---
title: unwritten — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «unwritten» in the school dictionary: Unwritten means not written down; existing only in speech or memory. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# unwritten

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** Unwritten, unwritten rule, nobody, It, languages, ending · **What happens:** mean, not write down, exist, be, follow, know · **To what, where:** speech, one, rule, unwritten rule, chair, UK · **Speech:** someone speaks here

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

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Unwritten means not written down; existing only in speech or memory.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:unwritten:m1:1
# text = Unwritten means not written down; existing only in speech or memory.
1	Unwritten	unwritten	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	nsubj	_	_
2	means	mean	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	4	advmod	_	_
4	written	write	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	2	ccomp	_	_
5	down	down	ADP	RP	_	4	compound:prt	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	;	;	PUNCT	,	_	7	punct	_	_
7	existing	exist	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	2	conj	_	_
8	only	only	ADV	RB	_	10	advmod	_	_
9	in	in	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
10	speech	speech	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obj	_	_
11	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	12	cc	_	_
12	memory	memory	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **mean** | present | Unwritten |  |  |  |  |  | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 2 | **not** **write down** | participle |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn scribble-25.2-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 3 | **exist** | gerund | Unwritten *not said here* | speech or memory |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

<!-- .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 -->
An unwritten rule is one that everybody follows or knows, even though nobody wrote it down.

<!-- fold The tree, 16 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:unwritten:m2:1
# text = An unwritten rule is one that everybody follows or knows, even though nobody wrote it down.
1	An	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	unwritten	unwritten	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	rule	rule	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
4	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
5	one	one	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	0	root	_	_
6	that	that	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	8	nsubj	_	_
7	everybody	everybody	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Tot	8	nsubj	_	_
8	follows	follow	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	acl:relcl	_	_
9	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	10	cc	_	_
10	knows	know	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	8	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	15	punct	_	_
12	even	even	ADV	RB	_	15	advmod	_	_
13	though	though	SCONJ	IN	_	15	mark	_	_
14	nobody	nobody	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Neg	15	nsubj	_	_
15	wrote	write	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	10	ccomp	_	_
16	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	15	obj	_	_
17	down	down	ADP	RP	_	15	compound:prt	_	SpaceAfter=No
18	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | a unwritten rule | one |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **follow** | present |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn occur-48.3-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 3 | **know** | present |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn comprehend-87.2-1-1-1 «NP V S\_ING»: agent=Experiencer clause=Stimulus |
| 4 | **write down** | past | nobody | rule |  |  |  |  | vn scribble-25.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent it=Theme |

## Meaning 3 {#m3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Unwritten can also mean not yet written, like an unwritten story or chapter.

