---
title: rune — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «rune» in the school dictionary: A letter of an old alphabet used by Vikings and other Germanic peoples, carved on wood, stone or bone. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# rune

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** rune, Vikings, We, our, wizard, runes · **What happens:** use, carve, letter, believe, have, be · **To what, where:** old alphabet, other Germanic peoples, wood, mark, magic meaning, short magic chant · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
«rune» in the school dictionary: its 3 meanings for a pupil and its 7 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: [rune in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/rune.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A letter of an old alphabet used by Vikings and other Germanic peoples, carved on wood, stone or bone.

<!-- fold The tree, 19 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:rune:m1:1
# text = A letter of an old alphabet used by Vikings and other Germanic peoples, carved on wood, stone or bone.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	letter	letter	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
3	of	of	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
4	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
5	old	old	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
6	alphabet	alphabet	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nmod	_	_
7	used	use	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	6	acl	_	_
8	by	by	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
9	Vikings	Viking	PROPN	NNPS	Number=Plur	7	obl:agent	_	_
10	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	13	cc	_	_
11	other	other	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	13	amod	_	_
12	Germanic	germanic	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	13	amod	_	_
13	peoples	people	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	9	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	15	punct	_	_
15	carved	carve	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	13	acl	_	_
16	on	on	ADP	IN	_	17	case	_	_
17	wood	wood	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	15	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
18	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	19	punct	_	_
19	stone	stone	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	17	conj	_	_
20	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	21	cc	_	_
21	bone	bone	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	17	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
22	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **use** | participle |  | a old alphabet *not said here* |  |  |  |  | vn eat-39.1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **carve** | participle |  | other Germanic peoples *not said here* |  | wood and stone or bone |  |  | vn scribble-25.2-1 «NP V NP PP.destination»: agent=Agent on wood=Destination |
| 3 | **letter** |  |  | a old alphabet |  |  |  |  | nom letter «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.

## Meaning 2 {#m2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A mark or symbol that is believed to have magic or secret meaning, as in fantasy stories and games.

<!-- fold The tree, 19 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:rune:m2:1
# text = A mark or symbol that is believed to have magic or secret meaning, as in fantasy stories and games.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	mark	mark	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nsubj:pass	_	_
3	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	4	cc	_	_
4	symbol	symbol	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	conj	_	_
5	that	that	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	7	nsubj:pass	_	_
6	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	7	aux:pass	_	_
7	believed	believe	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
8	to	to	PART	TO	_	9	mark	_	_
9	have	have	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	7	xcomp	_	_
10	magic	magic	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	13	amod	_	_
11	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	12	cc	_	_
12	secret	secret	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	10	conj	_	_
13	meaning	meaning	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	18	punct	_	_
15	as	as	ADP	IN	_	18	case	_	_
16	in	in	ADP	IN	_	18	case	_	_
17	fantasy	fantasy	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	18	compound	_	_
18	stories	story	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	9	obj	_	_
19	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	20	cc	_	_
20	games	game	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	18	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
21	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **believe** | present · passive |  | a mark or symbol |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **have** | to-infinitive |  | magic meaning |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

## Meaning 3 {#m3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A rune can also be a short magic chant or verse that is sung or spoken.

