---
title: tarzan — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «tarzan» in the school dictionary: Tarzan is a made-up character created by the American writer Edgar Rice Burroughs in the novel "Tarzan of the Apes" (1912): a boy raised by apes in the African jungle who grows up very strong and swings through the trees on vines. Disney made a cartoon film of him 
---

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# tarzan

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** Tarzan, made character, African jungle, Disney, brother, apes · **What happens:** make up, be, create, raise, grow up, swing · **To what, where:** made character, 1912, novel, boy, African jungle, trees · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
«tarzan» in the school dictionary: its 2 meanings for a pupil and its 7 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: [tarzan in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/tarzan.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Tarzan is a made-up character created by the American writer Edgar Rice Burroughs in the novel "Tarzan of the Apes" (1912): a boy raised by apes in the African jungle who grows up very strong and swings through the trees on vines. Disney made a cartoon film of him in 1999.

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 1:* Tarzan is a made-up character created by the American writer Edgar Rice Burroughs in the novel "Tarzan of the Apes" (1912): a boy raised by apes in the African jungle who grows up very strong and swings through the trees on vines.

<!-- fold The tree, 43 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:tarzan:m1:1
# text = Tarzan is a made-up character created by the American writer Edgar Rice Burroughs in the novel "Tarzan of the Apes" (1912): a boy raised by apes in the African jungle who grows up very strong and swings through the trees on vines.
1	Tarzan	Tarzan	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	7	nsubj	_	_
2	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	7	cop	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
4	made	make	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	7	amod	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	-	-	PUNCT	HYPH	_	6	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	up	up	ADP	RP	_	4	compound:prt	_	_
7	character	character	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
8	created	create	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	7	acl	_	_
9	by	by	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
10	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	12	det	_	_
11	American	American	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	12	amod	_	_
12	writer	writer	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	obl:agent	_	_
13	Edgar	Edgar	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	12	appos	_	_
14	Rice	Rice	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	13	flat	_	_
15	Burroughs	Burroughs	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	13	flat	_	_
16	in	in	ADP	IN	_	18	case	_	_
17	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	18	det	_	_
18	novel	novel	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	obl	_	_
19	"	"	PUNCT	``	_	20	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
20	Tarzan	Tarzan	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	18	appos	_	_
21	of	of	ADP	IN	_	23	case	_	_
22	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	23	det	_	_
23	Apes	Ape	PROPN	NNPS	Number=Plur	20	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
24	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	20	punct	_	_
25	(	(	PUNCT	-LRB-	_	26	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
26	1912	1912	NUM	CD	NumForm=Digit|NumType=Card	8	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
27	)	)	PUNCT	-RRB-	_	26	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
28	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	30	punct	_	_
29	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	30	det	_	_
30	boy	boy	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	conj	_	_
31	raised	raise	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	30	acl	_	_
32	by	by	ADP	IN	_	33	case	_	_
33	apes	ape	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	31	obl:agent	_	_
34	in	in	ADP	IN	_	37	case	_	_
35	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	37	det	_	_
36	African	African	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	37	amod	_	_
37	jungle	jungle	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	31	obl	_	_
38	who	who	PRON	WP	PronType=Rel	39	nsubj	_	_
39	grows	grow	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	37	acl:relcl	_	_
40	up	up	ADP	RP	_	39	compound:prt	_	_
41	very	very	ADV	RB	_	42	advmod	_	_
42	strong	strong	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	39	xcomp	_	_
43	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	44	cc	_	_
44	swings	swing	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	39	conj	_	_
45	through	through	ADP	IN	_	47	case	_	_
46	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	47	det	_	_
47	trees	tree	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	44	obl	_	_
48	on	on	ADP	IN	_	49	case	_	_
49	vines	vine	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	44	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
50	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **make up** | participle |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn comprise-107.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Theme |
| 2 | **is a** | present | Tarzan | a made character and a boy |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 3 | **create** | participle | a made character and a boy *not said here* | 1912 |  | the novel |  |  | vn create-26.4 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent |
| 4 | **raise** | participle |  | a boy *not said here* |  | the African jungle |  |  | vn put\_direction-9.4 «NP V NP PP.destination»: agent=Agent in jungle=Destination |
| 5 | **grow up** | present | the African jungle |  |  |  |  | strong *property* | vn appear-48.1.1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 6 | **swing** | present | the African jungle *not said here* |  |  | the trees |  | on vines | vn roll-51.3.1 «NP.theme V PP.source PP.trajectory PP.destination»: agent=Theme through tree=Source on vine=Trajectory |

<!-- .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.

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 2:* Disney made a cartoon film of him in 1999.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:tarzan:m1:2
# text = Disney made a cartoon film of him in 1999.
1	Disney	Disney	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	2	nsubj	_	_
2	made	make	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
4	cartoon	cartoon	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	compound	_	_
5	film	film	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
6	of	of	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
7	him	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	5	nmod	_	_
8	in	in	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
9	1999	1999	NUM	CD	NumForm=Digit|NumType=Card	2	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **make** | past | Disney | a cartoon film of jungle |  | 1999 |  |  | vn build-26.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent film=Product |
| 2 | **film** |  |  | jungle |  |  |  |  | nom film «communication transitive»: of=patient |

## Meaning 2 {#m2}

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A Tarzan is a very strong, muscly man, often said as a joke.

