Morien: A Metrical Romance Rendered into English Prose from the Mediæval Dutch, Opening, part 1, sentence 40
It must be admitted that an original Arthurian romance of the twelfth or thirteenth century, when at latest such a poem would be written, in a language other than French, is so far unknown to us; and although as a matter of fact the central _motif_ of the poem, the representation of a Moor as near akin to the Grail Winner, Sir Perceval, has not been preserved in any known French text, while it does exist in a famous German version, I for one find no difficulty in believing that the tradition existed in French, and that the original version of our poem was a metrical romance in that tongue.
Who acts: Romance, I, tradition, original version, twelfth century, fact · What happens: admit, write, be, not preserve, know, exist · To what, where: Romance, poem, language, us, known French text, famous German version · Speech: someone speaks here
This is a sentence of «Morien: A Metrical Romance Rendered into English Prose from the Mediæval Dutch» by Jessie L. Weston, Opening, part 1. The page gives its syntax tree — a dependency tree in the style of Universal Dependencies — and its pragmatics clause by clause: who acts (Romance, I, tradition, original version), 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 | It | it | PRON | Case=Nom Gender=Neut Number=Sing Person=3 PronType=Prs | 4 admitted | nsubj:pass |
| 2 | must | must | AUX | VerbForm=Fin | 4 admitted | aux |
| 3 | be | be | AUX | VerbForm=Inf | 4 admitted | aux:pass |
| 4 | admitted | admit | VERB | Tense=Past VerbForm=Part Voice=Pass | root | root |
| 5 | that | that | SCONJ | _ | 9 romance | mark |
| 6 | an | a | DET | Definite=Ind PronType=Art | 9 romance | det |
| 7 | original | original | ADJ | Degree=Pos | 9 romance | amod |
| 8 | Arthurian | arthurian | ADJ | Degree=Pos | 9 romance | amod |
| 9 | romance | romance | NOUN | Number=Sing | 4 admitted | ccomp |
| 10 | of | of | ADP | _ | 15 century | case |
| 11 | the | the | DET | Definite=Def PronType=Art | 15 century | det |
| 12 | twelfth | twelfth | ADJ | Degree=Pos | 15 century | amod |
| 13 | or | or | CCONJ | _ | 14 thirteenth | cc |
| 14 | thirteenth | thirteenth | ADJ | Degree=Pos | 12 twelfth | conj |
| 15 | century | century | NOUN | Number=Sing | 9 romance | nmod |
| 16 | , | , | PUNCT | _ | 25 written | punct |
| 17 | when | when | ADV | PronType=Int | 25 written | advmod |
| 18 | at | at | ADP | _ | 19 latest | case |
| 19 | latest | late | ADJ | Degree=Sup | 22 poem | nmod |
| 20 | such | such | DET | PronType=Ind | 22 poem | det:predet |
| 21 | a | a | DET | Definite=Ind PronType=Art | 22 poem | det |
| 22 | poem | poem | NOUN | Number=Sing | 25 written | nsubj:pass |
| 23 | would | would | AUX | VerbForm=Fin | 25 written | aux |
| 24 | be | be | AUX | VerbForm=Inf | 25 written | aux:pass |
| 25 | written | write | VERB | Tense=Past VerbForm=Part Voice=Pass | 9 romance | acl |
| 26 | , | , | PUNCT | _ | 29 language | punct |
| 27 | in | in | ADP | _ | 29 language | case |
| 28 | a | a | DET | Definite=Ind PronType=Art | 29 language | det |
| 29 | language | language | NOUN | Number=Sing | 25 written | obl |
| 30 | other | other | ADJ | Degree=Pos | 29 language | amod |
| 31 | than | than | ADP | _ | 32 French | case |
| 32 | French | French | PROPN | Number=Sing | 30 other | obl |
| 33 | , | , | PUNCT | _ | 29 language | punct |
| 34 | is | be | AUX | Mood=Ind Number=Sing Person=3 Tense=Pres VerbForm=Fin | 37 unknown | cop |
| 35 | so | so | ADV | _ | 37 unknown | advmod |
| 36 | far | far | ADV | Degree=Pos | 37 unknown | advmod |
| 37 | unknown | unknown | ADJ | Degree=Pos | 4 admitted | conj |
| 38 | to | to | ADP | _ | 39 us | case |