<!-- fold The tree, 16 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:rune:m3:1
# text = A rune can also be a short magic chant or verse that is sung or spoken.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	rune	rune	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	nsubj	_	_
3	can	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	9	aux	_	_
4	also	also	ADV	RB	_	9	advmod	_	_
5	be	be	AUX	VB	VerbForm=Inf	9	cop	_	_
6	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
7	short	short	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	9	amod	_	_
8	magic	magic	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	9	amod	_	_
9	chant	chant	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
10	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	11	cc	_	_
11	verse	verse	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	conj	_	_
12	that	that	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	14	nsubj:pass	_	_
13	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	14	aux:pass	_	_
14	sung	sing	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	9	parataxis	_	_
15	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	16	cc	_	_
16	spoken	speak	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	14	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	9	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | can | a rune | a short magic chant or verse |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **sing** *speech: express* | present · passive |  | that |  |  |  |  | vn sound\_emission-43.2 «PP.location V NP»: subject=Theme |
| 3 | **speak** *speech: other* | participle |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn talk-37.5 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The Vikings carved runes on stones.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:rune:x1:1
# text = The Vikings carved runes on stones.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	Vikings	Viking	PROPN	NNPS	Number=Plur	3	nsubj	_	_
3	carved	carve	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	runes	rune	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	obj	_	_
5	on	on	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
6	stones	stone	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **carve** | past | the Vikings | runes |  | stones |  |  | vn scribble-25.2-1 «NP V NP PP.destination»: agent=Agent rune=Theme on stone=Destination |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
We wrote our names in runes in history class.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:rune:x2:1
# text = We wrote our names in runes in history class.
1	We	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	wrote	write	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	our	our	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Plur|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	4	nmod:poss	_	_
4	names	name	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	obj	_	_
5	in	in	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
6	runes	rune	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	obl	_	_
7	in	in	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
8	history	history	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	compound	_	_
9	class	class	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **write** | past | We | our names |  | runes in history class |  |  | vn scribble-25.2-1 «NP V NP PP.destination»: agent=Agent name=Theme in rune=Destination |
| 2 | **name** |  | our |  |  |  |  |  | nom name «communication transitive»: poss=agent |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The runes on the old sword glowed in the story.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:rune:x3:1
# text = The runes on the old sword glowed in the story.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	runes	rune	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	0	root	_	_
3	on	on	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
5	old	old	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
6	sword	sword	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nmod	_	_
7	glowed	glow	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	6	acl	_	_
8	in	in	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
9	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	story	story	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **glow** | participle |  | the old sword *not said here* |  | the story |  |  | vn light\_emission-43.1 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Theme in story=Location |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Rune stones can still be seen in Sweden.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:rune:x4:1
# text = Rune stones can still be seen in Sweden.
1	Rune	rune	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	compound	_	_
2	stones	stone	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	nsubj:pass	_	_
3	can	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	6	aux	_	_
4	still	still	ADV	RB	_	6	advmod	_	_
5	be	be	AUX	VB	VerbForm=Inf	6	aux:pass	_	_
6	seen	see	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
7	in	in	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
8	Sweden	Sweden	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	6	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **see** | can · passive |  | Rune stones |  | Sweden | still |  | vn comprehend-87.2-1-1 «NP V NP»: subject=Stimulus |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The wizard read the runes in his spell book.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:rune:x5:1
# text = The wizard read the runes in his spell book.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	wizard	wizard	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	read	read	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	runes	rune	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	obj	_	_
6	in	in	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
7	his	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	9	nmod:poss	_	_
8	spell	spell	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	compound	_	_
9	book	book	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **read** | past | the wizard | the runes |  | wizard's spell book |  |  | vn transfer\_mesg-37.1.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent rune=Topic |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Some runes look like straight lines and arrows because they were easy to carve.

<!-- fold The tree, 14 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:rune:x6:1
# text = Some runes look like straight lines and arrows because they were easy to carve.
1	Some	some	DET	DT	PronType=Ind	2	det	_	_
2	runes	rune	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	nsubj	_	_
3	look	look	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	like	like	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
5	straight	straight	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
6	lines	line	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	obl	_	_
7	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	8	cc	_	_
8	arrows	arrow	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	conj	_	_
9	because	because	SCONJ	IN	_	12	mark	_	_
10	they	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	12	nsubj	_	_
11	were	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	12	cop	_	_
12	easy	easy	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	advcl	_	_
13	to	to	PART	TO	_	14	mark	_	_
14	carve	carve	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	12	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **look** | present | some runes |  |  |  |  | like straight lines and arrows | vn stimulus\_subject-30.4 «NP V PP.attribute»: agent=Stimulus |
| 2 | **is** | past | runes *= rune* |  |  |  |  | easy *property* | tree rules |
| 3 | **carve** | to-infinitive | runes *= rune* *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn scribble-25.2-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Into this his wife laid one of the logs he had cut, and began swinging it, crooning the while a rune beginning

<!-- fold The tree, 22 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:rune:x7:1
# text = Into this his wife laid one of the logs he had cut, and began swinging it, crooning the while a rune beginning
1	Into	into	ADP	IN	_	4	case	_	_
2	this	this	DET	DT	Number=Sing|PronType=Dem	4	det	_	_
3	his	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	4	nmod:poss	_	_
4	wife	wife	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obl	_	_
5	laid	lay	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
6	one	one	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	5	obj	_	_
7	of	of	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	logs	log	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	nmod	_	_
10	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	12	nsubj	_	_
11	had	have	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	12	aux	_	_
12	cut	cut	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part	9	acl:relcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	15	punct	_	_
14	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	15	cc	_	_
15	began	begin	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	5	conj	_	_
16	swinging	swing	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	15	xcomp	_	_
17	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	16	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
18	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	19	punct	_	_
19	crooning	croon	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	15	xcomp	_	_
20	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	19	obj	_	_
21	while	while	SCONJ	IN	_	24	mark	_	_
22	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	24	det	_	_
23	rune	rune	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	24	compound	_	_
24	beginning	beginning	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	19	advcl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **lay** | past |  | one of the logs |  |  |  | into his wife | vn create-26.4 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent one=Result |
| 2 | **cut** | past · perfect | he | the logs *not said here* |  |  |  |  | vn build-26.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent log=Product |
| 3 | **begin** | past |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn begin-55.1-1-1 «NP V S\_ING»: agent=Agent clause=Eventuality |
| 4 | **swing** | gerund |  | it |  |  |  |  | vn roll-51.3.1 «NP V NP.theme»: agent=Agent it=Theme |
| 5 | **croon** *speech: other* | gerund |  | the |  |  |  |  | vn manner\_speaking-37.3 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent the=Topic |

<!-- 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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