---
title: giraffe — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «giraffe» in the school dictionary: A giraffe is a very tall African animal with a very long neck, long legs and a coat with brown patches. It is the tallest animal on land. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# giraffe

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** giraffe, Giraffes, patches, we, things · **What happens:** be, eat, have, pattern, call, sleep · **To what, where:** tall African animal, tallest animal, land, leaves, top, long dark tongues · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
«giraffe» in the school dictionary: its meaning for a pupil and its 8 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: [giraffe in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/giraffe.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A giraffe is a very tall African animal with a very long neck, long legs and a coat with brown patches. It is the tallest animal on land.

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 1:* A giraffe is a very tall African animal with a very long neck, long legs and a coat with brown patches.

<!-- fold The tree, 21 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:giraffe:m1:1
# text = A giraffe is a very tall African animal with a very long neck, long legs and a coat with brown patches.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	giraffe	giraffe	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	nsubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	8	cop	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
5	very	very	ADV	RB	_	6	advmod	_	_
6	tall	tall	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	amod	_	_
7	African	African	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	amod	_	_
8	animal	animal	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
9	with	with	ADP	IN	_	13	case	_	_
10	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	13	det	_	_
11	very	very	ADV	RB	_	12	advmod	_	_
12	long	long	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	13	amod	_	_
13	neck	neck	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	16	punct	_	_
15	long	long	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	16	amod	_	_
16	legs	leg	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	13	conj	_	_
17	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	19	cc	_	_
18	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	19	det	_	_
19	coat	coat	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	13	conj	_	_
20	with	with	ADP	IN	_	22	case	_	_
21	brown	brown	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	22	amod	_	_
22	patches	patch	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	19	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
23	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	8	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | a giraffe | a tall African animal |  |  |  | with a long neck and long legs and a coat with brown patches | tree rules |

<!-- .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.

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 2:* It is the tallest animal on land.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:giraffe:m1:2
# text = It is the tallest animal on land.
1	It	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	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	tallest	tall	ADJ	JJS	Degree=Sup	5	amod	_	_
5	animal	animal	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
6	on	on	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
7	land	land	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

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

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The giraffe ate leaves from the top of the tree.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:giraffe:x1:1
# text = The giraffe ate leaves from the top of the tree.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	giraffe	giraffe	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	ate	eat	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	leaves	leaf	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	obj	_	_
5	from	from	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	top	top	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	_
8	of	of	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
9	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	tree	tree	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **eat** | past | the giraffe | leaves |  | the top of the tree |  |  | vn eat-39.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent leaf=Patient |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A giraffe is the tallest animal on land.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:giraffe:x2:1
# text = A giraffe is the tallest animal on land.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	giraffe	giraffe	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	cop	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
5	tallest	tall	ADJ	JJS	Degree=Sup	6	amod	_	_
6	animal	animal	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
7	on	on	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
8	land	land	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

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

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Giraffes have very long, dark tongues.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:giraffe:x3:1
# text = Giraffes have very long, dark tongues.
1	Giraffes	giraffe	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	nsubj	_	_
2	have	have	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	very	very	ADV	RB	_	4	advmod	_	_
4	long	long	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	4	punct	_	_
6	dark	dark	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
7	tongues	tongue	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **have** | present | Giraffes | long dark tongues |  |  |  |  | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent tongue=Patient |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Each giraffe has its own pattern of patches.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:giraffe:x4:1
# text = Each giraffe has its own pattern of patches.
1	Each	each	DET	DT	PronType=Tot	2	det	_	_
2	giraffe	giraffe	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	has	have	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	6	nmod:poss	_	_
5	own	own	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
6	pattern	pattern	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
7	of	of	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
8	patches	patch	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **have** | present | each giraffe | giraffe's own pattern of patches |  |  |  |  | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent pattern=Patient |
| 2 | **pattern** |  | patches |  |  |  |  |  | nom pattern «cognition intransitive»: of=agent |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A baby giraffe is called a calf.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:giraffe:x5:1
# text = A baby giraffe is called a calf.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	baby	baby	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	compound	_	_
3	giraffe	giraffe	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj:pass	_	_
4	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	aux:pass	_	_
5	called	call	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
6	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	calf	calf	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **call** | present · passive |  | a baby giraffe |  |  |  |  | vn initiate\_communication-37.4.2-1 «NP V NP.recipient»: subject=Recipient |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Giraffes sleep for only a short time each day.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:giraffe:x6:1
# text = Giraffes sleep for only a short time each day.
1	Giraffes	giraffe	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	nsubj	_	_
2	sleep	sleep	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	for	for	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
4	only	only	ADV	RB	_	7	advmod	_	_
5	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
6	short	short	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
7	time	time	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	_
8	each	each	DET	DT	PronType=Tot	9	det	_	_
9	day	day	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl:unmarked	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **sleep** | present | Giraffes |  |  |  | day; time |  | vn snooze-40.4-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A giraffe has seven bones in its neck, just like we do.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:giraffe:x7:1
# text = A giraffe has seven bones in its neck, just like we do.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	giraffe	giraffe	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	has	have	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	seven	seven	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	5	nummod	_	_
5	bones	bone	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	obj	_	_
6	in	in	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	its	its	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	8	nmod:poss	_	_
8	neck	neck	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	13	punct	_	_
10	just	just	ADV	RB	_	13	advmod	_	_
11	like	like	SCONJ	IN	_	13	mark	_	_
12	we	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	13	nsubj	_	_
13	do	do	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=1|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	parataxis	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **have** | present | a giraffe | seven bones |  | giraffe's neck |  |  | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent bone=Patient |
| 2 | **do** | present | we |  |  |  |  |  | vn act-114-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

## Example 8 {#x8}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The things that were missed were nothing much at first--a few little elephants, a hippopotamus or two, and some giraffes, and things like that.

<!-- fold The tree, 25 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:giraffe:x8:1
# text = The things that were missed were nothing much at first--a few little elephants, a hippopotamus or two, and some giraffes, and things like that.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	things	thing	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	7	nsubj	_	_
3	that	that	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	5	nsubj:pass	_	_
4	were	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	5	aux:pass	_	_
5	missed	miss	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	2	acl:relcl	_	_
6	were	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	7	cop	_	_
7	nothing	nothing	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Neg	0	root	_	_
8	much	much	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
9	at	at	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
10	first	first	ADV	RB	NumForm=Word|NumType=Ord	8	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	--	--	PUNCT	,	_	15	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	15	det	_	_
13	few	few	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	15	amod	_	_
14	little	little	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	15	amod	_	_
15	elephants	elephant	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	7	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	18	punct	_	_
17	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	18	det	_	_
18	hippopotamus	hippopotamus	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	conj	_	_
19	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	20	cc	_	_
20	two	two	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	18	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
21	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	24	punct	_	_
22	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	24	cc	_	_
23	some	some	DET	DT	PronType=Ind	24	det	_	_
24	giraffes	giraffe	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	7	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
25	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	27	punct	_	_
26	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	27	cc	_	_
27	things	thing	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	7	conj	_	_
28	like	like	ADP	IN	_	29	case	_	_
29	that	that	PRON	DT	Number=Sing|PronType=Dem	27	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
30	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **miss** | past · passive |  | the things |  |  |  |  | vn admire-31.2 «NP V NP»: subject=Stimulus |
| 2 | **is a** | past | the things | nothing |  |  |  |  | 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 -->

<!-- pn -->
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