The Brown Fairy Book, The Brown Fairy Book, part 8, sentence 105
He looked at the girl he was clasping, and beheld a great black bird standing at his side; he turned to his friends, but a flock of great awkward flapping creatures stood in their place He put up his hands to cover his face, but they were no more hands, only the ends of wings; and when he tried to speak, a noise such as he had never heard before seemed to come from his throat, which had suddenly become narrow and slender.
Who acts: water, great black bird, flock, hands, throat · What happens: look, clasp, behold, stand, turn, put up · To what, where: girl, great black bird, side, place, hands, face · Speech: someone speaks here
This is a sentence of «The Brown Fairy Book» by Andrew Lang, The Brown Fairy Book, part 8. The page gives its syntax tree — a dependency tree in the style of Universal Dependencies — and its pragmatics clause by clause: who acts (water, great black bird, flock, hands), what happens, when and where, as Mova's frames read it from the tree.
Parsed by Mova, not checked by a teacher. This tree is Mova's own parse (the en model, on the CPU, when the site is built); it may be wrong.
The tree
The words, one row each (CoNLL-U)
| # | word | lemma | UPOS | features | head | relation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | He | he | PRON | Case=Nom Gender=Masc Number=Sing Person=3 PronType=Prs | 2 looked | nsubj |
| 2 | looked | look | VERB | Mood=Ind Number=Sing Person=3 Tense=Past VerbForm=Fin | root | root |
| 3 | at | at | ADP | _ | 5 girl | case |
| 4 | the | the | DET | Definite=Def PronType=Art | 5 girl | det |
| 5 | girl | girl | NOUN | Number=Sing | 2 looked | obl |
| 6 | he | he | PRON | Case=Nom Gender=Masc Number=Sing Person=3 PronType=Prs | 8 clasping | nsubj |
| 7 | was | be | AUX | Mood=Ind Number=Sing Person=3 Tense=Past VerbForm=Fin | 8 clasping | aux |
| 8 | clasping | clasp | VERB | Tense=Pres VerbForm=Part | 5 girl | acl:relcl |
| 9 | , | , | PUNCT | _ | 11 beheld | punct |
| 10 | and | and | CCONJ | _ | 11 beheld | cc |
| 11 | beheld | behold | VERB | Mood=Ind Number=Sing Person=3 Tense=Past VerbForm=Fin | 2 looked | conj |
| 12 | a | a | DET | Definite=Ind PronType=Art | 15 bird | det |
| 13 | great | great | ADJ | Degree=Pos | 15 bird | amod |
| 14 | black | black | ADJ | Degree=Pos | 15 bird | amod |
| 15 | bird | bird | NOUN | Number=Sing | 11 beheld | obj |
| 16 | standing | stand | VERB | VerbForm=Ger | 15 bird | acl |
| 17 | at | at | ADP | _ | 19 side | case |
| 18 | his | his | PRON | Case=Gen Gender=Masc Number=Sing Person=3 Poss=Yes PronType=Prs | 19 side | nmod:poss |
| 19 | side | side | NOUN | Number=Sing | 16 standing | obl |
| 20 | ; | ; | PUNCT | _ | 22 turned | punct |
| 21 | he | he | PRON | Case=Nom Gender=Masc Number=Sing Person=3 PronType=Prs | 22 turned | nsubj |
| 22 | turned | turn | VERB | Mood=Ind Number=Sing Person=3 Tense=Past VerbForm=Fin | 2 looked | conj |
| 23 | to | to | ADP | _ | 25 friends | case |
| 24 | his | his | PRON | Case=Gen Gender=Masc Number=Sing Person=3 Poss=Yes PronType=Prs | 25 friends | nmod:poss |
| 25 | friends | friend | NOUN | Number=Plur | 22 turned | obl |
| 26 | , | , | PUNCT | _ | 35 stood | punct |
| 27 | but | but | CCONJ | _ | 35 stood | cc |
| 28 | a | a | DET | Definite=Ind PronType=Art | 29 flock | det |
