom Gender=Fem Number=Sing Person=3 PronType=Prs 2 rejected nsubj 2 rejected reject VERB Mood=Ind Number=Sing Person=3 Tense=Past VerbForm=Fin root root 3 the the DET Definite=Def PronType=Art 4 sycophancy det 4 sycophancy sycophancy NOUN Number=Sing 2 rejected obj 5 of of ADP _ 6 people case 6 people people NOUN Number=Plur 4 sycophancy nmod 7 who who PRON PronType=Rel 9 liked obj 8 only only ADV _ 9 liked advmod 9 liked like VERB Mood=Ind Number=Sing Person=3 Tense=Past VerbForm=Fin 6 people acl:relcl 10 her her PRON Case=Gen Gender=Fem Number=Sing Person=3 Poss=Yes PronType=Prs 11 money nmod:poss 11 money money NOUN Number=Sing 9 liked obj 12 . . PUNCT _ 2 rejected punct
# verb tense, mood who what, whom to whom where when other roles by
1 reject past She the sycophancy of people vn reject-77.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent sycophancy=Theme 2 like past people 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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