---
title: pidgin — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «pidgin» in the school dictionary: A simple language made up when people who speak different languages need to talk, often for trade, mixing words from both. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# pidgin

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** people, you, pidgin, millions, Tok, Dad · **What happens:** make up, speak, need, talk, mix, not know · **To what, where:** simple language, different languages, words, both, language, small vocabulary · **Speech:** someone speaks here

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

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A simple language made up when people who speak different languages need to talk, often for trade, mixing words from both.

<!-- fold The tree, 21 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:pidgin:m1:1
# text = A simple language made up when people who speak different languages need to talk, often for trade, mixing words from both.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	simple	simple	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	language	language	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
4	made	make	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	3	acl	_	_
5	up	up	ADP	RP	_	4	compound:prt	_	_
6	when	when	ADV	WRB	PronType=Int	12	advmod	_	_
7	people	people	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	12	nsubj	_	_
8	who	who	PRON	WP	PronType=Rel	9	nsubj	_	_
9	speak	speak	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	7	acl:relcl	_	_
10	different	different	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	11	amod	_	_
11	languages	language	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	9	obj	_	_
12	need	need	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	advcl	_	_
13	to	to	PART	TO	_	14	mark	_	_
14	talk	talk	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	12	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	18	punct	_	_
16	often	often	ADV	RB	_	18	advmod	_	_
17	for	for	ADP	IN	_	18	case	_	_
18	trade	trade	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	14	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
19	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	20	punct	_	_
20	mixing	mix	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	14	advcl	_	_
21	words	word	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	20	obj	_	_
22	from	from	ADP	IN	_	23	case	_	_
23	both	both	DET	DT	PronType=Tot	20	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
24	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **make up** | participle |  | a simple language *not said here* |  |  |  |  | vn comprise-107.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Theme |
| 2 | **speak** *speech: other* | present | people | different languages |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 3 | **need** | present | people |  |  |  |  |  | vn want-32.1-1-1 «NP V NP S\_INF»: agent=Pivot clause=Theme |
| 4 | **talk** *not said to happen* | to-infinitive | people *not said here* |  |  |  |  | for trade | vn talk-37.5 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 5 | **mix** | gerund | people *not said here* | words |  | both |  |  | vn preparing-26.3-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent word=Product from both=Material |

<!-- .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}

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Broken or very simple speech in a language you do not know well: «pidgin French».

<!-- fold The tree, 15 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:pidgin:m2:1
# text = Broken or very simple speech in a language you do not know well: «pidgin French».
1	Broken	broken	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	amod	_	_
2	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	4	cc	_	_
3	very	very	ADV	RB	_	4	advmod	_	_
4	simple	simple	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	1	conj	_	_
5	speech	speech	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
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	5	nmod	_	_
9	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs	12	nsubj	_	_
10	do	do	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=2|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	12	aux	_	_
11	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	12	advmod	_	_
12	know	know	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	8	acl:relcl	_	_
13	well	well	ADV	RB	Degree=Pos	12	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	16	punct	_	_
15	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	16	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	pidgin	pidgin	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	conj	_	_
17	French	French	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	16	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
18	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	17	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
19	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **not** **know** | present · do-support | you | a language *not said here* |  |  |  | well *property* | vn comprehend-87.2-1-1-1 «NP V NP PP.attribute»: agent=Experiencer language=Stimulus |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A pidgin has a small vocabulary and simple grammar.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:pidgin:x1:1
# text = A pidgin has a small vocabulary and simple grammar.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	pidgin	pidgin	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	small	small	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
6	vocabulary	vocabulary	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
7	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	9	cc	_	_
8	simple	simple	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	9	amod	_	_
9	grammar	grammar	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **have** | present | a pidgin | a small vocabulary and simple grammar |  |  |  |  | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent vocabulary=Patient |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Nigerian Pidgin is spoken by millions of people.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:pidgin:x2:1
# text = Nigerian Pidgin is spoken by millions of people.
1	Nigerian	Nigerian	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	4	nsubj:pass	_	_
2	Pidgin	Pidgin	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	1	flat	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	aux:pass	_	_
4	spoken	speak	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
5	by	by	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
6	millions	million	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	obl:agent	_	_
7	of	of	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
8	people	people	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **speak** *speech: other* | present · passive | millions of people | Nigerian |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Tok Pisin began as a pidgin and is now an official language of Papua New Guinea.