| 29 | flock | flock | NOUN | Number=Sing | 35 stood | nsubj |
| 30 | of | of | ADP | _ | 34 creatures | case |
| 31 | great | great | ADJ | Degree=Pos | 34 creatures | amod |
| 32 | awkward | awkward | ADJ | Degree=Pos | 34 creatures | amod |
| 33 | flapping | flapping | NOUN | Number=Sing | 34 creatures | compound |
| 34 | creatures | creature | NOUN | Number=Plur | 29 flock | nmod |
| 35 | stood | stand | VERB | Mood=Ind Number=Sing Person=3 Tense=Past VerbForm=Fin | 22 turned | conj |
| 36 | in | in | ADP | _ | 38 place | case |
| 37 | their | their | PRON | Case=Gen Number=Plur Person=3 Poss=Yes PronType=Prs | 38 place | nmod:poss |
| 38 | place | place | NOUN | Number=Sing | 35 stood | obl |
| 39 | He | he | PRON | Case=Nom Gender=Masc Number=Sing Person=3 PronType=Prs | 40 put | nsubj |
| 40 | put | put | VERB | Mood=Ind Number=Sing Person=3 Tense=Past VerbForm=Fin | 35 stood | conj |
| 41 | up | up | ADP | _ | 40 put | compound:prt |
| 42 | his | his | PRON | Case=Gen Gender=Masc Number=Sing Person=3 Poss=Yes PronType=Prs | 43 hands | nmod:poss |
| 43 | hands | hand | NOUN | Number=Plur | 40 put | obj |
| 44 | to | to | PART | _ | 45 cover | mark |
| 45 | cover | cover | VERB | VerbForm=Inf | 40 put | advcl |
| 46 | his | his | PRON | Case=Gen Gender=Masc Number=Sing Person=3 Poss=Yes PronType=Prs | 47 face | nmod:poss |
| 47 | face | face | NOUN | Number=Sing | 45 cover | obj |
| 48 | , | , | PUNCT | _ | 54 hands | punct |
| 49 | but | but | CCONJ | _ | 54 hands | cc |
| 50 | they | they | PRON | Case=Nom Number=Plur Person=3 PronType=Prs | 54 hands | nsubj |
| 51 | were | be | AUX | Mood=Ind Number=Plur Person=3 Tense=Past VerbForm=Fin | 54 hands | cop |
| 52 | no | no | ADV | _ | 54 hands | advmod |
| 53 | more | more | ADJ | Degree=Cmp | 54 hands | amod |
| 54 | hands | hand | NOUN | Number=Plur | 22 turned | obl |
| 55 | , | , | PUNCT | _ | 58 ends | punct |
| 56 | only | only | ADV | _ | 58 ends | advmod |
| 57 | the | the | DET | Definite=Def PronType=Art | 58 ends | det |
| 58 | ends | end | NOUN | Number=Plur | 54 hands | conj |
| 59 | of | of | ADP | _ | 60 wings | case |
| 60 | wings | wing | NOUN | Number=Plur | 58 ends | nmod |
| 61 | ; | ; | PUNCT | _ | 65 tried | punct |
| 62 | and | and | CCONJ | _ | 65 tried | cc |
| 63 | when | when | ADV | PronType=Int | 65 tried | advmod |
| 64 | he | he | PRON | Case=Nom Gender=Masc Number=Sing Person=3 PronType=Prs | 65 tried | nsubj |
| 65 | tried | try | VERB | Mood=Ind Number=Sing Person=3 Tense=Past VerbForm=Fin | 2 looked | conj |
| 66 | to | to | PART | _ | 67 speak | mark |
| 67 | speak | speak | VERB | VerbForm=Inf | 65 tried | xcomp |
| 68 | , | , | PUNCT | _ | 70 noise | punct |
| 69 | a | a | DET | Definite=Ind PronType=Art | 70 noise | det |
| 70 | noise | noise | NOUN | Number=Sing | 67 speak | obj |
| 71 | such | such | ADJ | Degree=Pos ExtPos=SCONJ | 76 heard | mark |
| 72 | as | as | ADP | _ | 71 such | fixed |
| 73 | he | he | PRON | Case=Nom Gender=Masc Number=Sing Person=3 PronType=Prs | 76 heard | nsubj |
| 74 | had | have | AUX | Mood=Ind Number=Sing Person=3 Tense=Past VerbForm=Fin | 76 heard | aux |
| 75 | never | never | ADV | PronType=Neg | 76 heard | advmod |
| 76 | heard | hear | VERB | Tense=Past VerbForm=Part | 70 noise | acl:relcl |
| 77 | before | before | SCONJ | _ | 78 seemed | mark |
