---
title: delta — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «delta» in the school dictionary: A flat, often triangle-shaped area of land where a river splits into many smaller streams before it flows into the sea, made from mud and sand the river carries. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# delta

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** flat triangle shaped area, river, Δ, Many birds, Farmers, soil · **What happens:** shape, split, flow, make, carry, letter · **To what, where:** many smaller streams, sea, mud, Greek alphabet, maths, Nile Delta

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

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A flat, often triangle-shaped area of land where a river splits into many smaller streams before it flows into the sea, made from mud and sand the river carries.

<!-- fold The tree, 30 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:delta:m1:1
# text = A flat, often triangle-shaped area of land where a river splits into many smaller streams before it flows into the sea, made from mud and sand the river carries.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
2	flat	flat	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	amod	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	8	punct	_	_
4	often	often	ADV	RB	_	8	advmod	_	_
5	triangle	triangle	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	compound	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	-	-	PUNCT	HYPH	_	5	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	shaped	shape	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	8	amod	_	_
8	area	area	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	14	nsubj	_	_
9	of	of	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
10	land	land	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	nmod	_	_
11	where	where	ADV	WRB	PronType=Rel	14	advmod	_	_
12	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	13	det	_	_
13	river	river	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	14	nsubj	_	_
14	splits	split	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
15	into	into	ADP	IN	_	18	case	_	_
16	many	many	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	18	amod	_	_
17	smaller	small	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp	18	amod	_	_
18	streams	stream	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	14	obl	_	_
19	before	before	SCONJ	IN	_	21	mark	_	_
20	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	21	nsubj	_	_
21	flows	flow	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	14	advcl	_	_
22	into	into	ADP	IN	_	24	case	_	_
23	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	24	det	_	_
24	sea	sea	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	21	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
25	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	26	punct	_	_
26	made	make	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	24	acl	_	_
27	from	from	ADP	IN	_	28	case	_	_
28	mud	mud	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	26	obl	_	_
29	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	30	cc	_	_
30	sand	sand	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	28	conj	_	_
31	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	32	det	_	_
32	river	river	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	33	nsubj	_	_
33	carries	carry	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	28	acl:relcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
34	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	14	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **shape** | participle |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn build-26.1-1 «NP.asset V NP»: agent=Asset |
| 2 | **split** | present | a flat triangle shaped area of land |  |  |  |  | into many smaller streams *result* | vn break-45.1 «NP V PP.result»: agent=Patient into stream=Result |
| 3 | **flow** | present | river |  |  | the sea |  |  | vn appear-48.1.1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 4 | **make** | participle |  | the sea *not said here* |  | mud and sand |  |  | vn build-26.1-1 «NP.asset V PP»: agent=Asset from mud=Material |
| 5 | **carry** | present | the river | mud and sand *not said here* |  |  |  |  | vn carry-11.4 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent mud=Theme |

<!-- .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 -->
The fourth letter of the Greek alphabet, Δ or δ.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:delta:m2:1
# text = The fourth letter of the Greek alphabet, Δ or δ.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	fourth	fourth	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos|NumForm=Word|NumType=Ord	3	amod	_	_
3	letter	letter	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
4	of	of	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
6	Greek	Greek	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
7	alphabet	alphabet	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	9	punct	_	_
9	Δ	Δ	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	7	appos	_	_
10	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	11	cc	_	_
11	δ	δ	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **letter** |  |  | the Greek alphabet or δ |  |  |  |  | nom letter «communication transitive»: of=patient |

## Meaning 3 {#m3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
In maths and science, Δ can stand for a change in an amount.

<!-- fold The tree, 13 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:delta:m3:1
# text = In maths and science, Δ can stand for a change in an amount.
1	In	in	ADP	IN	_	2	case	_	_
2	maths	math	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	8	obl	_	_
3	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	4	cc	_	_
4	science	science	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	2	punct	_	_
6	Δ	δ	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	nsubj	_	_
7	can	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	8	aux	_	_
8	stand	stand	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
9	for	for	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
10	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
11	change	change	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	obl	_	_
12	in	in	ADP	IN	_	14	case	_	_
13	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	14	det	_	_
14	amount	amount	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	8	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **stand** | can | Δ |  |  | maths and science |  | for a change; in a amount | vn assuming\_position-50 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Agent in math=Location |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The Nile Delta is shaped like a triangle.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:delta:x1:1
# text = The Nile Delta is shaped like a triangle.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	Nile	Nile	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	3	compound	_	_
3	Delta	Delta	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	5	nsubj:pass	_	_
4	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	aux:pass	_	_
5	shaped	shape	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
6	like	like	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	triangle	triangle	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **shape** | present · passive |  | the Nile Delta |  |  |  | like a triangle | vn build-26.1-1 «NP.asset V NP»: subject=Product |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The river drops its mud and sand to build a delta.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:delta:x2:1
# text = The river drops its mud and sand to build a delta.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	river	river	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	drops	drop	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	its	its	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	5	nmod:poss	_	_
5	mud	mud	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
6	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	7	cc	_	_
7	sand	sand	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	conj	_	_
8	to	to	PART	TO	_	9	mark	_	_
9	build	build	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	3	advcl	_	_
10	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
11	delta	delta	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **drop** | present | the river | river's mud and sand |  |  |  |  | vn put\_direction-9.4 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent mud=Theme |
| 2 | **build** | to-infinitive | the river *not said here* | a delta |  |  |  |  | vn build-26.1-1 «NP.asset V NP»: agent=Asset delta=Product |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Many birds live in the wetlands of the delta.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:delta:x3:1
# text = Many birds live in the wetlands of the delta.
1	Many	many	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	amod	_	_
2	birds	bird	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	nsubj	_	_
3	live	live	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	in	in	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	wetlands	wetland	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	obl	_	_
7	of	of	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	delta	delta	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **live** | present | Many birds |  |  | the wetlands of the delta |  |  | vn lodge-46 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Theme in wetland=Location |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Farmers grow rice on the delta because the soil is rich.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:delta:x4:1
# text = Farmers grow rice on the delta because the soil is rich.
1	Farmers	farmer	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	nsubj	_	_
2	grow	grow	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	rice	rice	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
4	on	on	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	delta	delta	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	_
7	because	because	SCONJ	IN	_	11	mark	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	soil	soil	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	nsubj	_	_
10	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	11	cop	_	_
11	rich	rich	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	advcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **grow** | present | Farmers | rice |  | the delta |  |  | vn appear-48.1.1 «PP.location V NP»: agent=Location rice=Theme |
| 2 | **is** | present | the soil |  |  |  |  | rich *property* | tree rules |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The Greek letter delta looks like a triangle: Δ.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:delta:x5:1
# text = The Greek letter delta looks like a triangle: Δ.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
2	Greek	Greek	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	amod	_	_
3	letter	letter	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	compound	_	_
4	delta	delta	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
5	looks	look	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
6	like	like	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	triangle	triangle	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	10	punct	_	_
10	Δ	Δ	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	8	appos	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **look** | present | the Greek letter delta |  |  |  |  | like a triangle | vn stimulus\_subject-30.4 «NP V PP.attribute»: agent=Stimulus |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Floods are common on a low, flat delta.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:delta:x6:1
# text = Floods are common on a low, flat delta.
1	Floods	flood	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	nsubj	_	_
2	are	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	cop	_	_
3	common	common	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	_
4	on	on	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
5	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
6	low	low	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	9	amod	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	6	punct	_	_
8	flat	flat	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	9	amod	_	_
9	delta	delta	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present | Floods |  |  | a low flat delta |  | common *property* | tree rules |

<!-- 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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