---
title: mayday — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «mayday» in the school dictionary: The international radio call for help used by ships and aircraft in great danger, said three times. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# mayday

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** international radio call, May, engine, fishing boat, boat, coastguard · **What happens:** use, say, be, shout, send, begin · **To what, where:** help, different thing, fire, pilot, mayday, mayday call · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
«mayday» in the school dictionary: its 3 meanings for a pupil and its 7 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: [mayday in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/mayday.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The international radio call for help used by ships and aircraft in great danger, said three times.

<!-- fold The tree, 17 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:mayday:m1:1
# text = The international radio call for help used by ships and aircraft in great danger, said three times.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
2	international	international	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	amod	_	_
3	radio	radio	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	compound	_	_
4	call	call	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	16	nsubj	_	_
5	for	for	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
6	help	help	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nmod	_	_
7	used	use	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	6	acl	_	_
8	by	by	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
9	ships	ship	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	7	obl	_	_
10	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	11	cc	_	_
11	aircraft	aircraft	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	conj	_	_
12	in	in	ADP	IN	_	14	case	_	_
13	great	great	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	14	amod	_	_
14	danger	danger	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	4	punct	_	_
16	said	say	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
17	three	three	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	18	nummod	_	_
18	times	time	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	16	obl:unmarked	_	SpaceAfter=No
19	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	16	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **use** | participle |  | help *not said here* |  |  |  | by ships and aircraft in great danger | vn eat-39.1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **say** *speech: assert* | past | the international radio call for help |  |  |  | time |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent |

<!-- .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 -->
The example in this meaning, parsed on its own:

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
"Mayday, mayday, mayday".

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:mayday:m1e:1
# text = "Mayday, mayday, mayday".
1	"	"	PUNCT	``	_	2	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	Mayday	Mayday	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	4	punct	_	_
4	mayday	mayday	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	appos	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	6	punct	_	_
6	mayday	mayday	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	4	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .note -->
The frames reader finds no event or fact in this sentence.

## Meaning 2 {#m2}

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Any urgent call for help.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:mayday:m2:1
# text = Any urgent call for help.
1	Any	any	DET	DT	PronType=Ind	3	det	_	_
2	urgent	urgent	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	call	call	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
4	for	for	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
5	help	help	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .note -->
The frames reader finds no event or fact in this sentence.

## Meaning 3 {#m3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
May Day (two words, capital letters) is a different thing: the first day of May, a spring festival and a workers' holiday.

