---
title: twang — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «twang» in the school dictionary: A twang is a sharp, ringing sound like the sound of a tight string being plucked. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# twang

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** twang, way, voice, string, guitar string, He · **What happens:** be, ring, pluck, speak, sound, twang · **To what, where:** sound, tight string, way, nose, string, loud twang · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
«twang» in the school dictionary: its 3 meanings for a pupil and its 8 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: [twang in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/twang.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A twang is a sharp, ringing sound like the sound of a tight string being plucked.

<!-- fold The tree, 16 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:twang:m1:1
# text = A twang is a sharp, ringing sound like the sound of a tight string being plucked.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	twang	twang	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	sharp	sharp	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	7	punct	_	_
7	ringing	ring	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	5	advcl	_	_
8	sound	sound	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obj	_	_
9	like	like	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
10	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
11	sound	sound	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obl	_	_
12	of	of	ADP	IN	_	15	case	_	_
13	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	15	det	_	_
14	tight	tight	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	15	amod	_	_
15	string	string	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	nmod	_	_
16	being	be	AUX	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	17	aux:pass	_	_
17	plucked	pluck	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	15	acl	_	SpaceAfter=No
18	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present | a twang |  |  |  |  | sharp *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **ring** | gerund | a twang *not said here* | sound |  |  |  | like the sound of a tight string | vn sound\_emission-43.2 «PP.location V NP»: agent=Location sound=Theme |
| 3 | **pluck** | gerund · passive |  | a tight string *not said here* |  |  |  |  | vn wipe\_manner-10.4.1-1 «NP V PP-Conative» |

<!-- .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 twang is a way of speaking where the voice sounds partly through the nose, often part of an accent: «a Southern twang».

<!-- fold The tree, 23 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:twang:m2:1
# text = A twang is a way of speaking where the voice sounds partly through the nose, often part of an accent: «a Southern twang».
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	twang	twang	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	way	way	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
6	of	of	SCONJ	IN	_	7	mark	_	_
7	speaking	speak	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	5	acl	_	_
8	where	where	ADV	WRB	PronType=Rel	11	advmod	_	_
9	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	voice	voice	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	nsubj	_	_
11	sounds	sound	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	7	ccomp	_	_
12	partly	partly	ADV	RB	_	11	advmod	_	_
13	through	through	ADP	IN	_	15	case	_	_
14	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	15	det	_	_
15	nose	nose	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	18	punct	_	_
17	often	often	ADV	RB	_	18	advmod	_	_
18	part	part	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	15	conj	_	_
19	of	of	ADP	IN	_	21	case	_	_
20	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	21	det	_	_
21	accent	accent	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	18	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
22	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	26	punct	_	_
23	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	26	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
24	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	26	det	_	_
25	Southern	southern	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	26	amod	_	_
26	twang	twang	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	parataxis	_	SpaceAfter=No
27	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	26	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
28	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | a twang | a way |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **speak** *speech: other* | gerund | a way *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 3 | **sound** | present | the voice |  |  | the nose and part of a accent |  | partly *property* | vn sound\_emission-43.2 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Theme through nose=Location |

## Meaning 3 {#m3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
To twang is to make that sound, or to pluck a string so it makes it.

