Ikom folk stories from Southern Nigeria, Xv.--what Happened At Okuni When Anyone Was Killed By Accident., sentence 68
The reason that the glass is presented with the left hand of the “pourer out” is, that formerly the natives were afraid of being seized by the hand, when they held out the tombo, by some man who would seize them on behalf of a third person who owed him a debt, and if they held the glass out in their right hand and were caught by it they could not get at their knives which are worn on their right side, to protect themselves.
Who acts: reason, hand, glass, man, third person · What happens: present, be, seize, hold out, owe, catch · To what, where: glass, tombo, behalf, debt, pourer, right hand
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 (reason, hand, glass, man), 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 | 2 reason | det |
| 2 | reason | reason | NOUN | Number=Sing | 25 afraid | nsubj:outer |
| 3 | that | that | SCONJ | _ | 7 presented | mark |
| 4 | the | the | DET | Definite=Def PronType=Art | 5 glass | det |
| 5 | glass | glass | NOUN | Number=Sing | 7 presented | nsubj:pass |
| 6 | is | be | AUX | Mood=Ind Number=Sing Person=3 Tense=Pres VerbForm=Fin | 7 presented | aux:pass |
| 7 | presented | present | VERB | Tense=Past VerbForm=Part Voice=Pass | 2 reason | acl |
| 8 | with | with | ADP | _ | 11 hand | case |
| 9 | the | the | DET | Definite=Def PronType=Art | 11 hand | det |
| 10 | left | left | ADJ | Degree=Pos | 11 hand | amod |
| 11 | hand | hand | NOUN | Number=Sing | 7 presented | obl |
| 12 | of | of | ADP | _ | 15 pourer | case |
| 13 | the | the | DET | Definite=Def PronType=Art | 15 pourer | det |
| 14 | “ | " | PUNCT | _ | 15 pourer | punct |
| 15 | pourer | pourer | NOUN | Number=Sing | 11 hand | nmod |
| 16 | out | out | ADP | _ | 15 pourer | compound:prt |
| 17 | ” | " | PUNCT | _ | 15 pourer | punct |
| 18 | is | be | AUX | Mood=Ind Number=Sing Person=3 Tense=Pres VerbForm=Fin | 25 afraid | cop |
| 19 | , | , | PUNCT | _ | 25 afraid | punct |
| 20 | that | that | PRON | Number=Sing PronType=Dem | 25 afraid | nsubj |
| 21 | formerly | formerly | ADV | _ | 23 natives | advmod |
| 22 | the | the | DET | Definite=Def PronType=Art | 23 natives | det |
| 23 | natives | native | NOUN | Number=Plur | 25 afraid | nsubj |
| 24 | were | be | AUX | Mood=Ind Number=Plur Person=3 Tense=Past VerbForm=Fin | 25 afraid | cop |
| 25 | afraid | afraid | ADJ | Degree=Pos | root | root |
| 26 | of | of | SCONJ | _ | 28 seized | mark |
| 27 | being | be | AUX | Tense=Pres VerbForm=Part | 28 seized | aux:pass |
| 28 | seized | seize | VERB | Tense=Past VerbForm=Part Voice=Pass | 25 afraid | xcomp |
| 29 | by | by | ADP | _ | 31 hand | case |
| 30 | the | the | DET | Definite=Def PronType=Art | 31 hand | det |
| 31 | hand | hand | NOUN | Number=Sing | 28 seized | obl |
| 32 | , | , | PUNCT | _ | 35 held | punct |
| 33 | when | when | ADV | PronType=Int | 35 held | advmod |
| 34 | they | they | PRON | Case=Nom Number=Plur Person=3 PronType=Prs | 35 held | nsubj |
| 35 | held | hold | VERB | Mood=Ind Number=Plur Person=3 Tense=Past VerbForm=Fin | 25 afraid | conj |
| 36 | out | out | ADP | _ | 35 held | compound:prt |
| 37 | the | the | DET | Definite=Def PronType=Art | 38 tombo | det |
| 38 | tombo | tombo | NOUN | Number=Sing | 35 held | obj |
| 39 | , | , | PUNCT | _ | 42 man | punct |
| 40 | by | by | ADP | _ | 42 man | case |
| 41 | some | some | DET | PronType=Ind | 42 man | det |
| 42 | man | man | NOUN | Number=Sing | 35 held | obl |
| 43 | who | who | PRON | PronType=Rel | 45 seize | nsubj |
| 44 | would | would | AUX | VerbForm=Fin | 45 seize | aux |
| 45 | seize | seize | VERB | VerbForm=Inf | 42 man | acl:relcl |
| 46 | them | they | PRON | Case=Acc Number=Plur Person=3 PronType=Prs | 45 seize | obj |
| 47 | on | on | ADP | _ | 48 behalf | case |
| 48 | behalf | behalf | NOUN | Number=Sing | 45 seize | obl |
| 49 | of | of | ADP | _ | 52 person | case |
| 50 | a | a | DET | Definite=Ind PronType=Art | 52 person | det |
| 51 | third | third | ADJ | Degree=Pos NumForm=Word NumType=Ord | 52 person | amod |
| 52 | person | person | NOUN | Number=Sing | 48 behalf | nmod |
| 53 | who | who | PRON | PronType=Rel | 54 owed | nsubj |
| 54 | owed | owe | VERB | Mood=Ind Number=Sing Person=3 Tense=Past VerbForm=Fin | 52 person | acl:relcl |
