---
title: welwitschia — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «welwitschia» in the school dictionary: A very strange desert plant from Namibia and Angola in south-west Africa that has only two long, leathery leaves. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# welwitschia

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** that, leaves, welwitschia, teacher, welwitschias, Kew · **What happens:** have, keep, grow, tear, curl, think · **To what, where:** two long leathery leaves, base, messy heap, welwitschias, two leaves, picture

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

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A very strange desert plant from Namibia and Angola in south-west Africa that has only two long, leathery leaves.

<!-- fold The tree, 20 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:welwitschia:m1:1
# text = A very strange desert plant from Namibia and Angola in south-west Africa that has only two long, leathery leaves.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
2	very	very	ADV	RB	_	3	advmod	_	_
3	strange	strange	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	amod	_	_
4	desert	desert	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	compound	_	_
5	plant	plant	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
6	from	from	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
7	Namibia	Namibia	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	5	nmod	_	_
8	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	9	cc	_	_
9	Angola	Angola	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	7	conj	_	_
10	in	in	ADP	IN	_	14	case	_	_
11	south	south	ADV	RB	_	13	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	-	-	PUNCT	HYPH	_	11	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	west	west	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	14	amod	_	_
14	Africa	Africa	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	9	nmod	_	_
15	that	that	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	16	nsubj	_	_
16	has	have	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	parataxis	_	_
17	only	only	ADV	RB	_	18	advmod	_	_
18	two	two	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	22	nummod	_	_
19	long	long	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	22	amod	_	SpaceAfter=No
20	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	19	punct	_	_
21	leathery	leathery	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	22	amod	_	_
22	leaves	leaf	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	16	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
23	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **have** | present | that | two long leathery leaves |  |  |  |  | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent leaf=Patient |

<!-- .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 -->
The leaves keep growing from the base for its whole life, getting torn and curled into a messy heap.

<!-- fold The tree, 19 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:welwitschia:m2:1
# text = The leaves keep growing from the base for its whole life, getting torn and curled into a messy heap.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	leaves	leaf	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	nsubj	_	_
3	keep	keep	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	growing	grow	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	3	xcomp	_	_
5	from	from	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	base	base	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	_
8	for	for	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
9	its	its	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	11	nmod:poss	_	_
10	whole	whole	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	11	amod	_	_
11	life	life	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	14	punct	_	_
13	getting	get	AUX	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	14	aux:pass	_	_
14	torn	tear	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	3	parataxis	_	_
15	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	16	cc	_	_
16	curled	curl	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	14	conj	_	_
17	into	into	ADP	IN	_	20	case	_	_
18	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	20	det	_	_
19	messy	messy	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	20	amod	_	_
20	heap	heap	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	16	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
21	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **keep** | present | the leaves |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **grow** | gerund | the leaves *not said here* |  |  | the base |  | for base's whole life | vn build-26.1 «NP V NP PP.material PP.beneficiary»: agent=Agent from base=Material for life=Beneficiary |
| 3 | **tear** | gerund · passive |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn run-51.3.2 «NP V» |
| 4 | **curl** | participle |  |  |  | a messy heap |  |  | vn coil-9.6-1 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Theme into heap=Destination |