<!-- fold The tree, 13 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:unwritten:m3:1
# text = Unwritten can also mean not yet written, like an unwritten story or chapter.
1	Unwritten	unwritten	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	nsubj	_	_
2	can	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	4	aux	_	_
3	also	also	ADV	RB	_	4	advmod	_	_
4	mean	mean	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
5	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	4	advmod	_	_
6	yet	yet	ADV	RB	_	7	advmod	_	_
7	written	write	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	4	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	12	punct	_	_
9	like	like	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
10	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	12	det	_	_
11	unwritten	unwritten	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	12	amod	_	_
12	story	story	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	parataxis	_	_
13	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	14	cc	_	_
14	chapter	chapter	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **not** **mean** | can | Unwritten |  |  |  |  |  | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 2 | **write** *not said to happen* | participle | Unwritten *not said here* |  |  |  | yet |  | vn scribble-25.2-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
It's an unwritten rule not to sit in Grandad's chair.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:unwritten:x1:1
# text = It's an unwritten rule not to sit in Grandad's chair.
1	It	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	5	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	's	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
3	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
4	unwritten	unwritten	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	amod	_	_
5	rule	rule	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
6	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	8	advmod	_	_
7	to	to	PART	TO	_	8	mark	_	_
8	sit	sit	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	5	acl	_	_
9	in	in	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
10	Grandad	Grandad	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	12	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	's	's	PART	POS	_	10	case	_	_
12	chair	chair	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | It | a unwritten rule |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **not** **sit** | to-infinitive |  |  |  | Grandad's chair |  |  | vn assuming\_position-50 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Agent in chair=Location |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The UK is said to have an unwritten constitution.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:unwritten:x2:1
# text = The UK is said to have an unwritten constitution.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	UK	UK	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	aux:pass	_	_
4	said	say	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
5	to	to	PART	TO	_	6	mark	_	_
6	have	have	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	4	xcomp	_	_
7	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
8	unwritten	unwritten	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	9	amod	_	_
9	constitution	constitution	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **say** *speech: assert* | present · passive |  | the UK |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **have** | to-infinitive |  | a unwritten constitution |  |  |  |  | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent constitution=Patient |
| 3 | **unwritten** | participle |  |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Some languages are still unwritten.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:unwritten:x3:1
# text = Some languages are still unwritten.
1	Some	some	DET	DT	PronType=Ind	2	det	_	_
2	languages	language	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	nsubj	_	_
3	are	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
4	still	still	ADV	RB	_	5	advmod	_	_
5	unwritten	unwritten	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present | some languages |  |  |  | still | unwritten *property* | tree rules |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The ending of the story is still unwritten.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:unwritten:x4:1
# text = The ending of the story is still unwritten.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	ending	ending	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	nsubj	_	_
3	of	of	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	story	story	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nmod	_	_
6	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	8	cop	_	_
7	still	still	ADV	RB	_	8	advmod	_	_
8	unwritten	unwritten	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	8	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present | the ending of the story |  |  |  | still | unwritten *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **end** |  |  | the story |  |  |  |  | nom ending «communication transitive»: of=patient |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Queuing at the bus stop is an unwritten rule.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:unwritten:x5:1
# text = Queuing at the bus stop is an unwritten rule.
1	Queuing	queue	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	9	csubj	_	_
2	at	at	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
4	bus	bus	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	compound	_	_
5	stop	stop	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obl	_	_
6	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	9	cop	_	_
7	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
8	unwritten	unwritten	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	9	amod	_	_
9	rule	rule	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	9	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **queue** | gerund |  |  |  | the bus stop |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **is a** | present | Queuing | a unwritten rule |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The old songs were unwritten and passed on by singing.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:unwritten:x6:1
# text = The old songs were unwritten and passed on by singing.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	old	old	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	songs	song	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	nsubj:pass	_	_
4	were	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	5	aux:pass	_	_
5	unwritten	unwritten	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
6	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	7	cc	_	_
7	passed	pass	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	5	conj	_	_
8	on	on	ADP	RP	_	7	compound:prt	_	_
9	by	by	SCONJ	IN	_	10	mark	_	_
10	singing	sing	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	7	advcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **unwritten** | past · passive |  | the old songs |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **pass on** | participle |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn send-11.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent |
| 3 | **sing** *speech: express* | gerund |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn sound\_emission-43.2 «NP V»: agent=Theme |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The response of Uncle Remus led to the earnest recital of a piece of unwritten history that must prove interesting to ethnologists.

<!-- fold The tree, 22 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:unwritten:x7:1
# text = The response of Uncle Remus led to the earnest recital of a piece of unwritten history that must prove interesting to ethnologists.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	response	response	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	_
3	of	of	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
4	Uncle	Uncle	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	5	compound	_	_
5	Remus	Remus	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	2	nmod	_	_
6	led	lead	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
7	to	to	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
9	earnest	earn	ADJ	JJS	Degree=Sup	10	amod	_	_
10	recital	recital	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obl	_	_
11	of	of	ADP	IN	_	13	case	_	_
12	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	13	det	_	_
13	piece	piece	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	nmod	_	_
14	of	of	ADP	IN	_	16	case	_	_
15	unwritten	unwritten	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	16	amod	_	_
16	history	history	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	13	nmod	_	_
17	that	that	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	19	nsubj	_	_
18	must	must	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	19	aux	_	_
19	prove	prove	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	16	acl:relcl	_	_
20	interesting	interesting	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	19	xcomp	_	_
21	to	to	ADP	IN	_	22	case	_	_
22	ethnologists	ethnologist	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	20	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
23	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **lead** | past | the response of Uncle Remus |  |  |  |  | to the earnest recital of a piece of unwritten history | vn result-27.2 «NP V PP»: agent=Precondition to recital=Patient |
| 2 | **prove** | must | unwritten history |  |  |  |  | interesting *property* | vn declare-29.4-1-1 «NP V what S\_INF»: agent=Agent |
| 3 | **recite** |  |  | a piece of unwritten history |  |  |  |  | nom recital «communication transitive»: of=patient |

<!-- 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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