| 55 | him | he | PRON | Case=Acc Gender=Masc Number=Sing Person=3 PronType=Prs | 54 owed | iobj |
| 56 | a | a | DET | Definite=Ind PronType=Art | 57 debt | det |
| 57 | debt | debt | NOUN | Number=Sing | 54 owed | obj |
| 58 | , | , | PUNCT | _ | 62 held | punct |
| 59 | and | and | CCONJ | _ | 62 held | cc |
| 60 | if | if | SCONJ | _ | 62 held | mark |
| 61 | they | they | PRON | Case=Nom Number=Plur Person=3 PronType=Prs | 62 held | nsubj |
| 62 | held | hold | VERB | Mood=Ind Number=Plur Person=3 Tense=Past VerbForm=Fin | 25 afraid | parataxis |
| 63 | the | the | DET | Definite=Def PronType=Art | 64 glass | det |
| 64 | glass | glass | NOUN | Number=Sing | 62 held | obj |
| 65 | out | out | ADP | _ | 62 held | compound:prt |
| 66 | in | in | ADP | _ | 69 hand | case |
| 67 | their | their | PRON | Case=Gen Number=Plur Person=3 Poss=Yes PronType=Prs | 69 hand | nmod:poss |
| 68 | right | right | ADJ | Degree=Pos | 69 hand | amod |
| 69 | hand | hand | NOUN | Number=Sing | 62 held | obl |
| 70 | and | and | CCONJ | _ | 72 caught | cc |
| 71 | were | be | AUX | Mood=Ind Number=Plur Person=3 Tense=Past VerbForm=Fin | 72 caught | aux:pass |
| 72 | caught | catch | VERB | Tense=Past VerbForm=Part Voice=Pass | 62 held | conj |
| 73 | by | by | ADP | _ | 74 it | case |
| 74 | it | it | PRON | Case=Acc Gender=Neut Number=Sing Person=3 PronType=Prs | 72 caught | obl |
| 75 | they | they | PRON | Case=Nom Number=Plur Person=3 PronType=Prs | 78 get | nsubj |
| 76 | could | could | AUX | VerbForm=Fin | 78 get | aux |
| 77 | not | not | PART | Polarity=Neg | 78 get | advmod |
| 78 | get | get | VERB | VerbForm=Inf | 72 caught | parataxis |
| 79 | at | at | ADP | _ | 81 knives | case |
| 80 | their | their | PRON | Case=Gen Number=Plur Person=3 Poss=Yes PronType=Prs | 81 knives | nmod:poss |
| 81 | knives | knife | NOUN | Number=Plur | 78 get | obl |
| 82 | which | which | PRON | PronType=Rel | 84 worn | nsubj:pass |
| 83 | are | be | AUX | Mood=Ind Number=Plur Person=3 Tense=Pres VerbForm=Fin | 84 worn | aux:pass |
| 84 | worn | wear | VERB | Tense=Past VerbForm=Part Voice=Pass | 81 knives | acl:relcl |
| 85 | on | on | ADP | _ | 88 side | case |
| 86 | their | their | PRON | Case=Gen Number=Plur Person=3 Poss=Yes PronType=Prs | 88 side | nmod:poss |
| 87 | right | right | ADJ | Degree=Pos | 88 side | amod |
| 88 | side | side | NOUN | Number=Sing | 84 worn | obl |
| 89 | , | , | PUNCT | _ | 91 protect | punct |
| 90 | to | to | PART | _ | 91 protect | mark |
| 91 | protect | protect | VERB | VerbForm=Inf | 78 get | advcl |
| 92 | themselves | themselves | PRON | Case=Acc Number=Plur Person=3 PronType=Prs Reflex=Yes | 91 protect | obj |
| 93 | . | . | PUNCT | _ | 25 afraid | punct |
Pragmatics
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | present | present · passive | the reason not said here | the glass | with the left hand of the pourer | vn fulfilling-13.4.1 «NP V NP-Fulfilling PP.theme»: subject=Recipient with hand=Theme | |||
| 2 | is | present | the reason | that nsubj; the natives nsubj; afraid property | tree rules | ||||
| 3 | seize | gerund · passive | the hand | vn obtain-13.5.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent | |||||
| 4 | hold out | past | glass | the tombo | by some man | vn keep-15.2 «NP V NP PP.location»: agent=Agent tombo=Theme by man=Location | |||
| 5 | seize | would | some man | glass | behalf of a third person | vn obtain-13.5.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent they=Theme | |||
| 6 | owe | past | a third person | a debt | pourer | vn future_having-13.3 «NP V NP.goal NP»: agent=Agent he=Goal debt=Theme | |||
| 7 | hold out a condition, not said to happen | past | glass | the glass | glass's right hand | vn keep-15.2 «NP V NP PP.location»: agent=Agent glass=Theme in hand=Location | |||
| 8 | catch | past · passive | glass not said here | by tombo | vn get-13.5.1 «NP V NP» | ||||
| 9 | not get | could | glass | glass's knives | vn comprehend-87.2-1 «NP V S_ING»: agent=Experiencer | ||||
| 10 | wear | present · passive | glass's knives | glass's right side | vn wipe_manner-10.4.1-1 «NP V NP.source»: subject=Source | ||||
| 11 | protect | to-infinitive | glass not said here | glass | vn defend-72.3 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent themselves=Beneficiary |
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.
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