---
title: tonal — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «tonal» in the school dictionary: Tonal means to do with tone: the sound, pitch or quality of something. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# tonal

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** Tonal, tonal language, Mandarin, we, piano, English · **What happens:** mean, do, use, change, shade, be · **To what, where:** rise, meaning, word, art, colour, tonal language · **Speech:** someone speaks here

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

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Tonal means to do with tone: the sound, pitch or quality of something.

<!-- fold The tree, 13 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:tonal:m1:1
# text = Tonal means to do with tone: the sound, pitch or quality of something.
1	Tonal	tonal	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	nsubj	_	_
2	means	mean	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	to	to	PART	TO	_	4	mark	_	_
4	do	do	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	2	ccomp	_	_
5	with	with	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
6	tone	tone	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	9	punct	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	sound	sound	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	11	punct	_	_
11	pitch	pitch	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	conj	_	_
12	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	13	cc	_	_
13	quality	quality	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	conj	_	_
14	of	of	ADP	IN	_	15	case	_	_
15	something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	13	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **mean** | present | Tonal |  |  |  |  |  | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V S\_INF»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 2 | **do** *not said to happen* | to-infinitive |  |  |  |  |  | with tone and the sound and pitch or quality of something | vn act-114-1 «NP V»: 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}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A tonal language uses the rise and fall of the voice to change the meaning of a word, like Mandarin Chinese.

<!-- fold The tree, 21 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:tonal:m2:1
# text = A tonal language uses the rise and fall of the voice to change the meaning of a word, like Mandarin Chinese.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	tonal	tonal	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	language	language	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
4	uses	use	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	rise	rise	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obj	_	_
7	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	8	cc	_	_
8	fall	fall	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	conj	_	_
9	of	of	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
10	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
11	voice	voice	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	nmod	_	_
12	to	to	PART	TO	_	13	mark	_	_
13	change	change	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	4	advcl	_	_
14	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	15	det	_	_
15	meaning	meaning	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	13	obj	_	_
16	of	of	ADP	IN	_	18	case	_	_
17	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	18	det	_	_
18	word	word	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	15	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
19	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	21	punct	_	_
20	like	like	ADP	IN	_	21	case	_	_
21	Mandarin	Mandarin	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	18	appos	_	_
22	Chinese	Chinese	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	21	flat	_	SpaceAfter=No
23	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **use** | present | a tonal language | the rise and fall of the voice |  |  |  |  | vn eat-39.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent rise=Patient |
| 2 | **change** | to-infinitive | a tonal language *not said here* | the meaning of a word |  |  |  |  | vn dress-41.1.1-1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent meaning=Patient |
| 3 | **mean** |  |  | a word |  |  |  |  | nom meaning «communication transitive»: of=patient |

## Meaning 3 {#m3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
In art, tonal means to do with light and dark shades of a colour.

<!-- fold The tree, 14 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:tonal:m3:1
# text = In art, tonal means to do with light and dark shades of a colour.
1	In	in	ADP	IN	_	2	case	_	_
2	art	art	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	2	punct	_	_
4	tonal	tonal	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	nsubj	_	_
5	means	mean	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
6	to	to	PART	TO	_	7	mark	_	_
7	do	do	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	5	ccomp	_	_
8	with	with	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
9	light	light	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obl	_	_
10	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	12	cc	_	_
11	dark	dark	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	12	amod	_	_
12	shades	shade	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	9	conj	_	_
13	of	of	ADP	IN	_	15	case	_	_
14	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	15	det	_	_
15	colour	colour	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **mean** | present | tonal |  |  | art |  |  | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V S\_INF»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 2 | **do** *not said to happen* | to-infinitive |  |  |  |  |  | with light and dark shades of a colour | vn act-114-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 3 | **shade** |  |  | a colour |  |  |  |  | nom shade «state transitive»: of=patient |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Mandarin is a tonal language with four main tones.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:tonal:x1:1
# text = Mandarin is a tonal language with four main tones.
1	Mandarin	Mandarin	PROPN	NNP	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	tonal	tonal	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	amod	_	_
5	language	language	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
6	with	with	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
7	four	four	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	9	nummod	_	_
8	main	main	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	9	amod	_	_
9	tones	tone	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | Mandarin | a tonal language |  |  |  | with four main tones | tree rules |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
In art we did tonal shading with a pencil, from dark to light.

<!-- fold The tree, 13 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:tonal:x2:1
# text = In art we did tonal shading with a pencil, from dark to light.
1	In	in	ADP	IN	_	2	case	_	_
2	art	art	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	_
3	we	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	4	nsubj	_	_
4	did	do	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	tonal	tonal	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	xcomp	_	_
6	shading	shade	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	4	advcl	_	_
7	with	with	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
8	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	pencil	pencil	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	12	punct	_	_
11	from	from	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
12	dark	dark	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	conj	_	_
13	to	to	ADP	IN	_	14	case	_	_
14	light	light	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **do** | past | we |  |  | art |  | tonal *property* | vn act-114-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **shade** | gerund | we *not said here* |  |  |  |  | with a pencil | vn defend-72.3 «NP V S\_ING»: agent=Agent |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The piano has a warm tonal quality.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:tonal:x3:1
# text = The piano has a warm tonal quality.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	piano	piano	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	has	have	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
5	warm	warm	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
6	tonal	tonal	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
7	quality	quality	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **have** | present | the piano | a warm tonal quality |  |  |  |  | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent quality=Patient |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
English is not a tonal language, though our voice rises in questions.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:tonal:x4:1
# text = English is not a tonal language, though our voice rises in questions.
1	English	English	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	_
2	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	cop	_	_
3	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	6	advmod	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
5	tonal	tonal	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
6	language	language	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	11	punct	_	_
8	though	though	SCONJ	IN	_	11	mark	_	_
9	our	our	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Plur|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	10	nmod:poss	_	_
10	voice	voice	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	nsubj	_	_
11	rises	rise	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	advcl	_	_
12	in	in	ADP	IN	_	13	case	_	_
13	questions	question	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	11	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **not** **is a** | present | English | a tonal language |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **rise** | present | our voice |  |  | questions |  |  | vn assuming\_position-50 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Agent in question=Location |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Make a tonal scale with five boxes.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:tonal:x5:1
# text = Make a tonal scale with five boxes.
1	Make	make	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
2	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
3	tonal	tonal	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	amod	_	_
4	scale	scale	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obj	_	_
5	with	with	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	five	five	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	7	nummod	_	_
7	boxes	box	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	1	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **make** | imperative | you *not said here* | a tonal scale |  |  |  | with five boxes | vn build-26.1-1 «NP.asset V NP»: agent=Asset scale=Product |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The singer's tonal range is wide.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:tonal:x6:1
# text = The singer's tonal range is wide.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	singer	singer	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	's	's	PART	POS	_	2	case	_	_
4	tonal	tonal	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	amod	_	_
5	range	range	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nsubj	_	_
6	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	7	cop	_	_
7	wide	wide	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** | present | the singer's tonal range |  |  |  |  | wide *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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