<!-- fold The tree, 23 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:mayday:m3:1
# text = May Day (two words, capital letters) is a different thing: the first day of May, a spring festival and a workers' holiday.
1	May	May	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	13	nsubj	_	_
2	Day	Day	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	1	flat	_	_
3	(	(	PUNCT	-LRB-	_	5	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	two	two	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	5	nummod	_	_
5	words	word	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	1	appos	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	8	punct	_	_
7	capital	capital	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	compound	_	_
8	letters	letter	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	appos	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	)	)	PUNCT	-RRB-	_	8	punct	_	_
10	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	13	cop	_	_
11	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	13	det	_	_
12	different	different	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	13	amod	_	_
13	thing	thing	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	17	punct	_	_
15	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	17	det	_	_
16	first	first	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos|NumForm=Word|NumType=Ord	17	amod	_	_
17	day	day	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	13	appos	_	_
18	of	of	ADP	IN	_	19	case	_	_
19	May	May	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	17	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
20	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	23	punct	_	_
21	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	23	det	_	_
22	spring	spring	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	23	compound	_	_
23	festival	festival	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	17	conj	_	_
24	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	28	cc	_	_
25	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	26	det	_	_
26	workers	worker	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	28	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
27	'	's	PART	POS	_	26	case	_	_
28	holiday	holiday	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	17	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
29	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	13	punct	_	_
```

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

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
"Mayday, mayday, mayday! Our engine is on fire!" shouted the pilot.

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 1:* "Mayday, mayday, mayday!

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:mayday:x1:1
# text = "Mayday, mayday, mayday!
1	"	"	PUNCT	``	_	2	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	Mayday	Mayday	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	4	punct	_	_
4	mayday	mayday	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	appos	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	6	punct	_	_
6	mayday	mayday	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	appos	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	!	!	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .note -->
The frames reader finds no event or fact in this sentence.

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 2:* Our engine is on fire!" shouted the pilot.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:mayday:x1:2
# text = Our engine is on fire!" shouted the pilot.
1	Our	our	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Plur|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	2	nmod:poss	_	_
2	engine	engine	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
4	on	on	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
5	fire	fire	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	ccomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	!	!	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	5	punct	_	_
8	shouted	shout	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
9	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	pilot	pilot	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	8	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present | Our engine |  |  | fire |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **shout** *speech: express* *in a quote* | past |  | the pilot |  |  |  |  | vn manner\_speaking-37.3 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent pilot=Topic |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The fishing boat sent a mayday when it began to sink.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:mayday:x2:1
# text = The fishing boat sent a mayday when it began to sink.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	fishing	fishing	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	compound	_	_
3	boat	boat	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
4	sent	send	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	mayday	mayday	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obj	_	_
7	when	when	ADV	WRB	PronType=Int	9	advmod	_	_
8	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	9	nsubj	_	_
9	began	begin	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	4	advcl	_	_
10	to	to	PART	TO	_	11	mark	_	_
11	sink	sink	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	9	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **send** | past | the fishing boat | a mayday |  |  |  |  | vn confine-92-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent mayday=Theme |
| 2 | **begin** | past | boat |  |  |  |  |  | vn begin-55.1-1-1 «NP V S\_INF»: agent=Agent clause=Eventuality |
| 3 | **sink** | to-infinitive | boat *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn other\_cos-45.4 «NP.patient V»: agent=Patient |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The coastguard answered the mayday call within seconds.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:mayday:x3:1
# text = The coastguard answered the mayday call within seconds.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	coastguard	coastguard	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	answered	answer	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
5	mayday	mayday	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	compound	_	_
6	call	call	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
7	within	within	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
8	seconds	second	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **answer** *speech: assert* | past | the coastguard | the mayday call |  |  | second |  | vn reciprocate-112-1 «NP V PP»: agent=Agent call=Eventuality |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Never say "mayday" on a radio as a joke.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:mayday:x4:1
# text = Never say "mayday" on a radio as a joke.
1	Never	never	ADV	RB	PronType=Neg	2	advmod	_	_
2	say	say	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	"	"	PUNCT	``	_	4	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	mayday	mayday	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	4	punct	_	_
6	on	on	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	radio	radio	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	_
9	as	as	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
10	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
11	joke	joke	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **not** **say** *speech: assert* | imperative | you *not said here* | mayday |  | a radio as a joke |  |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V NP.topic»: agent=Agent mayday=Topic |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
My sister's text was a total mayday: "Help, I forgot my homework!"

<!-- fold The tree, 13 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:mayday:x5:1
# text = My sister's text was a total mayday: "Help, I forgot my homework!"
1	My	my	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Sing|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	2	nmod:poss	_	_
2	sister	sister	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	's	's	PART	POS	_	2	case	_	_
4	text	text	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	nsubj	_	_
5	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	8	cop	_	_
6	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
7	total	total	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	amod	_	_
8	mayday	mayday	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	11	punct	_	_
10	"	"	PUNCT	``	_	11	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	Help	help	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	14	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	11	punct	_	_
13	I	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	14	nsubj	_	_
14	forgot	forget	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	8	conj	_	_
15	my	my	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Sing|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	16	nmod:poss	_	_
16	homework	homework	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	14	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	!	!	PUNCT	.	_	8	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
18	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	8	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | past | My sister's text | a total mayday |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **forget** *in a quote* | past | I | Help |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
In the film, the captain put out a mayday before the storm hit.

<!-- fold The tree, 13 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:mayday:x6:1
# text = In the film, the captain put out a mayday before the storm hit.
1	In	in	ADP	IN	_	3	case	_	_
2	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
3	film	film	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	3	punct	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	captain	captain	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nsubj	_	_
7	put	put	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
8	out	out	ADP	RP	_	7	compound:prt	_	_
9	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	mayday	mayday	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obj	_	_
11	before	before	ADP	IN	_	14	case	_	_
12	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	14	det	_	_
13	storm	storm	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	14	compound	_	_
14	hit	hit	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **put out** | infinitive | the captain | a mayday |  | the film | before the storm hit |  | vn put-9.1-2 «NP V NP PP.destination»: agent=Agent mayday=Theme in film=Destination |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
On May Day we danced round a maypole at school.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:mayday:x7:1
# text = On May Day we danced round a maypole at school.
1	On	on	ADP	IN	_	3	case	_	_
2	May	May	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	3	compound	_	_
3	Day	Day	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	5	obl	_	_
4	we	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	5	nsubj	_	_
5	danced	dance	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
6	round	round	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	maypole	maypole	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obl	_	_
9	at	at	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
10	school	school	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **dance** | past | we |  |  | school | on May Day | round a maypole | vn modes\_of\_being\_with\_motion-47.3 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Theme on day=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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