---
title: cowrie — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «cowrie» in the school dictionary: A cowrie is a small sea snail with a smooth, shiny, rounded shell. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# cowrie

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** cowrie, She, people, cowrie shell, teacher, cowrie snail · **What happens:** be, round, use, find, make, show · **To what, where:** small sea snail, shell, snail, parts, jewellery, tiny cowrie shell

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

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A cowrie is a small sea snail with a smooth, shiny, rounded shell.

<!-- fold The tree, 13 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:cowrie:m1:1
# text = A cowrie is a small sea snail with a smooth, shiny, rounded shell.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	cowrie	cowrie	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nsubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	7	cop	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
5	small	small	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
6	sea	sea	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	compound	_	_
7	snail	snail	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
8	with	with	ADP	IN	_	15	case	_	_
9	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	15	det	_	_
10	smooth	smooth	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	15	amod	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	12	punct	_	_
12	shiny	shiny	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	10	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	15	punct	_	_
14	rounded	round	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	15	amod	_	_
15	shell	shell	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | a cowrie | a small sea snail |  |  |  | with a smooth rounded shell | tree rules |
| 2 | **round** | participle |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn bend-45.2 «NP.patient V»: agent=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 -->
A cowrie is also the shell of this snail, which was used as money in parts of Africa, Asia and the Pacific long ago and is still used in jewellery.

<!-- fold The tree, 30 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:cowrie:m2:1
# text = A cowrie is also the shell of this snail, which was used as money in parts of Africa, Asia and the Pacific long ago and is still used in jewellery.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	cowrie	cowrie	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	cop	_	_
4	also	also	ADV	RB	_	6	advmod	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	shell	shell	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
7	of	of	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
8	this	this	DET	DT	Number=Sing|PronType=Dem	9	det	_	_
9	snail	snail	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	13	punct	_	_
11	which	which	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	13	nsubj:pass	_	_
12	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	13	aux:pass	_	_
13	used	use	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	9	acl:relcl	_	_
14	as	as	ADP	IN	_	15	case	_	_
15	money	money	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	13	obl	_	_
16	in	in	ADP	IN	_	17	case	_	_
17	parts	part	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	13	obl	_	_
18	of	of	ADP	IN	_	19	case	_	_
19	Africa	Africa	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	17	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
20	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	21	punct	_	_
21	Asia	Asia	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	19	conj	_	_
22	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	24	cc	_	_
23	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	24	det	_	_
24	Pacific	Pacific	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	19	conj	_	_
25	long	long	ADV	RB	Degree=Pos	26	advmod	_	_
26	ago	ago	ADV	RB	_	13	advmod	_	_
27	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	30	cc	_	_
28	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	30	aux:pass	_	_
29	still	still	ADV	RB	_	30	advmod	_	_
30	used	use	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	13	conj	_	_
31	in	in	ADP	IN	_	32	case	_	_
32	jewellery	jewellery	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	30	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
33	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | a cowrie | the shell |  |  |  | of this snail | tree rules |
| 2 | **use** | past · passive |  | this snail |  | parts of Africa and Asia and the Pacific |  | as money; ago *property* | vn spend\_time-104 «NP V NP PP.attribute»: subject=Duration as money=Attribute |
| 3 | **use** | present · passive |  |  |  | jewellery | still |  | vn eat-39.1 «NP V» |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
She found a tiny cowrie shell on the beach in Queensland.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:cowrie:x1:1
# text = She found a tiny cowrie shell on the beach in Queensland.
1	She	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	found	find	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
4	tiny	tiny	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
5	cowrie	cowrie	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	compound	_	_
6	shell	shell	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
7	on	on	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	beach	beach	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nmod	_	_
10	in	in	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
11	Queensland	Queensland	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	9	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **find** | past | She | a tiny cowrie shell |  | the beach in Queensland |  |  | vn discover-84 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent shell=Topic |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Long ago, people in West Africa used cowries as money.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:cowrie:x2:1
# text = Long ago, people in West Africa used cowries as money.
1	Long	long	ADV	RB	Degree=Pos	2	advmod	_	_
2	ago	ago	ADV	RB	_	8	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	2	punct	_	_
4	people	people	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	8	nsubj	_	_
5	in	in	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	West	West	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	7	compound	_	_
7	Africa	Africa	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	4	nmod	_	_
8	used	use	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
9	cowries	cowrie	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	8	obj	_	_
10	as	as	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
11	money	money	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	8	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **use** | past | people in West Africa | cowries |  |  |  | as money; ago *property* | vn spend\_time-104 «NP V NP PP.attribute»: agent=Agent cowrie=Duration as money=Attribute |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The necklace was made of white cowrie shells.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:cowrie:x3:1
# text = The necklace was made of white cowrie shells.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	necklace	necklace	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj:pass	_	_
3	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	4	aux:pass	_	_
4	made	make	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
5	of	of	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
6	white	white	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	amod	_	_
7	cowrie	cowrie	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	compound	_	_
8	shells	shell	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **make** | past · passive |  | the necklace |  |  |  | of white cowrie shells | vn build-26.1-1 «NP.asset V NP»: subject=Product |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A cowrie shell is smooth and shiny like glass.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:cowrie:x4:1
# text = A cowrie shell is smooth and shiny like glass.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	cowrie	cowrie	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	compound	_	_
3	shell	shell	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
4	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
5	smooth	smooth	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	_
6	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	7	cc	_	_
7	shiny	shiny	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	conj	_	_
8	like	like	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
9	glass	glass	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 | **is** | present | a cowrie shell |  |  |  |  | like glass; smooth *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **be** |  | a cowrie shell *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Our teacher showed us a cowrie to explain early money.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:cowrie:x5:1
# text = Our teacher showed us a cowrie to explain early money.
1	Our	our	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Plur|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	2	nmod:poss	_	_
2	teacher	teacher	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	showed	show	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	us	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	3	iobj	_	_
5	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	cowrie	cowrie	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
7	to	to	PART	TO	_	8	mark	_	_
8	explain	explain	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	3	advcl	_	_
9	early	early	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	10	amod	_	_
10	money	money	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **show** | past | Our teacher | a cowrie | us |  |  |  | vn transfer\_mesg-37.1.1-1-1 «NP V NP-Dative NP»: agent=Agent we=Recipient cowrie=Topic |
| 2 | **explain** *speech: assert* | to-infinitive | Our teacher *not said here* | early money |  |  |  |  | vn transfer\_mesg-37.1.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent money=Topic |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The cowrie snail lives in warm, shallow seas.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:cowrie:x6:1
# text = The cowrie snail lives in warm, shallow seas.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	cowrie	cowrie	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	compound	_	_
3	snail	snail	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
4	lives	live	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	in	in	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
6	warm	warm	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	9	amod	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	6	punct	_	_
8	shallow	shallow	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	9	amod	_	_
9	seas	sea	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **live** | present | the cowrie snail |  |  | warm shallow seas |  |  | vn lodge-46 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Theme in sea=Location |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
He swapped a bag of cowries for a goat in the trading game.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:cowrie:x7:1
# text = He swapped a bag of cowries for a goat in the trading game.
1	He	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	swapped	swap	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	bag	bag	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
5	of	of	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
6	cowries	cowrie	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	nmod	_	_
7	for	for	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
8	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	goat	goat	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	_
10	in	in	ADP	IN	_	13	case	_	_
11	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	13	det	_	_
12	trading	trading	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	13	compound	_	_
13	game	game	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **swap** | past | He | a bag of cowries |  | the trading game |  | for a goat | vn exchange-13.6.1 «NP V NP PP.co-theme»: agent=Agent bag=Theme for goat=Co-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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