In simple English, to be sentient means displaying and/or having the ability to:
ɪ n WORD_BOUNDARY s ɪ m p ə l WORD_BOUNDARY ɪ ŋ ɡ l ɪ ʃ WORD_BOUNDARY t ə b i WORD_BOUNDARY s ɛ n ʃ ə n t WORD_BOUNDARY m iː n z WORD_BOUNDARY d ɪ s p l eɪ ɪ ŋ WORD_BOUNDARY æ n d WORD_BOUNDARY s l æ ʃ WORD_BOUNDARY ɔ ɹ WORD_BOUNDARY h æ v ɪ ŋ WORD_BOUNDARY ð ɪ WORD_BOUNDARY ʌ b ɪ l ə t i WORD_BOUNDARY t uː WORD_BOUNDARY