---
title: starling — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «starling» in the school dictionary: A starling is a common bird with dark shiny feathers that look purple and green in the sun, often covered in small pale spots in winter. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# starling

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** starling, dark shiny feathers, Starlings, We, feathers, settlers · **What happens:** be, look, cover, swirl, call, gather · **To what, where:** common bird, sun, large swirling flock, roof, murmuration, pier · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
«starling» in the school dictionary: its 2 meanings for a pupil and its 9 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: [starling in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/starling.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A starling is a common bird with dark shiny feathers that look purple and green in the sun, often covered in small pale spots in winter.

<!-- fold The tree, 26 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:starling:m1:1
# text = A starling is a common bird with dark shiny feathers that look purple and green in the sun, often covered in small pale spots in winter.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	starling	starling	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	cop	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
5	common	common	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
6	bird	bird	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
7	with	with	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
8	dark	dark	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	10	amod	_	_
9	shiny	shiny	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	10	amod	_	_
10	feathers	feather	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	nmod	_	_
11	that	that	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	12	nsubj	_	_
12	look	look	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	10	acl:relcl	_	_
13	purple	purple	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	12	xcomp	_	_
14	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	15	cc	_	_
15	green	green	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	13	conj	_	_
16	in	in	ADP	IN	_	18	case	_	_
17	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	18	det	_	_
18	sun	sun	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
19	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	21	punct	_	_
20	often	often	ADV	RB	_	21	advmod	_	_
21	covered	cover	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	18	acl	_	_
22	in	in	ADP	IN	_	25	case	_	_
23	small	small	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	25	amod	_	_
24	pale	pale	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	25	amod	_	_
25	spots	spot	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	21	obl	_	_
26	in	in	ADP	IN	_	27	case	_	_
27	winter	winter	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	25	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
28	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | a starling | a common bird |  |  |  | with dark shiny feathers | tree rules |
| 2 | **look** | present | dark shiny feathers |  |  |  |  | in the sun; purple *property* | vn peer-30.3 «NP V PP.theme»: agent=Agent in sun=Theme |
| 3 | **cover** | participle |  | the sun *not said here* |  |  |  | in small pale spots in winter; often *property* | vn fill-9.8-1 «NP V NP PP.theme»: agent=Agent in spot=Theme |

<!-- .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 large swirling flock of starlings in the evening sky is called a murmuration.

<!-- fold The tree, 14 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:starling:m2:1
# text = A large swirling flock of starlings in the evening sky is called a murmuration.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
2	large	large	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	amod	_	_
3	swirling	swirl	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	4	amod	_	_
4	flock	flock	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	nsubj:pass	_	_
5	of	of	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
6	starlings	starling	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	nmod	_	_
7	in	in	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
9	evening	evening	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	compound	_	_
10	sky	sky	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nmod	_	_
11	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	12	aux:pass	_	_
12	called	call	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
13	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	14	det	_	_
14	murmuration	murmuration	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	12	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **swirl** | gerund |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn modes\_of\_being\_with\_motion-47.3 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 2 | **call** | present · passive |  | a large swirling flock of starlings in the evening sky |  |  |  |  | vn initiate\_communication-37.4.2-1 «NP V NP.recipient»: subject=Recipient |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Starlings gathered on the roof every evening.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:starling:x1:1
# text = Starlings gathered on the roof every evening.
1	Starlings	Starlings	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	2	nsubj	_	_
2	gathered	gather	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	on	on	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	roof	roof	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	_
6	every	every	DET	DT	PronType=Tot	7	det	_	_
7	evening	evening	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl:unmarked	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **gather** | past | Starlings |  |  | the roof | evening |  | vn herd-47.5.2 «NP V NP.theme»: agent=Agent |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
We watched a murmuration of starlings over the pier.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:starling:x2:1
# text = We watched a murmuration of starlings over the pier.
1	We	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	watched	watch	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	murmuration	murmuration	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
5	of	of	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
6	starlings	starling	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	nmod	_	_
7	over	over	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	pier	pier	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **watch** | past | We | a murmuration of starlings |  | the pier |  |  | vn assessment-34.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent murmuration=Theme |
| 2 | **murmur** |  |  | starlings |  |  |  |  | nom murmuration «event transitive»: of=patient |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The starling copied the sound of a phone ringing.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:starling:x3:1
# text = The starling copied the sound of a phone ringing.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	starling	starling	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	copied	copy	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	sound	sound	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
6	of	of	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	phone	phone	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nmod	_	_
9	ringing	ring	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	3	advcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **copy** | past | the starling | the sound of a phone |  |  |  |  | vn scribble-25.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent sound=Theme |
| 2 | **ring** | gerund | the starling *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn sound\_emission-43.2 «NP V»: agent=Theme |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A starling's feathers shine purple and green in the sun.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:starling:x4:1
# text = A starling's feathers shine purple and green in the sun.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	starling	starling	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	's	's	PART	POS	_	2	case	_	_
4	feathers	feather	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	nsubj	_	_
5	shine	shine	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
6	purple	purple	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	xcomp	_	_
7	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	8	cc	_	_
8	green	green	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	conj	_	_
9	in	in	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
10	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
11	sun.	sun.	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **shine** | present | a starling's feathers |  |  | the sun. |  | purple *property* | vn light\_emission-43.1 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Theme in sun.=Location |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Starlings eat insects and grubs from the lawn.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:starling:x5:1
# text = Starlings eat insects and grubs from the lawn.
1	Starlings	starling	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	nsubj	_	_
2	eat	eat	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	insects	insect	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	obj	_	_
4	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	5	cc	_	_
5	grubs	grub	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	conj	_	_
6	from	from	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	lawn	lawn	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **eat** | present | Starlings | insects and grubs |  | the lawn |  |  | vn eat-39.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent insect=Patient |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Starlings were brought to New Zealand by settlers.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:starling:x6:1
# text = Starlings were brought to New Zealand by settlers.
1	Starlings	starling	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	nsubj:pass	_	_
2	were	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	3	aux:pass	_	_
3	brought	bring	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
4	to	to	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
5	New	New	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	6	flat	_	_
6	Zealand	Zealand	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	_
7	by	by	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
8	settlers	settler	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	obl:agent	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **bring** | past · passive | settlers | Starlings | New Zealand |  |  |  | vn bring-11.3-1 «NP V NP PP.destination»: agent=Agent subject=Theme to zealand=Destination |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The starling flew off with a worm in its beak.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:starling:x7:1
# text = The starling flew off with a worm in its beak.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	starling	starling	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	flew	fly	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	off	off	ADP	RP	_	3	compound:prt	_	_
5	with	with	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	worm	worm	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	_
8	in	in	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
9	its	its	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	10	nmod:poss	_	_
10	beak	beak	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **fly off** | past | the starling |  |  | starling's beak |  | with a worm | vn spatial\_configuration-47.6-1 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Theme in beak=Location |