<!-- fold The tree, 16 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:twang:m3:1
# text = To twang is to make that sound, or to pluck a string so it makes it.
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	2	mark	_	_
2	twang	twang	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	5	csubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
4	to	to	PART	TO	_	5	mark	_	_
5	make	make	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
6	that	that	DET	DT	Number=Sing|PronType=Dem	7	det	_	_
7	sound	sound	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	11	punct	_	_
9	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	11	cc	_	_
10	to	to	PART	TO	_	11	mark	_	_
11	pluck	pluck	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	5	conj	_	_
12	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	13	det	_	_
13	string	string	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	obj	_	_
14	so	so	ADV	RB	_	16	advmod	_	_
15	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	16	nsubj	_	_
16	makes	make	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	11	advcl	_	_
17	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	16	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
18	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **twang** | to-infinitive |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn manner\_speaking-37.3 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **is** | present |  |  |  |  |  | make *property* | tree rules |
| 3 | **pluck** | to-infinitive |  | a string |  |  |  |  | vn braid-41.2.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent string=Patient |
| 4 | **make** | present | string | sound |  |  |  |  | vn build-26.1-1 «NP.material V NP»: agent=Material it=Product |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The guitar string made a loud twang.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:twang:x1:1
# text = The guitar string made a loud twang.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	guitar	guitar	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	compound	_	_
3	string	string	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
4	made	make	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
6	loud	loud	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
7	twang	twang	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **make** | past | the guitar string | a loud twang |  |  |  |  | vn build-26.1-1 «NP.asset V NP»: agent=Asset twang=Product |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
He twanged the rubber band across the box.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:twang:x2:1
# text = He twanged the rubber band across the box.
1	He	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	twanged	twang	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
4	rubber	rubber	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	compound	_	_
5	band	band	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
6	across	across	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	box	box	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **twang** | past | He | the rubber band |  | the box |  |  | vn manner\_speaking-37.3 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent band=Topic |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
She spoke with a slight American twang.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:twang:x3:1
# text = She spoke with a slight American twang.
1	She	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	spoke	speak	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	with	with	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
5	slight	slight	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
6	American	American	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
7	twang	twang	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **speak** *speech: other* | past | She |  |  |  |  | with a slight American twang | vn talk-37.5 «NP V PP.co-agent»: agent=Agent with twang=Co-Agent |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The arrow left the bow with a twang.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:twang:x4:1
# text = The arrow left the bow with a twang.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	arrow	arrow	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	left	leave	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	bow	bow	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
6	with	with	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	twang	twang	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **leave** | past | the arrow | the bow |  |  |  | with a twang | vn fulfilling-13.4.1 «NP V NP-Fulfilling PP.theme»: agent=Agent bow=Recipient with twang=Theme |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Stretch the band tighter for a higher twang.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:twang:x5:1
# text = Stretch the band tighter for a higher twang.
1	Stretch	stretch	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
2	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
3	band	band	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obj	_	_
4	tighter	tight	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp	1	parataxis	_	_
5	for	for	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
6	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
7	higher	high	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp	8	amod	_	_
8	twang	twang	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **stretch** | imperative | you *not said here* | the band |  |  |  |  | vn bend-45.2 «NP V NP.patient»: agent=Agent band=Patient |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The banjo twanged in the background.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:twang:x6:1
# text = The banjo twanged in the background.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	banjo	banjo	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
3	twanged	twang	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	2	acl	_	_
4	in	in	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	background	background	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **twang** | participle |  | the banjo *not said here* |  | the background |  |  | vn sound\_emission-43.2 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Theme in background=Location |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Grandpa has a Texan twang.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:twang:x7:1
# text = Grandpa has a Texan twang.
1	Grandpa	Grandpa	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	2	nsubj	_	_
2	has	have	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
4	Texan	texan	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	amod	_	_
5	twang	twang	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

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

## Example 8 {#x8}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
He bent his bow and the sinewy string twanged.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:twang:x8:1
# text = He bent his bow and the sinewy string twanged.
1	He	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	bent	bend	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	his	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	4	nmod:poss	_	_
4	bow	bow	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
5	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	8	cc	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
7	sinewy	sinewy	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	amod	_	_
8	string	string	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	conj	_	_
9	twanged	twang	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	8	acl	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **bend** | past | He | his bow and the sinewy string |  |  |  |  | vn knead-26.5 «NP V NP.material»: agent=Agent bow=Material |
| 2 | **twang** | participle |  | the sinewy string *not said here* |  |  |  |  | vn manner\_speaking-37.3 «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 -->

<!-- pn -->
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