---
title: storyteller — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «storyteller» in the school dictionary: A storyteller is a person who tells stories, often out loud to an audience. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# storyteller

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** storyteller, person, children, Grandpa, storytellers, you · **What happens:** be, tell, hold, spellbind, visit, pass · **To what, where:** person, stories, writer, interesting way, wonderful storyteller, library · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
«storyteller» in the school dictionary: its 2 meanings for a pupil and its 8 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: [storyteller in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/storyteller.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A storyteller is a person who tells stories, often out loud to an audience.

<!-- fold The tree, 14 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:storyteller:m1:1
# text = A storyteller is a person who tells stories, often out loud to an audience.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	storyteller	storyteller	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	person	person	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
6	who	who	PRON	WP	PronType=Rel	7	nsubj	_	_
7	tells	tell	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	acl:relcl	_	_
8	stories	story	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	7	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	12	punct	_	_
10	often	often	ADV	RB	_	12	advmod	_	_
11	out	out	ADV	RB	_	12	advmod	_	_
12	loud	loud	ADV	RB	_	7	advmod	_	_
13	to	to	ADP	IN	_	15	case	_	_
14	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	15	det	_	_
15	audience	audience	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | a storyteller | a person |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **tell** *speech: assert* | present | a person | stories |  |  |  | loud *property* | vn transfer\_mesg-37.1.1-1-1 «NP V NP.recipient»: agent=Agent story=Recipient |

<!-- .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 storyteller can also be a writer or someone who is very good at telling stories in an interesting way.

<!-- fold The tree, 20 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:storyteller:m2:1
# text = A storyteller can also be a writer or someone who is very good at telling stories in an interesting way.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	storyteller	storyteller	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nsubj	_	_
3	can	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	7	aux	_	_
4	also	also	ADV	RB	_	7	advmod	_	_
5	be	be	AUX	VB	VerbForm=Inf	7	cop	_	_
6	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	writer	writer	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
8	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	9	cc	_	_
9	someone	someone	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	7	conj	_	_
10	who	who	PRON	WP	PronType=Rel	13	nsubj	_	_
11	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	13	cop	_	_
12	very	very	ADV	RB	_	13	advmod	_	_
13	good	good	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	9	acl:relcl	_	_
14	at	at	SCONJ	IN	_	15	mark	_	_
15	telling	tell	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	13	advcl	_	_
16	stories	story	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	15	obj	_	_
17	in	in	ADP	IN	_	20	case	_	_
18	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	20	det	_	_
19	interesting	interesting	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	20	amod	_	_
20	way	way	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	15	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
21	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | can | a storyteller | a writer |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **is** | present |  |  |  |  |  | good *property* | tree rules |
| 3 | **tell** *speech: assert* | gerund |  | stories |  | a interesting way |  |  | vn transfer\_mesg-37.1.1-1-1 «NP V NP.recipient»: agent=Agent story=Recipient |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The storyteller held the children spellbound.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:storyteller:x1:1
# text = The storyteller held the children spellbound.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	storyteller	storyteller	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	held	hold	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	children	child	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	nsubj	_	_
6	spellbound	spellbind	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	3	ccomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **hold** | past | the storyteller |  |  |  |  |  | vn conjecture-29.5 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent clause=Theme |
| 2 | **spellbind** | past | the children |  |  |  |  |  | vn amuse-31.1 «NP V ADV-Middle»: agent=Experiencer |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Grandpa is a wonderful storyteller.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:storyteller:x2:1
# text = Grandpa is a wonderful storyteller.
1	Grandpa	grandpa	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
2	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
4	wonderful	wonderful	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	amod	_	_
5	storyteller	storyteller	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | Grandpa | a wonderful storyteller |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A storyteller visited our library this week.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:storyteller:x3:1
# text = A storyteller visited our library this week.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	storyteller	storyteller	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	visited	visit	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	our	our	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Plur|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	5	nmod:poss	_	_
5	library	library	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
6	this	this	DET	DT	Number=Sing|PronType=Dem	7	det	_	_
7	week	week	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl:unmarked	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **visit** | past | a storyteller | our library |  |  | week |  | vn meet-36.3-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent library=Co-Agent |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Long ago, storytellers passed on stories by heart.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:storyteller:x4:1
# text = Long ago, storytellers passed on stories by heart.
1	Long	long	ADV	RB	Degree=Pos	2	advmod	_	_
2	ago	ago	ADV	RB	_	5	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	2	punct	_	_
4	storytellers	storyteller	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	nsubj	_	_
5	passed	pass	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
6	on	on	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
7	stories	story	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	obl	_	_
8	by	by	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
9	heart	heart	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **pass** | past | storytellers |  |  | stories |  | by heart; ago *property* | vn occur-48.3-1 «NP V PP»: agent=Theme on story=Location |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Be a good storyteller: use expression and pauses.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:storyteller:x5:1
# text = Be a good storyteller: use expression and pauses.
1	Be	be	AUX	VB	VerbForm=Inf	4	cop	_	_
2	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
3	good	good	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	amod	_	_
4	storyteller	storyteller	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	6	punct	_	_
6	use	use	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	4	parataxis	_	_
7	expression	expression	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obj	_	_
8	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	9	cc	_	_
9	pauses	pause	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	7	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | imperative | you *not said here* | a good storyteller |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **use** | infinitive |  | expression and pauses |  |  |  |  | vn eat-39.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent expression=Patient |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The storyteller used puppets to act out the tale.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:storyteller:x6:1
# text = The storyteller used puppets to act out the tale.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	storyteller	storyteller	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	used	use	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	puppets	puppet	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	obj	_	_
5	to	to	PART	TO	_	6	mark	_	_
6	act	act	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	3	advcl	_	_
7	out	out	ADP	RP	_	6	compound:prt	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	tale	tale	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **use** | past | the storyteller | puppets |  |  |  |  | vn eat-39.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent puppet=Patient |
| 2 | **act out** | to-infinitive | the storyteller *not said here* | the tale |  |  |  |  | vn act-114-1-1 «NP V PP.predicate»: agent=Agent tale=Eventuality |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Who is the storyteller in this book?

