---
title: sou — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «sou» in the school dictionary: A sou was an old French coin of very little value. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# sou

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** sou, Sous, He, old woman, beggar, sous chef · **What happens:** be, not mean, have, say, mean, not have · **To what, where:** old French coin, money, all, sou, Sous, French · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
«sou» in the school dictionary: its 3 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: [sou in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/sou.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .note -->
Usage: French, old money — kept apart, not parsed.

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A sou was an old French coin of very little value.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:sou:m1:1
# text = A sou was an old French coin of very little value.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	sou	sou	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nsubj	_	_
3	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	7	cop	_	_
4	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
5	old	old	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
6	French	French	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
7	coin	coin	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
8	of	of	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
9	very	very	ADV	RB	_	10	advmod	_	_
10	little	little	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	11	amod	_	_
11	value	value	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | past | a sou | a old French coin |  |  |  | of little value | tree rules |

<!-- .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: idiom, old-fashioned — kept apart, not parsed.

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Not a sou means no money at all, as in he hasn't a sou.

<!-- fold The tree, 15 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:sou:m2:1
# text = Not a sou means no money at all, as in he hasn't a sou.
1	Not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	4	advmod	_	_
2	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
3	sou	sou	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
4	means	mean	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	no	no	DET	DT	PronType=Neg	6	det	_	_
6	money	money	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obj	_	_
7	at	at	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
8	all	all	DET	DT	PronType=Tot	6	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	13	punct	_	_
10	as	as	SCONJ	IN	_	13	mark	_	_
11	in	in	ADP	IN	_	10	fixed	_	_
12	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	13	nsubj	_	_
13	has	have	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	n't	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	16	advmod	_	_
15	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	16	det	_	_
16	sou	sou	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	13	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **not** **mean** | present | a sou | no money |  | all |  |  | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent money=Topic |
| 2 | **have** | present | sou | a sou |  |  |  |  | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent sou=Patient |

## Meaning 3 {#m3}

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Sous (said soo) also means under in French, as in sous-chef, the cook under the head chef.

<!-- fold The tree, 18 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:sou:m3:1
# text = Sous (said soo) also means under in French, as in sous-chef, the cook under the head chef.
1	Sous	Sous	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	7	nsubj	_	_
2	(	(	PUNCT	-LRB-	_	3	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	said	say	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	1	acl	_	_
4	soo	so	ADV	RB	_	3	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	)	)	PUNCT	-RRB-	_	3	punct	_	_
6	also	also	ADV	RB	_	7	advmod	_	_
7	means	mean	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
8	under	under	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
9	in	in	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
10	French	French	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	7	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	16	punct	_	_
12	as	as	ADP	IN	_	16	case	_	_
13	in	in	ADP	IN	_	16	case	_	_
14	sous	sous	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	16	amod	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	-	-	PUNCT	HYPH	_	14	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	chef	chef	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	parataxis	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	19	punct	_	_
18	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	19	det	_	_
19	cook	cook	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	16	appos	_	_
20	under	under	ADP	IN	_	23	case	_	_
21	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	23	det	_	_
22	head	head	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	23	compound	_	_
23	chef	chef	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	19	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
24	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **say** *speech: assert* | participle |  | Sous *not said here* |  |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **mean** | present | Sous |  |  | French |  |  | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V S»: agent=Agent |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
He was so poor he didn't have a sou.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:sou:x1:1
# text = He was so poor he didn't have a sou.
1	He	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	4	nsubj	_	_
2	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	4	cop	_	_
3	so	so	ADV	RB	_	4	advmod	_	_
4	poor	poor	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	_
5	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	8	nsubj	_	_
6	did	do	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	8	aux	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	n't	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	8	advmod	_	_
8	have	have	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	4	ccomp	_	_
9	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	sou	sou	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | past | He |  |  |  |  | poor *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **not** **have** | past · do-support | he | a sou |  |  |  |  | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent sou=Patient |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The old woman counted her few sous.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:sou:x2:1
# text = The old woman counted her few sous.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	old	old	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	woman	woman	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
4	counted	count	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	her	her	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	6	nmod:poss	_	_
6	few	few	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	obj	_	_
7	sous	sous	X	FW	Foreign=Yes	6	dep	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **count** | past | the old woman | woman's few |  |  |  |  | vn multiply-108 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent few=Theme |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
In the story, the beggar asked for a sou.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:sou:x3:1
# text = In the story, the beggar asked for a sou.
1	In	in	ADP	IN	_	3	case	_	_
2	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
3	story	story	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	3	punct	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	beggar	beggar	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nsubj	_	_
7	asked	ask	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
8	for	for	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
9	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	sou	sou	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **ask** *speech: ask* | past | the beggar |  |  | the story |  | for a sou | vn inquire-37.1.2 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A sou was worth very little.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:sou:x4:1
# text = A sou was worth very little.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	sou	sou	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
3	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	4	cop	_	_
4	worth	worth	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	_
5	very	very	ADV	RB	_	6	advmod	_	_
6	little	little	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | past | a sou |  |  |  |  | worth *property* | tree rules |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A sous-chef helps the head chef.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:sou:x5:1
# text = A sous-chef helps the head chef.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
2	sous	sous	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	amod	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	-	-	PUNCT	HYPH	_	2	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	chef	chef	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
5	helps	help	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
7	head	head	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	compound	_	_
8	chef	chef	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **help** | present | a sous chef | the head chef |  |  |  |  | vn help-72.1-1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent chef=Beneficiary |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Sous la table means under the table. (French)

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 1:* Sous la table means under the table.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:sou:x6:1
# text = Sous la table means under the table.
1	Sous	Sous	X	FW	_	3	compound	_	_
2	la	la	X	FW	Foreign=Yes	1	flat:foreign	_	_
3	table	table	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
4	means	mean	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	under	under	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	table	table	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **mean** | present | Sous table |  |  | the table |  |  | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V S»: agent=Agent |

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 2:* (French)

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:sou:x6:2
# text = (French)
1	(	(	PUNCT	-LRB-	_	2	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	French	French	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	)	)	PUNCT	-RRB-	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .note -->
The frames reader finds no event or fact in this sentence.

<!-- 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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