---
title: laity — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «laity» in the school dictionary: The ordinary members of a church who are not priests, ministers or clergy. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# laity

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** church, People, bishop, Members, grandmother, laity · **What happens:** not be, meet, read, be, help, organise · **To what, where:** priests, experts, subject, Bible readings, lay reader, lead services

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

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .note -->
Usage: church — kept apart, not parsed.

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The ordinary members of a church who are not priests, ministers or clergy.

<!-- fold The tree, 13 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:laity:m1:1
# text = The ordinary members of a church who are not priests, ministers or clergy.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	ordinary	ordinary	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	members	member	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	0	root	_	_
4	of	of	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
5	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	church	church	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nmod	_	_
7	who	who	PRON	WP	PronType=Rel	10	nsubj	_	_
8	are	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	10	cop	_	_
9	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	10	advmod	_	_
10	priests	priest	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	12	punct	_	_
12	ministers	minister	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	10	conj	_	_
13	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	14	cc	_	_
14	clergy	clergy	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	10	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **not** **is a** | present | a church and priests and ministers or clergy | priests and ministers or clergy |  |  |  |  | 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.

## Meaning 2 {#m2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
People who are not experts in a subject.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:laity:m2:1
# text = People who are not experts in a subject.
1	People	people	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	nsubj	_	_
2	who	who	PRON	WP	PronType=Rel	5	nsubj	_	_
3	are	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
4	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	5	advmod	_	_
5	experts	expert	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	0	root	_	_
6	in	in	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	subject	subject	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **not** **is a** | present | People | experts |  | a subject |  |  | tree rules |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The bishop met with the clergy and the laity.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:laity:x1:1
# text = The bishop met with the clergy and the laity.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	bishop	bishop	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	met	meet	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	with	with	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	clergy	clergy	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	_
7	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	9	cc	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	laity	laity	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **meet** | past | the bishop |  |  |  |  | with the clergy and the laity | vn meet-36.3-1 «NP V PP.co-agent»: agent=Agent with clergy=Co-Agent |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Members of the laity read the Bible readings on Sunday.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:laity:x2:1
# text = Members of the laity read the Bible readings on Sunday.
1	Members	member	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	nsubj	_	_
2	of	of	ADP	IN	_	4	case	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	laity	laity	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	nmod	_	_
5	read	read	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
7	Bible	Bible	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	8	compound	_	_
8	readings	reading	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	obj	_	_
9	on	on	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
10	Sunday	Sunday	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	8	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **read** | past | Members of the laity | the Bible readings |  |  |  | on Sunday | vn transfer\_mesg-37.1.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent reading=Topic |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
My grandmother is a lay reader, one of the laity who helps lead services.

<!-- fold The tree, 14 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:laity:x3:1
# text = My grandmother is a lay reader, one of the laity who helps lead services.
1	My	my	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Sing|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	2	nmod:poss	_	_
2	grandmother	grandmother	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	cop	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
5	lay	lay	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
6	reader	reader	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	8	punct	_	_
8	one	one	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	6	appos	_	_
9	of	of	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
10	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
11	laity	laity	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	nmod	_	_
12	who	who	PRON	WP	PronType=Rel	13	nsubj	_	_
13	helps	help	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	11	acl:relcl	_	_
14	lead	lead	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	15	compound	_	_
15	services	service	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	13	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | My grandmother | a lay reader |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **help** | present | the laity | lead services |  |  |  |  | vn help-72.1-1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent service=Beneficiary |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The laity helped organise the church fete.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:laity:x4:1
# text = The laity helped organise the church fete.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	laity	laity	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	helped	help	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	organise	organise	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	3	xcomp	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
6	church	church	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	compound	_	_
7	fete	fete	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **help** | past | the laity |  |  |  |  |  | vn help-72.1-1-1 «NP V NP S\_INF»: agent=Agent clause=Theme |
| 2 | **organise** | infinitive | the laity *not said here* | the church fete |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Science books for the laity explain things simply.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:laity:x5:1
# text = Science books for the laity explain things simply.
1	Science	science	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	compound	_	_
2	books	book	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	nsubj	_	_
3	for	for	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	laity	laity	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nmod	_	_
6	explain	explain	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
7	things	thing	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	obj	_	_
8	simply	simply	ADV	RB	_	6	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **explain** *speech: assert* | present | Science books for the laity | things |  |  |  | simply *property* | vn transfer\_mesg-37.1.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent thing=Topic |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Both clergy and laity sang in the choir.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:laity:x6:1
# text = Both clergy and laity sang in the choir.
1	Both	both	CCONJ	CC	_	5	cc:preconj	_	_
2	clergy	clergy	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	nsubj	_	_
3	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	4	cc	_	_
4	laity	laity	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	conj	_	_
5	sang	sing	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
6	in	in	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	choir	choir	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 | **sing** *speech: express* | past | clergy and laity |  |  | the choir |  |  | vn sound\_emission-43.2 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Theme in choir=Location |

<!-- 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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