---
title: flatfish — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «flatfish» in the school dictionary: A flatfish is a fish with a flat body that lies on one side on the sea floor, such as a plaice, sole, flounder, halibut or turbot. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# flatfish

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** flatfish, flat body, eyes, head, Plaice, Young flatfish · **What happens:** be, lie, end up, grow, hide, swim · **To what, where:** fish, one side, upper side, sand, flatfish, colour

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

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A flatfish is a fish with a flat body that lies on one side on the sea floor, such as a plaice, sole, flounder, halibut or turbot.

<!-- fold The tree, 27 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:flatfish:m1:1
# text = A flatfish is a fish with a flat body that lies on one side on the sea floor, such as a plaice, sole, flounder, halibut or turbot.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	flatfish	flatfish	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	fish	fish	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
6	with	with	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
7	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
8	flat	flat	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	9	amod	_	_
9	body	body	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nmod	_	_
10	that	that	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	11	nsubj	_	_
11	lies	lie	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	9	acl:relcl	_	_
12	on	on	ADP	IN	_	14	case	_	_
13	one	one	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	14	nummod	_	_
14	side	side	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	obl	_	_
15	on	on	ADP	IN	_	18	case	_	_
16	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	18	det	_	_
17	sea	sea	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	18	compound	_	_
18	floor	floor	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
19	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	23	punct	_	_
20	such	such	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos|ExtPos=ADP	23	case	_	_
21	as	as	ADP	IN	_	20	fixed	_	_
22	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	23	det	_	_
23	plaice	plaice	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	parataxis	_	SpaceAfter=No
24	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	25	punct	_	_
25	sole	sole	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	23	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
26	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	27	punct	_	_
27	flounder	flounder	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	23	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
28	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	29	punct	_	_
29	halibut	halibut	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	parataxis	_	_
30	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	31	cc	_	_
31	turbot	turbot	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	29	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
32	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | a flatfish | a fish |  |  |  | with a flat body | tree rules |
| 2 | **lie** | present | a flat body |  |  | one side |  | on the sea floor | vn assuming\_position-50 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Agent on side=Location |

<!-- .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 -->
Both its eyes end up on the upper side of its head as it grows.

<!-- fold The tree, 15 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:flatfish:m2:1
# text = Both its eyes end up on the upper side of its head as it grows.
1	Both	both	CCONJ	CC	_	4	cc:preconj	_	_
2	its	its	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	3	nmod:poss	_	_
3	eyes	eye	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	nsubj	_	_
4	end	end	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	up	up	ADP	RP	_	4	compound:prt	_	_
6	on	on	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
8	upper	upper	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	9	amod	_	_
9	side	side	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	_
10	of	of	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
11	its	its	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	12	nmod:poss	_	_
12	head	head	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	nmod	_	_
13	as	as	SCONJ	IN	_	15	mark	_	_
14	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	15	nsubj	_	_
15	grows	grow	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	advcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **end up** | present | its eyes |  |  | the upper side of side's head |  |  | vn become-109.1-1-1 «NP V PP.attribute»: agent=Patient |
| 2 | **grow** | present | head |  |  |  |  |  | vn appear-48.1.1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A flatfish hides by lying flat on the sand.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:flatfish:x1:1
# text = A flatfish hides by lying flat on the sand.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	flatfish	flatfish	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	hides	hide	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	by	by	SCONJ	IN	_	5	mark	_	_
5	lying	lie	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	3	advcl	_	_
6	flat	flat	ADV	RB	_	5	advmod	_	_
7	on	on	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	sand	sand	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **hide** | present | a flatfish |  |  |  |  |  | vn concealment-16-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **lie** | gerund | a flatfish *not said here* |  |  | the sand |  | flat *property* | vn assuming\_position-50 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Agent on sand=Location |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Plaice is a flatfish with orange spots.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:flatfish:x2:1
# text = Plaice is a flatfish with orange spots.
1	Plaice	plaice	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	flatfish	flatfish	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
5	with	with	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	orange	orange	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
7	spots	spot	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | Plaice | a flatfish |  |  |  | with orange spots | tree rules |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Young flatfish swim upright until one eye moves over.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:flatfish:x3:1
# text = Young flatfish swim upright until one eye moves over.
1	Young	young	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	amod	_	_
2	flatfish	flatfish	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	nsubj	_	_
3	swim	swim	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	upright	upright	ADV	RB	_	3	advmod	_	_
5	until	until	SCONJ	IN	_	8	mark	_	_
6	one	one	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	7	nummod	_	_
7	eye	eye	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	nsubj	_	_
8	moves	move	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	advcl	_	_
9	over	over	ADV	RB	_	8	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **swim** | present | Young flatfish |  |  |  |  | upright *property* | vn run-51.3.2-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 2 | **move over** | present | one eye |  |  |  |  | over *property* | vn convert-26.6.2-1-1 «NP V»: agent=Patient |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The flatfish changed colour to match the gravel.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:flatfish:x4:1
# text = The flatfish changed colour to match the gravel.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	flatfish	flatfish	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	nsubj	_	_
3	changed	change	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	colour	colour	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
5	to	to	PART	TO	_	6	mark	_	_
6	match	match	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	3	advcl	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	gravel	gravel	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **change** | past | the flatfish | colour |  |  |  |  | vn dress-41.1.1-1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent colour=Patient |
| 2 | **match** | to-infinitive | the flatfish *not said here* | the gravel |  |  |  |  | vn amalgamate-22.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent gravel=Patient |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Halibut is the largest flatfish.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:flatfish:x5:1
# text = Halibut is the largest flatfish.
1	Halibut	halibut	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
2	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
4	largest	large	ADJ	JJS	Degree=Sup	5	amod	_	_
5	flatfish	flatfish	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | Halibut | the largest flatfish |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
We saw a flatfish in the rock pool.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:flatfish:x6:1
# text = We saw a flatfish in the rock pool.
1	We	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	saw	see	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	flatfish	flatfish	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
5	in	in	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
7	rock	rock	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	compound	_	_
8	pool	pool	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **see** | past | We | a flatfish |  | the rock pool |  |  | vn comprehend-87.2-1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Experiencer flatfish=Stimulus |

<!-- 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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