---
title: viola — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «viola» in the school dictionary: A viola is a string instrument like a violin but a little bigger, with a deeper, warmer sound; it is played with a bow and held under the chin. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# viola

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** viola, Shakespeare, I, Viola players, We · **What happens:** be, play, hold, name, sound, read · **To what, where:** string instrument, viola, chin, small garden flower, name, school orchestra

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

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A viola is a string instrument like a violin but a little bigger, with a deeper, warmer sound; it is played with a bow and held under the chin.

<!-- fold The tree, 29 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:viola:m1:1
# text = A viola is a string instrument like a violin but a little bigger, with a deeper, warmer sound; it is played with a bow and held under the chin.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	viola	viola	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	cop	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
5	string	string	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	compound	_	_
6	instrument	instrument	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
7	like	like	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
8	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	violin	violin	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nmod	_	_
10	but	but	CCONJ	CC	_	13	cc	_	_
11	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	12	det	_	_
12	little	little	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	13	obl:unmarked	_	_
13	bigger	big	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp	9	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	20	punct	_	_
15	with	with	ADP	IN	_	20	case	_	_
16	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	20	det	_	_
17	deeper	deep	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp	20	amod	_	SpaceAfter=No
18	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	17	punct	_	_
19	warmer	warm	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp	20	amod	_	_
20	sound	sound	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	13	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
21	;	;	PUNCT	:	_	24	punct	_	_
22	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	24	nsubj:pass	_	_
23	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	24	aux:pass	_	_
24	played	play	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	6	parataxis	_	_
25	with	with	ADP	IN	_	27	case	_	_
26	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	27	det	_	_
27	bow	bow	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	24	obl	_	_
28	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	29	cc	_	_
29	held	hold	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	24	conj	_	_
30	under	under	ADP	IN	_	32	case	_	_
31	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	32	det	_	_
32	chin	chin	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	29	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
33	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | a viola | a string instrument |  |  |  | like a violin | tree rules |
| 2 | **play** | present · passive |  | viola |  |  |  | with a bow | vn play-114.2-1 «NP V NP PP.co-agent»: subject=Theme with bow=Co-Agent |
| 3 | **hold** | past |  |  |  | the chin |  |  | vn exist-47.1 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Theme under chin=Location |

<!-- .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 viola is also a small garden flower, like a little pansy.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:viola:m2:1
# text = A viola is also a small garden flower, like a little pansy.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	viola	viola	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	nsubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	8	cop	_	_
4	also	also	ADV	RB	_	8	advmod	_	_
5	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
6	small	small	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	amod	_	_
7	garden	garden	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	compound	_	_
8	flower	flower	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	13	punct	_	_
10	like	like	ADP	IN	_	13	case	_	_
11	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	13	det	_	_
12	little	little	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	13	amod	_	_
13	pansy	pansy	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	8	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | a viola | a small garden flower and a little pansy |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

## Meaning 3 {#m3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Viola is a girl's name, as in Shakespeare's «Twelfth Night» (a name).

<!-- fold The tree, 14 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:viola:m3:1
# text = Viola is a girl's name, as in Shakespeare's «Twelfth Night» (a name).
1	Viola	Viola	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	_
2	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	cop	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	girl	girl	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	's	's	PART	POS	_	4	case	_	_
6	name	name	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	18	punct	_	_
8	as	as	SCONJ	IN	_	18	mark	_	_
9	in	in	ADP	IN	_	18	case	_	_
10	Shakespeare	Shakespeare	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	18	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	's	's	PART	POS	_	10	case	_	_
12	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	14	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	Twelfth	twelfth	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	14	amod	_	_
14	Night	Night	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	18	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	14	punct	_	_
16	(	(	PUNCT	-LRB-	_	18	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	18	det	_	_
18	name	name	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	appos	_	SpaceAfter=No
19	)	)	PUNCT	-RRB-	_	18	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
20	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | Viola | a girl's name |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **name** |  | Shakespeare |  |  |  |  |  | nom name «communication transitive»: poss=agent |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
I play the viola in the school orchestra.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:viola:x1:1
# text = I play the viola in the school orchestra.
1	I	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	play	play	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=1|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	viola	viola	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
5	in	in	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
7	school	school	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	compound	_	_
8	orchestra	orchestra	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 | **play** | present | I | the viola |  | the school orchestra |  |  | vn use-105.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent viola=Theme |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The viola is a bit bigger than the violin and sounds deeper.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:viola:x2:1
# text = The viola is a bit bigger than the violin and sounds deeper.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	viola	viola	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	cop	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	bit	bit	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obl:unmarked	_	_
6	bigger	big	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp	0	root	_	_
7	than	than	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	violin	violin	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obl	_	_
10	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	11	cc	_	_
11	sounds	sound	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	conj	_	_
12	deeper	deep	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp	11	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present | the viola |  |  |  |  | than the violin; a bit *obl:unmarked*; big *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **sound** | present | the viola *not said here* |  |  |  |  | deep *property* | vn stimulus\_subject-30.4 «NP V ADJ»: agent=Stimulus |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Viola players read music in the alto clef.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:viola:x3:1
# text = Viola players read music in the alto clef.
1	Viola	Viola	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	2	compound	_	_
2	players	player	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	nsubj	_	_
3	read	read	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	music	music	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
5	in	in	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
7	alto	alto	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	compound	_	_
8	clef	clef	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 | **read** | past | Viola players | music |  | the alto clef |  |  | vn transfer\_mesg-37.1.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent music=Topic |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
We planted purple violas in the school garden.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:viola:x4:1
# text = We planted purple violas in the school garden.
1	We	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	planted	plant	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	purple	purple	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	amod	_	_
4	violas	viola	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	obj	_	_
5	in	in	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
7	school	school	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	compound	_	_
8	garden	garden	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 | **plant** | past | We | purple violas |  | the school garden |  |  | vn put-9.1-1 «NP V NP PP.destination»: agent=Agent viola=Theme in garden=Destination |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
In the string family, the viola sits between the violin and the cello.

<!-- fold The tree, 13 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:viola:x5:1
# text = In the string family, the viola sits between the violin and the cello.
1	In	in	ADP	IN	_	4	case	_	_
2	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
3	string	string	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	compound	_	_
4	family	family	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	4	punct	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	viola	viola	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	nsubj	_	_
8	sits	sit	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
9	between	between	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
10	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
11	violin	violin	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	obl	_	_
12	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	14	cc	_	_
13	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	14	det	_	_
14	cello	cello	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	8	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **sit** | present | the viola |  |  | the string family |  | between the violin and the cello | vn assuming\_position-50 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Agent in family=Location |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Viola is the heroine of a play by Shakespeare.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:viola:x6:1
# text = Viola is the heroine of a play by Shakespeare.
1	Viola	Viola	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
2	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	cop	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	heroine	heroine	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
5	of	of	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	play	play	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nmod	_	_
8	by	by	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
9	Shakespeare	Shakespeare	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	7	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | Viola | the heroine |  |  |  | of a play by Shakespeare | tree rules |
| 2 | **play** |  | Shakespeare |  |  |  |  |  | nom play «communication intransitive»: by=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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