---
title: aardvark — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «aardvark» in the school dictionary: An African mammal with a long snout, long ears, a thick tail and strong claws, which digs into ant and termite nests at night and eats the insects with its long sticky tongue. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# aardvark

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** strong claws, It, aardvark, Aardvarks, long ears, we · **What happens:** dig, eat, live, come out, sleep, be · **To what, where:** insects, burrows, termite mound, thousands, one, aardvark

<!-- .vabout -->
«aardvark» in the school dictionary: its 2 meanings for a pupil and its 6 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: [aardvark in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/aardvark.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
An African mammal with a long snout, long ears, a thick tail and strong claws, which digs into ant and termite nests at night and eats the insects with its long sticky tongue.

<!-- fold The tree, 33 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:aardvark:m1:1
# text = An African mammal with a long snout, long ears, a thick tail and strong claws, which digs into ant and termite nests at night and eats the insects with its long sticky tongue.
1	An	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	African	African	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	mammal	mammal	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
4	with	with	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
5	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
6	long	long	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
7	snout	snout	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	10	punct	_	_
9	long	long	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	10	amod	_	_
10	ears	ear	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	7	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	14	punct	_	_
12	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	14	det	_	_
13	thick	thick	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	14	amod	_	_
14	tail	tail	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	conj	_	_
15	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	17	cc	_	_
16	strong	strong	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	17	amod	_	_
17	claws	claw	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	7	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
18	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	20	punct	_	_
19	which	which	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	20	nsubj	_	_
20	digs	dig	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	17	acl:relcl	_	_
21	into	into	ADP	IN	_	22	case	_	_
22	ant	ant	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	20	obl	_	_
23	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	25	cc	_	_
24	termite	termite	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	25	compound	_	_
25	nests	nest	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	22	conj	_	_
26	at	at	ADP	IN	_	27	case	_	_
27	night	night	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	20	obl	_	_
28	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	29	cc	_	_
29	eats	eat	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	20	conj	_	_
30	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	31	det	_	_
31	insects	insect	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	29	obj	_	_
32	with	with	ADP	IN	_	36	case	_	_
33	its	its	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	36	nmod:poss	_	_
34	long	long	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	36	amod	_	_
35	sticky	sticky	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	36	amod	_	_
36	tongue	tongue	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	29	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
37	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **dig** | present | strong claws |  |  |  | night | into ant and termite nests | vn poke-19-1-1-1 «NP V NP PP.patient»: agent=Agent into ant=Patient |
| 2 | **eat** | present | strong claws *not said here* | the insects |  |  |  | with tail's long sticky tongue | vn eat-39.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent insect=Patient |

<!-- .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.

## Meaning 2 {#m2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
It lives in burrows and comes out mostly at night.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:aardvark:m2:1
# text = It lives in burrows and comes out mostly at night.
1	It	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	lives	live	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	in	in	ADP	IN	_	4	case	_	_
4	burrows	burrow	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	obl	_	_
5	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	6	cc	_	_
6	comes	come	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	2	conj	_	_
7	out	out	ADP	RP	_	6	compound:prt	_	_
8	mostly	mostly	ADV	RB	_	10	advmod	_	_
9	at	at	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
10	night	night	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **live** | present | It |  |  | burrows |  |  | vn lodge-46 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Theme in burrow=Location |
| 2 | **come out** | present |  |  |  |  | night |  | vn become-109.1 «NP V ADJ»: agent=Patient |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The aardvark dug into the termite mound with its claws.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:aardvark:x1:1
# text = The aardvark dug into the termite mound with its claws.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	aardvark	aardvark	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	dug	dig	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	into	into	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
6	termite	termite	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	compound	_	_
7	mound	mound	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	_
8	with	with	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
9	its	its	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	10	nmod:poss	_	_
10	claws	claw	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **dig** | past | the aardvark |  |  | the termite mound |  | with aardvark's claws | vn poke-19-1-1-1 «NP V PP.theme PP.instrument»: agent=Agent with claw=Instrument |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
An aardvark can eat thousands of ants in one night.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:aardvark:x2:1
# text = An aardvark can eat thousands of ants in one night.
1	An	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	aardvark	aardvark	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
3	can	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	4	aux	_	_
4	eat	eat	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
5	thousands	thousand	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	obj	_	_
6	of	of	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
7	ants	ant	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	nmod	_	_
8	in	in	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
9	one	one	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	10	nummod	_	_
10	night	night	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **eat** | can | a aardvark | thousands of ants |  |  | night |  | vn eat-39.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent thousand=Patient |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Aardvarks sleep in burrows during the day.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:aardvark:x3:1
# text = Aardvarks sleep in burrows during the day.
1	Aardvarks	aardvark	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	nsubj	_	_
2	sleep	sleep	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	in	in	ADP	IN	_	4	case	_	_
4	burrows	burrow	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	obl	_	_
5	during	during	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	day	day	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **sleep** | present | Aardvarks |  |  | burrows | day |  | vn fit-54.3 «NP V NP PP.location»: agent=Agent in burrow=Location |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
«Aardvark» is one of the first words in the dictionary.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:aardvark:x4:1
# text = «Aardvark» is one of the first words in the dictionary.
1	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	2	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	Aardvark	aardvark	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	2	punct	_	_
4	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
5	one	one	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	0	root	_	_
6	of	of	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
8	first	first	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos|NumForm=Word|NumType=Ord	9	amod	_	_
9	words	word	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	nmod	_	_
10	in	in	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
11	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	12	det	_	_
12	dictionary	dictionary	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | Aardvark | one |  |  |  | of the first words in the dictionary | tree rules |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The aardvark's long ears help it hear insects.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:aardvark:x5:1
# text = The aardvark's long ears help it hear insects.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	aardvark	aardvark	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	's	's	PART	POS	_	2	case	_	_
4	long	long	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	amod	_	_
5	ears	ear	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	nsubj	_	_
6	help	help	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
7	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	6	obj	_	_
8	hear	hear	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	6	xcomp	_	_
9	insects	insect	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	8	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **help** | present | the aardvark's long ears | aardvark |  |  |  |  | vn help-72.1-1-1 «NP V NP S\_INF»: agent=Agent it=Beneficiary clause=Theme |
| 2 | **hear** | infinitive | aardvark *not said here* | insects |  |  |  |  | vn see-30.1-1-1 «NP V S»: agent=Experiencer insect=Stimulus |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
At the zoo we only saw the aardvark in the nocturnal house.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:aardvark:x6:1
# text = At the zoo we only saw the aardvark in the nocturnal house.
1	At	at	ADP	IN	_	3	case	_	_
2	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
3	zoo	zoo	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obl	_	_
4	we	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	6	nsubj	_	_
5	only	only	ADV	RB	_	6	advmod	_	_
6	saw	see	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	aardvark	aardvark	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obj	_	_
9	in	in	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
10	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	12	det	_	_
11	nocturnal	nocturnal	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	12	amod	_	_
12	house	house	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **see** | past | we | the aardvark |  | the zoo |  | in the nocturnal house | vn comprehend-87.2-1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Experiencer aardvark=Stimulus |

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