---
title: surname — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «surname» in the school dictionary: A surname is your family name, the name you share with your family, which usually comes last in English names (in «Tom Smith», «Smith» is the surname). Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# surname

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** surname, you, name, Tom Smith, your, register · **What happens:** be, share, come, write, name, change · **To what, where:** family name, name, English names, surname, first name, sheet

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

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A surname is your family name, the name you share with your family, which usually comes last in English names (in «Tom Smith», «Smith» is the surname).

<!-- fold The tree, 27 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:surname:m1:1
# text = A surname is your family name, the name you share with your family, which usually comes last in English names (in «Tom Smith», «Smith» is the surname).
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	surname	surname	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	cop	_	_
4	your	your	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Person=2|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	6	nmod:poss	_	_
5	family	family	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	compound	_	_
6	name	name	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	9	punct	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	name	name	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	conj	_	_
10	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs	11	nsubj	_	_
11	share	share	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=2|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	9	acl:relcl	_	_
12	with	with	ADP	IN	_	14	case	_	_
13	your	your	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Person=2|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	14	nmod:poss	_	_
14	family	family	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	18	punct	_	_
16	which	which	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	18	nsubj	_	_
17	usually	usually	ADV	RB	_	18	advmod	_	_
18	comes	come	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	9	acl:relcl	_	_
19	last	last	ADV	RB	_	18	advmod	_	_
20	in	in	ADP	IN	_	22	case	_	_
21	English	English	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	22	compound	_	_
22	names	name	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	18	obl	_	_
23	(	(	PUNCT	-LRB-	_	27	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
24	in	in	ADP	IN	_	27	case	_	_
25	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	27	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
26	Tom	Tom	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	27	compound	_	_
27	Smith	Smith	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	35	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
28	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	27	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
29	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	31	punct	_	_
30	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	31	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
31	Smith	Smith	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	27	appos	_	SpaceAfter=No
32	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	31	punct	_	_
33	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	35	cop	_	_
34	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	35	det	_	_
35	surname	surname	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	22	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
36	)	)	PUNCT	-RRB-	_	35	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
37	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | a surname | your family name and the name |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **share** | present | you | the name *not said here* |  |  |  | with your family | tree rules |
| 3 | **come** | present | the name |  |  | English names |  | last, usually *property* | vn appear-48.1.1 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Theme in name=Location |
| 4 | **is a** | present | Tom Smith | the surname |  |  |  |  | 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.

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Write your first name and your surname on the sheet.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:surname:x1:1
# text = Write your first name and your surname on the sheet.
1	Write	write	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
2	your	your	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Person=2|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	4	nmod:poss	_	_
3	first	first	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos|NumForm=Word|NumType=Ord	4	amod	_	_
4	name	name	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obj	_	_
5	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	7	cc	_	_
6	your	your	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Person=2|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	7	nmod:poss	_	_
7	surname	surname	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	conj	_	_
8	on	on	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
9	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	sheet	sheet	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **write** | imperative | you *not said here* | your first name and your surname |  | the sheet |  |  | vn scribble-25.2-1 «NP V NP PP.destination»: agent=Agent name=Theme on sheet=Destination |
| 2 | **name** |  | your |  |  |  |  |  | nom name «communication transitive»: poss=agent |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
My surname is Murphy, like my dad's.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:surname:x2:1
# text = My surname is Murphy, like my dad's.
1	My	my	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Sing|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	2	nmod:poss	_	_
2	surname	surname	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	cop	_	_
4	Murphy	Murphy	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	8	punct	_	_
6	like	like	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	my	my	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Sing|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	8	nmod:poss	_	_
8	dad	dad	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	appos	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	's	's	PART	POS	_	8	case	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

