---
title: radiocarbon — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «radiocarbon» in the school dictionary: A kind of carbon, called carbon-14, that is slightly radioactive and slowly breaks down over thousands of years. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# radiocarbon

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** kind, Using, Radiocarbon dating, wooden boat, Scientists, things · **What happens:** call, be, break down, use, find out, show · **To what, where:** carbon, thousands, something, radiocarbon dating, radiocarbon, cave · **Speech:** someone speaks here

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

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A kind of carbon, called carbon-14, that is slightly radioactive and slowly breaks down over thousands of years.

<!-- fold The tree, 19 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:radiocarbon:m1:1
# text = A kind of carbon, called carbon-14, that is slightly radioactive and slowly breaks down over thousands of years.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	kind	kind	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	14	nsubj	_	_
3	of	of	ADP	IN	_	4	case	_	_
4	carbon	carbon	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	6	punct	_	_
6	called	call	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	2	acl	_	_
7	carbon	carbon	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	-	-	PUNCT	HYPH	_	9	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	14	14	NUM	CD	NumForm=Digit|NumType=Card	7	appos	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	2	punct	_	_
11	that	that	PRON	DT	Number=Sing|PronType=Dem	14	nsubj	_	_
12	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	14	cop	_	_
13	slightly	slightly	ADV	RB	_	14	advmod	_	_
14	radioactive	radioactive	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	_
15	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	17	cc	_	_
16	slowly	slowly	ADV	RB	_	17	advmod	_	_
17	breaks	break	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	14	conj	_	_
18	down	down	ADP	RP	_	17	compound:prt	_	_
19	over	over	ADP	IN	_	20	case	_	_
20	thousands	thousand	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	17	obl	_	_
21	of	of	ADP	IN	_	22	case	_	_
22	years	year	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	20	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
23	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	14	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **call** | participle | a kind of carbon *not said here* | carbon |  |  |  |  | vn initiate\_communication-37.4.2-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **is** | present | a kind of carbon |  |  |  |  | radioactive, slightly *property* | tree rules |
| 3 | **break down** | present | a kind of carbon *not said here* |  |  | thousands of years |  | slowly *property* | vn break-45.1 «NP.patient V»: agent=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.

## Meaning 2 {#m2}

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Using carbon-14 to find out how old something is: «radiocarbon dating».

