---
title: barbarian — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «barbarian» in the school dictionary: A name the ancient Greeks and Romans gave to people from outside their world, whom they saw as wild and uncivilised. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# barbarian

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** name, Greeks, person, You, Romans, Barbarian tribes · **What happens:** give, see, behave, put, build, keep out · **To what, where:** people, world, cruel way, ketchup, that, walls · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
«barbarian» 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: [barbarian in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/barbarian.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .note -->
Usage: history — kept apart, not parsed.

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A name the ancient Greeks and Romans gave to people from outside their world, whom they saw as wild and uncivilised.

<!-- fold The tree, 21 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:barbarian:m1:1
# text = A name the ancient Greeks and Romans gave to people from outside their world, whom they saw as wild and uncivilised.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	name	name	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	nsubj	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
4	ancient	ancient	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	amod	_	_
5	Greeks	Greek	PROPN	NNPS	Number=Plur	8	nsubj	_	_
6	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	7	cc	_	_
7	Romans	Roman	PROPN	NNPS	Number=Plur	5	conj	_	_
8	gave	give	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
9	to	to	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
10	people	people	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	8	obl	_	_
11	from	from	ADP	IN	_	14	case	_	_
12	outside	outside	ADP	IN	_	14	case	_	_
13	their	their	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Plur|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	14	nmod:poss	_	_
14	world	world	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	18	punct	_	_
16	whom	whom	PRON	WP	PronType=Rel	18	obj	_	_
17	they	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	18	nsubj	_	_
18	saw	see	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	14	acl:relcl	_	_
19	as	as	ADP	IN	_	20	case	_	_
20	wild	wild	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	18	obl	_	_
21	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	22	cc	_	_
22	uncivilised	uncivilised	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	20	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
23	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	8	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **give** | past | a name |  | people | Greeks's world |  |  | vn give-13.1-1 «NP V PP.recipient»: agent=Agent to people=Recipient |
| 2 | **see** | past | Greeks *= greek* | Greeks's world |  |  |  | as wild | vn comprehend-87.2-1-1 «NP V NP PP.attribute»: agent=Experiencer whom=Stimulus as wild=Attribute |

<!-- .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 -->
A person who behaves in a very cruel, violent or rough way.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:barbarian:m2:1
# text = A person who behaves in a very cruel, violent or rough way.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	person	person	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
3	who	who	PRON	WP	PronType=Rel	4	nsubj	_	_
4	behaves	behave	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	2	acl:relcl	_	_
5	in	in	ADP	IN	_	13	case	_	_
6	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	13	det	_	_
7	very	very	ADV	RB	_	8	advmod	_	_
8	cruel	cruel	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	13	amod	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	10	punct	_	_
10	violent	violent	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	conj	_	_
11	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	12	cc	_	_
12	rough	rough	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	conj	_	_
13	way	way	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **behave** | present | a person |  |  | a cruel way |  |  | vn masquerade-29.6-1 «NP V PP.attribute»: agent=Agent |

## Meaning 3 {#m3}

<!-- .note -->
Usage: informal, jokey — kept apart, not parsed.

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A person with bad manners or no taste.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:barbarian:m3:1
# text = A person with bad manners or no taste.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	person	person	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
3	with	with	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
4	bad	bad	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	amod	_	_
5	manners	manners	NOUN	NNS	Number=Ptan	2	nmod	_	_
6	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	8	cc	_	_
7	no	no	DET	DT	PronType=Neg	8	det	_	_
8	taste	taste	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .note -->
The frames reader finds no event or fact in this sentence.

<!-- .note -->
The example in this meaning, parsed on its own:

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
"You put ketchup on that? You barbarian!"

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 1:* "You put ketchup on that?

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:barbarian:m3e:1
# text = "You put ketchup on that?
1	"	"	PUNCT	``	_	3	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	You	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs	3	nsubj	_	_
3	put	put	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=2|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	ketchup	ketchup	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
5	on	on	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
6	that	that	PRON	DT	Number=Sing|PronType=Dem	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **put** *in a quote* | past | You | ketchup |  | that |  |  | vn put-9.1-2 «NP V PP.destination NP»: agent=Agent ketchup=Theme on that=Destination |

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 2:* You barbarian!"

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:barbarian:m3e:2
# text = You barbarian!"
1	You	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	barbarian	barbarian	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	!	!	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .note -->
The frames reader finds no event or fact in this sentence.

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The Romans built walls to keep out the barbarians.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:barbarian:x1:1
# text = The Romans built walls to keep out the barbarians.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	Romans	Roman	PROPN	NNPS	Number=Plur	3	nsubj	_	_
3	built	build	VERB	VBD	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	walls	wall	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	obj	_	_
5	to	to	PART	TO	_	6	mark	_	_
6	keep	keep	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	3	advcl	_	_
7	out	out	ADP	RP	_	6	compound:prt	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	barbarians	barbarian	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **build** | past | the Romans | walls |  |  |  |  | vn build-26.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent wall=Product |
| 2 | **keep out** | to-infinitive | the Romans *not said here* | the barbarians |  |  |  |  | vn keep-15.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent barbarian=Theme |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The Greeks called foreigners barbarians because their speech sounded like "bar-bar".