<!-- fold The tree, 16 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:pidgin:x3:1
# text = Tok Pisin began as a pidgin and is now an official language of Papua New Guinea.
1	Tok	Tok	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
2	Pisin	Pisin	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	1	flat	_	_
3	began	begin	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	as	as	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
5	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	pidgin	pidgin	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	_
7	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	12	cc	_	_
8	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	12	cop	_	_
9	now	now	ADV	RB	PronType=Dem	12	advmod	_	_
10	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	12	det	_	_
11	official	official	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	12	amod	_	_
12	language	language	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	conj	_	_
13	of	of	ADP	IN	_	16	case	_	_
14	Papua	Papua	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	16	compound	_	_
15	New	New	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	16	compound	_	_
16	Guinea	Guinea	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	12	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **begin** | past | Tok |  |  |  |  | as a pidgin | vn begin-55.1-1-1 «NP.eventuality V»: agent=Eventuality |
| 2 | **is a** | present | Tok *not said here* | a official language |  |  | now | of Papua New Guinea | tree rules |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
On holiday, Dad got by with pidgin Spanish.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:pidgin:x4:1
# text = On holiday, Dad got by with pidgin Spanish.
1	On	on	ADP	IN	_	2	case	_	_
2	holiday	holiday	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	2	punct	_	_
4	Dad	dad	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
5	got	get	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
6	by	by	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
7	with	with	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
8	pidgin	pidgin	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	nmod:desc	_	_
9	Spanish	Spanish	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	5	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **get** | past | Dad |  |  | holiday |  | by Spanish  pidgin | vn get-13.5.1-1 «NP V NP PP.source»: agent=Agent on holiday=Source |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Traders made a pidgin so they could buy and sell.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:pidgin:x5:1
# text = Traders made a pidgin so they could buy and sell.
1	Traders	trader	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	nsubj	_	_
2	made	make	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	pidgin	pidgin	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
5	so	so	SCONJ	IN	_	8	mark	_	_
6	they	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	8	nsubj	_	_
7	could	could	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	8	aux	_	_
8	buy	buy	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	2	advcl	_	_
9	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	10	cc	_	_
10	sell	sell	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	8	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **make** | past | Traders | a pidgin |  |  |  |  | vn build-26.1-1 «NP.asset V NP»: agent=Asset pidgin=Product |
| 2 | **buy** | could | Traders *= trader* |  |  |  |  |  | vn accept-77.1 «NP V how S»: agent=Agent |
| 3 | **sell** | infinitive | Traders *= trader* *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn give-13.1-1 «NP V PP.recipient»: agent=Agent |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
When a pidgin becomes a first language, it is called a creole.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:pidgin:x6:1
# text = When a pidgin becomes a first language, it is called a creole.
1	When	when	SCONJ	WRB	_	4	mark	_	_
2	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
3	pidgin	pidgin	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
4	becomes	become	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	11	advcl	_	_
5	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
6	first	first	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos|NumForm=Word|NumType=Ord	7	amod	_	_
7	language	language	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	4	punct	_	_
9	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	11	nsubj:pass	_	_
10	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	11	aux:pass	_	_
11	called	call	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
12	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	13	det	_	_
13	creole	creole	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	11	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **become** | present | a pidgin | a first language |  |  |  |  | vn become-109.1-1-1 «NP V PP.attribute»: agent=Patient |
| 2 | **call** | present · passive |  | pidgin |  |  |  |  | vn initiate\_communication-37.4.2-1 «NP V NP.recipient»: subject=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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