Ikom folk stories from Southern Nigeria, Xv.--what Happened At Okuni When Anyone Was Killed By Accident., sentence 63
The “pourer out” (Ka-ammum (Ingor) pour drink) takes the demijon or calabash of tombo in his right hand and places it on his knee, then he takes a glass or small calabash in his left hand and having poured a little tombo into the glass he presents it to the chief or the head man present, who makes a little speech asking God (Ossor wor) to be good to them to prevent their children from dying, and to give them good yam crops, etc. He then throws the tombo on the ground.
Who acts: Ka ammum, pourer, man present, God · What happens: pour, take, present, make, ask, be · To what, where: drink, demijon, right hand, glass, left hand, little tombo · Speech: someone speaks here
This is a sentence of «Ikom folk stories from Southern Nigeria» by Elphinstone Dayrell, Xv.--what Happened At Okuni When Anyone Was Killed By Accident.. The page gives its syntax tree — a dependency tree in the style of Universal Dependencies — and its pragmatics clause by clause: who acts (Ka ammum, pourer, man present, God), what happens, when and where, as Mova's frames read it from the tree.
Mova's own parse. This tree may be wrong.
The tree
The words, one row each (CoNLL-U)
| # | word | lemma | UPOS | features | head | relation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The | the | DET | Definite=Def PronType=Art | 3 pourer | det |
| 2 | “ | " | PUNCT | _ | 3 pourer | punct |
| 3 | pourer | pourer | NOUN | Number=Sing | 16 takes | nsubj |
| 4 | out | out | ADP | _ | 3 pourer | compound:prt |
| 5 | ” | " | PUNCT | _ | 3 pourer | punct |
| 6 | ( | ( | PUNCT | _ | 9 ammum | punct |
| 7 | Ka | Ka | PROPN | Number=Sing | 9 ammum | compound |
| 8 | - | - | PUNCT | _ | 7 Ka | punct |
| 9 | ammum | ammum | NOUN | Number=Sing | 13 pour | nsubj |
| 10 | ( | ( | PUNCT | _ | 11 Ingor | punct |
| 11 | Ingor | Ingor | PROPN | Number=Sing | 9 ammum | appos |
| 12 | ) | ) | PUNCT | _ | 11 Ingor | punct |
| 13 | pour | pour | VERB | Mood=Ind Number=Plur Person=3 Tense=Pres VerbForm=Fin | 3 pourer | acl:relcl |
| 14 | drink | drink | NOUN | Number=Sing | 13 pour | obj |
| 15 | ) | ) | PUNCT | _ | 13 pour | punct |
| 16 | takes | take | VERB | Mood=Ind Number=Sing Person=3 Tense=Pres VerbForm=Fin | root | root |
| 17 | the | the | DET | Definite=Def PronType=Art | 18 demijon | det |
| 18 | demijon | demijon | NOUN | Number=Sing | 16 takes | obj |
| 19 | or | or | CCONJ | _ | 20 calabash | cc |
| 20 | calabash | calabash | NOUN | Number=Sing | 18 demijon | conj |
| 21 | of | of | ADP | _ | 22 tombo | case |
| 22 | tombo | tombo | NOUN | Number=Sing | 20 calabash | nmod |
| 23 | in | in | ADP | _ | 26 hand | case |
| 24 | his | his | PRON | Case=Gen Gender=Masc Number=Sing Person=3 Poss=Yes PronType=Prs | 26 hand | nmod:poss |
| 25 | right | right | ADJ | Degree=Pos | 26 hand | amod |
| 26 | hand | hand | NOUN | Number=Sing | 16 takes | obl |
| 27 | and | and | CCONJ | _ | 28 places | cc |
| 28 | places | place | NOUN | Number=Plur | 26 hand | conj |
| 29 | it | it | PRON | Case=Acc Gender=Neut Number=Sing Person=3 PronType=Prs | 28 places | obj |
| 30 | on | on | ADP | _ | 32 knee | case |
| 31 | his | his | PRON | Case=Gen Gender=Masc Number=Sing Person=3 Poss=Yes PronType=Prs | 32 knee | nmod:poss |
| 32 | knee | knee | NOUN | Number=Sing | 16 takes | obl |
| 33 | , | , | PUNCT | _ | 36 takes | punct |
| 34 | then | then | ADV | PronType=Dem | 36 takes | advmod |
