---
title: comedian — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «comedian» in the school dictionary: A comedian is a person whose job is to make people laugh by telling jokes or doing funny things, on stage, on TV or in films. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# comedian

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** comedian, job, everyone, uncle, Charlie, Tom · **What happens:** be, laugh, tell, do, want, make · **To what, where:** person, jokes, funny things, stage, anyone, joke · **Speech:** someone speaks here

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

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A comedian is a person whose job is to make people laugh by telling jokes or doing funny things, on stage, on TV or in films.

<!-- fold The tree, 26 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:comedian:m1:1
# text = A comedian is a person whose job is to make people laugh by telling jokes or doing funny things, on stage, on TV or in films.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	comedian	comedian	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	person	person	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
6	whose	whose	PRON	WP$	Poss=Yes|PronType=Rel	7	nmod:poss	_	_
7	job	job	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	nsubj	_	_
8	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	10	cop	_	_
9	to	to	PART	TO	_	10	mark	_	_
10	make	make	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	5	acl:relcl	_	_
11	people	people	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	10	obj	_	_
12	laugh	laugh	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	10	xcomp	_	_
13	by	by	SCONJ	IN	_	14	mark	_	_
14	telling	tell	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	12	advcl	_	_
15	jokes	joke	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	14	obj	_	_
16	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	17	cc	_	_
17	doing	do	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	14	conj	_	_
18	funny	funny	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	19	amod	_	_
19	things	thing	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	17	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
20	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	22	punct	_	_
21	on	on	ADP	IN	_	22	case	_	_
22	stage	stage	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	17	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
23	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	25	punct	_	_
24	on	on	ADP	IN	_	25	case	_	_
25	TV	TV	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	17	obl	_	_
26	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	28	cc	_	_
27	in	in	ADP	IN	_	28	case	_	_
28	films	film	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	25	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
29	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | a comedian | a person |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **is** | present | job |  |  |  |  | make *property* | tree rules |
| 3 | **laugh** | infinitive | job *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn nonverbal\_expression-40.2 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 4 | **tell** *speech: assert* | gerund | job *not said here* | jokes |  |  |  |  | vn transfer\_mesg-37.1.1-1-1 «NP V NP.recipient»: agent=Agent joke=Recipient |
| 5 | **do** | gerund | job *not said here* | funny things |  | stage |  | on TV or films | vn act-114-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent thing=Eventuality |

<!-- .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 comedian is also anyone who is always being funny (a class comedian).

<!-- fold The tree, 13 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:comedian:m2:1
# text = A comedian is also anyone who is always being funny (a class comedian).
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	comedian	comedian	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
4	also	also	ADV	RB	_	5	advmod	_	_
5	anyone	anyone	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	0	root	_	_
6	who	who	PRON	WP	PronType=Rel	10	nsubj	_	_
7	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	10	cop	_	_
8	always	always	ADV	RB	PronType=Tot	10	advmod	_	_
9	being	be	AUX	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	10	cop	_	_
10	funny	funny	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	acl:relcl	_	_
11	(	(	PUNCT	-LRB-	_	14	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	14	det	_	_
13	class	class	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	14	compound	_	_
14	comedian	comedian	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	appos	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	)	)	PUNCT	-RRB-	_	14	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | a comedian | anyone |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **is** | present |  |  |  |  |  | always, funny *property* | tree rules |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The comedian told a joke and everyone laughed.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:comedian:x1:1
# text = The comedian told a joke and everyone laughed.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	comedian	comedian	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	told	tell	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	joke	joke	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	iobj	_	_
6	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	8	cc	_	_
7	everyone	everyone	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Tot	8	nsubj	_	_
8	laughed	laugh	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	3	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **tell** *speech: assert* | past | the comedian |  | a joke |  |  |  | vn transfer\_mesg-37.1.1-1-1 «NP V NP.recipient»: agent=Agent joke=Recipient |
| 2 | **laugh** | past | everyone |  |  |  |  |  | vn nonverbal\_expression-40.2 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
My uncle wants to be a stand-up comedian.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:comedian:x2:1
# text = My uncle wants to be a stand-up comedian.
1	My	my	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Sing|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	2	nmod:poss	_	_
2	uncle	uncle	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	wants	want	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	to	to	PART	TO	_	10	mark	_	_
5	be	be	AUX	VB	VerbForm=Inf	10	cop	_	_
6	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
7	stand	stand	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	compound	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	-	-	PUNCT	HYPH	_	7	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	up	up	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	compound	_	_
10	comedian	comedian	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	ccomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **want** | present | My uncle |  |  |  |  |  | vn want-32.1-1-1 «NP V NP S\_INF»: agent=Pivot |
| 2 | **is a** *not said to happen* | to-infinitive | My uncle *not said here* | a up comedian |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Charlie Chaplin was a famous comedian in silent films.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:comedian:x3:1
# text = Charlie Chaplin was a famous comedian in silent films.
1	Charlie	Charlie	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	_
2	Chaplin	Chaplin	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	1	flat	_	_
3	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	6	cop	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
5	famous	famous	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
6	comedian	comedian	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
7	in	in	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
8	silent	silent	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	9	amod	_	_
9	films	film	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | past | Charlie | a famous comedian |  | silent films |  |  | tree rules |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Tom is a bit of a comedian in our class.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:comedian:x4:1
# text = Tom is a bit of a comedian in our class.
1	Tom	Tom	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
2	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	cop	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	bit	bit	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
5	of	of	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	comedian	comedian	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nmod	_	_
8	in	in	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
9	our	our	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Plur|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	10	nmod:poss	_	_
10	class	class	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | Tom | a bit |  |  |  | of a comedian in our class | tree rules |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The comedian made funny faces on TV.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:comedian:x5:1
# text = The comedian made funny faces on TV.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	comedian	comedian	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	made	make	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	funny	funny	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	amod	_	_
5	faces	face	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	obj	_	_
6	on	on	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
7	TV	TV	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **make** | past | the comedian | funny faces |  | TV |  |  | vn build-26.1-1 «NP.asset V NP»: agent=Asset face=Product |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A good comedian knows when to pause.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:comedian:x6:1
# text = A good comedian knows when to pause.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	good	good	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	comedian	comedian	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
4	knows	know	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	when	when	ADV	WRB	PronType=Int	7	advmod	_	_
6	to	to	PART	TO	_	7	mark	_	_
7	pause	pause	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	4	ccomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **know** | present | a good comedian |  |  |  |  |  | vn comprehend-87.2-1-1-1 «NP V how S\_INF»: agent=Experiencer clause=Stimulus |
| 2 | **pause** | to-infinitive |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn linger-53.1 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Agent |

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**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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