## Meaning 3 {#m3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Some welwitschias are thought to be well over a thousand years old.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:welwitschia:m3:1
# text = Some welwitschias are thought to be well over a thousand years old.
1	Some	some	DET	DT	PronType=Ind	2	det	_	_
2	welwitschias	welwitschia	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	nsubj:pass	_	_
3	are	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	aux:pass	_	_
4	thought	think	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
5	to	to	PART	TO	_	12	mark	_	_
6	be	be	AUX	VB	VerbForm=Inf	12	cop	_	_
7	well	well	ADV	RB	Degree=Pos	12	advmod	_	_
8	over	over	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
9	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	thousand	thousand	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	11	nummod	_	_
11	years	year	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	12	obl:unmarked	_	_
12	old	old	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **think** *speech: other* | present · passive |  | some welwitschias |  |  |  |  | vn wish-62 «NP V NP»: subject=Theme |
| 2 | **is** | to-infinitive |  |  |  |  | year | old, well *property* | tree rules |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The welwitschia has only two leaves, but they never stop growing.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:welwitschia:x1:1
# text = The welwitschia has only two leaves, but they never stop growing.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	welwitschia	welwitschia	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	has	have	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	only	only	ADV	RB	_	5	advmod	_	_
5	two	two	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	6	nummod	_	_
6	leaves	leaf	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	11	punct	_	_
8	but	but	CCONJ	CC	_	11	cc	_	_
9	they	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	11	nsubj	_	_
10	never	never	ADV	RB	PronType=Neg	11	advmod	_	_
11	stop	stop	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	parataxis	_	_
12	growing	grow	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	11	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **have** | present | the welwitschia | two leaves |  |  |  |  | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent leaf=Patient |
| 2 | **not** **stop** | present | leaves *= leaf* |  |  |  |  |  | vn stop-55.4-1-1 «NP V S\_ING»: agent=Affector clause=Eventuality |
| 3 | **grow** | gerund | leaves *= leaf* *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn appear-48.1.1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Our teacher showed us a picture of a welwitschia in the Namib Desert.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:welwitschia:x2:1
# text = Our teacher showed us a picture of a welwitschia in the Namib Desert.
1	Our	our	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Plur|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	2	nmod:poss	_	_
2	teacher	teacher	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	showed	show	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	us	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	3	iobj	_	_
5	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	picture	picture	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
7	of	of	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
8	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	welwitschia	welwitschia	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nmod	_	_
10	in	in	ADP	IN	_	13	case	_	_
11	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	13	det	_	_
12	Namib	Namib	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	13	compound	_	_
13	Desert	Desert	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	9	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **show** | past | Our teacher | a picture of a welwitschia in the Namib Desert | us |  |  |  | vn transfer\_mesg-37.1.1-1-1 «NP V NP-Dative NP»: agent=Agent we=Recipient picture=Topic |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The welwitschia drinks water from the morning fog.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:welwitschia:x3:1
# text = The welwitschia drinks water from the morning fog.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	welwitschia	welwitschia	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	drinks	drink	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	water	water	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
5	from	from	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
7	morning	morning	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	compound	_	_
8	fog	fog	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 | **drink** | present | the welwitschia | water |  | the morning fog |  |  | vn eat-39.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent water=Patient |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Some welwitschias may be over a thousand years old.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:welwitschia:x4:1
# text = Some welwitschias may be over a thousand years old.
1	Some	some	DET	DT	PronType=Ind	2	det	_	_
2	welwitschias	welwitschia	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	9	nsubj	_	_
3	may	may	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	9	aux	_	_
4	be	be	AUX	VB	VerbForm=Inf	9	cop	_	_
5	over	over	ADV	RB	_	7	advmod	_	_
6	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	thousand	thousand	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	8	nummod	_	_
8	years	year	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	9	obl:unmarked	_	_
9	old	old	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	9	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | may | some welwitschias |  |  |  | year | old *property* | tree rules |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The leaves of the welwitschia look like a tangled pile of ribbons.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:welwitschia:x5:1
# text = The leaves of the welwitschia look like a tangled pile of ribbons.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	leaves	leaf	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	nsubj	_	_
3	of	of	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	welwitschia	welwitschia	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nmod	_	_
6	look	look	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
7	like	like	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
8	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
9	tangled	tangle	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	10	amod	_	_
10	pile	pile	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obl	_	_
11	of	of	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
12	ribbons	ribbon	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	10	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **look** | infinitive | the leaves of the welwitschia |  |  |  |  | like a tangled pile of ribbons | vn stimulus\_subject-30.4 «NP V PP.attribute»: agent=Stimulus |
| 2 | **tangle** | participle |  |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Kew Gardens in London grows a welwitschia in a glasshouse.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:welwitschia:x6:1
# text = Kew Gardens in London grows a welwitschia in a glasshouse.
1	Kew	Kew	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
2	Gardens	Garden	PROPN	NNPS	Number=Plur	1	flat	_	_
3	in	in	ADP	IN	_	4	case	_	_
4	London	London	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	1	nmod	_	_
5	grows	grow	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
6	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	welwitschia	welwitschia	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obj	_	_
8	in	in	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
9	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	glasshouse	glasshouse	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **grow** | present | Kew in London | a welwitschia |  | a glasshouse |  |  | vn appear-48.1.1 «PP.location V NP»: agent=Location welwitschia=Theme |

<!-- 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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