| 35 | he | he | PRON | Case=Nom Gender=Masc Number=Sing Person=3 PronType=Prs | 36 takes | nsubj |
| 36 | takes | take | VERB | Mood=Ind Number=Sing Person=3 Tense=Pres VerbForm=Fin | 16 takes | parataxis |
| 37 | a | a | DET | Definite=Ind PronType=Art | 38 glass | det |
| 38 | glass | glass | NOUN | Number=Sing | 36 takes | obj |
| 39 | or | or | CCONJ | _ | 41 calabash | cc |
| 40 | small | small | ADJ | Degree=Pos | 41 calabash | amod |
| 41 | calabash | calabash | NOUN | Number=Sing | 38 glass | conj |
| 42 | in | in | ADP | _ | 45 hand | case |
| 43 | his | his | PRON | Case=Gen Gender=Masc Number=Sing Person=3 Poss=Yes PronType=Prs | 45 hand | nmod:poss |
| 44 | left | left | ADJ | Degree=Pos | 45 hand | amod |
| 45 | hand | hand | NOUN | Number=Sing | 36 takes | obl |
| 46 | and | and | CCONJ | _ | 48 poured | cc |
| 47 | having | have | AUX | Tense=Pres VerbForm=Part | 48 poured | aux |
| 48 | poured | pour | VERB | Tense=Past VerbForm=Part | 45 hand | conj |
| 49 | a | a | DET | Definite=Ind PronType=Art | 51 tombo | det |
| 50 | little | little | ADJ | Degree=Pos | 51 tombo | amod |
| 51 | tombo | tombo | NOUN | Number=Sing | 48 poured | obj |
| 52 | into | into | ADP | _ | 54 glass | case |
| 53 | the | the | DET | Definite=Def PronType=Art | 54 glass | det |
| 54 | glass | glass | NOUN | Number=Sing | 56 presents | obl |
| 55 | he | he | PRON | Case=Nom Gender=Masc Number=Sing Person=3 PronType=Prs | 56 presents | nsubj |
| 56 | presents | present | VERB | Mood=Ind Number=Sing Person=3 Tense=Pres VerbForm=Fin | 36 takes | conj |
| 57 | it | it | PRON | Case=Acc Gender=Neut Number=Sing Person=3 PronType=Prs | 56 presents | obj |
| 58 | to | to | ADP | _ | 60 chief | case |
| 59 | the | the | DET | Definite=Def PronType=Art | 60 chief | det |
| 60 | chief | chief | NOUN | Number=Sing | 56 presents | obl |
| 61 | or | or | CCONJ | _ | 65 present | cc |
| 62 | the | the | DET | Definite=Def PronType=Art | 65 present | det |
| 63 | head | head | NOUN | Number=Sing | 64 man | compound |
| 64 | man | man | NOUN | Number=Sing | 65 present | compound |
| 65 | present | present | NOUN | Number=Sing | 60 chief | conj |
| 66 | , | , | PUNCT | _ | 68 makes | punct |
| 67 | who | who | PRON | PronType=Rel | 68 makes | nsubj |
| 68 | makes | make | VERB | Mood=Ind Number=Sing Person=3 Tense=Pres VerbForm=Fin | 65 present | acl:relcl |
| 69 | a | a | DET | Definite=Ind PronType=Art | 71 speech | det |
| 70 | little | little | ADJ | Degree=Pos | 71 speech | amod |
| 71 | speech | speech | NOUN | Number=Sing | 68 makes | obj |
| 72 | asking | ask | VERB | VerbForm=Ger | 71 speech | acl |
| 73 | God | God | PROPN | Number=Sing | 72 asking | obj |
| 74 | ( | ( | PUNCT | _ | 76 wor | punct |
| 75 | Ossor | Ossor | PROPN | Number=Sing | 76 wor | compound |
| 76 | wor | wor | NOUN | Number=Sing | 73 God | appos |
| 77 | ) | ) | PUNCT | _ | 76 wor | punct |
| 78 | to | to | PART | _ | 80 good | mark |
| 79 | be | be | AUX | VerbForm=Inf | 80 good | cop |
| 80 | good | good | ADJ | Degree=Pos | 72 asking | ccomp |
| 81 | to | to | ADP | _ | 82 them | case |
| 82 | them | they | PRON | Case=Acc Number=Plur Person=3 PronType=Prs | 80 good | obl |
| 83 | to | to | PART | _ | 84 prevent | mark |
| 84 | prevent | prevent | VERB | VerbForm=Inf | 80 good | advcl |
| 85 | their | their | PRON | Case=Gen Number=Plur Person=3 Poss=Yes PronType=Prs | 86 children | nmod:poss |
| 86 | children | child | NOUN | Number=Plur | 84 prevent | obj |
