---
title: taboo — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «taboo» in the school dictionary: A taboo is a rule of a group that says something must not be done, touched or said. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# taboo

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** taboo, that, It, Speaking, king · **What happens:** be, say, not do, touch, mean, forbid · **To what, where:** rule, something, taboo, name, tree · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
«taboo» in the school dictionary: its 3 meanings for a pupil and its 3 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: [taboo in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/taboo.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A taboo is a rule of a group that says something must not be done, touched or said.

<!-- fold The tree, 18 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:taboo:m1:1
# text = A taboo is a rule of a group that says something must not be done, touched or said.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	taboo	taboo	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	rule	rule	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
6	of	of	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	group	group	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nmod	_	_
9	that	that	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	10	nsubj	_	_
10	says	say	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	parataxis	_	_
11	something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	15	nsubj	_	_
12	must	must	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	15	aux	_	_
13	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	15	advmod	_	_
14	be	be	AUX	VB	VerbForm=Inf	15	aux:pass	_	_
15	done	do	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	10	ccomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	17	punct	_	_
17	touched	touch	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	15	conj	_	_
18	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	19	cc	_	_
19	said	say	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	15	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
20	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | a taboo | a rule |  |  |  | of a group | tree rules |
| 2 | **say** *speech: assert* | present | that |  |  |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 3 | **not** **do** | must · passive |  | something |  |  |  |  | vn act-114-1 «NP V NP»: subject=Eventuality |
| 4 | **touch** | participle |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn contiguous\_location-47.8-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 5 | **say** *speech: assert* | participle |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent |

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Taboo means forbidden by such a rule.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:taboo:m2:1
# text = Taboo means forbidden by such a rule.
1	Taboo	taboo	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nsubj	_	_
2	means	mean	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	forbidden	forbid	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	2	ccomp	_	_
4	by	by	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
5	such	such	DET	PDT	PronType=Ind	7	det:predet	_	_
6	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	rule	rule	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **mean** | present | Taboo |  |  |  |  |  | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 2 | **forbid** | participle |  |  |  |  |  | by such rule | vn forbid-64.4-1 «NP V S\_ING»: agent=Causer |

## Meaning 3 {#m3}

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
To taboo something is to forbid it.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:taboo:m3:1
# text = To taboo something is to forbid it.
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	2	mark	_	_
2	taboo	taboo	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	6	advcl	_	_
3	something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	2	obj	_	_
4	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	cop	_	_
5	to	to	PART	TO	_	6	mark	_	_
6	forbid	forbid	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
7	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	6	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **taboo** | to-infinitive |  | something |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **is** | present |  |  |  |  |  | forbid *property* | tree rules |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
It is taboo to eat alone there.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:taboo:x1:1
# text = It is taboo to eat alone there.
1	It	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	3	nsubj	_	_
2	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	cop	_	_
3	taboo	taboo	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
4	to	to	PART	TO	_	5	mark	_	_
5	eat	eat	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	3	acl	_	_
6	alone	alone	ADV	RB	_	5	advmod	_	_
7	there	there	ADV	RB	PronType=Dem	5	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | It | taboo |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **eat** | to-infinitive |  |  |  | there |  | alone *property* | vn eat-39.1-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Speaking the king's name was taboo.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:taboo:x2:1
# text = Speaking the king's name was taboo.
1	Speaking	speak	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	7	csubj	_	_
2	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
3	king	king	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	's	's	PART	POS	_	3	case	_	_
5	name	name	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obj	_	_
6	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	7	cop	_	_
7	taboo	taboo	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **speak** *speech: other* | gerund |  | the king's name |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **is a** | past | Speaking | taboo |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 3 | **name** |  | the king |  |  |  |  |  | nom name «communication transitive»: poss=agent |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The people taboo that tree and never cut it.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:taboo:x3:1
# text = The people taboo that tree and never cut it.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	people	people	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	compound	_	_
3	taboo	taboo	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
4	that	that	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	5	det	_	_
5	tree	tree	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nmod:unmarked	_	_
6	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	8	cc	_	_
7	never	never	ADV	RB	PronType=Neg	8	advmod	_	_
8	cut	cut	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	3	conj	_	_
9	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	8	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **not** **cut** | infinitive |  | tree |  |  |  |  | vn build-26.1-1 «NP.asset V NP»: agent=Asset it=Product |

<!-- 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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