---
title: griot — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «griot» in the school dictionary: In West Africa, a traditional storyteller, singer, poet and historian who keeps the history of families and peoples alive by telling it aloud, often with music. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# griot

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**Who acts:** historian, griot, Griots, class, grandson · **What happens:** keep, tell, remember, play, sing, honour · **To what, where:** history, story, kora, griots, Mali, book · **Speech:** someone speaks here

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

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
In West Africa, a traditional storyteller, singer, poet and historian who keeps the history of families and peoples alive by telling it aloud, often with music.

<!-- fold The tree, 26 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:griot:m1:1
# text = In West Africa, a traditional storyteller, singer, poet and historian who keeps the history of families and peoples alive by telling it aloud, often with music.
1	In	in	ADP	IN	_	3	case	_	_
2	West	West	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	3	compound	_	_
3	Africa	Africa	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	7	punct	_	_
5	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
6	traditional	traditional	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
7	storyteller	storyteller	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	appos	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	9	punct	_	_
9	singer	singer	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	11	punct	_	_
11	poet	poet	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	conj	_	_
12	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	13	cc	_	_
13	historian	historian	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	conj	_	_
14	who	who	PRON	WP	PronType=Rel	15	nsubj	_	_
15	keeps	keep	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	13	acl:relcl	_	_
16	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	17	det	_	_
17	history	history	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	15	obj	_	_
18	of	of	ADP	IN	_	19	case	_	_
19	families	family	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	17	nmod	_	_
20	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	21	cc	_	_
21	peoples	people	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	19	conj	_	_
22	alive	alive	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	15	xcomp	_	_
23	by	by	SCONJ	IN	_	24	mark	_	_
24	telling	tell	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	15	advcl	_	_
25	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	24	obj	_	_
26	aloud	aloud	ADV	RB	_	24	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
27	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	30	punct	_	_
28	often	often	ADV	RB	_	30	advmod	_	_
29	with	with	ADP	IN	_	30	case	_	_
30	music	music	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	24	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
31	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **keep** | present | historian | the history of families and peoples |  |  |  | alive *property* | vn keep-15.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent history=Theme |
| 2 | **tell** *speech: assert* | gerund | historian *not said here* |  | history |  |  | with music; aloud *property* | vn transfer\_mesg-37.1.1-1-1 «NP V NP.recipient»: agent=Agent it=Recipient |

<!-- .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.

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The griot told the story of Sundiata Keita.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:griot:x1:1
# text = The griot told the story of Sundiata Keita.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	griot	griot	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	told	tell	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	story	story	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
6	of	of	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
7	Sundiata	Sundiata	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	5	nmod	_	_
8	Keita	Keita	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	7	flat	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **tell** *speech: assert* | past | the griot | the story of Sundiata |  |  |  |  | vn transfer\_mesg-37.1.1-1-1 «NP V NP.recipient»: agent=Agent story=Recipient |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Griots remember the history of whole families.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:griot:x2:1
# text = Griots remember the history of whole families.
1	Griots	griot	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	nsubj	_	_
2	remember	remember	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	history	history	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
5	of	of	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	whole	whole	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
7	families	family	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **remember** | present | Griots | the history of whole families |  |  |  |  | vn characterize-29.2-1-1 «NP V NP S\_ING»: agent=Agent history=Theme |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The griot played the kora while he sang.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:griot:x3:1
# text = The griot played the kora while he sang.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	griot	griot	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	played	play	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	kora	kora	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
6	while	while	SCONJ	IN	_	8	mark	_	_
7	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	8	nsubj	_	_
8	sang	sing	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	3	advcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **play** | past | the griot | the kora |  |  |  |  | vn use-105.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent kora=Theme |
| 2 | **sing** *speech: express* | past | griot |  |  |  |  |  | vn sound\_emission-43.2 «NP.location V PP.theme»: agent=Location |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
In Mali, griots are still honoured today.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:griot:x4:1
# text = In Mali, griots are still honoured today.
1	In	in	ADP	IN	_	2	case	_	_
2	Mali	Mali	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	7	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	2	punct	_	_
4	griots	griot	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	7	nsubj:pass	_	_
5	are	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	7	aux:pass	_	_
6	still	still	ADV	RB	_	7	advmod	_	_
7	honoured	honour	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
8	today	today	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obl:unmarked	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **honour** | present · passive |  | griots |  | Mali | still; today |  | tree rules |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Our class learned how griots keep history alive by speaking it.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:griot:x5:1
# text = Our class learned how griots keep history alive by speaking it.
1	Our	our	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Plur|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	2	nmod:poss	_	_
2	class	class	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	learned	learn	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	how	how	ADV	WRB	PronType=Int	6	advmod	_	_
5	griots	griot	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	nsubj	_	_
6	keep	keep	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	ccomp	_	_
7	history	history	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obj	_	_
8	alive	alive	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	xcomp	_	_
9	by	by	SCONJ	IN	_	10	mark	_	_
10	speaking	speak	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	8	advcl	_	_
11	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	10	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **learn** | past | Our class |  |  |  |  |  | vn learn-14-2-1 «NP V what S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 2 | **keep** | present | griots | history |  |  |  | alive *property* | vn keep-15.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent history=Theme |
| 3 | **speak** *speech: other* | gerund | griots *not said here* | history |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The book was written by a griot's grandson.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:griot:x6:1
# text = The book was written by a griot's grandson.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	book	book	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	written	write	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
5	by	by	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
6	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	griot	griot	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	's	's	PART	POS	_	7	case	_	_
9	grandson	grandson	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **write** | past · passive | a griot's grandson | the book |  |  |  |  | vn scribble-25.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent subject=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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