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

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The register is in order of surname.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:surname:x3:1
# text = The register is in order of surname.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	register	register	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
4	in	in	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
5	order	order	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
6	of	of	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
7	surname	surname	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present | the register |  |  | order |  | of surname | tree rules |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
«Baker» is a surname that came from a job.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:surname:x4:1
# text = «Baker» is a surname that came from a job.
1	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	2	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	Baker	baker	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	2	punct	_	_
4	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	cop	_	_
5	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	surname	surname	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
7	that	that	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	8	nsubj	_	_
8	came	come	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	6	acl:relcl	_	_
9	from	from	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
10	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
11	job	job	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | Baker | a surname |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **come** | past | a surname |  |  | a job |  |  | vn escape-51.1-1 «NP V PP.initial\_location»: agent=Theme from job=Initial\_Location |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Some people change their surname when they get married.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:surname:x5:1
# text = Some people change their surname when they get married.
1	Some	some	DET	DT	PronType=Ind	2	det	_	_
2	people	people	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	nsubj	_	_
3	change	change	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	their	their	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Plur|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	5	nmod:poss	_	_
5	surname	surname	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
6	when	when	ADV	WRB	PronType=Int	9	advmod	_	_
7	they	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	9	nsubj:pass	_	_
8	get	get	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	9	aux:pass	_	_
9	married	marry	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	3	advcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **change** | present | some people | people's surname |  |  |  |  | vn dress-41.1.1-1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent surname=Patient |
| 2 | **marry** | present · passive |  | people |  |  |  |  | vn amalgamate-22.2-3-1-1 «NP V NP»: subject=Patient |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Don't put your surname on public posts online.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:surname:x6:1
# text = Don't put your surname on public posts online.
1	Do	do	AUX	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	3	aux	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	n't	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	3	advmod	_	_
3	put	put	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	your	your	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Person=2|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	5	nmod:poss	_	_
5	surname	surname	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
6	on	on	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	public	public	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	amod	_	_
8	posts	post	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	obl	_	_
9	online	online	ADV	RB	_	3	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **not** **put** | imperative · do-support | you *not said here* | your surname |  | public posts |  | online *property* | vn put-9.1-2 «NP V PP.destination NP»: agent=Agent surname=Theme on post=Destination |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Her surname is hard to spell, so she spells it out.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:surname:x7:1
# text = Her surname is hard to spell, so she spells it out.
1	Her	her	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	2	nmod:poss	_	_
2	surname	surname	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	cop	_	_
4	hard	hard	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	_
5	to	to	PART	TO	_	6	mark	_	_
6	spell	spell	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	4	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	10	punct	_	_
8	so	so	ADV	RB	_	10	advmod	_	_
9	she	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	10	nsubj	_	_
10	spells	spell	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	conj	_	_
11	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	10	obj	_	_
12	out	out	ADP	RP	_	10	compound:prt	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present | Her surname |  |  |  |  | hard *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **spell** | to-infinitive | Her surname *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn pronounce-29.3.1 «NP V NP ADVP»: agent=Agent |
| 3 | **spell out** | present | she | surname |  |  |  |  | vn pronounce-29.3.1 «NP V NP ADVP»: agent=Agent it=Theme |

## Example 8 {#x8}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
In Chinese names, the surname comes first.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:surname:x8:1
# text = In Chinese names, the surname comes first.
1	In	in	ADP	IN	_	3	case	_	_
2	Chinese	Chinese	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	names	name	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	7	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	3	punct	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	surname	surname	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nsubj	_	_
7	comes	come	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
8	first	first	ADV	RB	NumForm=Word|NumType=Ord	7	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **come** | present | the surname |  |  | Chinese names |  | first *property* | vn appear-48.1.1 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Theme in name=Location |

## Example 9 {#x9}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
"Oh, they're the surnames of some of the star families.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:surname:x9:1
# text = "Oh, they're the surnames of some of the star families.
1	"	"	PUNCT	``	_	7	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	Oh	oh	INTJ	UH	_	7	discourse	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	2	punct	_	_
4	they	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	7	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	're	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	7	cop	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	surnames	surname	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	0	root	_	_
8	of	of	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
9	some	some	DET	DT	PronType=Ind	7	nmod	_	_
10	of	of	ADP	IN	_	13	case	_	_
11	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	13	det	_	_
12	star	star	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	13	compound	_	_
13	families	family	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	9	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** *in a quote* | present | they | the surnames |  |  |  | of some | 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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