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:storyteller:x7:1
# text = Who is the storyteller in this book?
1	Who	who	PRON	WP	PronType=Rel	4	nsubj	_	_
2	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	cop	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	storyteller	storyteller	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
5	in	in	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	this	this	DET	DT	Number=Sing|PronType=Dem	7	det	_	_
7	book	book	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present |  | the storyteller |  | this book |  |  | tree rules |

## Example 8 {#x8}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
\[208\] "Some storytellers," says Afanasief, "substitute the word snake (zmei) in the Skazka for that of witch (vyed'ma)."

<!-- fold The tree, 18 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:storyteller:x8:1
# text = [208] "Some storytellers," says Afanasief, "substitute the word snake (zmei) in the Skazka for that of witch (vyed'ma)."
1	[	[	PUNCT	-LRB-	_	2	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	208	208	NUM	CD	NumForm=Digit|NumType=Card	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	]	]	PUNCT	-RRB-	_	2	punct	_	_
4	"	"	PUNCT	``	_	6	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	Some	some	DET	DT	PronType=Ind	6	det	_	_
6	storytellers	storyteller	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	appos	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	6	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	9	punct	_	_
9	says	say	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	2	conj	_	_
10	Afanasief	Afanasief	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	9	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	13	punct	_	_
12	"	"	PUNCT	``	_	13	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	substitute	substitute	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	9	ccomp	_	_
14	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	16	det	_	_
15	word	word	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	16	compound	_	_
16	snake	snake	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	13	obj	_	_
17	(	(	PUNCT	-LRB-	_	18	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
18	zmei	zmei	X	FW	Foreign=Yes	16	appos	_	SpaceAfter=No
19	)	)	PUNCT	-RRB-	_	18	punct	_	_
20	in	in	ADP	IN	_	22	case	_	_
21	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	22	det	_	_
22	Skazka	Skazka	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	13	obl	_	_
23	for	for	ADP	IN	_	26	case	_	_
24	that	that	DET	DT	Number=Sing|PronType=Dem	26	det	_	_
25	of	of	ADP	IN	_	26	case	_	_
26	witch	witch	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	13	obl	_	_
27	(	(	PUNCT	-LRB-	_	28	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
28	vyed'ma	vyed'ma	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	26	appos	_	SpaceAfter=No
29	)	)	PUNCT	-RRB-	_	28	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
30	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
31	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **say** *speech: assert* | present | Afanasief |  |  |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 2 | **substitute** *in a quote* | infinitive |  | the word snake |  | the Skazka |  | for that witch | vn substitute-13.6.2 «NP V NP.location»: agent=Theme snake=Location |

<!-- 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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