---
title: suboptimal — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «suboptimal» in the school dictionary: not as good as it could be; in plain words, poor or bad. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# suboptimal

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** it, results, we, weather, route, other way · **What happens:** be, lose, say, go, find, forget · **To what, where:** ten nil, fancy way, suboptimal answer, PE kit · **Speech:** someone speaks here

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

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
not as good as it could be; in plain words, poor or bad.

<!-- fold The tree, 13 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:suboptimal:m1:1
# text = not as good as it could be; in plain words, poor or bad.
1	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	3	advmod	_	_
2	as	as	ADV	RB	_	3	advmod	_	_
3	good	good	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	_
4	as	as	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
5	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	11	nsubj	_	_
6	could	could	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	11	aux	_	_
7	be	be	AUX	VB	VerbForm=Inf	11	cop	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	;	;	PUNCT	:	_	11	punct	_	_
9	in	in	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
10	plain	plain	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	11	amod	_	_
11	words	word	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	13	punct	_	_
13	poor	poor	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	parataxis	_	_
14	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	15	cc	_	_
15	bad	bad	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	13	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | could | it |  |  |  |  | as plain words | 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: technical — kept apart, not parsed.

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
not the best possible solution in maths or computing.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:suboptimal:m2:1
# text = not the best possible solution in maths or computing.
1	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	5	advmod	_	_
2	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
3	best	good	ADJ	JJS	Degree=Sup	5	amod	_	_
4	possible	possible	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	amod	_	_
5	solution	solution	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
6	in	in	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
7	maths	math	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	nmod	_	_
8	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	9	cc	_	_
9	computing	computing	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

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

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The results were suboptimal: we lost ten nil.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:suboptimal:x1:1
# text = The results were suboptimal: we lost ten nil.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	results	result	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	nsubj	_	_
3	were	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	4	cop	_	_
4	suboptimal	suboptimal	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	7	punct	_	_
6	we	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	7	nsubj	_	_
7	lost	lose	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	4	conj	_	_
8	ten	ten	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	9	nummod	_	_
9	nil	nil	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | past | the results |  |  |  |  | suboptimal *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **lose** | past | we | ten nil |  |  |  |  | vn succeed-74-3-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent nil=Eventuality |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The weather for the picnic was suboptimal.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:suboptimal:x2:1
# text = The weather for the picnic was suboptimal.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	weather	weather	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nsubj	_	_
3	for	for	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	picnic	picnic	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nmod	_	_
6	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	7	cop	_	_
7	suboptimal	suboptimal	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | past | the weather for the picnic |  |  |  |  | suboptimal *property* | tree rules |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
That route is suboptimal; the other way is shorter.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:suboptimal:x3:1
# text = That route is suboptimal; the other way is shorter.
1	That	that	DET	DT	Number=Sing|PronType=Dem	2	det	_	_
2	route	route	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	cop	_	_
4	suboptimal	suboptimal	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	;	;	PUNCT	:	_	10	punct	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
7	other	other	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	amod	_	_
8	way	way	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	nsubj	_	_
9	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	10	cop	_	_
10	shorter	short	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp	4	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present | that route |  |  |  |  | suboptimal *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **is** | present | the other way |  |  |  |  | short *property* | tree rules |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
"Suboptimal" is a fancy way of saying it went wrong.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:suboptimal:x4:1
# text = "Suboptimal" is a fancy way of saying it went wrong.
1	"	"	PUNCT	``	_	2	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	Suboptimal	suboptimal	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	2	punct	_	_
4	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	7	cop	_	_
5	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
6	fancy	fancy	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
7	way	way	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
8	of	of	SCONJ	IN	_	9	mark	_	_
9	saying	say	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	7	acl	_	_
10	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	11	nsubj	_	_
11	went	go	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	9	ccomp	_	_
12	wrong	wrong	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	11	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | Suboptimal | a fancy way |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **say** *speech: assert* | gerund | a fancy way *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 3 | **go** | past | way |  |  |  |  | wrong *property* | vn disappearance-48.2-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The computer found a suboptimal answer.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:suboptimal:x5:1
# text = The computer found a suboptimal answer.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	computer	computer	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	found	find	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
5	suboptimal	suboptimal	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
6	answer	answer	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **find** | past | the computer | a suboptimal answer |  |  |  |  | vn discover-84 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent answer=Topic |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Forgetting your PE kit on match day is suboptimal.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:suboptimal:x6:1
# text = Forgetting your PE kit on match day is suboptimal.
1	Forgetting	forget	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	9	csubj	_	_
2	your	your	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Person=2|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	4	nmod:poss	_	_
3	PE	pe	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	compound	_	_
4	kit	kit	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obj	_	_
5	on	on	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	match	match	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	compound	_	_
7	day	day	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obl	_	_
8	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	9	cop	_	_
9	suboptimal	suboptimal	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	9	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **forget** | gerund |  | your PE kit |  |  | day |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **is** | present | Forgetting |  |  |  |  | suboptimal *property* | 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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