## Example 8 {#x8}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Thousands of starlings make shapes in the sky like a cloud.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:starling:x8:1
# text = Thousands of starlings make shapes in the sky like a cloud.
1	Thousands	thousand	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	nsubj	_	_
2	of	of	ADP	IN	_	3	case	_	_
3	starlings	starling	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	1	nmod	_	_
4	make	make	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	shapes	shape	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	obj	_	_
6	in	in	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	sky	sky	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	_
9	like	like	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
10	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
11	cloud	cloud	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **make** | present | Thousands of starlings | shapes |  | the sky |  | like a cloud | vn build-26.1-1 «NP.asset V NP»: agent=Asset shape=Product |

## Example 9 {#x9}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The little white Princess always woke in her little white bed when the starlings began to chatter in the pearl gray morning.

<!-- fold The tree, 22 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:starling:x9:1
# text = The little white Princess always woke in her little white bed when the starlings began to chatter in the pearl gray morning.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
2	little	little	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	amod	_	_
3	white	white	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	amod	_	_
4	Princess	Princess	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	_
5	always	always	ADV	RB	PronType=Tot	6	advmod	_	_
6	woke	wake	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
7	in	in	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
8	her	her	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	11	nmod:poss	_	_
9	little	little	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	11	amod	_	_
10	white	white	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	11	amod	_	_
11	bed	bed	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obl	_	_
12	when	when	ADV	WRB	PronType=Int	15	advmod	_	_
13	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	14	det	_	_
14	starlings	starling	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	15	nsubj	_	_
15	began	begin	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	6	advcl	_	_
16	to	to	PART	TO	_	17	mark	_	_
17	chatter	chatter	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	15	xcomp	_	_
18	in	in	ADP	IN	_	22	case	_	_
19	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	22	det	_	_
20	pearl	pearl	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	22	compound	_	_
21	gray	gray	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	22	amod	_	_
22	morning	morning	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	17	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
23	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **wake** | past | the little white Princess |  |  | Princess's little white bed |  | always *property* | vn other\_cos-45.4 «NP.patient V»: agent=Patient |
| 2 | **begin** | past | the starlings |  |  |  |  |  | vn begin-55.1-1-1 «NP V S\_INF»: agent=Agent clause=Eventuality |
| 3 | **chatter** | to-infinitive | the starlings *not said here* |  |  |  | morning |  | vn animal\_sounds-38 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

<!-- 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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