| 39 | us | we | PRON | Case=Acc Number=Plur Person=1 PronType=Prs | 37 unknown | obl |
| 40 | ; | ; | PUNCT | _ | 76 preserved | punct |
| 41 | and | and | CCONJ | _ | 76 preserved | cc |
| 42 | although | although | SCONJ | _ | 76 preserved | mark |
| 43 | as | as | ADP | _ | 45 matter | case |
| 44 | a | a | DET | Definite=Ind PronType=Art | 45 matter | det |
| 45 | matter | matter | NOUN | Number=Sing | 76 preserved | obl |
| 46 | of | of | ADP | _ | 47 fact | case |
| 47 | fact | fact | NOUN | Number=Sing | 45 matter | nmod |
| 48 | the | the | DET | Definite=Def PronType=Art | 51 motif | det |
| 49 | central | central | ADJ | Degree=Pos | 51 motif | amod |
| 50 | _ | _ | PUNCT | _ | 49 central | punct |
| 51 | motif | motif | NOUN | Number=Sing | 47 fact | nmod |
| 52 | _ | _ | PUNCT | _ | 55 poem | punct |
| 53 | of | of | ADP | _ | 55 poem | case |
| 54 | the | the | DET | Definite=Def PronType=Art | 55 poem | det |
| 55 | poem | poem | NOUN | Number=Sing | 51 motif | appos |
| 56 | , | , | PUNCT | _ | 58 representation | punct |
| 57 | the | the | DET | Definite=Def PronType=Art | 58 representation | det |
| 58 | representation | representation | NOUN | Number=Sing | 55 poem | appos |
| 59 | of | of | ADP | _ | 61 Moor | case |
| 60 | a | a | DET | Definite=Ind PronType=Art | 61 Moor | det |
| 61 | Moor | moor | NOUN | Number=Sing | 58 representation | nmod |
| 62 | as | as | ADV | _ | 63 near | advmod |
| 63 | near | near | ADP | _ | 64 akin | case |
| 64 | akin | akin | NOUN | Number=Sing | 58 representation | nmod |
| 65 | to | to | ADP | _ | 68 Winner | case |
| 66 | the | the | DET | Definite=Def PronType=Art | 68 Winner | det |
| 67 | Grail | Grail | PROPN | Number=Sing | 68 Winner | compound |
| 68 | Winner | Winner | PROPN | Number=Sing | 64 akin | nmod |
| 69 | , | , | PUNCT | _ | 70 Sir | punct |
| 70 | Sir | Sir | PROPN | Number=Sing | 68 Winner | conj |
| 71 | Perceval | Perceval | PROPN | Number=Sing | 70 Sir | flat |
| 72 | , | , | PUNCT | _ | 45 matter | punct |
| 73 | has | have | AUX | Mood=Ind Number=Sing Person=3 Tense=Pres VerbForm=Fin | 76 preserved | aux |
| 74 | not | not | PART | Polarity=Neg | 76 preserved | advmod |
| 75 | been | be | AUX | Tense=Past VerbForm=Part | 76 preserved | aux:pass |
| 76 | preserved | preserve | VERB | Tense=Past VerbForm=Part Voice=Pass | 4 admitted | conj |
| 77 | in | in | ADP | _ | 81 text | case |
| 78 | any | any | DET | PronType=Ind | 81 text | det |
| 79 | known | know | VERB | Tense=Past VerbForm=Part Voice=Pass | 81 text | amod |
| 80 | French | French | ADJ | Degree=Pos | 81 text | amod |
| 81 | text | text | NOUN | Number=Sing | 76 preserved | obl |
| 82 | , | , | PUNCT | _ | 86 exist | punct |
| 83 | while | while | SCONJ | _ | 86 exist | mark |
| 84 | it | it | PRON | Case=Nom Gender=Neut Number=Sing Person=3 PronType=Prs | 86 exist | nsubj |
| 85 | does | do | AUX | Mood=Ind Number=Sing Person=3 Tense=Pres VerbForm=Fin | 86 exist | aux |
| 86 | exist | exist | VERB | VerbForm=Inf | 4 admitted | conj |
| 87 | in | in | ADP | _ | 91 version | case |
| 88 | a | a | DET | Definite=Ind PronType=Art | 91 version | det |
| 89 | famous | famous | ADJ | Degree=Pos | 91 version | amod |
| 90 | German | German | ADJ | Degree=Pos | 91 version | amod |
| 91 | version | version | NOUN | Number=Sing | 86 exist | obl |
| 92 | , | , | PUNCT | _ | 96 find | punct |
| 93 | I | I | PRON | Case=Nom Number=Sing Person=1 PronType=Prs | 96 find | nsubj |
| 94 | for | for | SCONJ | _ | 96 find | mark |
| 95 | one | one | NUM | NumForm=Word NumType=Card | 96 find | nsubj |
| 96 | find | find | VERB | Mood=Ind Number=Sing Person=1 Tense=Pres VerbForm=Fin | 86 exist | conj |
| 97 | no | no | DET | PronType=Neg | 98 difficulty | det |
