---
title: palaeontology — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «palaeontology» in the school dictionary: The science that studies life from long ago, mostly through fossils of animals and plants, such as dinosaurs. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# palaeontology

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** science, study, Palaeontology, She, Mary, sharks · **What happens:** study, live, change, be, want, dig up · **To what, where:** life, things, millions, study, palaeontology, dinosaurs · **Speech:** someone speaks here

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

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The science that studies life from long ago, mostly through fossils of animals and plants, such as dinosaurs.

<!-- fold The tree, 18 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:palaeontology:m1:1
# text = The science that studies life from long ago, mostly through fossils of animals and plants, such as dinosaurs.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	science	science	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
3	that	that	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	4	nsubj	_	_
4	studies	study	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	life	life	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obj	_	_
6	from	from	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	long	long	ADV	RB	Degree=Pos	8	advmod	_	_
8	ago	ago	ADV	RB	_	4	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	12	punct	_	_
10	mostly	mostly	ADV	RB	_	12	advmod	_	_
11	through	through	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
12	fossils	fossil	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	conj	_	_
13	of	of	ADP	IN	_	14	case	_	_
14	animals	animal	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	12	nmod	_	_
15	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	16	cc	_	_
16	plants	plant	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	14	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	20	punct	_	_
18	such	such	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos|ExtPos=ADP	20	case	_	_
19	as	as	ADP	IN	_	18	fixed	_	_
20	dinosaurs	dinosaur	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	14	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
21	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **study** | present | the science | life |  |  |  |  | vn learn-14-1 «NP V NP PP.source»: agent=Agent life=Topic from ago=Source |

<!-- .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 -->
The study of how living things changed over millions of years.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:palaeontology:m2:1
# text = The study of how living things changed over millions of years.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	study	study	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nsubj	_	_
3	of	of	SCONJ	IN	_	5	mark	_	_
4	how	how	ADV	WRB	PronType=Int	5	advmod	_	_
5	living	live	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	2	acl	_	_
6	things	thing	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	obj	_	_
7	changed	change	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
8	over	over	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
9	millions	million	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	7	obl	_	_
10	of	of	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
11	years	year	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	9	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **live** | gerund |  | things |  |  |  |  | vn lodge-46 «NP V ADV»: agent=Theme thing=Location |
| 2 | **change** | past | the study |  |  | millions of years |  |  | vn dress-41.1.1-1-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Palaeontology is the study of fossils.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:palaeontology:x1:1
# text = Palaeontology is the study of fossils.
1	Palaeontology	palaeontology	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	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	fossils	fossil	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	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 | Palaeontology | the study |  |  |  | of fossils | tree rules |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
She wants to study palaeontology and dig up dinosaurs.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:palaeontology:x2:1
# text = She wants to study palaeontology and dig up dinosaurs.
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	palaeontology	palaeontology	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obj	_	_
6	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	7	cc	_	_
7	dig	dig	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|Typo=Yes|VerbForm=Fin	2	conj	_	_
8	up	up	ADP	RP	_	7	compound:prt	_	_
9	dinosaurs	dinosaur	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	7	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	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* | palaeontology |  |  |  |  | vn learn-14-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent palaeontology=Topic |
| 3 | **dig up** | present | She *not said here* | dinosaurs |  |  |  |  | vn poke-19-1-1-1 «NP V NP.instrument PP.theme»: agent=Agent dinosaur=Instrument |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Mary Anning made great discoveries for palaeontology.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:palaeontology:x3:1
# text = Mary Anning made great discoveries for palaeontology.
1	Mary	Mary	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
2	Anning	Anning	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	1	flat	_	_
3	made	make	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	great	great	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	amod	_	_
5	discoveries	discovery	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	obj	_	_
6	for	for	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
7	palaeontology	palaeontology	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **make** | past | Mary | great discoveries |  |  |  | for palaeontology | vn build-26.1-1 «NP V NP P.asset»: agent=Agent discovery=Product for palaeontology=Asset |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Palaeontology tells us that sharks are older than trees.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:palaeontology:x4:1
# text = Palaeontology tells us that sharks are older than trees.
1	Palaeontology	palaeontology	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nsubj	_	_
2	tells	tell	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	us	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	2	iobj	_	_
4	that	that	SCONJ	IN	_	7	mark	_	_
5	sharks	shark	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	7	nsubj	_	_
6	are	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	7	cop	_	_
7	older	old	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp	2	ccomp	_	_
8	than	than	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
9	trees	tree	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	7	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **tell** *speech: assert* | present | Palaeontology |  | us |  |  |  | vn transfer\_mesg-37.1.1-1-1 «NP V NP.recipient»: agent=Agent we=Recipient |
| 2 | **is** | present | sharks |  |  |  |  | than trees; old *property* | tree rules |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The museum has a palaeontology room full of bones.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:palaeontology:x5:1
# text = The museum has a palaeontology room full of bones.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	museum	museum	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	has	have	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
5	palaeontology	palaeontology	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	compound	_	_
6	room	room	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
7	full	full	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
8	of	of	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
9	bones	bone	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	7	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **have** | present | the museum | a palaeontology room |  |  |  |  | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent room=Patient |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
In palaeontology, a single tooth can tell you what an animal ate.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:palaeontology:x6:1
# text = In palaeontology, a single tooth can tell you what an animal ate.
1	In	in	ADP	IN	_	2	case	_	_
2	palaeontology	palaeontology	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	2	punct	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
5	single	single	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
6	tooth	tooth	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	nsubj	_	_
7	can	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	8	aux	_	_
8	tell	tell	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
9	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Person=2|PronType=Prs	8	iobj	_	_
10	what	what	PRON	WP	PronType=Int	13	obj	_	_
11	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	12	det	_	_
12	animal	animal	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	13	nsubj	_	_
13	ate	eat	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	8	ccomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	8	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **tell** *speech: assert* | can | a single tooth |  | you | palaeontology |  |  | vn transfer\_mesg-37.1.1-1-1 «NP V NP what S»: agent=Agent you=Recipient clause=Topic |
| 2 | **eat** | past | a animal |  |  |  |  |  | vn eat-39.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent what=Patient |

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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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