---
title: echolocation — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «echolocation» in the school dictionary: Echolocation is a way some animals find things by making sounds and listening for the echoes that bounce back. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

<!-- md -->
[Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/E/echolocation/)

<!-- crumbs -->
[home](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) / [corpora](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/) / [dictionaries](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/) / [school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/) / [E](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/E/) / echolocation

# echolocation

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** Echolocation, animals, echoes, machines, Bats, Dolphins · **What happens:** be, find, make, listen, bounce back, use · **To what, where:** way, things, sounds, It, echolocation, moths

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

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Echolocation is a way some animals find things by making sounds and listening for the echoes that bounce back.

<!-- fold The tree, 19 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:echolocation:m1:1
# text = Echolocation is a way some animals find things by making sounds and listening for the echoes that bounce back.
1	Echolocation	echolocation	NOUN	NN	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	way	way	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
5	some	some	DET	DT	PronType=Ind	6	det	_	_
6	animals	animal	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	7	nsubj	_	_
7	find	find	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	acl:relcl	_	_
8	things	thing	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	7	obj	_	_
9	by	by	SCONJ	IN	_	10	mark	_	_
10	making	make	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	7	advcl	_	_
11	sounds	sound	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	10	obj	_	_
12	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	13	cc	_	_
13	listening	listen	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	10	conj	_	_
14	for	for	ADP	IN	_	16	case	_	_
15	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	16	det	_	_
16	echoes	echo	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	13	obl	_	_
17	that	that	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	18	nsubj	_	_
18	bounce	bounce	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	16	acl:relcl	_	_
19	back	back	ADV	RB	_	18	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
20	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | Echolocation | a way |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **find** | present | some animals | things |  |  |  |  | vn discover-84 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent thing=Topic |
| 3 | **make** | gerund | some animals *not said here* | sounds |  |  |  |  | vn build-26.1-1 «NP.asset V NP»: agent=Asset sound=Product |
| 4 | **listen** | gerund | some animals *not said here* |  |  |  |  | for the echoes | vn rummage-35.5 «NP V PP.location PP.theme»: agent=Agent for echo=Theme |
| 5 | **bounce back** | present | the echoes |  |  |  |  |  | vn run-51.3.2-2 «NP V»: agent=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 -->
It is also used by machines, like sonar on ships, to find things underwater.

<!-- fold The tree, 14 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:echolocation:m2:1
# text = It is also used by machines, like sonar on ships, to find things underwater.
1	It	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	4	nsubj:pass	_	_
2	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	aux:pass	_	_
3	also	also	ADV	RB	_	4	advmod	_	_
4	used	use	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
5	by	by	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
6	machines	machine	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	9	punct	_	_
8	like	like	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
9	sonar	sonar	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	_
10	on	on	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
11	ships	ship	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	9	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	14	punct	_	_
13	to	to	PART	TO	_	14	mark	_	_
14	find	find	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	4	parataxis	_	_
15	things	thing	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	14	obj	_	_
16	underwater	underwater	ADV	RB	_	14	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **use** | present · passive | machines | It |  |  |  | like sonar on ships | vn eat-39.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent subject=Patient |
| 2 | **find** | to-infinitive |  | things |  |  |  | underwater *property* | vn discover-84 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent thing=Topic |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Bats use echolocation to find moths in the dark.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:echolocation:x1:1
# text = Bats use echolocation to find moths in the dark.
1	Bats	bat	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	nsubj	_	_
2	use	use	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	echolocation	echolocation	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
4	to	to	PART	TO	_	5	mark	_	_
5	find	find	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	2	advcl	_	_
6	moths	moth	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	obj	_	_
7	in	in	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	dark	dark	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **use** | present | Bats | echolocation |  |  |  |  | vn eat-39.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent echolocation=Patient |
| 2 | **find** | to-infinitive | Bats *not said here* | moths |  | the dark |  |  | vn discover-84 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent moth=Topic |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Dolphins hunt fish using echolocation.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:echolocation:x2:1
# text = Dolphins hunt fish using echolocation.
1	Dolphins	dolphin	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	nsubj	_	_
2	hunt	hunt	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	fish	fish	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	obj	_	_
4	using	use	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	3	acl	_	_
5	echolocation	echolocation	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **hunt** | present | Dolphins | fish |  |  |  |  | vn hunt-35.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent fish=Theme |
| 2 | **use** | gerund | fish *not said here* | echolocation |  |  |  |  | vn eat-39.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent echolocation=Patient |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Echolocation works because sound bounces back off objects.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:echolocation:x3:1
# text = Echolocation works because sound bounces back off objects.
1	Echolocation	echolocation	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nsubj	_	_
2	works	work	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	because	because	SCONJ	IN	_	5	mark	_	_
4	sound	sound	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
5	bounces	bounce	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	2	advcl	_	_
6	back	back	ADV	RB	_	5	advmod	_	_
7	off	off	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
8	objects	object	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **work** | present | Echolocation |  |  |  |  |  | vn employment-95.3 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **bounce back** | present | sound |  |  | objects |  |  | vn run-51.3.2-2 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Theme off object=Trajectory |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The closer the moth, the sooner the echo returns.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:echolocation:x4:1
# text = The closer the moth, the sooner the echo returns.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	closer	close	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp	0	root	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	moth	moth	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	10	punct	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	sooner	soon	ADV	RBR	Degree=Cmp	10	advmod	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	echo	echo	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	nsubj	_	_
10	returns	return	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	2	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **return** | present | the echo |  |  |  |  | soon *property* | vn escape-51.1-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Ships use sonar, a kind of echolocation, to find the sea bed.