| 98 | difficulty | difficulty | NOUN | Number=Sing | 96 find | obj |
| 99 | in | in | SCONJ | _ | 100 believing | mark |
| 100 | believing | believe | VERB | Tense=Pres VerbForm=Part | 96 find | advcl |
| 101 | that | that | SCONJ | _ | 104 existed | mark |
| 102 | the | the | DET | Definite=Def PronType=Art | 103 tradition | det |
| 103 | tradition | tradition | NOUN | Number=Sing | 104 existed | nsubj |
| 104 | existed | exist | VERB | Mood=Ind Number=Sing Person=3 Tense=Past VerbForm=Fin | 100 believing | ccomp |
| 105 | in | in | ADP | _ | 106 French | case |
| 106 | French | French | PROPN | Number=Sing | 104 existed | obl |
| 107 | , | , | PUNCT | _ | 119 romance | punct |
| 108 | and | and | CCONJ | _ | 119 romance | cc |
| 109 | that | that | SCONJ | _ | 119 romance | mark |
| 110 | the | the | DET | Definite=Def PronType=Art | 112 version | det |
| 111 | original | original | ADJ | Degree=Pos | 112 version | amod |
| 112 | version | version | NOUN | Number=Sing | 119 romance | nsubj |
| 113 | of | of | ADP | _ | 115 poem | case |
| 114 | our | our | PRON | Case=Gen Number=Plur Person=1 Poss=Yes PronType=Prs | 115 poem | nmod:poss |
| 115 | poem | poem | NOUN | Number=Sing | 112 version | nmod |
| 116 | was | be | AUX | Mood=Ind Number=Sing Person=3 Tense=Past VerbForm=Fin | 119 romance | cop |
| 117 | a | a | DET | Definite=Ind PronType=Art | 119 romance | det |
| 118 | metrical | metrical | ADJ | Degree=Pos | 119 romance | amod |
| 119 | romance | romance | NOUN | Number=Sing | 86 exist | obl |
| 120 | in | in | ADP | _ | 122 tongue | case |
| 121 | that | that | DET | Number=Sing PronType=Dem | 122 tongue | det |
| 122 | tongue | tongue | NOUN | Number=Sing | 119 romance | nmod |
| 123 | . | . | PUNCT | _ | 4 admitted | punct |
Pragmatics
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | admit speech: other | must · passive | Romance | a original Arthurian romance of the twelfth century ccomp | vn admit-64.3-1 «NP V NP»: subject=Theme | ||||
| 2 | write | would · passive | such poem at latest | a language | vn scribble-25.2-1 «NP V NP PP.destination»: subject=Theme in language=Destination | ||||
| 3 | is | present | us | far, unknown property | tree rules | ||||
| 4 | not preserve | present · perfect · passive | any known French text | as a matter of fact the central motif | vn defend-72.3 «NP V S_ING» | ||||
| 5 | know | participle | vn comprehend-87.2-1-1-1 «NP V»: agent=Experiencer | ||||||
| 6 | exist | present · do-support | Romance | a famous German version | vn exist-47.1 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Theme in version=Location | ||||
| 7 | find | present | I | no difficulty | one nsubj | vn discover-84 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent difficulty=Topic | |||
| 8 | believe | gerund | I not said here | vn admire-31.2 «NP V that S»: agent=Experiencer clause=Stimulus | |||||
| 9 | exist | past | the tradition | French | vn exist-47.1 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Theme in french=Location | ||||
| 10 | is a | past | the original version of our poem | a metrical romance | that tongue | tree rules | |||
| 11 | romance | the twelfth century | nom romance «state intransitive»: of=agent | ||||||
| 12 | matter | fact the central motif | nom matter «cognition intransitive»: of=agent | ||||||
| 13 | represent | a Moor | akin to the Grail Winner and Sir | nom representation «cognition transitive»: of=patient near=place |
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: «Morien: A Metrical Romance Rendered into English Prose from the Mediæval Dutch» by Jessie L. Weston, Project Gutenberg book 8447 (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/pg8447/1/40/