---
title: classifier — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «classifier» in the school dictionary: A person or thing that sorts things into groups. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# classifier

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** person, computer program, classifier, classification key, you, AI classifier · **What happens:** sort, decide, belong, not spam, use, be · **To what, where:** things, groups, group, word, emails, spam

<!-- .vabout -->
«classifier» in the school dictionary: its 3 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: [classifier in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/classifier.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A person or thing that sorts things into groups.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:classifier:m1:1
# text = A person or thing that sorts things into groups.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	person	person	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
3	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	4	cc	_	_
4	thing	thing	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	conj	_	_
5	that	that	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	6	nsubj	_	_
6	sorts	sort	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	2	acl:relcl	_	_
7	things	thing	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	obj	_	_
8	into	into	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
9	groups	group	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **sort** | present | a person or thing | things |  |  |  | into groups *goal* | vn classify-29.10 «NP V NP PP.goal»: agent=Agent thing=Theme into group=Goal |

<!-- .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}

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A computer program that decides which group or label something belongs to, like spam or not spam.

<!-- fold The tree, 17 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:classifier:m2:1
# text = A computer program that decides which group or label something belongs to, like spam or not spam.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	computer	computer	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	compound	_	_
3	program	program	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	nsubj	_	_
4	that	that	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	5	nsubj	_	_
5	decides	decide	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	acl:relcl	_	_
6	which	which	DET	WDT	PronType=Int	7	det	_	_
7	group	group	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obj	_	_
8	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	9	cc	_	_
9	label	label	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	conj	_	_
10	something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	7	appos	_	_
11	belongs	belong	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
12	to	to	ADP	IN	_	15	case	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	15	punct	_	_
14	like	like	ADP	IN	_	15	case	_	_
15	spam	spam	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	obl	_	_
16	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	18	cc	_	_
17	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	18	advmod	_	_
18	spam	spam	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	15	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
19	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	11	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **decide** | present | a computer program | which group or label |  |  |  |  | vn correspond-36.1-1 «NP V S»: agent=Agent group=Topic |
| 2 | **belong** | present | a computer program |  |  |  |  | to spam | vn attend-107.4-2 «NP V PP»: agent=Theme |
| 3 | **not** **spam** | infinitive | a computer program *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

## Meaning 3 {#m3}

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
In some languages like Mandarin, a word used between a number and a noun, like «a piece of» in English.

<!-- fold The tree, 20 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:classifier:m3:1
# text = In some languages like Mandarin, a word used between a number and a noun, like «a piece of» in English.
1	In	in	ADP	IN	_	3	case	_	_
2	some	some	DET	DT	PronType=Ind	3	det	_	_
3	languages	language	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	0	root	_	_
4	like	like	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
5	Mandarin	Mandarin	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	3	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	8	punct	_	_
7	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	word	word	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	appos	_	_
9	used	use	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	8	acl	_	_
10	between	between	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
11	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	12	det	_	_
12	number	number	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	obl	_	_
13	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	15	cc	_	_
14	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	15	det	_	_
15	noun	noun	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	20	punct	_	_
17	like	like	ADP	IN	_	20	case	_	_
18	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	20	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
19	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	20	det	_	_
20	piece	piece	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	obl	_	_
21	of	of	ADP	IN	_	24	case	_	SpaceAfter=No
22	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	21	punct	_	_
23	in	in	ADP	IN	_	24	case	_	_
24	English	English	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	20	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
25	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **use** | participle |  | a word *not said here* |  |  |  | between a number and a noun; like a piece of English | vn eat-39.1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The classifier sorted the emails into spam and not spam.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:classifier:x1:1
# text = The classifier sorted the emails into spam and not spam.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	classifier	classifier	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	sorted	sort	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	emails	email	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	obj	_	_
6	into	into	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
7	spam	spam	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	_
8	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	10	cc	_	_
9	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	10	advmod	_	_
10	spam	spam	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	3	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **sort** | past | the classifier | the emails |  |  |  | into spam *goal* | vn classify-29.10 «NP V NP PP.goal»: agent=Agent email=Theme into spam=Goal |
| 2 | **not** **spam** | infinitive | the classifier *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A classification key is a kind of classifier for animals.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:classifier:x2:1
# text = A classification key is a kind of classifier for animals.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	classification	classification	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	compound	_	_
3	key	key	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	_
4	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	cop	_	_
5	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	kind	kind	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
7	of	of	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
8	classifier	classifier	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nmod	_	_
9	for	for	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
10	animals	animal	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | a classification key | a kind |  |  |  | of classifier; for animals | tree rules |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
In Mandarin, you need a classifier between the number and the noun.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:classifier:x3:1
# text = In Mandarin, you need a classifier between the number and the noun.
1	In	in	ADP	IN	_	2	case	_	_
2	Mandarin	Mandarin	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	5	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	2	punct	_	_
4	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs	5	nsubj	_	_
5	need	need	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=2|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
6	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	classifier	classifier	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obj	_	_
8	between	between	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
9	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	number	number	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nmod	_	_
11	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	13	cc	_	_
12	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	13	det	_	_
13	noun	noun	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **need** | present | you | a classifier and the noun |  | Mandarin |  | between the number | vn want-32.1-1-1 «NP V NP ADV»: agent=Pivot classifier=Theme |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The AI classifier recognised the cat in the photo.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:classifier:x4:1
# text = The AI classifier recognised the cat in the photo.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	AI	ai	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	compound	_	_
3	classifier	classifier	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
4	recognised	recognise	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	cat	cat	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obj	_	_
7	in	in	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	photo	photo	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **recognise** | past | the AI classifier | the cat |  | the photo |  |  | vn comprehend-87.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Experiencer cat=Stimulus |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
«A loaf of bread» works like a classifier in English.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:classifier:x5:1
# text = «A loaf of bread» works like a classifier in English.
1	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	3	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
3	loaf	loaf	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nsubj	_	_
4	of	of	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
5	bread	bread	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	3	punct	_	_
7	works	work	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
8	like	like	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
9	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	classifier	classifier	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obl	_	_
11	in	in	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
12	English	English	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	10	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **work** | present | a loaf of bread |  |  |  |  | like a classifier in English | vn employment-95.3 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
We trained a classifier on pictures of fruit.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:classifier:x6:1
# text = We trained a classifier on pictures of fruit.
1	We	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	trained	train	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	classifier	classifier	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
5	on	on	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
6	pictures	picture	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	obl	_	_
7	of	of	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
8	fruit	fruit	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **train** | past | We | a classifier |  | pictures of fruit |  |  | vn hire-13.5.3 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent classifier=Theme |

<!-- 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 -->

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