---
title: statute — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «statute» in the school dictionary: A law that has been written down and passed by a parliament or government. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# statute

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** organisation, formal, statute, Parliament, people, statutes · **What happens:** write down, pass, write, rule, protect, require · **To what, where:** law, wild birds, formal Seat belts, statute, written law, plain words · **Speech:** someone speaks here

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

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A law that has been written down and passed by a parliament or government.

<!-- fold The tree, 14 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:statute:m1:1
# text = A law that has been written down and passed by a parliament or government.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	law	law	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
3	that	that	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	6	nsubj:pass	_	_
4	has	have	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	aux	_	_
5	been	be	AUX	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part	6	aux:pass	_	_
6	written	write	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	2	acl:relcl	_	_
7	down	down	ADP	RP	_	6	compound:prt	_	_
8	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	9	cc	_	_
9	passed	pass	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	6	conj	_	_
10	by	by	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
11	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	12	det	_	_
12	parliament	parliament	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	obl	_	_
13	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	14	cc	_	_
14	government	government	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **write down** | present · perfect · passive |  | a law |  |  |  |  | vn scribble-25.2-1 «NP V NP»: subject=Theme |
| 2 | **pass** | participle |  |  |  |  |  | by a parliament or government | vn occur-48.3-1 «NP V PP»: agent=Theme by parliament=Location |

<!-- .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: formal — kept apart, not parsed.

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A written rule of an organisation, such as a university.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:statute:m2:1
# text = A written rule of an organisation, such as a university.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	written	write	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	3	amod	_	_
3	rule	rule	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
4	of	of	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
5	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	organisation	organisation	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	11	punct	_	_
8	such	such	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos|ExtPos=ADP	11	case	_	_
9	as	as	ADP	IN	_	8	fixed	_	_
10	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
11	university	university	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **write** | participle |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn scribble-25.2-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **rule** |  | a organisation |  |  |  |  |  | nom rule «cognition intransitive»: of=agent |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
(formal) The new statute protects wild birds.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:statute:x1:1
# text = (formal) The new statute protects wild birds.
1	(	(	PUNCT	-LRB-	_	2	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	formal	formal	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	)	)	PUNCT	-RRB-	_	2	punct	_	_
4	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
5	new	new	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
6	statute	statute	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nsubj	_	_
7	protects	protect	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
8	wild	wild	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	9	amod	_	_
9	birds	bird	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	7	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **protect** | present | formal |  | wild birds |  |  |  | vn defend-72.3 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent bird=Beneficiary |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
(formal) Seat belts are required by statute.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:statute:x2:1
# text = (formal) Seat belts are required by statute.
1	(	(	PUNCT	-LRB-	_	2	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	formal	formal	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	amod	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	)	)	PUNCT	-RRB-	_	2	punct	_	_
4	Seat	seat	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	compound	_	_
5	belts	belt	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	7	nsubj:pass	_	_
6	are	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	7	aux:pass	_	_
7	required	require	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
8	by	by	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
9	statute	statute	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **require** | present · passive | statute | formal Seat belts |  |  |  |  | vn require-103-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Theme subject=Precondition |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Parliament passed a statute about school attendance.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:statute:x3:1
# text = Parliament passed a statute about school attendance.
1	Parliament	Parliament	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	2	nsubj	_	_
2	passed	pass	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	statute	statute	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
5	about	about	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	school	school	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	compound	_	_
7	attendance	attendance	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **pass** | past | Parliament | a statute |  |  |  | about school attendance | vn throw-17.1-1 «NP V NP PP.destinations»: agent=Agent statute=Theme about attendance=Destination |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
In plain words, a statute is a written law.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:statute:x4:1
# text = In plain words, a statute is a written law.
1	In	in	ADP	IN	_	3	case	_	_
2	plain	plain	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	words	word	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	10	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	3	punct	_	_
5	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	statute	statute	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	nsubj	_	_
7	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	10	cop	_	_
8	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
9	written	write	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	10	amod	_	_
10	law	law	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	10	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **write** | participle |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn scribble-25.2-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **is a** | present | a statute | a written law |  | plain words |  |  | tree rules |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The statute was changed after people complained.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:statute:x5:1
# text = The statute was changed after people complained.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	statute	statute	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
3	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	4	aux:pass	_	_
4	changed	change	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
5	after	after	SCONJ	IN	_	7	mark	_	_
6	people	people	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	7	nsubj	_	_
7	complained	complain	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	4	advcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **change** | past · passive |  | the statute |  |  |  |  | vn dress-41.1.1-1-1 «NP V NP»: subject=Patient |
| 2 | **complain** *speech: other* | past | people |  |  |  |  |  | vn complain-37.8 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The university's statutes say who can be a member.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:statute:x6:1
# text = The university's statutes say who can be a member.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	university	university	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	's	's	PART	POS	_	2	case	_	_
4	statutes	statute	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	nsubj	_	_
5	say	say	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
6	who	who	PRON	WP	PronType=Rel	10	nsubj	_	_
7	can	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	10	aux	_	_
8	be	be	AUX	VB	VerbForm=Inf	10	cop	_	_
9	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	member	member	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	ccomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **say** *speech: assert* | present | the university's statutes |  |  |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **is a** | can |  | a member |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

<!-- 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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