<!-- fold The tree, 12 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:echolocation:x5:1
# text = Ships use sonar, a kind of echolocation, to find the sea bed.
1	Ships	ship	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	nsubj	_	_
2	use	use	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	sonar	sonar	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	6	punct	_	_
5	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	kind	kind	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	appos	_	_
7	of	of	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
8	echolocation	echolocation	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	11	punct	_	_
10	to	to	PART	TO	_	11	mark	_	_
11	find	find	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	2	conj	_	_
12	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	14	det	_	_
13	sea	sea	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	14	compound	_	_
14	bed	bed	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **use** | present | Ships | sonar |  |  |  |  | vn eat-39.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent sonar=Patient |
| 2 | **find** | to-infinitive | Ships *not said here* | the sea bed |  |  |  |  | vn discover-84 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent bed=Topic |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Some blind people learn a kind of echolocation by clicking their tongues.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:echolocation:x6:1
# text = Some blind people learn a kind of echolocation by clicking their tongues.
1	Some	some	DET	DT	PronType=Ind	3	det	_	_
2	blind	blind	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	people	people	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	nsubj	_	_
4	learn	learn	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	kind	kind	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obj	_	_
7	of	of	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
8	echolocation	echolocation	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nmod	_	_
9	by	by	SCONJ	IN	_	10	mark	_	_
10	clicking	click	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	4	advcl	_	_
11	their	their	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Plur|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	12	nmod:poss	_	_
12	tongues	tongue	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	10	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **learn** | present | some blind people | a kind of echolocation |  |  |  |  | vn learn-14-2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent kind=Topic |
| 2 | **click** | gerund | some blind people *not said here* | people's tongues |  |  |  |  | vn sound\_emission-43.2 «PP.location V NP»: agent=Location tongue=Theme |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
We learned about echolocation in our lesson on sound.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:echolocation:x7:1
# text = We learned about echolocation in our lesson on sound.
1	We	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	learned	learn	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	about	about	ADP	IN	_	4	case	_	_
4	echolocation	echolocation	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	_
5	in	in	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	our	our	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Plur|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	7	nmod:poss	_	_
7	lesson	lesson	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	_
8	on	on	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
9	sound	sound	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **learn** | past | We |  |  | our lesson on sound |  | about echolocation | vn learn-14-2-1 «NP V PP.topic»: agent=Agent about echolocation=Topic |

<!-- 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 -->
- ← previous: [echo](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/E/echo/)
- next →: [eclipse](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/E/eclipse/)
- ↑ back to [E in school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/E/)