---
title: linguistics — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «linguistics» in the school dictionary: Linguistics is the scientific study of language: how sounds, words, grammar and meaning work, how languages change, and how people learn them. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# linguistics

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** Linguistics, sounds, people, She, sheep, Language puzzles · **What happens:** be, change, learn, want, study, explain · **To what, where:** scientific study, sounds, study, linguistics, university, -s plural · **Speech:** someone speaks here

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

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Linguistics is the scientific study of language: how sounds, words, grammar and meaning work, how languages change, and how people learn them.

<!-- fold The tree, 22 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:linguistics:m1:1
# text = Linguistics is the scientific study of language: how sounds, words, grammar and meaning work, how languages change, and how people learn them.
1	Linguistics	linguistic	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	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	scientific	scientific	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	amod	_	_
5	study	study	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
6	of	of	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
7	language	language	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	10	punct	_	_
9	how	how	ADV	WRB	PronType=Int	10	advmod	_	_
10	sounds	sound	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	21	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	12	punct	_	_
12	words	word	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	10	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	14	punct	_	_
14	grammar	grammar	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	conj	_	_
15	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	17	cc	_	_
16	meaning	meaning	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	17	compound	_	_
17	work	work	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
18	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	21	punct	_	_
19	how	how	ADV	WRB	PronType=Int	21	advmod	_	_
20	languages	language	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	21	nsubj	_	_
21	change	change	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	parataxis	_	SpaceAfter=No
22	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	26	punct	_	_
23	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	26	cc	_	_
24	how	how	ADV	WRB	PronType=Int	26	advmod	_	_
25	people	people	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	26	nsubj	_	_
26	learn	learn	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	21	conj	_	_
27	them	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	26	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
28	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | Linguistics | the scientific study |  |  |  | of language | tree rules |
| 2 | **change** | present | sounds and words and grammar and meaning work |  |  |  |  |  | vn dress-41.1.1-1-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 3 | **learn** | present | people | sounds *= sound* |  |  |  |  | vn learn-14-2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent they=Topic |

<!-- .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 -->
Linguistics is the study of language.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:linguistics:x1:1
# text = Linguistics is the study of language.
1	Linguistics	linguistic	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	nsubj	_	_
2	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	cop	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	study	study	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
5	of	of	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
6	language	language	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

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

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
She wants to study linguistics at university.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:linguistics:x2:1
# text = She wants to study linguistics at university.
1	She	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	wants	want	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	to	to	PART	TO	_	4	mark	_	_
4	study	study	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	2	xcomp	_	_
5	linguistics	linguistic	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	obj	_	_
6	at	at	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
7	university	university	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **want** | present | She |  |  |  |  |  | vn want-32.1-1-1 «NP V NP S\_INF»: agent=Pivot clause=Theme |
| 2 | **study** *not said to happen* | to-infinitive | She *not said here* | linguistics |  | university |  |  | vn learn-14-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent linguistic=Topic |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Linguistics explains why «sheep» has no «-s» plural.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:linguistics:x3:1
# text = Linguistics explains why «sheep» has no «-s» plural.
1	Linguistics	linguistic	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	nsubj	_	_
2	explains	explain	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	why	why	ADV	WRB	PronType=Int	7	advmod	_	_
4	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	5	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	sheep	sheep	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	7	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	5	punct	_	_
7	has	have	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	2	ccomp	_	_
8	no	no	DET	DT	PronType=Neg	12	det	_	_
9	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	10	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	-s	-	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	12	compound	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	10	punct	_	_
12	plural	plural	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **explain** *speech: assert* | present | Linguistics |  |  |  |  |  | vn transfer\_mesg-37.1.1 «NP V how S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 2 | **have** | present | sheep | no -s plural |  |  |  |  | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent plural=Patient |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Language puzzles in the olympiad use linguistics.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:linguistics:x4:1
# text = Language puzzles in the olympiad use linguistics.
1	Language	language	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	compound	_	_
2	puzzles	puzzle	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	nsubj	_	_
3	in	in	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	olympiad	olympiad	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nmod	_	_
6	use	use	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
7	linguistics	linguistic	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **use** | present | Language puzzles in the olympiad | linguistics |  |  |  |  | vn eat-39.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent linguistic=Patient |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Linguistics looks at sounds, words and grammar.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:linguistics:x5:1
# text = Linguistics looks at sounds, words and grammar.
1	Linguistics	linguistics	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nsubj	_	_
2	looks	look	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	at	at	ADP	IN	_	4	case	_	_
4	sounds	sound	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	6	punct	_	_
6	words	word	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	conj	_	_
7	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	8	cc	_	_
8	grammar	grammar	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **look** | present | Linguistics |  |  |  |  | at sounds and words and grammar | vn peer-30.3 «NP V PP.theme»: agent=Agent at sound=Theme |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
My aunt teaches linguistics.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:linguistics:x6:1
# text = My aunt teaches linguistics.
1	My	my	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Sing|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	2	nmod:poss	_	_
2	aunt	aunt	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	teaches	teach	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	linguistics	linguistic	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **teach** *speech: other* | present | My aunt | linguistics |  |  |  |  | vn transfer\_mesg-37.1.1-1-1 «NP V NP.recipient»: agent=Agent linguistic=Recipient |

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**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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