<!-- fold The tree, 12 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:radiocarbon:m2:1
# text = Using carbon-14 to find out how old something is: «radiocarbon dating».
1	Using	use	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	15	csubj	_	_
2	carbon	carbon	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	-	-	PUNCT	HYPH	_	4	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	14	14	NUM	CD	NumForm=Digit|NumType=Card	2	appos	_	_
5	to	to	PART	TO	_	6	mark	_	_
6	find	find	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	1	advcl	_	_
7	out	out	ADP	RP	_	6	compound:prt	_	_
8	how	how	ADV	WRB	PronType=Int	9	advmod	_	_
9	old	old	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	10	amod	_	_
10	something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	6	obj	_	_
11	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	15	cop	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	11	punct	_	_
13	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	15	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	radiocarbon	radiocarbon	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	15	compound	_	_
15	dating	dating	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	15	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	15	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **use** | gerund |  | carbon |  |  |  |  | vn eat-39.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent carbon=Patient |
| 2 | **find out** | to-infinitive |  | something |  |  |  |  | vn learn-14-2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent something=Topic |
| 3 | **is a** *in a quote* | present | Using | radiocarbon dating |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Radiocarbon dating showed the wooden boat was 3,000 years old.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:radiocarbon:x1:1
# text = Radiocarbon dating showed the wooden boat was 3,000 years old.
1	Radiocarbon	radiocarbon	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	compound	_	_
2	dating	dating	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	showed	show	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	wooden	wooden	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
6	boat	boat	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	nsubj	_	_
7	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	10	cop	_	_
8	3,000	3000	NUM	CD	NumForm=Digit|NumType=Card	9	nummod	_	_
9	years	year	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	10	obl:unmarked	_	_
10	old	old	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	ccomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **show** | past | Radiocarbon dating |  |  |  |  |  | vn transfer\_mesg-37.1.1-1-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **is** | past | the wooden boat |  |  |  | year | old *property* | tree rules |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Scientists used radiocarbon to date the bones in the cave.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:radiocarbon:x2:1
# text = Scientists used radiocarbon to date the bones in the cave.
1	Scientists	scientist	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	nsubj	_	_
2	used	use	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	radiocarbon	radiocarbon	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
4	to	to	PART	TO	_	5	mark	_	_
5	date	date	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	conj	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	bones	bone	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	obj	_	_
8	in	in	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
9	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	cave	cave	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **use** | past | Scientists | radiocarbon and date |  | the cave |  |  | tree rules |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Radiocarbon dating only works on things that were once alive.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:radiocarbon:x3:1
# text = Radiocarbon dating only works on things that were once alive.
1	Radiocarbon	radiocarbon	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	compound	_	_
2	dating	dating	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
3	only	only	ADV	RB	_	4	advmod	_	_
4	works	work	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	on	on	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
6	things	thing	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	obl	_	_
7	that	that	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	10	nsubj	_	_
8	were	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	10	cop	_	_
9	once	once	ADV	RB	NumForm=Word|NumType=Mult	10	advmod	_	_
10	alive	alive	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	acl:relcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **work** | present | Radiocarbon dating |  |  |  |  | on things | vn employment-95.3 «NP V PP.theme»: agent=Agent on thing=Theme |
| 2 | **is** | past | things |  |  |  |  | alive, once *property* | tree rules |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The Shroud of Turin was tested by radiocarbon dating in 1988.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:radiocarbon:x4:1
# text = The Shroud of Turin was tested by radiocarbon dating in 1988.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	Shroud	shroud	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj:pass	_	_
3	of	of	ADP	IN	_	4	case	_	_
4	Turin	Turin	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	2	nmod	_	_
5	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	6	aux:pass	_	_
6	tested	test	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
7	by	by	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
8	radiocarbon	radiocarbon	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	compound	_	_
9	dating	dating	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obl	_	_
10	in	in	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
11	1988	1988	NUM	CD	NumForm=Digit|NumType=Card	6	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **test** | past · passive | radiocarbon dating | the Shroud of Turin |  | 1988 |  |  | vn assessment-34.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent subject=Theme |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
You cannot use radiocarbon to date dinosaur bones; they are far too old.

<!-- fold The tree, 14 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:radiocarbon:x5:1
# text = You cannot use radiocarbon to date dinosaur bones; they are far too old.
1	You	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs	4	nsubj	_	_
2	can	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	4	aux	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	4	advmod	_	_
4	use	use	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
5	radiocarbon	radiocarbon	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obj	_	_
6	to	to	PART	TO	_	7	mark	_	_
7	date	date	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	compound	_	_
8	dinosaur	dinosaur	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	compound	_	_
9	bones	bone	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	;	;	PUNCT	:	_	15	punct	_	_
11	they	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	15	nsubj	_	_
12	are	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	15	cop	_	_
13	far	far	ADV	RB	Degree=Pos	15	advmod	_	_
14	too	too	ADV	RB	_	15	advmod	_	_
15	old	old	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **not** **use** | can | You | radiocarbon |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **is** | present | bones *= bone* |  |  |  |  | far, old *property* | tree rules |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Half of the radiocarbon in a sample breaks down in about 5,730 years.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:radiocarbon:x6:1
# text = Half of the radiocarbon in a sample breaks down in about 5,730 years.
1	Half	half	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing|NumForm=Word|NumType=Frac	8	nsubj	_	_
2	of	of	ADP	IN	_	4	case	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	radiocarbon	radiocarbon	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	nmod	_	_
5	in	in	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	sample	sample	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nmod	_	_
8	breaks	break	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
9	down	down	ADP	RP	_	8	compound:prt	_	_
10	in	in	ADP	IN	_	13	case	_	_
11	about	about	ADV	RB	_	12	advmod	_	_
12	5,730	5,730	NUM	CD	NumForm=Digit|NumType=Card	13	nummod	_	_
13	years	year	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	8	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	8	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **break down** | present | Half of the radiocarbon in a sample |  |  |  | year |  | vn break-45.1 «NP.patient V»: agent=Patient |

<!-- 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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