---
title: towny — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «towny» in the school dictionary: Towny describes someone or something that belongs to the town, not the countryside, or that likes town life (informal). Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# towny

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** Towny, that, country people, farm kids, towny boy, Gran · **What happens:** describe, belong, like, spell, be, see · **To what, where:** someone, town life, person, town, students, us · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
«towny» in the school dictionary: its 2 meanings for a pupil and its 5 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: [towny in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/towny.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Towny describes someone or something that belongs to the town, not the countryside, or that likes town life (informal).

<!-- fold The tree, 19 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:towny:m1:1
# text = Towny describes someone or something that belongs to the town, not the countryside, or that likes town life (informal).
1	Towny	Towny	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	2	nsubj	_	_
2	describes	describe	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	someone	someone	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	2	obj	_	_
4	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	5	cc	_	_
5	something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	3	conj	_	_
6	that	that	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	7	nsubj	_	_
7	belongs	belong	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	acl:relcl	_	_
8	to	to	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
9	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	town	town	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	14	punct	_	_
12	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	14	advmod	_	_
13	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	14	det	_	_
14	countryside	countryside	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	18	punct	_	_
16	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	18	cc	_	_
17	that	that	PRON	DT	Number=Sing|PronType=Dem	18	nsubj	_	_
18	likes	like	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	2	conj	_	_
19	town	town	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	20	compound	_	_
20	life	life	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	18	obj	_	_
21	(	(	PUNCT	-LRB-	_	22	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
22	informal	informal	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	20	amod	_	SpaceAfter=No
23	)	)	PUNCT	-RRB-	_	22	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
24	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **describe** | present | Towny | someone |  |  |  |  | vn characterize-29.2-1-1 «NP V NP S\_ING»: agent=Agent someone=Theme |
| 2 | **belong** | present |  |  |  |  |  | to the town and the countryside | vn attend-107.4-2 «NP V PP»: agent=Theme |
| 3 | **like** | present | that | town life |  |  |  |  | vn want-32.1-1-1 «NP V NP ADV»: agent=Pivot life=Theme |

<!-- .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 towny (often spelled townie) is a person from the town, especially as country people or students see them (informal, sometimes unkind).

<!-- fold The tree, 22 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:towny:m2:1
# text = A towny (often spelled townie) is a person from the town, especially as country people or students see them (informal, sometimes unkind).
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	towny	towny	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	nsubj	_	_
3	(	(	PUNCT	-LRB-	_	6	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	often	often	ADV	RB	_	5	advmod	_	_
5	spelled	spell	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	6	amod	_	_
6	townie	townie	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	appos	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	)	)	PUNCT	-RRB-	_	6	punct	_	_
8	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	10	cop	_	_
9	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	person	person	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
11	from	from	ADP	IN	_	13	case	_	_
12	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	13	det	_	_
13	town	town	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	18	punct	_	_
15	especially	especially	ADV	RB	_	18	advmod	_	_
16	as	as	ADP	IN	_	18	case	_	_
17	country	country	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	18	compound	_	_
18	people	people	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	21	nsubj	_	_
19	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	20	cc	_	_
20	students	student	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	18	conj	_	_
21	see	see	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	10	parataxis	_	_
22	them	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	21	obj	_	_
23	(	(	PUNCT	-LRB-	_	24	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
24	informal	informal	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	10	parataxis	_	SpaceAfter=No
25	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	27	punct	_	_
26	sometimes	sometimes	ADV	RB	PronType=Ind	27	advmod	_	_
27	unkind	unkind	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	24	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
28	)	)	PUNCT	-RRB-	_	24	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
29	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	10	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **spell** | participle |  |  |  |  |  | often *property* | vn pronounce-29.3.1 «NP V NP ADVP»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **is a** | present | a towny | a person |  | the town |  |  | tree rules |
| 3 | **see** | present | country people or students | students *= student* |  |  |  |  | vn comprehend-87.2-1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Experiencer they=Stimulus |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The farm kids laughed at the towny boy who was scared of the sheep.

<!-- fold The tree, 14 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:towny:x1:1
# text = The farm kids laughed at the towny boy who was scared of the sheep.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	farm	farm	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	compound	_	_
3	kids	kid	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	nsubj	_	_
4	laughed	laugh	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	at	at	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
7	towny	towny	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	compound	_	_
8	boy	boy	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	_
9	who	who	PRON	WP	PronType=Rel	11	nsubj	_	_
10	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	11	cop	_	_
11	scared	scared	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	acl:relcl	_	_
12	of	of	ADP	IN	_	14	case	_	_
13	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	14	det	_	_
14	sheep	sheep	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	11	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **laugh** | past | the farm kids |  |  |  |  | at the towny boy | vn nonverbal\_expression-40.2 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **is** | past | the towny boy |  |  |  |  | of the sheep; scared *property* | tree rules |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Gran calls us townies when we visit her village.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:towny:x2:1
# text = Gran calls us townies when we visit her village.
1	Gran	Gran	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	2	nsubj	_	_
2	calls	call	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	us	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	2	obj	_	_
4	townies	townie	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	xcomp	_	_
5	when	when	SCONJ	WRB	_	7	mark	_	_
6	we	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	7	nsubj	_	_
7	visit	visit	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=1|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	2	advcl	_	_
8	her	her	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	9	nmod:poss	_	_
9	village	village	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **call** | present | Gran |  | us |  |  |  | vn initiate\_communication-37.4.2-1 «NP V NP.recipient»: agent=Agent we=Recipient |
| 2 | **visit** | present | we | Gran's village |  |  |  |  | vn meet-36.3-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent village=Co-Agent |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The towny clothes looked strange in the muddy field.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:towny:x3:1
# text = The towny clothes looked strange in the muddy field.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	towny	towny	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	compound	_	_
3	clothes	clothes	NOUN	NNS	Number=Ptan	4	nsubj	_	_
4	looked	look	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	strange	strange	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	xcomp	_	_
6	in	in	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
8	muddy	muddy	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	9	amod	_	_
9	field	field	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **look** | past | the towny clothes |  |  |  |  | in the muddy field; strange *property* | vn peer-30.3 «NP V PP.theme»: agent=Agent in field=Theme |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
She is too towny to enjoy camping.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:towny:x4:1
# text = She is too towny to enjoy camping.
1	She	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	4	nsubj	_	_
2	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	cop	_	_
3	too	too	ADV	RB	_	4	advmod	_	_
4	towny	towny	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	_
5	to	to	PART	TO	_	6	mark	_	_
6	enjoy	enjoy	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	4	csubj	_	_
7	camping	camp	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	6	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present | She |  |  |  |  | towny *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **enjoy** | to-infinitive |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn admire-31.2 «NP V S\_ING»: agent=Experiencer clause=Stimulus |
| 3 | **camp** | gerund |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn odge-46-1 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Theme |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The students and the townies played a football match.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:towny:x5:1
# text = The students and the townies played a football match.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	students	student	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	nsubj	_	_
3	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	5	cc	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	townies	townie	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	conj	_	_
6	played	play	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
7	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
8	football	football	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	compound	_	_
9	match	match	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **play** | past | the students and the townies | a football match |  |  |  |  | vn use-105.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent match=Theme |

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**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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