<!-- fold The tree, 12 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:barbarian:x2:1
# text = The Greeks called foreigners barbarians because their speech sounded like "bar-bar".
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	Greeks	Greek	PROPN	NNPS	Number=Plur	3	nsubj	_	_
3	called	call	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	foreigners	foreigner	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	compound	_	_
5	barbarians	barbarian	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	obj	_	_
6	because	because	ADP	IN	ExtPos=ADP	8	case	_	_
7	their	their	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Plur|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	8	nmod:poss	_	_
8	speech	speech	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	_
9	sounded	sound	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	8	acl	_	_
10	like	like	ADP	IN	_	14	case	_	_
11	"	"	PUNCT	``	_	14	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	bar	bar	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	14	compound	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	-	-	PUNCT	HYPH	_	14	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	bar	bar	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	14	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **call** | past | the Greeks | foreigners barbarians |  |  |  | because Greeks's speech | vn initiate\_communication-37.4.2-1 «NP V NP.recipient»: agent=Agent barbarian=Recipient |
| 2 | **sound** | participle |  | Greeks's speech *not said here* |  |  |  | like bar bar | vn stimulus\_subject-30.4 «NP V PP.attribute»: agent=Stimulus |
| 3 | **speak** |  | Greeks *= greek* |  |  |  |  |  | nom speech «communication transitive»: poss=agent |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Barbarian tribes attacked Rome.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:barbarian:x3:1
# text = Barbarian tribes attacked Rome.
1	Barbarian	barbarian	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	amod	_	_
2	tribes	tribe	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	nsubj	_	_
3	attacked	attack	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	Rome	Rome	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **attack** | past | Barbarian tribes | Rome |  |  |  |  | vn attack-60.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent rome=Patient |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
"Who eats pizza with pineapple? Barbarians!" joked my uncle.

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 1:* "Who eats pizza with pineapple?

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:barbarian:x4:1
# text = "Who eats pizza with pineapple?
1	"	"	PUNCT	``	_	3	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	Who	who	PRON	WP	PronType=Rel	3	nsubj	_	_
3	eats	eat	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	pizza	pizza	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
5	with	with	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
6	pineapple	pineapple	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **eat** *in a quote* | present |  | pizza |  |  |  | with pineapple | vn eat-39.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent pizza=Patient |

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 2:* Barbarians!" joked my uncle.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:barbarian:x4:2
# text = Barbarians!" joked my uncle.
1	Barbarians	barbarian	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	!	!	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	1	punct	_	_
4	joked	joke	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	my	my	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Sing|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	6	nmod:poss	_	_
6	uncle	uncle	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **joke** *speech: other* *in a quote* | past | Barbarians | my uncle |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Only a barbarian would hurt an animal for fun.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:barbarian:x5:1
# text = Only a barbarian would hurt an animal for fun.
1	Only	only	ADV	RB	_	3	advmod	_	_
2	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
3	barbarian	barbarian	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
4	would	would	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	5	aux	_	_
5	hurt	hurt	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
6	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	animal	animal	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obj	_	_
8	for	for	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
9	fun	fun	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **hurt** | would | a barbarian | a animal |  |  |  | for fun | vn hurt-40.8.3-2 «NP V NP»: agent=Experiencer animal=Patient |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The Vikings were seen as barbarians by the monks they raided.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:barbarian:x6:1
# text = The Vikings were seen as barbarians by the monks they raided.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	Vikings	Viking	PROPN	NNPS	Number=Plur	4	nsubj	_	_
3	were	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	4	aux:pass	_	_
4	seen	see	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
5	as	as	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
6	barbarians	barbarian	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	obl	_	_
7	by	by	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	monks	monk	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	obl	_	_
10	they	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	11	nsubj	_	_
11	raided	raid	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	9	acl:relcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **see** | past · passive | the monks | the Vikings |  |  |  | as barbarians | vn comprehend-87.2-1-1 «NP V NP PP.attribute»: agent=Experiencer subject=Stimulus as barbarian=Attribute |
| 2 | **raid** | past | Vikings *= viking* | the monks *not said here* |  |  |  |  | vn investigate-35.4 «NP V NP.location»: agent=Agent monk=Location |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Had his thoughts ventured to fly with the ships of the barbarians, to their homes in far distant England?

<!-- fold The tree, 19 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:barbarian:x7:1
# text = Had his thoughts ventured to fly with the ships of the barbarians, to their homes in far distant England?
1	Had	have	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	4	aux	_	_
2	his	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	3	nmod:poss	_	_
3	thoughts	thought	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	nsubj	_	_
4	ventured	venture	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	to	to	PART	TO	_	6	mark	_	_
6	fly	fly	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	4	xcomp	_	_
7	with	with	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	ships	ship	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	obl	_	_
10	of	of	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
11	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	12	det	_	_
12	barbarians	barbarian	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	9	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	16	punct	_	_
14	to	to	ADP	IN	_	16	case	_	_
15	their	their	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Plur|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	16	nmod:poss	_	_
16	homes	home	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	obl	_	_
17	in	in	ADP	IN	_	20	case	_	_
18	far	far	ADV	RB	Degree=Pos	19	advmod	_	_
19	distant	distant	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	20	amod	_	_
20	England	England	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	16	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
21	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **venture** | past | his thoughts |  |  |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1 «NP V how S\_INF»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 2 | **fly** | to-infinitive | his thoughts *not said here* |  |  |  |  | with the ships of the barbarians; to thoughts's homes in distant England *result* | vn run-51.3.2-2-1 «NP V PP.result»: agent=Theme to home=Result |
| 3 | **think** |  | his *= he* |  |  |  |  |  | nom thought «cognition transitive»: poss=agent |

<!-- div src -->

**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.

<!-- /div -->

<!-- pn -->
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