<!-- fold The tree, 13 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:tarzan:m2:1
# text = A Tarzan is a very strong, muscly man, often said as a joke.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	Tarzan	Tarzan	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	9	nsubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	9	cop	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
5	very	very	ADV	RB	_	6	advmod	_	_
6	strong	strong	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	9	amod	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	6	punct	_	_
8	muscly	muscly	ADJ	JJ	_	9	amod	_	_
9	man	man	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	12	punct	_	_
11	often	often	ADV	RB	_	12	advmod	_	_
12	said	say	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	9	acl	_	_
13	as	as	ADP	IN	_	15	case	_	_
14	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	15	det	_	_
15	joke	joke	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	9	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | a Tarzan | a strong muscly man |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **say** *speech: assert* | participle |  | a strong muscly man *not said here* |  |  |  | as a joke; often *property* | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Tarzan swung through the jungle on long vines.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:tarzan:x1:1
# text = Tarzan swung through the jungle on long vines.
1	Tarzan	Tarzan	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	2	nsubj	_	_
2	swung	swing	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	through	through	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	jungle	jungle	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	_
6	on	on	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	long	long	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	amod	_	_
8	vines	vine	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **swing** | past | Tarzan |  |  | the jungle |  | on long vines | vn roll-51.3.1 «NP.theme V PP.source PP.trajectory PP.destination»: agent=Theme through jungle=Source on vine=Trajectory |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
My brother did a Tarzan yell from the climbing frame.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:tarzan:x2:1
# text = My brother did a Tarzan yell from the climbing frame.
1	My	my	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Sing|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	2	nmod:poss	_	_
2	brother	brother	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	did	do	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	Tarzan	Tarzan	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	6	compound	_	_
6	yell	yell	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
7	from	from	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
9	climbing	climbing	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	compound	_	_
10	frame	frame	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **do** | past | My brother | a Tarzan yell |  | the climbing frame |  |  | vn act-114-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent yell=Eventuality |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
In the story, Tarzan is raised by apes.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:tarzan:x3:1
# text = In the story, Tarzan is raised by apes.
1	In	in	ADP	IN	_	3	case	_	_
2	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
3	story	story	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	3	punct	_	_
5	Tarzan	Tarzan	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	7	nsubj:pass	_	_
6	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	7	aux:pass	_	_
7	raised	raise	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
8	by	by	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
9	apes	ape	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	7	obl:agent	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **raise** | present · passive | apes | Tarzan |  | the story |  |  | vn put\_direction-9.4 «NP V NP PP.destination»: agent=Agent subject=Theme in story=Destination |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Disney's "Tarzan" has songs by Phil Collins.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:tarzan:x4:1
# text = Disney's "Tarzan" has songs by Phil Collins.
1	Disney	Disney	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	's	's	PART	POS	_	1	case	_	_
3	"	"	PUNCT	``	_	4	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	Tarzan	Tarzan	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	1	appos	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	4	punct	_	_
6	has	have	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
7	songs	song	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	obj	_	_
8	by	by	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
9	Phil	Phil	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	10	compound	_	_
10	Collins	Collins	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	7	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **have** | present | Disney | songs |  |  |  | by Phil Collins | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent song=Patient |
| 2 | **sing** |  | Phil Collins |  |  |  |  |  | nom song «communication intransitive»: by=agent |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
"Okay, Tarzan, put the sofa down," laughed Mum.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:tarzan:x5:1
# text = "Okay, Tarzan, put the sofa down," laughed Mum.
1	"	"	PUNCT	``	_	6	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	Okay	okay	INTJ	UH	_	6	discourse	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	4	punct	_	_
4	Tarzan	Tarzan	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	2	vocative	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	2	punct	_	_
6	put	put	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	sofa	sofa	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obj	_	_
9	down	down	ADP	RP	_	6	compound:prt	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	12	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	"	"	PUNCT	``	_	12	punct	_	_
12	laughed	laugh	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	6	conj	_	_
13	Mum	mum	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **put down** *in a quote* | imperative | you *not said here* | the sofa |  |  |  |  | vn invest-13.5.4-1 «NP V PP»: agent=Agent sofa=Goal |
| 2 | **laugh** | past | you *not said here* | Mum |  |  |  |  | vn nonverbal\_expression-40.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent mum=Theme |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
We tied a Tarzan swing to the big oak tree.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:tarzan:x6:1
# text = We tied a Tarzan swing to the big oak tree.
1	We	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	tied	tie	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
4	Tarzan	Tarzan	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	5	compound	_	_
5	swing	swing	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
6	to	to	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
8	big	big	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	10	amod	_	_
9	oak	oak	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	compound	_	_
10	tree	tree	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **tie** | past | We | a Tarzan swing |  |  |  | to the big oak tree | vn mix-22.1-2 «NP V NP PP.co-patient»: agent=Agent swing=Patient to tree=Co-Patient |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Tarzan and Jane meet in the jungle.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:tarzan:x7:1
# text = Tarzan and Jane meet in the jungle.
1	Tarzan	Tarzan	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
2	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	3	cc	_	_
3	Jane	Jane	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	1	conj	_	_
4	meet	meet	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	in	in	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	jungle	jungle	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **meet** | present | Tarzan and Jane |  |  | the jungle |  |  | vn meet-36.3-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

<!-- 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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