| 78 | seemed | seem | VERB | Mood=Ind Tense=Past VerbForm=Fin | 76 heard | ccomp |
| 79 | to | to | PART | _ | 80 come | mark |
| 80 | come | come | VERB | VerbForm=Inf | 78 seemed | xcomp |
| 81 | from | from | ADP | _ | 83 throat | case |
| 82 | his | his | PRON | Case=Gen Gender=Masc Number=Sing Person=3 Poss=Yes PronType=Prs | 83 throat | nmod:poss |
| 83 | throat | throat | NOUN | Number=Sing | 80 come | obl |
| 84 | , | , | PUNCT | _ | 88 become | punct |
| 85 | which | which | PRON | PronType=Rel | 88 become | nsubj |
| 86 | had | have | AUX | Mood=Ind Number=Sing Person=3 Tense=Past VerbForm=Fin | 88 become | aux |
| 87 | suddenly | suddenly | ADV | _ | 88 become | advmod |
| 88 | become | become | VERB | Tense=Past VerbForm=Part | 83 throat | acl:relcl |
| 89 | narrow | narrow | ADJ | Degree=Pos | 88 become | xcomp |
| 90 | and | and | CCONJ | _ | 91 slender | cc |
| 91 | slender | slender | ADJ | Degree=Pos | 89 narrow | conj |
| 92 | . | . | PUNCT | _ | 2 looked | punct |
Pragmatics
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | look | past | water | at the girl | vn peer-30.3 «NP V PP.theme»: agent=Agent at girl=Theme | ||||
| 2 | clasp | past · progressive | water | the girl not said here | vn hold-15.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent girl=Theme | ||||
| 3 | behold | past | water not said here | a great black bird | vn sight-30.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Experiencer bird=Stimulus | ||||
| 4 | stand | gerund | a great black bird not said here | water's side | vn assuming_position-50 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Agent at side=Location | ||||
| 5 | turn | past | water | to water's friends result | vn roll-51.3.1 «NP V PP.result»: agent=Theme to friend=Result | ||||
| 6 | stand | past | a flock of great awkward flapping creatures | friends's place | vn assuming_position-50 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Agent in place=Location | ||||
| 7 | put up | past | water | water's hands | vn invest-13.5.4-1 «NP V PP»: agent=Agent hand=Goal | ||||
| 8 | cover | to-infinitive | water not said here | water's face | vn fill-9.8-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Theme face=Destination | ||||
| 9 | not is a | past | hands = hand | more hands and the ends of wings | tree rules | ||||
| 10 | try | past | water | vn try-61.1 «NP V S_INF»: agent=Agent clause=Eventuality | |||||
| 11 | speak speech: other not said to happen | to-infinitive | water not said here | a noise | tree rules | ||||
| 12 | not hear | past · perfect | water | a noise not said here | tree rules | ||||
| 13 | seem | past | vn seem-109-1-1-1 «NP V S_INF»: agent=Theme clause=Attribute | ||||||
| 14 | come | to-infinitive | water's throat | vn escape-51.1-1 «NP V PP.initial_location»: agent=Theme from throat=Initial_Location | |||||
| 15 | become | past · perfect | water's throat | narrow, suddenly property | vn become-109.1-1-1 «NP V PP.attribute»: agent=Patient |
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.
Text: «The Brown Fairy Book» by Andrew Lang, Project Gutenberg book 3282 (public domain in the USA). Tree: Mova's own parse, Elamur Cosmic License. Frames: Mova's frames reader (prag), the chapter read in order.
This page in Markdown → https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg3282/8/105/