---
title: parsec — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «parsec» in the school dictionary: A unit for measuring huge distances in space, equal to about 3.26 light years, or about 31 million million kilometres. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# parsec

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** unit, parsec, nearest star, Astronomers, Han Solo, galaxy · **What happens:** measure, be, boast, do · **To what, where:** huge distances, space, 3.26 light years, one parsec, distance, millions

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

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A unit for measuring huge distances in space, equal to about 3.26 light years, or about 31 million million kilometres.

<!-- fold The tree, 20 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:parsec:m1:1
# text = A unit for measuring huge distances in space, equal to about 3.26 light years, or about 31 million million kilometres.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	unit	unit	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	nsubj	_	_
3	for	for	SCONJ	IN	_	4	mark	_	_
4	measuring	measure	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	2	acl	_	_
5	huge	huge	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
6	distances	distance	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	obj	_	_
7	in	in	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
8	space	space	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	10	punct	_	_
10	equal	equal	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	_
11	to	to	ADP	IN	_	15	case	_	_
12	about	about	ADV	RB	_	13	advmod	_	_
13	3.26	3.26	NUM	CD	NumForm=Digit|NumType=Card	15	nummod	_	_
14	light	light	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	15	compound	_	_
15	years	year	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	10	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	22	punct	_	_
17	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	22	cc	_	_
18	about	about	ADV	RB	_	21	advmod	_	_
19	31	31	NUM	CD	NumForm=Digit|NumType=Card	20	compound	_	_
20	million	million	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	21	compound	_	_
21	million	million	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	22	nummod	_	_
22	kilometres	kilometre	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	10	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
23	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	10	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **measure** | gerund | a unit *not said here* | huge distances |  | space |  |  | vn register-54.1-2-1 «NP V NP.value»: agent=Theme distance=Value |

<!-- .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 -->
A parsec is about 3.26 light years.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:parsec:x1:1
# text = A parsec is about 3.26 light years.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	parsec	parsec	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nsubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	7	cop	_	_
4	about	about	ADV	RB	_	5	advmod	_	_
5	3.26	3.26	NUM	CD	NumForm=Digit|NumType=Card	7	nummod	_	_
6	light	light	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	compound	_	_
7	years	year	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | a parsec | 3.26 light years |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The nearest star is a little over one parsec away.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:parsec:x2:1
# text = The nearest star is a little over one parsec away.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	nearest	near	ADJ	JJS	Degree=Sup	3	amod	_	_
3	star	star	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	_
4	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	cop	_	_
5	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	little	little	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	_
7	over	over	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
8	one	one	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	9	nummod	_	_
9	parsec	parsec	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obl	_	_
10	away	away	ADV	RB	_	6	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present | the nearest star |  |  | one parsec |  | away, little *property* | tree rules |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Astronomers measure the distance to galaxies in millions of parsecs.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:parsec:x3:1
# text = Astronomers measure the distance to galaxies in millions of parsecs.
1	Astronomers	astronomer	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	nsubj	_	_
2	measure	measure	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	distance	distance	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
5	to	to	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
6	galaxies	galaxy	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	obl	_	_
7	in	in	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
8	millions	million	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	obl	_	_
9	of	of	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
10	parsecs	parsec	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	8	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **measure** | present | Astronomers | the distance |  | millions of parsecs |  | to galaxies | vn register-54.1-2-1 «NP V NP.value»: agent=Theme distance=Value |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
In Star Wars, Han Solo boasts about doing the Kessel Run in twelve parsecs.

<!-- fold The tree, 14 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:parsec:x4:1
# text = In Star Wars, Han Solo boasts about doing the Kessel Run in twelve parsecs.
1	In	in	ADP	IN	_	3	case	_	_
2	Star	Star	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	3	compound	_	_
3	Wars	War	PROPN	NNPS	Number=Plur	7	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	3	punct	_	_
5	Han	Han	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	6	compound	_	_
6	Solo	Solo	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	7	nsubj	_	_
7	boasts	boast	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
8	about	about	SCONJ	IN	_	9	mark	_	_
9	doing	do	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	7	advcl	_	_
10	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	12	det	_	_
11	Kessel	Kessel	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	12	compound	_	_
12	Run	Run	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	9	obj	_	_
13	in	in	ADP	IN	_	15	case	_	_
14	twelve	twelve	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	15	nummod	_	_
15	parsecs	parsec	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	9	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **boast** *speech: other* | present | Han Solo |  |  | Star Wars |  |  | vn complain-37.8 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **do** | gerund | Han Solo *not said here* | the Kessel Run |  | twelve parsecs |  |  | vn act-114-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent run=Eventuality |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A parsec is a measure of distance, not time.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:parsec:x5:1
# text = A parsec is a measure of distance, not time.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	parsec	parsec	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	measure	measure	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
6	of	of	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
7	distance	distance	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	10	punct	_	_
9	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	10	advmod	_	_
10	time	time	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | a parsec | a measure and time |  |  |  | of distance | tree rules |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The galaxy is about 30,000 parsecs across.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:parsec:x6:1
# text = The galaxy is about 30,000 parsecs across.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	galaxy	galaxy	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	cop	_	_
4	about	about	ADV	RB	_	5	advmod	_	_
5	30,000	30,000	NUM	CD	NumForm=Digit|NumType=Card	6	nummod	_	_
6	parsecs	parsec	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	0	root	_	_
7	across	across	ADV	RB	_	6	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | the galaxy | 30,000 parsecs |  |  |  | across *property* | tree rules |

<!-- 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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