| 87 | from | from | SCONJ | _ | 88 dying | mark |
| 88 | dying | die | VERB | Tense=Pres VerbForm=Part | 84 prevent | advcl |
| 89 | , | , | PUNCT | _ | 92 give | punct |
| 90 | and | and | CCONJ | _ | 92 give | cc |
| 91 | to | to | PART | _ | 92 give | mark |
| 92 | give | give | VERB | VerbForm=Inf | 16 takes | parataxis |
| 93 | them | they | PRON | Case=Acc Number=Plur Person=3 PronType=Prs | 92 give | iobj |
| 94 | good | good | ADJ | Degree=Pos | 96 crops | amod |
| 95 | yam | yam | NOUN | Number=Sing | 96 crops | compound |
| 96 | crops | crop | NOUN | Number=Plur | 92 give | obj |
| 97 | , | , | PUNCT | _ | 98 etc. | punct |
| 98 | etc. | etc. | NOUN | Abbr=Yes Number=Plur | 92 give | conj |
| 99 | He | he | PRON | Case=Nom Gender=Masc Number=Sing Person=3 PronType=Prs | 101 throws | nsubj |
| 100 | then | then | ADV | PronType=Dem | 101 throws | advmod |
| 101 | throws | throw | VERB | Mood=Ind Number=Sing Person=3 Tense=Pres VerbForm=Fin | 98 etc. | acl:relcl |
| 102 | the | the | DET | Definite=Def PronType=Art | 103 tombo | det |
| 103 | tombo | tombo | NOUN | Number=Sing | 101 throws | obj |
| 104 | on | on | ADP | _ | 106 ground | case |
| 105 | the | the | DET | Definite=Def PronType=Art | 106 ground | det |
| 106 | ground | ground | NOUN | Number=Sing | 101 throws | obl |
| 107 | . | . | PUNCT | _ | 16 takes | punct |
Pragmatics
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | pour | present | Ka ammum | drink | vn preparing-26.3-2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent drink=Patient | ||||
| 2 | take | present | the pourer | the demijon or calabash of tombo | ammum's right hand and places tombo | on ammum's knee | vn bring-11.3 «NP V NP PP.destination»: agent=Agent demijon=Theme on knee=Destination | ||
| 3 | take | present | pourer | a glass or small calabash | ammum's left hand | then | vn fit-54.3 «NP V NP PP.location»: agent=Agent glass=Value in hand=Location | ||
| 4 | pour | gerund · perfect | pourer not said here | a little tombo | vn preparing-26.3-2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent tombo=Patient | ||||
| 5 | present | present | pourer | tombo | the chief or the man present | the glass | vn fulfilling-13.4.1 «NP V NP PP.recipient»: agent=Agent it=Theme to chief=Recipient | ||
| 6 | make | present | the man present | a little speech | vn build-26.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent speech=Product | ||||
| 7 | ask speech: ask | gerund | God | a little speech not said here | vn inquire-37.1.2 «NP V NP.recipient»: agent=Agent speech=Recipient | ||||
| 8 | is not said to happen | to-infinitive | glass | good property | tree rules | ||||
| 9 | prevent | to-infinitive | glass's children | vn forbid-64.4-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Causer child=Theme | |||||
| 10 | die | gerund | vn calibratable_cos-45.6.1 «NP.attribute V»: agent=Attribute | ||||||
| 11 | give | to-infinitive | good yam crops | children = child | etc. conj | vn give-13.1-1 «NP V NP-Dative NP»: agent=Agent they=Recipient crop=Theme | |||
| 12 | throw | present | pourer | the tombo | the ground | then | vn throw-17.1-1-1 «NP V NP PP.destinations»: agent=Agent tombo=Theme on ground=Destination |
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: «Ikom folk stories from Southern Nigeria» by Elphinstone Dayrell, Project Gutenberg book 70959 (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/pg70959/12/63/