---
title: phoneme — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «phoneme» in the school dictionary: The smallest unit of sound in a language that can change the meaning of a word, such as /c/, /a/, /t/ in "cat"; changing /c/ to /h/ gives "hat". Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# phoneme

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** smallest unit, Ship, word, you, English, letters · **What happens:** change, give, mean, have, get, make · **To what, where:** meaning, language, c, hat, word, three phonemes

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

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The smallest unit of sound in a language that can change the meaning of a word, such as /c/, /a/, /t/ in "cat"; changing /c/ to /h/ gives "hat".

<!-- fold The tree, 34 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:phoneme:m1:1
# text = The smallest unit of sound in a language that can change the meaning of a word, such as /c/, /a/, /t/ in "cat"; changing /c/ to /h/ gives "hat".
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	smallest	small	ADJ	JJS	Degree=Sup	3	amod	_	_
3	unit	unit	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	nsubj	_	_
4	of	of	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
5	sound	sound	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nmod	_	_
6	in	in	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	language	language	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	obl	_	_
9	that	that	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	11	nsubj	_	_
10	can	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	11	aux	_	_
11	change	change	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
12	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	13	det	_	_
13	meaning	meaning	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	obj	_	_
14	of	of	ADP	IN	_	16	case	_	_
15	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	16	det	_	_
16	word	word	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	13	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	21	punct	_	_
18	such	such	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	21	amod	_	_
19	as	as	ADP	IN	_	18	fixed	_	_
20	/	/	PUNCT	,	_	18	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
21	c	c	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	16	appos	_	SpaceAfter=No
22	/	/	PUNCT	,	_	21	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
23	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	24	punct	_	_
24	/	/	SYM	SYM	_	44	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
25	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	44	det	_	SpaceAfter=No
26	/	/	PUNCT	,	_	44	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
27	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	44	punct	_	_
28	/	/	SYM	SYM	_	29	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
29	t	t	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	44	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
30	/	/	SYM	,	_	33	cc	_	_
31	in	in	ADP	IN	_	33	case	_	_
32	"	"	PUNCT	``	_	33	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
33	cat	cat	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	29	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
34	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	33	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
35	;	;	PUNCT	,	_	36	punct	_	_
36	changing	change	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	29	conj	_	_
37	/	/	SYM	,	_	38	cc	_	SpaceAfter=No
38	c	c	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	36	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
39	/	/	SYM	SYM	_	38	punct	_	_
40	to	to	ADP	IN	_	42	case	_	_
41	/	/	PUNCT	,	_	40	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
42	h	H	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	36	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
43	/	/	PUNCT	,	_	42	punct	_	_
44	gives	give	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	11	parataxis	_	_
45	"	"	PUNCT	``	_	46	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
46	hat	hat	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	44	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
47	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	46	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
48	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	11	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **change** | can | the smallest unit of sound | the meaning of a word |  | a language |  |  | vn dress-41.1.1-1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent meaning=Patient |
| 2 | **change** | gerund |  | c |  |  |  | to h | vn dress-41.1.1-1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent c=Patient |
| 3 | **give** | present |  | hat |  |  |  |  | vn give-13.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent hat=Theme |
| 4 | **mean** |  |  | a word |  |  |  |  | nom meaning «communication transitive»: of=patient |

<!-- .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 -->
"Ship" has three phonemes: sh-i-p.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:phoneme:x1:1
# text = "Ship" has three phonemes: sh-i-p.
1	"	"	PUNCT	``	_	2	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	Ship	ship	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	2	punct	_	_
4	has	have	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	three	three	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	6	nummod	_	_
6	phonemes	phoneme	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	12	punct	_	_
8	sh	sh	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	compound	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	-	-	PUNCT	HYPH	_	8	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	i	i	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	compound	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	-	-	PUNCT	HYPH	_	12	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	p	p	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	list	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

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

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The word "cat" has three phonemes.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:phoneme:x2:1
# text = The word "cat" has three phonemes.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	word	word	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	_
3	"	"	PUNCT	``	_	4	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	cat	cat	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	appos	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	4	punct	_	_
6	has	have	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
7	three	three	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	8	nummod	_	_
8	phonemes	phoneme	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

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

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Change one phoneme in "pin" to get "pan".

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:phoneme:x3:1
# text = Change one phoneme in "pin" to get "pan".
1	Change	change	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
2	one	one	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	3	nummod	_	_
3	phoneme	phoneme	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obj	_	_
4	in	in	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
5	"	"	PUNCT	``	_	6	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	pin	pin	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	6	punct	_	_
8	to	to	PART	TO	_	9	mark	_	_
9	get	get	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	1	advcl	_	_
10	"	"	PUNCT	``	_	11	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	pan	pan	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	11	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **change** | imperative | you *not said here* | one phoneme |  | pin |  |  | vn dress-41.1.1-1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent phoneme=Patient |
| 2 | **get** | to-infinitive | you *not said here* | pan |  |  |  |  | vn comprehend-87.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Experiencer pan=Stimulus |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
English has about 44 phonemes.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:phoneme:x4:1
# text = English has about 44 phonemes.
1	English	English	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	2	nsubj	_	_
2	has	have	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	about	about	ADV	RB	_	4	advmod	_	_
4	44	44	NUM	CD	NumForm=Digit|NumType=Card	5	nummod	_	_
5	phonemes	phoneme	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **have** | present | English | 44 phonemes |  |  |  |  | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent phoneme=Patient |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The letters "igh" make one phoneme in "night".

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:phoneme:x5:1
# text = The letters "igh" make one phoneme in "night".
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	letters	letter	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	nsubj	_	_
3	"	"	PUNCT	``	_	4	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	igh	igh	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	4	punct	_	_
6	make	make	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
7	one	one	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	8	nummod	_	_
8	phoneme	phoneme	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obj	_	_
9	in	in	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
10	"	"	PUNCT	``	_	11	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	night	night	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	6	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **make** | infinitive | the letters | one phoneme |  |  | night |  | vn build-26.1-1 «NP.asset V NP»: agent=Asset phoneme=Product |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Robots learn to recognise phonemes in speech.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:phoneme:x6:1
# text = Robots learn to recognise phonemes in speech.
1	Robots	robot	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	nsubj	_	_
2	learn	learn	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	to	to	PART	TO	_	4	mark	_	_
4	recognise	recognise	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	2	xcomp	_	_
5	phonemes	phoneme	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	obj	_	_
6	in	in	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
7	speech	speech	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 | **learn** | present | Robots |  |  |  |  |  | vn learn-14-2-1 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 2 | **recognise** | to-infinitive | Robots *not said here* | phonemes |  | speech |  |  | vn comprehend-87.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Experiencer phoneme=Stimulus |

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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.

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